ML062000169
| ML062000169 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Waterford  |
| Issue date: | 07/31/2006 |
| From: | Fields M NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIV |
| To: | Venable J Entergy Operations |
| Fields M, NRR/DORL, 415-3062 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML062210050 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC MC7973 | |
| Download: ML062000169 (10) | |
Text
July 31, 2006 Mr. Joseph E. Venable Vice President Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.
17265 River Road Killona, LA 70066-0751
SUBJECT:
WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INTEGRITY (TAC NO. MC7973)
Dear Mr. Venable:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 204 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-38 for the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Waterford 3). This amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated July 21, 2005, as supplemented on February 15, May 3, and June 2, 2006.
The amendment revises TS 1.14, Identified Leakage, TS 1.21, Pressure Boundary Leakage, TS 3.4.4, Steam Generator (SG) Tube Integrity, TS 3.4.5.2, Reactor Coolant System Operational Leakage, and adds two new specifications, TS 6.5.9, Steam Generator (SG)
Program, and TS 6.9.1.5, Steam Generator Tube Inspection Report. The changes implement the guidance for the industry initiative in Nuclear Energy Institute 97-06, Steam Generator Program Guidelines. The changes are also consistent with TS Task Force (TSTF)
Change TSTF-449, Revision 4, Steam Generator Tube Integrity.
A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mel B. Fields, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-382
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 204 to NPF-38
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page
Mr. Joseph E. Venable July 31, 2006 Vice President Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.
17265 River Road Killona, LA 70066-0751
SUBJECT:
WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INTEGRITY (TAC NO. MC7973)
Dear Mr. Venable:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 204 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-38 for the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Waterford 3). This amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated July 21, 2005, as supplemented on February 15, May 3, and June 2, 2006.
The amendment revises TS 1.14, Identified Leakage, TS 1.21, Pressure Boundary Leakage, TS 3.4.4, Steam Generator (SG) Tube Integrity, TS 3.4.5.2, Reactor Coolant System Operational Leakage, and adds two new specifications, TS 6.5.9, Steam Generator (SG)
Program, and TS 6.9.1.5, Steam Generator Tube Inspection Report. The changes implement the guidance for the industry initiative in Nuclear Energy Institute 97-06, Steam Generator Program Guidelines. The changes are also consistent with TS Task Force (TSTF)
Change TSTF-449, Revision 4, Steam Generator Tube Integrity.
A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mel B. Fields, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-382
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 204 to NPF-38
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
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RidsNrrDorlDpr Package: ML062210050 TSs: ML062120723 Accession Number: ML062000169 OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA CSGB/BC ITSB/BC OGC NRR/LPL4/BC NAME MFields; sem2 Lfeizollahi JBurkhardt for AHiser TKobetz MYoung DTerao DATE 07/31/2006 07/31/2006 07/18/2006 07/18/2006 07/27/2006 07/31/2006 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.
DOCKET NO. 50-382 WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 204 License No. NPF-38 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by Entergy Operations, Inc. (EOI), dated July 21, 2005, as supplemented on February 15, May 3, and June 2, 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 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; 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. NPF-38.
3.
This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days from the date of issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/RA/
David Terao, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to the Technical Specifications and Facility Operating License Date of Issuance: July 31, 2006
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 204 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-38 DOCKET NO. 50-382 Replace page 4 of Facility Operating License No. NPF-38 with the attached revised page 4.
Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by an amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.
Remove Insert 1-4 1-4 1-5 1-5 3/4 4-10 3/4 4-10 3/4 4-11 3/4 4-11 3/4 4-12 3/4 4-13 3/4 4-14 3/4 4-15 3/4 4-16 3/4 4-18 3/4 4-18 3/4 4-19 3/4 4-19 6-7a 6-7a 6-7b 6-7c 6-17a 6-17a
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 204 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-38 ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.
WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3 DOCKET NO. 50-382
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated July 21, 2005 (Agencywide Documents and Access Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML052150133), Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee), requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Waterford 3). The licensee provided additional information in letters dated February 15 (ADAMS Accession No. ML060480405), May 3 (ADAMS Accession No. ML061250173), and June 2, 2006 (ADAMS Accession No. ML061570425).
The proposed changes would revise TS 1.14, Identified Leakage, TS 1.21, Pressure Boundary Leakage, TS 3.4.4, Steam Generator (SG) Tube Integrity, TS 3.4.5.2, Reactor Coolant System Operational Leakage, and adds two new specifications, TS 6.5.9, Steam Generator (SG) Program, and TS 6.9.1.5, Steam Generator Tube Inspection Report.
Changes will be made to the Waterford 3 TS Bases in accordance with the TS Bases Control Program (TS 6.16).
