ML061280527

License Amendments, Issuance of Amendments Containment Area High-Range Radiation Monitors

ML061280527
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	05/25/2006
From:	Stewart Bailey Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Levis W Public Service Enterprise Group
Bailey S , NRR/ADRO/DORL, 415-1321
References
TAC MC8311, TAC MC8312
Download: ML061280527 (13)

Text

May 25, 2006 Mr. William Levis Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2, ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: CONTAINMENT AREA HIGH-RANGE RADIATION MONITORS (TAC NOS. MC8311 AND MC8312)

Dear Mr. Levis:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment Nos. 272 and 253 to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-70 and DPR-75 for the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. These amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated August 31, 2005, as supplemented by letters dated December 8, 2005, and April 10, 2006. These amendments move the requirements for the containment area high-range radiation monitors from TS 3/4.3.3.1, Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation, to TS 3/4.3.3.7, Accident Monitoring Instrumentation, and correct a typographical error in TS Surveillance Requirement 4.2.2.

A copy of our Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Stewart N. Bailey, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 272 to License No. DPR-70

2. Amendment No. 253 to License No. DPR-75

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page

May 25, 2006 Mr. William Levis Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2, ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: CONTAINMENT AREA HIGH-RANGE RADIATION MONITORS (TAC NOS. MC8311 AND MC8312)

Dear Mr. Levis:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment Nos. 272 and 253 to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-70 and DPR-75 for the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. These amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated August 31, 2005, as supplemented by letters dated December 8, 2005, and April 10, 2006. These amendments move the requirements for the containment area high-range radiation monitors from TS 3/4.3.3.1, Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation, to TS 3/4.3.3.7, Accident Monitoring Instrumentation, and correct a typographical error in TS Surveillance Requirement 4.2.2.

A copy of our Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Stewart N. Bailey, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 272 to License No. DPR-70

2. Amendment No. 253 to License No. DPR-75

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION RidsNrrDorlLpl1-2 RidsOgcRp RidsRgn1MailCenter PUBLIC RidsNrrPMSBailey RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter LPL1-2 R/F RidsNrrLACRaynor RidsNrrDirsItsb RidsNrrDorl GHill, OIS SMazumdar RidsNrrDorlDpr Accession Number: ML061280527 OFFICE LPL1-2/PM LPL1-2/LA EEIB/BC OGC LPL1-2/BC NAME SBailey/em CRaynor AHowe HWedewer DRoberts DATE 5/24/06 5/12/06 05/12/06 5/24/06 5/24/06 Official Record Copy

Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 cc:

Mr. Dennis Winchester Township Clerk Vice President - Nuclear Assessment Lower Alloways Creek Township PSEG Nuclear Municipal Building, P.O. Box 157 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Paul Bauldauf, P.E., Asst. Director Mr. Thomas P. Joyce Radiation Protection Programs Site Vice President - Salem NJ Department of Environmental PSEG Nuclear Protection and Energy P.O. Box 236 CN 415 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Trenton, NJ 08625-0415 Mr. George H. Gellrich Mr. Brian Beam Plant Support Manager Board of Public Utilities PSEG Nuclear 2 Gateway Center, Tenth Floor P.O. Box 236 Newark, NJ 07102 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Regional Administrator, Region I Mr. Carl J. Fricker U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Plant Manager - Salem 475 Allendale Road PSEG Nuclear - N21 King of Prussia, PA 19406 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Senior Resident Inspector Salem Nuclear Generating Station Mr. Darin Benyak U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Director - Regulatory Assurance Drawer 0509 PSEG Nuclear - N21 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. James Mallon Manager - Licensing 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-E Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mr. Steven Mannon Manager - Regulatory Assurance P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Jeffrie J. Keenan, Esquire PSEG Nuclear - N21 P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

PSEG NUCLEAR, LLC EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC DOCKET NO. 50-272 SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NO. 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 272 License No. DPR-70

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment filed by PSEG Nuclear LLC on behalf of itself and Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensees) dated August 31, 2005, as supplemented by letters dated December 8, 2005, and April 10, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set forth in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-70 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendices A and B, as revised through Amendment No. 272, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 60 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Darrell J. Roberts, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: May 25, 2006

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 272 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-70 DOCKET NO. 50-272 Replace the following page of Facility Operating License No. DPR-70 with the attached revised page as indicated. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Page Insert Page 4 4 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A, Technical Specifications, with the attached revised pages as indicated. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Pages Insert Pages 3/4 2-6 3/4 2-6 3/4 3-36 3/4 3-36 3/4 3-38 3/4 3-38 3/4 3-55 3/4 3-55 3/4 3-56a 3/4 3-56a 3/4 3-57a 3/4 3-57a

