ML081190456
| ML081190456 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Millstone  |
| Issue date: | 05/09/2008 |
| From: | John Hughey NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLI-2 |
| To: | |
| Thorpe-Kavanaugh Meghan, LP1-2, 415-5735 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML081190424 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC MD6115, TAC MD6116 | |
| Download: ML081190456 (10) | |
Text
7590-01-P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMINION NUCLEAR CONNECTICUT, INC.
DOCKET NOS. 50-336 AND 50-423 NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE, PROPOSED NO SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION DETERMINATION, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEARING The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an amendment to Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-65 and NPF-49 issued to Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc. (DNC, the licensee), for operation of the Millstone Power Station, Unit Nos. 2 (MPS2) and 3 (MPS3), located in New London County, Connecticut.
The proposed amendment would modify the Technical Specifications (TSs) and facility operating licenses in response to the application dated July 13, 2007, as supplemented by letters dated December 7, 2007, March 5 and 25, 2008, and April 28, 2008. The proposed amendment would establish more effective and appropriate action, surveillance, and administrative requirements related to ensuring the habitability of the control room envelope (CRE) in accordance with the Commission-approved TS Task Force (TSTF) Standard Technical Specification change traveler TSTF-448, Revision 3, AControl Room Habitability. Additionally, the proposed amendment would change the irradiated fuel movement terminology and adopt movement of recently irradiated fuel assemblies terminology consistent with TSTF-448, Revision 3.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's regulations.
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the Commission's regulations in Title 10 of the CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (10 CFR), Section 50.92, this means that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of the issue of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented below:
Criterion 1 - The Proposed Change Does Not Involve a Significant Increase in the Probability or Consequences of an Accident Previously Evaluated a) The proposed change does not adversely affect accident initiators or precursors nor alter the design assumptions, conditions, or configuration of the facility. The proposed change does not alter or prevent the ability of structures, systems, and components (SSCs) to perform their intended function to mitigate the consequences of an initiating event within the assumed acceptance limits. The proposed change revises the TS for the CRE emergency ventilation system, which is a mitigation system designed to minimize unfiltered air leakage into the CRE and to filter the CRE atmosphere to protect the CRE occupants in the event of accidents previously analyzed. An important part of the CRE emergency ventilation system is the CRE boundary. The CRE emergency ventilation system is not an initiator or precursor to any accident previously evaluated. Therefore, the probability of any accident previously evaluated is not increased. Performing tests to verify the operability of the CRE boundary and implementing a program to assess and maintain CRE habitability ensure that the CRE emergency ventilation system is capable of adequately mitigating radiological consequences to CRE occupants during accident conditions, and that the CRE emergency ventilation system will perform as assumed in the consequence analyses of design basis accidents. Thus, the consequences of any accident previously evaluated are not increased. Therefore, the proposed change does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
b) The proposed change revising the TS from "irradiated fuel movement" to "movement of recently irradiated fuel assemblies," referred to hereafter as the "recently irradiated fuel" change, is used to establish operational conditions on CRE emergency ventilation where significant radioactive releases can be postulated. These operational conditions are consistent with the design basis analysis. Inoperability of the CRE emergency ventilation system cannot increase the probability of a fuel handling accident (FHA) because the CRE emergency
ventilation system is not considered an initiator to a FHA. The definition will allow fuel movement without the requirement of an operable CRE emergency ventilation system as long as fuel exceeds the decay time specified in the TS bases. As submitted to the NRC in the Response to Request for Additional Information, dated December 7, 2007, this decay time is 300 hours12.5 days <br />1.786 weeks <br />0.411 months <br /> for MPS2 and MPS3 (350 hours14.583 days <br />2.083 weeks <br />0.479 months <br /> for MPS3 [Stretch Power Uprate] SPU). The consequences of a FHA while moving non-recently irradiated fuel without an operable CRE emergency ventilation system remain less than the limits specified in 10 CFR 50.67. Other TS changes relating to "recently irradiated fuel" do not involve any accidents previously evaluated. Therefore the proposed "recently irradiated fuel" change does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
Criterion 2 - The Proposed Change Does Not Create the Possibility of a New or Different Kind of Accident from any Accident Previously Evaluated a) The proposed change does not impact the accident analysis. The proposed change does not alter the required mitigation capability of the CRE emergency ventilation system, or its functioning during accident conditions as assumed in the licensing basis analyses of design basis accident radiological consequences to CRE occupants. No new or different accidents result from performing the new surveillance or following the new program. The proposed change does not involve a physical alteration of the plant (i.e., no new or different type of equipment will be installed) or a significant change in the methods governing normal plant operation. The proposed change does not alter any safety analysis assumptions and is consistent with current plant operating practice. Therefore, this change does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.
