ML070470255
| ML070470255 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 02/22/2007 |
| From: | Fields M NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIV |
| To: | Edington R Arizona Public Service Co |
| Markley, M T, NRR/DORL/LP4, 301-415-5723 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML070470197 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC MD0044, TAC MD0045, TAC MD0046 | |
| Download: ML070470255 (17) | |
Text
February 22, 2007 Mr. Randall K. Edington Senior Vice President, Nuclear Mail Station 7602 Arizona Public Service Company P. O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034
SUBJECT:
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -
ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: CONTAINMENT ISOLATION VALVES (TAC NOS. MD0044, MD0045, AND MD0046)
Dear Mr. Edington:
The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 166 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-41, Amendment No. 166 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-51, and Amendment No. 166 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-74 for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated February 14, 2006.
The amendments would revise the Limiting Condition for Operation for TS 3.6.3, Containment Isolation Valves, and associated Actions and Surveillance Requirements to allow a blind flange to be used for containment isolation in each of two flow paths of the 42-inch refueling purge valves in Modes 1 through 4, without remaining in TS 3.6.3 Condition D.
A copy of the 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 Nos. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, and STN 50-530
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 166 to NPF-41
- 2. Amendment No. 166 to NPF-51
- 3. Amendment No. 166 to NPF-74
- 4. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls:
See next page
Package ML070470197 (Amdt./Licenses ML070470255, TS Pages ML070470287)
OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA NRR/ITSB/BC NRR/SCVB/BC OGC - NLO NRR/LPL4/BC NAME MMarkley MFields LFeizollahi TKobetz RDennig SETurk DTerao DATE 2/15/07 2/21/07 2/20/07 2/16/07 2/20/07 2/22/07 2/22/07
January 2007 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station cc:
Mr. Steve Olea Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 W. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007 Mr. Douglas Kent Porter Senior Counsel Southern California Edison Company Law Department, Generation Resources P.O. Box 800 Rosemead, CA 91770 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 40 Buckeye, AZ 85326 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Harris Tower & Pavillion 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-8064 Chairman Maricopa County Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003 Mr. Aubrey V. Godwin, Director Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency 4814 South 40 Street Phoenix, AZ 85040 Mr. Scott Bauer, Acting General Manager Regulatory Affairs and Performance Improvement Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7636 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034 Mr. Matthew Benac Assistant Vice President Nuclear & Generation Services El Paso Electric Company 340 East Palm Lane, Suite 310 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Mr. John Taylor Public Service Company of New Mexico 2401 Aztec NE, MS Z110 Albuquerque, NM 87107-4224 Mr. Geoffrey M. Cook Southern California Edison Company 5000 Pacific Coast Hwy Bldg N50 San Clemente, CA 92672 Mr. Robert Henry Salt River Project 6504 East Thomas Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Mr. Jeffrey T. Weikert Assistant General Counsel El Paso Electric Company Mail Location 167 123 W. Mills El Paso, TX 79901 Mr. John Schumann Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Southern California Public Power Authority P.O. Box 51111, Room 1255-C Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100 Mr. Brian Almon Public Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701-3326 Ms. Karen O'Regan Environmental Program Manager City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs 200 West Washington Street Phoenix AZ 85003
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY, ET AL.
DOCKET NO. STN 50-528 PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 166 License No. NPF-41 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by the Arizona Public Service Company (APS or the licensee) on behalf of itself and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, El Paso Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, Public Service Company of New Mexico, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Southern California Public Power Authority dated February 14, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commission's 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 and paragraph 2.C(2) of Facility Operating License No. NPF-41 as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment.
3.
This license amendment is effective as of the date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days of 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 Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: February 22, 2007
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY, ET AL.
DOCKET NO. STN 50-529 PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT 2 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 166 License No. NPF-51 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by the Arizona Public Service Company (APS or the licensee) on behalf of itself and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, El Paso Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, Public Service Company of New Mexico, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Southern California Public Power Authority dated February 14, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commission's 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 and paragraph 2.C(2) of Facility Operating License No. NPF-51 as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment.
3.
This license amendment is effective as of the date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days of 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 Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: February 22, 2007
ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY, ET AL.
DOCKET NO. STN 50-530 PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT 3 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 166 License No. NPF-74 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by the Arizona Public Service Company (APS or the licensee) on behalf of itself and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, El Paso Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, Public Service Company of New Mexico, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Southern California Public Power Authority dated February 14, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commission's 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 and paragraph 2.C(2) of Facility Operating License No. NPF-74 as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment.
3.
This license amendment is effective as of the date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days of 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 Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: February 22, 2007
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NOS. 166, 166, AND 166 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. NPF-41, NPF-51, AND NPF-74 DOCKET NOS. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, AND STN 50-530 Replace the following pages of the Facility Operating Licenses Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74, and Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.
Operating Licenses Replace Page 5 of Facility Operating License No. NPF-41 with the attached Page 5.
Replace Page 6 of Facility Operating License No. NPF-51 with the attached Page 6.
Replace Page 4 of Facility Operating License No. NPF-74 with the attached Page 4.