PSEG NUCLEAR, LLC EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC DOCKET NO. 50-311 SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NO. 2 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 253 License No. DPR-75

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment filed by PSEG Nuclear LLC on behalf of itself and Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensees) dated August 31, 2005, as supplemented by letters dated December 8, 2005, and April 10, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commissions rules and regulations set forth in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissions regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-75 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendices A and B, as revised through Amendment No. 253, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 60 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Darrell J. Roberts, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: May 25, 2006

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 253 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-75 DOCKET NO. 50-311 Replace the following page of the Facility Operating License No. DPR-75 with the attached revised page as indicated. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Page Insert Page 4 4 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A, Technical Specifications, with the attached revised pages as indicated. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Pages Insert Pages 3/4 3-39 3/4 3-39 3/4 3-41 3/4 3-41 3/4 3-51a 3/4 3-51a 3/4 3-51c 3/4 3-51c 3/4 3-52a 3/4 3-52a

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NOS. 272 AND 253 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. DPR-70 AND DPR-75 PSEG NUCLEAR, LLC EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-272 AND 50-311

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated August 31, 2005, as supplemented by letter dated December 8, 2005, PSEG Nuclear LLC (the licensee) proposed amendments to the Facility Operating Licenses for Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Salem). The amendments would change the Technical Specifications (TSs) to move the requirements for the containment area high-range radiation monitors (R-44s) from TS 3/4.3.3.1, Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation, to TS 3/4.3.3.7, Accident Monitoring Instrumentation. The licensee also proposed an editorial change to correct a typographical error in TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.2.2 related to the equation for the hot channel factor. By letter dated April 10, 2006, the licensee provided additional information that did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) staffs original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2006 (71 FR 2594).

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

The NRCs regulatory requirements related to the content of the TSs are set forth in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.36, Technical Specifications. This regulation requires that the TSs include items in the following five specific categories: (1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation (LCOs); (3) SRs; (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls. Additionally, Criterion 2 of 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(ii) requires an LCO to be established for a process variable, design feature, or operating restriction that is an initial condition of a design-basis accident or transient analysis that either assumes the failure of, or presents a challenge to, the integrity of a fission product barrier. The NRC has issued guidance for acceptable structure and content of TSs in the form of the standard technical specifications (STSs) found in NUREG-1431, Standard Technical Specifications Westinghouse Plants, Revision 3. The NRC has provided additional guidance on accident monitoring instrumentation in Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.97,

Instrumentation for Light Water Cooled Nuclear Power Plants to Assess Plant Conditions During and Following an Accident.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

The current TS LCO 3.3.3.1 requires that the radiation monitoring instrumentation be Operable in accordance with TS Table 3.3-6, Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation. TS Table 3.3-6 requires, in part, that two channels of R-44 be Operable in Operational Modes (Modes) 1-4, as defined in TS Table 1.1, Operational Modes. SR 4.3.3.1 requires, in part, that these channels receive channel checks, source checks, channel calibrations, and channel functional tests in accordance with TS Table 4.3-3, Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation Surveillance Requirements. TS Table 4.3-3 requires a monthly source check for the R-44s. TS 1.31, Source Check, defines the surveillance as the qualitative assessment of channel response, when the channel sensor is exposed to a source of increased radioactivity.

The licensee has proposed to move the TS requirements for the R-44s from the radiation monitoring instrumentation requirements, TS 3/4.3.3.1, to the accident monitoring instrument requirements, TS 3/4.3.3.7. LCO 3.3.3.7 requires that the accident monitoring instrumentation be Operable in Modes 1-3. SR 4.3.3.7 requires that each channel be demonstrated Operable by performance of channel checks, channel calibrations, and channel functional tests as specified in TS Table 4.3-11, Surveillance Requirements for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation. Moving the requirements for the R-44 channels from TS 3.3.3.1 to TS 3.3.3.7 would result in the following changes to the requirements:

• Remove the requirement for the R-44 channels to Operable in Mode 4, and

• Remove the requirement for a source check of the R-44 channels.

TS Table 1.1 defines Mode 4, Hot Shutdown, as having the reactor shut down and reactor coolant system average temperature between 200 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

The licensee stated that the goal of the subject requirements is to ensure that sufficient information is available to monitor and assess plant conditions following an accident, in accordance with RG 1.97. The R-44 channels are designed to meet the criteria in RG 1.97 with respect to locations (widely separated) and range (between 1 and 10,000 Rad/hour). The TS Bases state that the purpose of the R-44 channels is to ensure that 1) the radiation levels are continuously monitored, and 2) the alarm is initiated when the setpoint is reached. The licensee did not propose any changes to the design of the R-44 channels or the alarm setpoint.

