ML070720591
| ML070720591 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Salem  |
| Issue date: | 03/28/2007 |
| From: | Richard Ennis NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLI-2 |
| To: | Levis W Public Service Enterprise Group |
| Ennis R, NRR/DORL, 415-1420 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD1246, TAC MD1247, TAC MD1254, TAC MD1255 | |
| Download: ML070720591 (4) | |
Text
March 28, 2007 Mr. William Levis Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
SUBJECT:
WITHDRAWAL OF EXEMPTIONS FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR PART 50, APPENDIX R, SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2, (TAC NOS. MD1246, MD1247, MD1254, AND MD1255)
Dear Mr. Levis:
By letter dated April 13, 2006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML061280552), PSEG Nuclear LLC (PSEG or the licensee) requested withdrawal of two previously granted exemptions from the requirements of Appendix R to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50 for several fire areas at Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Salem). Specifically, by letter dated July 20, 1989, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) granted exemptions from Section III.G.2 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 for the following fire areas:
Fire Areas 1(2)-FA-AB-84A, 460-Volt Switchgear Room, Exemption No. 6 Fire Areas 1(2)-FA-AB-64A, 4160-Volt Switchgear Room, Exemption No. 9 Your letter stated that changes in plant configuration and revision of the post-fire safe-shutdown analysis has changed these fire areas such that they now meet the requirements of Section III.G.3 of Appendix R (i.e., change in compliance strategy). Therefore, PSEG stated that the previous exemptions are no longer needed.
Appendix R requires that, if a licensee cannot meet the separation criteria for cables and equipment delineated in Section III.G.2, and if redundant trains of safe-shutdown cables and equipment are in the same fire area, the licensee must implement the alternative shutdown requirements of Section III.G.3.Section III.G.3 requires that plants have a shutdown capability independent of the area where redundant trains are located, and further requires that the area with redundant trains have an automatic fire detection and fixed fire suppression system.
During a phone call between the NRC staff and the PSEG staff on February 28, 2007, the current status of the changes in plant configuration for fire areas 1(2)-FA-AB-84A and 1(2)-FA-AB-64A was discussed. During this call, the PSEG staff stated the following:
- 1) PSEG believes that the subject fire areas currently meet the requirements in Section III.G.3 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50.
- 2) The carbon dioxide (CO2) fire suppression system is still credited as being the design basis fire suppression system for these fire areas even though the system is isolated. As such, compensatory measures (e.g., fire watches) are in place.
W. Levis 3) The CO2 fire suppression system is being replaced with a pre-action water sprinkler system.
- 4) The automatic fire detection system is also being replaced.
Salem Unit No. 1 license condition 2.C.(5) and Salem Unit No. 2 license condition 2.C.(10) state that PSEG may make changes to the approved fire protection program without prior approval of the NRC only if those changes would not adversely affect the ability to achieve and maintain safe shutdown in the event of a fire. As such, post-fire safe-shutdown compliance strategies for a fire area may be changed from an Appendix R Section III.G.2 compliance strategy to a Section III.G.3, alternative shutdown compliance strategy without prior NRC approval provided that full regulatory compliance is achieved.
This letter acknowledges your determination that the subject exemptions are no longer necessary on the basis that the post-fire safe-shutdown compliance strategy for the fire areas in question is now based on the requirements in Section III.G.3 of Appendix R. The NRC Region I staff plans to review the plant modifications and the supporting technical basis for meeting the Appendix R requirements during a future on-site inspection.
This completes the NRC staffs efforts on TAC Nos. MD1246, MD1247, MD1254, and MD1255 for the review associated with your letter dated April 13, 2006. If you have any questions regarding this matter, I may be reached at 301-415-1420.
Sincerely,
/ra/
Richard B. Ennis, 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 cc: See next page
ML070720591 OFFICE LPL1-2/PM LPL1-2/LA AFPB/BC OGC LPL1-2/BC NAME REnnis SLittle SWeerakkody MBarkman HChernoff DATE 3/27/07 3/14/07 3/15/07 3/26/07 3/28/07 Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 cc:
Mr. Dennis Winchester Vice President - Nuclear Assessment PSEG Nuclear P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Thomas P. Joyce Site Vice President - Salem PSEG Nuclear P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. George H. Gellrich Plant Support Manager PSEG Nuclear P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Carl J. Fricker Plant Manager - Salem PSEG Nuclear - N21 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 Township Clerk Lower Alloways Creek Township Municipal Building, P.O. Box 157 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Paul Bauldauf, P.E., Asst. Director Radiation Protection Programs NJ Department of Environmental Protection and Energy CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625-0415 Mr. Brian Beam Board of Public Utilities 2 Gateway Center, Tenth Floor Newark, NJ 07102 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Senior Resident Inspector Salem Nuclear Generating Station U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Drawer 0509 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038