ML071070390
| ML071070390 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Summer  |
| Issue date: | 05/15/2007 |
| From: | Martin R NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLII-1 |
| To: | Archie J South Carolina Electric & Gas Co |
| Martin R, NRR/DORL, 415-1493 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML071070384 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC MD0112, TAC MD2057 | |
| Download: ML071070390 (10) | |
Text
May 15, 2007 Mr. Jeffery B. Archie Vice President, Nuclear Operations South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88 Jenkinsville, SC 29065
SUBJECT:
VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT REGARDING STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INTEGRITY (TAC NOS. MD2057 AND MD0112)
Dear Mr. Archie:
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 179 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-12 for the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1. The amendment changes the Technical Specifications (TS) in response to your application dated May 24, 2006, as supplemented on February 15, 2007.
These amendment changes are modeled after TS Task Force (TSTF) traveler TSTF-449, Revision 4, "Steam Generator Tube Integrity." A notice of availability for this TS improvement using the consolidated line item improvement process was published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2005 (70 FR 24126). As stated in your letter dated February 17, 2006, the amendment is also the modification of the SG portion of the TSs requested in NRC Generic Letter (GL) 2006-01, "Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Associated Technical Specifications." The NRC staff considers the amendment to be an acceptable and complete response to GL 2006-01.
This completes the NRC staffs efforts on TAC No. MD0112.
A copy of the related safety evaluation is enclosed. A Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's Biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert E. Martin, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-395
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 179 to NPF-12
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page
May 15, 2007 Mr. Jeffery B. Archie Vice President, Nuclear Operations South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88 Jenkinsville, SC 29065
SUBJECT:
VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT REGARDING STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INTEGRITY (TAC NOS. MD2057 AND MD0112)
Dear Mr. Archie:
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 179 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-12 for the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1. The amendment changes the Technical Specifications (TS) in response to your application dated May 24, 2006, as supplemented on February 15, 2007.
These amendment changes are modeled after TS Task Force (TSTF) traveler TSTF-449, Revision 4, "Steam Generator Tube Integrity." A notice of availability for this TS improvement using the consolidated line item improvement process was published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2005 (70 FR 24126). As stated in your letter dated February 17, 2006, the amendment is also the modification of the SG portion of the TSs requested in NRC Generic Letter (GL) 2006-01, "Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Associated Technical Specifications." The NRC staff considers the amendment to be an acceptable and complete response to GL 2006-01.
This completes the NRC staffs efforts on TAC No. MD0112.
A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's Biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert E. Martin, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-395
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 179 to NPF-12
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
Public RidsNrrDorlLp2-1 RidsNrrPMRMartin (hard copy) RidsNrrLARSola (hard copy)
LPL2-1 R/F RidsOgcRp G. Hill, OIS (2 hard copies) RidsNrrDirsItsb T. Wertz, NRR RidsNrrDorlDpr RidsRgn2MailCenter RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter Package No: ML071070384 Amendment No: ML071070390 Tech Spec No: ML071370509 OFFICE LPL2-1/PM LPL2-1/LA ITSB/BC OGC LPL2-1/BC NAME RMartin:nc RSola TKobetz (by Per TWertz EMarinos memo dated) ITSB DATE 4/19/07 5/14/07 04/11/07 4/19/07 5/15/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-395 VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 179 Renewed License No. NPF-12
- 1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A. The application for amendment by South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (the licensee), dated May 24, 2006, as supplemented on February 15, 2007, 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 Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-12 is hereby amended to read as follows:
(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 179, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. South Carolina Electric &
Gas Company shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.
- 3. This amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days of issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/RA/
Evangelos C. Marinos, Chief Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to License No. NPF-12 and the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: May 15, 2007
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 179 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-12 DOCKET NO. 50-395 Replace page 3 of Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-12 with the attached revised page 3.
Replace the following pages of the 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.
Remove Pages Insert Pages V V XIII XIII 1-3 1-3 1-4 1-4 3/4 4-11 3/4 4-11 3/4 4-12 3/4 4-12 3/4 4-13 -
3/4 4-14 -
3/4 4-14a -
3/4 4-15 -
3/4 4-15a -
3/4 4-16 -
3/4 4-17 -
3/4 4-19 3/4 4-19 3/4 4-20 3/4 4-20 6-12d 6-12d
-- 6-12e
-- 6-12f
-- 6-16b
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 179 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-12 SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 50-395
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated May 24, 2006 (ML061500440 [Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession Number]), as supplemented by letter dated February 15, 2007 (ML070530079), South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G, the licensee) requested changes to the technical specifications (TSs) for the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station (VCSNS). The supplement dated February 15, 2007, provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register on June 20, 2006 (71 FR 35458).
The proposed changes would revise the existing steam generator (SG) tube surveillance program. The changes are modeled after the Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) traveler, TSTF-449, Revision 4, "Steam Generator Tube Integrity," and the model safety evaluation prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and published in the Federal Register 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.
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 staff's 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), and made the model SE available for licensees to reference.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
3.1 Overview In its May 24, 2006, application, and February 15, 2007, supplement, 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 in the facility licensing basis (than those discussed in TSTF-449) and differences in TS format and numbering. These differences are discussed below.