The licensee stated that removing the requirements for the source check will result in significant dose savings and remove the industrial safety hazards associated with the surveillance.

Performance of a source check requires containment entries at power, climbing, and potential heat stress. Furthermore, to perform the manual source check, the technicians are required to remove the instrument from its mounting. This has increased the wear on the instrument leads and resulted in equipment failure. The licensee also stated that the R-44 monitors are designed to automatically perform an electronic source check (ESC). The ESC increases the voltage across the ionization chamber, causing an increase in current that simulates an increase in radiation levels. The ESC automatically performs this equivalent check several times a day and generates an alarm that alerts the control room operators of any malfunction.

The licensee stated that the ESC is functionally equivalent to the source check and provides an additional level of assurance that the monitors are functional.

The licensee also discussed the change to the Operability of the R-44s. Following a postulated accident, they are used as part of the fission product barrier integrity determination in the Salem Event Classification Guide (ECG), which is applicable in Modes 1-4. The ECG uses multiple independent parameters, such as core exit thermocouples, containment pressure, and reactor vessel water level, and other parameters would be available in Mode 4 even if the R-44s were not operable. The output from the R-44s is also used in the emergency operating procedures (EOPs), which are applicable in Modes 1-3. The R-44s output is used directly as a measurement of containment radiation level, and indirectly as an input to the Sub-Cooling Margin Monitor (SCMM), where the R-44s switch the SCMM display to the adverse mode when high radiation is detected in containment. The SCMMs are required by TS 3.3.3.7 to be Operable in Modes 1-3. The licensee further stated that the SCMM can be used in Mode 4 to determine whether safety injection flow can be reduced following a postulated event (e.g., a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA)) in Mode 4. However, not having the SCMM automatically switch to the adverse mode has minimal consequence because 1) Mode 4 is a transitional mode that is not maintained for a significant period of time, and 2) procedures exist to calculate the subcooling margin manually in the event that the SCMMs are unavailable, and contingencies exist in the procedure to account for adverse conditions in the containment.

The NRC staff reviewed the proposed changes against the Salem licensing bases, RG 1.97, and the STSs found in NUREG-1431, Revision 3. The proposed change would bring the Salem TSs into better alignment with the STSs. The STSs do not contain requirements for radiation monitoring instrumentation (similar to Salem TS 3.3.3.1) and do not contain a definition for source check (since this SR only applies to the radiation monitoring instrumentation). In the STSs, the requirements for the wide-range containment radiation monitors are contained in STS 3.3.3, Post Accident Monitoring. STS 3.3.3 specifies that the accident monitoring instrumentation be Operable in Modes 1-3 and be subjected to channel checks, channel calibrations, and channel functional tests.

The STS Bases state that the postulated accidents are assumed to occur in Modes 1-3. In lower modes (e.g., Mode 4), operating conditions are such that the probability of an event that would require accident monitoring instrumentation is low. Consistent with this, the Salem EOPs, which use the R-44s, are applicable in Modes 1-3. Further, the Salem SCMMs, which receive an input from the R-44s, are required to be Operable in Modes 1-3. Therefore, the proposed change provides a consistent set of requirements between the accident monitoring instruments and the applicable safety analyses. In the unlikely event of a LOCA in Mode 4, the Salem procedures to calculate the subcooling margin manually have contingencies for adverse conditions inside containment.

In response to the NRC staffs request, the licensee provided additional information on the operating history of the R-44s. The licensee has historically relied on the ESC for demonstrating operability of the R-44 monitors. The licensee stated that the experience at Salem has demonstrated that the ESC is a more effective method for ensuring equipment reliability, including the integrity of the detector, cabling, and electronics, than the source check.

The ESC performs the check several times a day and generates an alarm to alert the operators of a malfunction.

Based on above evaluation, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed change to move the requirements for the R-44 monitors from TS 3/4.3.3.1 to TS 3/4.3.3.7 is acceptable.

The typographical error in TS SR 4.2.2.2.c.2 is an incorrect minus sign in the equation for a peaking factor, Fxy, that was inadvertently introduced in Salem Unit No. 1, Amendment 201, issued on November 26, 1997. The NRC staff finds correction of the error acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commissions regulations, the New Jersey State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendments change a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes surveillance requirements. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (71 FR 2594). Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendments.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributors: S. Mazumdar S. Bailey Date: May 25, 2006