b) The proposed "recently irradiated fuel" change does not affect nor create a different type of FHA. The FHA analyses continue to assume that all the iodine and noble gases that become airborne, escape and reach the CRE with no credit taken for deposition, filtration, or containment of the release. The proposed "recently irradiated fuel" change does not involve the addition or modification of equipment or the design of plant systems. The proposed "recently irradiated fuel" change does not alter the mitigating capability of the CRE emergency ventilation system after a FHA involving recently irradiated fuel. This change only permits the CRE emergency ventilation system to be inoperable for a FHA involving fuel that has decayed beyond the "recently irradiated fuel" definition in the TS Bases.
For this consideration, the dose consequences to CR occupants remain below the limits required in 10 CFR 50.67. No new or different accidents result from defining the time after shutdown that CRE emergency ventilation system is required to be operable. Other TS changes relating to "recently irradiated fuel" do not create any accidents. Therefore, the proposed "recently irradiated fuel" change regarding recently irradiated fuel does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any previously analyzed.
Criterion 3 - The Proposed Change Does Not Involve a Significant Reduction in the Margin of Safety a) The proposed change does not alter the manner in which safety limits, limiting safety system settings or limiting conditions for operation are determined. The proposed change does not affect safety analysis acceptance criteria. The proposed change will not result in plant operation in a configuration outside the design basis for an unacceptable period of time without compensatory measures.
The proposed change does not adversely affect systems that respond to safely shut down the plant and to maintain the plant in a safe shutdown condition.
Therefore, the proposed change does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
b) The proposed "recently irradiated fuel" change decay time limits on recently irradiated fuel are used to establish operational conditions on the CRE emergency ventilation system where specific activities represent situations where significant radioactive releases can be postulated. Safety margins and analytical conservatisms have been evaluated through the use of accepted methodology.
Although CRE doses have slightly increased for all but the MPS3 [Alternate Source Term] AST, there was not a significant reduction in the margin of safety.
These operational conditions are consistent with the design basis analysis and are established such that the radiological consequences to the CRE occupants are below the limits specified in 10 CFR 50.67. Other TS changes relating to "recently irradiated fuel" are not related to a margin of safety. Therefore, operations of the facility in accordance with the proposed "recently irradiated fuel" changes would not involve a significant reduction in the margin of safety.
Based upon the above assessment and the previous discussion of the amendment request, DNC concludes that the proposed change does not involve a significant hazards consideration.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice will be considered in making any final determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60-day period provided that its final determination is that the amendment
involves no significant hazards consideration. In addition, the Commission may issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment period should circumstances change during the 30-day comment period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility. Should the Commission take action prior to the expiration of either the comment period or the notice period, it will publish in the Federal Register a notice of issuance. Should the Commission make a final No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, any hearing will take place after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this action will occur very infrequently.
Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Chief, Rulemaking, Directives and Editing Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and should cite the publication date and page number of this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be delivered to Room 6D59, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC=s Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to intervene is discussed below.
Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, the person(s) may file a request for a hearing with respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating license and any person(s) whose interest may be affected by this proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding must file a written request via electronic submission through the NRC E-filing system for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene shall be filed in accordance with the Commission=s ARules of Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings@ in 10 CFR Part 2. Interested person(s) should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.309, which is available at the Commission=s PDR,
located at One White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System=s (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. If a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date, the Commission or a presiding officer designated by the Commission or by the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of a hearing or an appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition for leave to intervene shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the following general requirements:
- 1) the name, address and telephone number of the requestor or petitioner; 2) the nature of the requestor=s/petitioner=s right under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding; 3) the nature and extent of the requestor=s/petitioner=s property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and 4) the possible effect of any decision or order which may be entered in the proceeding on the requestors/petitioner=s interest. The petition must also identify the specific contentions which the petitioner/requestor seeks to have litigated at the proceeding.
Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner/requestor shall provide a brief explanation of the bases for the contention and a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the contention at the hearing. The petitioner/requestor must also provide references to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to
establish those facts or expert opinion. The petition must include sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within the scope of the amendment under consideration. The contention must be one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A petitioner/requestor who fails to satisfy these requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be permitted to participate as a party.
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the hearing.
If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held. If the final determination is that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance of the amendment. If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place before the issuance of any amendment.
A request for hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must be filed in accordance with the NRC E-Filing rule, which the NRC promulgated on August 28, 2007 (72 FR 49139). The E-Filing process requires participants to submit and serve documents over the internet or in some cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may not submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek a waiver in accordance with the procedures described below.
To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least five (5) days prior to the filing deadline, the petitioner/ requestor must contact the Office of the Secretary by e-mail at
HEARINGDOCKET@NRC.GOV, or by calling (301) 415-1677, to request (1) a digital ID certificate, which allows the participant (or its counsel or representative) to digitally sign documents and access the E-Submittal server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and/or (2) creation of an electronic docket for the proceeding (even in instances in which the petitioner/requestor (or its counsel or representative) already holds an NRC-issued digital ID certificate). Each petitioner/ requestor will need to download the Workplace Forms ViewerJ to access the Electronic Information Exchange (EIE), a component of the E-Filing system. The Workplace Forms ViewerJ is free and is available at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/install-viewer.html. Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is available on NRC=s public website at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/apply-certificates.html.
Once a petitioner/requestor has obtained a digital ID certificate, had a docket created, and downloaded the EIE viewer, it can then submit a request for hearing or petition for leave to intervene. Submissions should be in Portable Document Format (PDF) in accordance with NRC guidance available on the NRC public website at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
A filing is considered complete at the time the filer submits its documents through EIE. To be timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the EIE system no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. Upon receipt of a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends the submitter an e-mail notice confirming receipt of the document. The EIE system also distributes an e-mail notice that provides access to the document to the NRC Office of the General Counsel and any others who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the documents on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing request/petition to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access to the document via the E-Filing system.
A person filing electronically may seek assistance through the AContact Us@ link located on the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html or by calling the NRC technical help line, which is available between 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. The help line number is (800) 397-4209 or locally, (301) 415-4737. Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not submitting documents electronically must file a motion, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) first class mail addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, Sixteenth Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville, Pike, Rockville, Maryland, 20852, Attention:
Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. Participants filing a document in this manner are responsible for serving the document on all other participants. Filing is considered complete by first-class mail as of the time of deposit in the mail, or by courier, express mail, or expedited delivery service upon depositing the document with the provider of the service.
Non-timely requests and/or petitions and contentions will not be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding officer, or the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the petition and/or request should be granted and/or the contentions should be admitted, based on a balancing of the factors specified in 10 C.F.R. ' 2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii). To be timely, filings must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in NRC's electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at http://ehd.nrc.gov/EHD_Proceeding/home.asp, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the Commission, an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, or a Presiding Officer. Participants are requested not to include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers, home addresses, or home phone numbers in their
filings. With respect to copyrighted works, except for limited excerpts that serve the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would constitute a Fair Use application, Participants are requested not to include copyrighted materials in their submissions.
For further details with respect to this license amendment application, see the application for amendment dated July 13, 2007, as supplemented by letters dated December 7, 2007, March 5 and 25, 2008, and April 28, 2008, which are available for public inspection at the Commission's PDR, located at One White Flint North, File Public Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of May 2008.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/ra/
John D. Hughey, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation