ML090130651
| ML090130651 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Watts Bar  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/2009 |
| From: | John Lamb Watts Bar Special Projects Branch |
| To: | Campbell W Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Lamb John G./NRR/DORL, 415-3100 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD9713 | |
| Download: ML090130651 (4) | |
Text
January 16, 2009 Mr. William R. Campbell, Jr.
Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE FOR AUXILIARY FEEDWATER AUTO-START UPON TRIP OF THE TURBINE DRIVEN MAIN FEEDWATER PUMPS (TAC MD9713)
Dear Mr. Campbell:
By letter dated September 18, 2008, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) proposed a license amendment to change the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 (WBN-1), Technical Specifications (TSs). The proposed request is to revise the WBN-1 TSs to modify Mode 1 and 2 Applicability for Function 6.e of TS Table 3.3.2-1, Engineered Safety Feature Actuation System Instrumentation, and to revise the limiting condition for operation 3.3.2, Condition J, to be consistent with WBN-1 design bases.
The staff has reviewed the information provided by TVA and has determined that additional information is required to complete its evaluation of the proposed license amendment. The specific questions are detailed in the enclosed request for additional information (RAI). Based on discussions with your staff, we understand that you plan to respond to the enclosed RAI within 30 days of the date of this letter.
If you have any questions regarding this issue, please feel free to contact me at (301) 415-3100.
Sincerely,
/RA/
John G. Lamb, Senior Project Manager Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-390
Enclosure:
RAI cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv
Mr. William R. Campbell, Jr.
January 16, 2009 Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE FOR AUXILIARY FEEDWATER AUTO-START UPON TRIP OF THE TURBINE DRIVEN MAIN FEEDWATER PUMPS (TAC MD9713)
Dear Mr. Campbell:
By letter dated September 18, 2008, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) proposed a license amendment to change the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 (WBN-1), Technical Specifications (TSs). The proposed request is to revise the WBN-1 TSs to modify Mode 1 and 2 Applicability for Function 6.e of TS Table 3.3.2-1, Engineered Safety Feature Actuation System Instrumentation, and to revise the limiting condition for operation 3.3.2, Condition J, to be consistent with WBN-1 design bases.
The staff has reviewed the information provided by TVA and has determined that additional information is required to complete its evaluation of the proposed license amendment. The specific questions are detailed in the enclosed request for additional information (RAI). Based on discussions with your staff, we understand that you plan to respond to the enclosed RAI within 30 days of the date of this letter.
If you have any questions regarding this issue, please feel free to contact me at (301) 415-3100.
Sincerely,
/RA/
John G. Lamb, Senior Project Manager Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-390
Enclosure:
RAI cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:
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Enclosure REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE FOR AUXILIARY FEEDWATER AUTO-START UPON TRIP OF THE TURBINE DRIVEN MAIN FEEDWATER PUMPS TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS REVISIONS WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-390 By letter dated September 18, 2008 (ML082670543), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the licensee for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 (WBN-1), submitted a request to modify Modes 1 and 2 Applicability for Function 6.e of TS Table 3.3.2-1, Engineered Safety Feature Actuation System Instrumentation, and to revise the limiting condition for operation (LCO) 3.3.2, Condition J, to be consistent with WBN-1 design bases.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is reviewing this request, and has determined that additional information is necessary for the staff to complete its review, as discussed below.
Table 3.3.2-1 of LCO 3.3.2 currently contains Function 6.e, which actuates the Auxiliary Feedwater on a trip of all Main Feedwater (MFW) Pumps. For Mode 1, the license amendment request (LAR) proposes to add a Note (i) to this Function that states the following:
Entry into Condition J may be suspended for up to 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> when placing the second turbine-driven main feedwater (TDMFW) pump in service or removing one of two TDMFW pumps from service.
Section 4.5 of the LAR provides the licensees justification for the addition of this Note.
Section 4.5 states:
Entering into an LCO Action to place a system into service or remove a system from service is atypical without express allowance in the TS (e.g., the allowance associated with emergency core cooling system and low temperature overpressure protection system). This change is limited to a short period of time (4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />) to allow operational flexibility to align the TDMFW pumps. This time is well within the allowed outage time of 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> as currently provided for one inoperable channel.
Given the justification, it is still unclear to the NRC staff why the 4-hour allowance is needed since the 48-hour time period is far greater than the 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> claimed to be needed.
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.36(c)(2)(i) states:
Limiting conditions for operation are the lowest functional capability or performance levels of equipment required for safe operation of the facility. When a limiting condition for operation of a nuclear reactor is not met, the licensee shall shut down the reactor or follow any remedial action permitted by the technical specifications until the condition can be met.
Please explain the justification for why the 4-hour allowance to suspend entry into Condition J should be granted, as permitted under 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(i), given the 48-hour completion time.