With respect to the differences in the facility licensing basis, the differences did not invalidate the technical evaluation of TSTF-449; rather they resulted in the licensee having to slightly deviate from some of the modifications discussed in TSTF-449, or they resulted in slight differences in the requirements. For example, in the TSs, the licensee proposed to enter cold shutdown within the following 30 hours3.472222e-4 days <br />0.00833 hours <br />4.960317e-5 weeks <br />1.1415e-5 months <br /> after achieving hot standby (with hot standby being entered within 6 hours6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br />) when tube integrity is not maintained (or not verified within the required time period when a tube is inadvertently not plugged). This proposal is slightly different than TSTF-449, which indicates that cold shutdown should be entered within 36 hours4.166667e-4 days <br />0.01 hours <br />5.952381e-5 weeks <br />1.3698e-5 months <br />. In addition, in the SG Tube Integrity Bases section, the licensee indicated that the primary coolant activity level of DOSE EQUIVALENT I-131 is assumed to be greater than or equal to the limits in LCO 3.4.8, "Reactor Coolant System, Specific Activity," rather than equal to the limits in the TS as indicated in TSTF- 449. Since these differences were minor in nature, they were consistent with the plant's licensing basis (e.g., in the level of detail incorporated into the TS Bases), or they were consistent with the intent of TSTF-449, the NRC staff determined they were acceptable.
With respect to the differences in numbering of the TSs, these differences were administrative in nature and did not affect the technical adequacy of the submittal. As a result, the NRC staff determined they were acceptable.
With respect to the differences in the format of the TSs, these differences resulted in listing the requirements in sentence format rather than tabular format and using slightly different terminology. In addition, there were some changes in the Bases section of TSTF-449 that were not incorporated into the licensee's submittal, since the licensee did not have the corresponding paragraphs in their Bases. For example, the licensee did not have several references to their SG tube surveillance program in their existing Bases so they did not need to delete these references in order to adopt TSTF-449. Since these differences were administrative in nature and did not affect the technical adequacy of the submittal, the NRC staff determined they were acceptable.
The licensee also proposed a few changes to their Bases that went beyond TSTF-449. These changes included significantly modifying their Operational Leakage Bases section to be generally consistent with the standard TSs as modified to reflect existing requirements (and associated Bases) and the plant's licensing basis. These changes also included adding additional detail regarding the assumptions made in their accident analyses (e.g., in the Steam Generator (SG) Tube Integrity Bases Section).
Since these proposed changes were consistent with the plant's licensing basis, the intent of
TSTF-449, or the standard TSs, the NRC staff determined they were acceptable.
The licensee also made minor wording changes. For example, the licensee added the term "completed" to avoid confusion regarding when the verification that primary-to-secondary leakage was within limits was to be performed/completed. In addition the licensee added the term "3deltaP" as an acronym for a safety factor of 3.0 against burst under normal steady state full power operation primary-to-secondary pressure differential. Since these differences were administrative in nature and did not affect the technical adequacy of the submittal, the NRC staff determined they were acceptable.
The remainder of the application was consistent with, or more limiting than, TSTF-449.
In summary, the NRC staff determined that the model safety evaluation is applicable to this review and finds the proposed changes acceptable.
Consistent with TSTF-449, the proposed TS changes include: (1) a revised definition of LEAKAGE, (2) a revised TS 3/4.4.6.2, "RCS (Reactor Coolant System) Operational Leakage,"
(3) a revised TS 3/4.4.5, "Steam Generator (SG) Tube Integrity," (4) a new TS 6.8.4.k, "Steam Generator (SG) Program," (5) a new TS 6.9.1.12, "Steam Generator Tube Inspection Report,"
and (6) revised Table of Content pages to reflect the proposed changes.
3.2 Technical Evaluation Conclusion The proposed TS changes establish a programmatic, largely performance-based regulatory framework for ensuring SG tube integrity is maintained. The NRC staff finds that it addresses key shortcomings of the current framework by ensuring that SG programs are focused on accomplishing the overall objective of maintaining tube integrity. It incorporates 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 provides reasonable assurance that the SGs can be operated safely without increase in risk.
The revised TSs will contain limited specific details concerning how the SG 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 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 10 CFR Parts 50.72 and 50.73. The NRC reactor oversight process provides a process by which the NRC staff can verify that the licensee has identified any SG 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 May 24, 2006, application and February 15, 2007 supplement 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.
The licensee included in its application the revised TS Bases to be implemented with the TS change. The NRC staff finds that the TS Bases Control Program is the appropriate process for updating the affected TS Bases pages and has, therefore, not included the affected Bases pages with this amendment.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the State of South Carolina 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 surveillance requirements. 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 ( 71 FR 35458). 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 amendment 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 NRC's model SE published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2005 (70 FR 10298).
Principal Contributor: Trent Wertz Date: May 15, 2007
Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station cc:
Mr. Jeffrey B. Archie Vice President, Nuclear Operations South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88 Jenkinsville, SC 29065 Mr. R. J. White Nuclear Coordinator S.C. Public Service Authority c/o Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88, Mail Code 802 Jenkinsville, SC 29065 Resident Inspector/Summer NPS c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 576 Stairway Road Jenkinsville, SC 29065 Chairman, Fairfield County Council Drawer 60 Winnsboro, SC 29180 Mr. Henry Porter, Assistant Director Division of Waste Management Bureau of Land & Waste Management Dept. of Health & Environmental Control 2600 Bull Street Columbia, SC 29201 Mr. Thomas D. Gatlin, General Manager Nuclear Plant Operations South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88, Mail Code 300 Jenkinsville, SC 29065 Mr. Robert G. Sweet, Manager Nuclear Licensing South Carolina Electric & Gas Company Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station Post Office Box 88, Mail Code 830 Jenkinsville, SC 29065 Ms. Kathryn M. Sutton Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP 111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20004