Technical Specifications REMOVE INSERT 3.6.3-1 3.6.3-1 3.6.3-2 3.6.3-2 3.6.3-3 3.6.3-3 3.6.3-5 3.6.3-5 3.6.3-6 3.6.3-6 (2)
Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 166, and the Environmental Protection Plan l
contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated into this license.
APS shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan, except where otherwise stated in specific license conditions.
(3)
Antitrust Conditions This license is subject to the antitrust conditions delineated in Appendix C to this license.
(4)
Operating Staff Experience Requirements Deleted (5)
Post-Fuel-Loading Initial Test Program (Section 14, SER and SSER 2)*
Deleted (6)
Environmental Qualification Deleted (7)
Fire Protection Program APS shall implement and maintain in effect all provisions of the approved fire protection program as described in the Final Safety Analysis Report for the facility, as supplemented and amended, and as approved in the SER through Supplement 11, subject to the following provision:
APS may make changes to the approved fire protection program without prior approval of the Commission only if those changes would not adversely affect the ability to achieve and maintain safe shutdown in the event of a fire.
(8)
Emergency Preparedness Deleted
- The parenthetical notation following the title of many license conditions denotes the section of the Safety Evaluation Report and/or its supplements wherein the license condition is discussed.
Amendment No. 166 (2)
Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 166, and the Environmental Protection Plan l
contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated into this license.
APS shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan, except where otherwise stated in specific license conditions.
(3)
Antitrust Conditions This license is subject to the antitrust conditions delineated in Appendix C to this license.
(4)
Operating Staff Experience Requirements (Section 13.1.2, SSER 9)*
Deleted (5)
Initial Test Program (Section 14, SER and SSER 2)
Deleted (6)
Fire Protection Program APS shall implement and maintain in effect all provisions of the approved fire protection program as described in the Final Safety Analysis Report for the facility, as supplemented and amended, and as approved in the SER through Supplement 11, subject to the following provision:
APS may make changes to the approved fire protection program without prior approval of the Commission only if those changes would not adversely affect the ability to achieve and maintain safe shutdown in the event of a fire.
(7)
Inservice Inspection Program (Sections 5.2.4 and 6.6, SER and SSER 9)
Deleted (8)
Supplement No. 1 to NUREG-0737 Requirements Deleted
- The parenthetical notation following the title of many license conditions denotes the section of the Safety Evaluation Report and/or its supplements wherein the license condition is discussed.
Amendment No. 166 (1)
Maximum Power Level Arizona Public Service Company (APS) is authorized to operate the facility at reactor core power levels not in excess of 3876 megawatts thermal (100% power) through operating cycle 13, and 3990 megawatts thermal (100% power) after operating cycle 13, in accordance with the conditions specified herein.
(2)
Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 166, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in l
Appendix B, are hereby incorporated into this license. APS shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan, except where Otherwise stated in specific license conditions.
(3)
Antitrust Conditions This license is subject to the antitrust conditions delineated in Appendix C to this license.
(4)
Initial Test Program (Section 14, SER and SSER 2)
Deleted (5)
Additional Conditions Deleted D.
APS has previously been granted an exemption from Paragraph III.D.2(b)(ii) of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50. This exemption was previously granted in Facility Operating License NPF-65 pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12.
With the granting of this exemption, the facility will operate, to the extent authorized herein, in conformity with the application, as amended, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission.
E.
The licensees shall fully implement and maintain in effect all provisions of the Commission-approved physical security, training and qualification, and safeguards contingency plans including amendments made pursuant to provisions of the Miscellaneous Amendments and Search Requirements revisions to 10 CFR 73.55 (51 FR 27817 and 27822) and to the authority of 10 CFR 50.90 and 10 CFR 50.54(p). The combined set of plans, which contains Safeguards Information protected under 10 CFR 73.21, is entitled: "Palo Amendment No. 166
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 166 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-41, AMENDMENT NO. 166 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-51, AND AMENDMENT NO. 166 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-74 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY, ET AL.
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 DOCKET NOS. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, AND STN 50-530
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated February 14, 2006 (Agencywide Documents and Access Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML0605404400), Arizona Public Service Company (the licensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS), Units 1, 2, and 3. The original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination was published in the Federal Register on March 14, 2006 (71 FR 13171).
The amendments would revise the Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) for TS 3.6.3, Containment Isolation Valves, and associated Actions and Surveillance Requirements (SRs) to allow a blind flange to be used for containment isolation in each of two flow paths of the 42-inch refueling purge valves in Modes 1 through 4, without remaining in TS 3.6.3 Condition D.
Current TS Required Action D.1 specifies that, with one or more penetration flow paths with one or more containment purge valves not within purge valve leakage limits, the licensee is required to isolate the affected penetration flow path by use of at least one closed and deactivated automatic valve with resilient seals, or a blind flange. Due to the difficulty in keeping the 42-inch purge lines within leakage limits, blind flanges are used to meet Required Action D.1.