The requested changes would revise the existing SG tube surveillance program to be consistent with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC's) approved TS Task Force (TSTF) Change TSTF-449, Steam Generator Tube Integrity, Revision 4, and the model safety evaluation prepared by the NRC and published in the Federal Register notice on March 2, 2005 (70 FR 10298). In this regard, the scope of the application includes changes to the definition of leakage, changes to the primary-to-secondary leakage requirements, changes to the SG tube surveillance program (SG tube integrity), changes to the SG reporting requirements, and associated changes to the TS Bases.
The February 15, May 3, and June 2, 2006, letters provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the staffs original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register on October 25, 2005 (70 FR 61659).
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
The background, description, and applicability of the proposed changes associated with the SG tube integrity issue and the applicable regulatory requirements were included in the NRC staffs model safety evaluation (SE) published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2005 (70 FR 10298). The Notice of Availability of Model Application Concerning Technical Specification; Improvement To Modify Requirements Regarding Steam Generator Tube Integrity; Using the Consolidated Line Item Improvement Process was published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2005 (70 FR 24126), which made the model SE available to licensees for use.
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 five specific categories. These categories include: (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.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
In its July 21, 2005, application, as supplemented by the letters referenced above, the licensee proposed changes to the TSs that are modeled after TSTF-449. There were minor differences between TSTF-449 and the licensee's application. These included differences associated with the facility having a different licensing basis (than that discussed in TSTF-449) and differences in TS numbering and wording since the licensee has a different TS format (than that assumed in TSTF-449). Since these differences were administrative in nature or they were consistent with the plant's licensing basis, the NRC staff determined they were acceptable. The remainder of the application was generally consistent with or more conservative than TSTF-449. As a result, the NRC staff determined that the generic SE is applicable to this review and finds the proposed changes acceptable.
The proposed TS changes establish a programmatic, largely performance-based regulatory framework for ensuring SG tube integrity is maintained. The NRC staff finds that this framework addresses key shortcomings of the current framework by ensuring that SG programs are focused on accomplishing the overall objective of maintaining tube integrity. The proposed changes incorporate performance criteria for evaluating tube integrity that the NRC staff finds consistent with the structural margins and the degree of leak tightness assumed in the current plant licensing basis. The NRC staff finds that maintaining these performance criteria provide reasonable assurance that the SGs can be operated safely without an increase in risk.
The revised TSs will contain limited specific details concerning how the SG Tube Surveillance Program is to achieve the required objective of maintaining tube integrity; the intent being that the licensee will have the flexibility to determine the specific strategy for meeting this objective.
However, the NRC staff finds that the revised TSs include sufficient regulatory constraints on the establishment and implementation of the SG Tube Surveillance Program, such as, to provide reasonable assurance that tube integrity will be maintained.
Failure to meet the performance criteria will be reportable pursuant to the requirements in Parts 50.72 and 50.73 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). The NRC reactor oversight process provides a process by which the NRC staff can verify that the licensee has identified any SG Tube Surveillance Program deficiencies that may have contributed to such an occurrence and that appropriate corrective actions have been implemented.
In conclusion, the NRC staff finds that the TS changes proposed by the licensee in its July 21, 2005, application, as supplemented, are consistent with TSTF-449, conform to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.36 and establish a TS framework that will provide reasonable assurance that SG tube integrity is maintained without undue risk to public health and safety.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Louisiana State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendment changes 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 a surveillance requirement. The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves 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 amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding published October 25, 2005 (70 FR 61659). Accordingly, the amendment meets 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 amendment.
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.
7.0 REFERENCES
A complete list of references used to complete this review can be found in the NRCs model SE published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2005 (70 FR 10298).
Principal Contributor: G. Makar Date: July 31, 2006
May 2006 Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 cc:
Vice President Operations Support Entergy Operations, Inc.
P. O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Director Nuclear Safety Assurance Entergy Operations, Inc.
17265 River Road Killona, LA 70066-0751 Wise, Carter, Child & Caraway P. O. Box 651 Jackson, MS 39205 General Manager Plant Operations Waterford 3 SES Entergy Operations, Inc.
17265 River Road Killona, LA 70066-0751 Licensing Manager Entergy Operations, Inc.
17265 River Road Killona, LA 70066-0751 Winston & Strawn LLP 1700 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006 Resident Inspector/Waterford NPS P. O. Box 822 Killona, LA 70066-0751 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011 Parish President Council St. Charles Parish P. O. Box 302 Hahnville, LA 70057 Executive Vice President
& Chief Operating Officer Entergy Operations, Inc.
P. O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Chairman Louisiana Public Services Commission P. O. Box 91154 Baton Rouge, LA 70825-1697 Richard Penrod, Senior Environmental Scientist State Liaison Officer Office of Environmental Services Northwestern State University Russell Hall, Room 201 Natchitoches, LA 71497