Because there is no time limit associated with Required Action D.1, the units remain in Condition D for extended periods of time during Modes 1 through 4. The licensee proposes to amend the TS LCO and associated Actions and SRs to remove containment isolation requirements for the 42-inch refueling purge valves when the flow path is isolated with a blind flange.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
In Section 50.36 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Technical specifications, the Commission established its regulatory requirements related to the content of TSs. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.36, TSs are required to include items in the following five specific categories related to station operation: (1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings, and limiting control settings, (2) LCOs, (3) SRs, (4) design features, and (5) administrative controls.
The rule does not specify the particular requirements to be included in a plants TSs. As stated in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(i), the [l]imiting conditions for operation are the lowest functional capability or performance levels of equipment required for safe operation of the facility. The regulations in 10 CFR 50.36 (c)(2)(ii)(C), Criterion 3, states that [a] structure, system, or component that is part of the primary success path and which functions or actuates to mitigate a design basis accident or transient that either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of the fission product barrier.
In the submittal, the licensee appropriately identified the applicable regulatory requirements related to containment isolation and testing as provided in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants, and Appendix J, Primary Reactor Containment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Power Reactors.
Section 6.2.4, Containment Isolation System, of the PVNGS Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) states that [c]ontainment isolation is mandatory in the event of certain design basis accidents. The refueling purge system is listed in Table 6.2.4-1 and is not required to operate during Modes 1 through 4. The containment purge normally operates during Cold Shutdown (Mode 5) and Refueling (Mode 6). Containment isolation is required to minimize the release of fission products, which is postulated to occur within the reactor coolant system, following a loss-of-coolant accident.
On March 7, 1997, NRC approved Amendment Nos. 221 and 197 for License Nos. DPR-53 and DPR-69, for the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The amendments modified the TS requirements to allow the use of blind flanges during Modes 1 through 4 in the Calvert Cliffs containment purge system. Calvert Cliffs, Units 1 and 2, are Combustion Engineering plants with similar containment design to PVNGS, Units 1, 2, and 3.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
The proposed changes to the TS include:
Revised LCO 3.6.3 will state, Each required containment isolation valve shall be OPERABLE.
New Note 5 to LCO 3.6.3 will state, A 42 inch refueling purge valve is not a required containment isolation valve when its flow path is isolated with a blind flange tested in accordance with SR 3.6.1.1.
The word required will be added to revised Conditions for LCO Actions A, B, C, and D and to Surveillance Requirements (SRs) 3.6.3.1, 3.6.3.5, 3.6.3.6, and 3.6.3.7.
The proposed Note 5 and addition of required to LCO 3.6.3; Conditions for TS Actions A, B, C, and D; and to the specified SRs are provided to allow for increased flexibility in the operations without the plant being in TS 3.6.3 Action D for extended periods of time. These changes clarify that the 42-inch purge valves are not required containment isolation valves when blind flanges are installed. The proposed changes do not modify any other categorization of valves and/or penetrations that serve the purpose of containment integrity, as described in NUREG-1432, Standard Technical Specifications Combustion Engineering Plants.
The refueling purge system is designed for intermittent operation during Modes 5 and 6, as a means of removing airborne radioactivity, thereby allowing for personnel entry into containment.
During operations (Modes 1 through 4), the purge valves would be in the closed position. The blind flanges would replace the isolation function provided by the outboard purge valves (outside containment) and serve as the containment pressure boundary. The blind flanges have a double, concentric O-ring surface with provisions for testing to meet containment leak testing requirements. As such, no single credible failure or malfunction of the blind flange mechanism would be expected to affect limits assumed in the safety analysis. The licensee proposes to verify performance in accordance with TS SR 3.6.1.1 and TS 5.5.16. Because the blind flanges will provide comparable containment isolation to that assumed for the 42-inch refueling purge valves, the proposed changes do not impact the UFSAR accident analysis. The blind flanges will be located approximately 2 inches from the outer containment wall and are, therefore, consistent with the General Design Criteria (GDC) 56, Primary containment isolation, in being as close as practical to the containment wall.
Current TS 3.6.3 Action D allows for the use of a blind flange to isolate a purge valve flow path when one or both of the purge valves is not within leakage limits. The proposed change will allow the use of blind flanges to be used for containment isolation in each of the 42-inch purge lines without relying on the valves or remaining in the TS-required Action. The blind flanges will provide containment integrity, and therefore, satisfy the criteria in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2(ii)(C). The blind flanges meet 10 CFR, Appendix A, GDC 16, Containment design, GDC 51, Fracture prevention of containment pressure boundary, GDC 52, Capability for containment leakage rate testing, and GDC 53, Provisions for containment testing and inspection. When blind flanges are installed, the 42-inch purge flow path is not required to be tested in accordance with GDC 54, Piping systems penetrating containment, and the isolation requirements of GDC 56.
The licensee plans to test the blind flanges for the 42-inch purge valves in accordance with 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensees proposed use of the blind flanges and finds that they comply with the regulatory requirements. The proposed changes to the TSs to accomplish this are consistent with 10 CFR 50.36.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Arizona State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendments change requirements with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and change 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 13171, published on March 14, 2006). 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 Contributor: M. Markley Date: February 22, 2007