ML091100066
| ML091100066 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 05/14/2009 |
| From: | Hall J Plant Licensing Branch IV |
| To: | Edington R Arizona Public Service Co |
| Hall, J R, NRR/DORL/LPL4, 301-415-4032 | |
| References | |
| TAC ME0417, TAC ME0418, TAC ME0419 | |
| Download: ML091100066 (24) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 May 14, 2009 Mr. Randall K. Edington Executive Vice President Nuclear/
Chief Nuclear Officer 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 AMENDMENT RE: ADOPTION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TASK FORCE (TSTF) CHANGE TRAVELER TSTF-447 TO DELETE REQUIREMENTS FOR HYDROGEN RECOMBINERS AND HYDROGEN MONITORS (TAC NOS. ME0417, ME0418, AND ME0419)
Dear Mr. Edington:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 173 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-41, Amendment No. 173 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-51, and Amendment No. 173 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 January 15, 2009.
The amendments delete the TS requirements associated with the hydrogen recombiners and hydrogen monitors. The TS changes would support implementation of the revisions to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 50.44, "Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors," that became effective on October 16, 2003. The changes are consistent with Revision 1 of the NRC-approved Industry/Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) Standard Technical Specification Change Traveler, TSTF-447, "Elimination of Hydrogen Recombiners and Change to Hydrogen and Oxygen Monitors." This operating license improvement was made available by the NRC on September 25, 2003 (68 FR 55416) as part of the consolidated line item improvement process.
R. Edington
- 2 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.
James R. Hall, 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. 173 to NPF-41
- 2. Amendment No. 173 to NPF-51
- 3. Amendment No. 173 to NPF-74
- 4. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via Listserv
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 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. 173 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, EI 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 January 15, 2009, 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
- 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 Facility Operating License No. NPF-41 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. 173, and the Environmental Protection Plan 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.
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 Michael T. Markley, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to the Facility Operating License No. NPF-41 and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance:
IVlay 14, 2009
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 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. 173 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, EI 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 January 15, 2009, 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
- 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 Facility Operating License No. NPF-51 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. 173, and the Environmental Protection Plan 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.
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 Michael 1. Markley, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to the Facility Operating License No. NPF-51 and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance:
May 14, 2009
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 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. 173 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, EI 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 January 15, 2009, 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
- 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 Facility Operating License No. NPF-74 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. 173, and the Environmental Protection Plan 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.
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 Michael T. Markley, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Attachment:
Changes to the Facility Operating License No. NPF-74 and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance:
May 14, 2009
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NOS. 173, 173, AND 173 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. t\\IPF-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 REMOVE INSERT 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 iii iii 3.3.10-1 3.3.10-1 3.3.10-2 3.3.10-2 3.3.10-4 3.3.10-4 3.6.7-1 3.6.7-2 5.6-6 5.6-6
-5 (2)
Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 173, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix S, 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. 173
-6 (2)
Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 173, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix S, 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. 173
-4 (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. 173, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix 8, 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 The Additional Conditions contained in Appendix D, as revised through Amendment No. 171, are hereby incorporated into this license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Additional Conditions.
(6)
Mitigation Strategy License Condition APS shall develop and maintain strategies for addressing large fires and explosions and that include the following key areas:
(a)
Fire fighting response strategy with the following elements:
- 1.
Pre-defined coordinated fire response strategy and guidance.
- 2.
Assessment of mutual aid fire fighting assets.
- 3.
Designated staging areas for equipment and materials.
- 4.
Command and control.
- 5.
Training of response personnel.
Amendment No. 173 Revised by letter dated August 2, 2007
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION IMPROVED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.6 CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS 3.6.1 Containment 3.6.2 Containment Air Locks 3.6.3 Containment Isolation Valves 3.6.4 Containment Pressure 3.6.5 Containment Air Temperature 3.6.6 Containment Spray System 3.7 PLANT SYSTEMS 3.7.1 Main Steam Safety Valves (MSSVs) 3.7.2 Main Steam Isolation Valves (MSIVs) 3.7.3 Main Feedwater Isolation Valves (MFIVs) 3.7.4 Atmospheric Dump Valves (ADVs) 3.7.5 Auxiliary Feedwater (AFW) System 3.7.6 Condensate Storage Tank (CST) 3.7.7 Essential Cooling Water (EW) System 3.7.8 Essential Spray Pond System (ESPS) 3.7.9 Ultimate Heat Sink (UHS) 3.7.10 Essential Chilled Water (EC) System 3.7.11 Control Room Essential Filtration (CREFS) System 3.7.12 Control Room Emergency Air Temperature Control System (CREATCS!
3.7.13 Engineered Safety Feature (ESF) Pump Room Exhaust Air Cleanup System (PREACS) 3.7.14 Fuel Storage Pool Water Level 3.7.15 Fuel Storage Pool Boron Concentration 3.7.16 Secondary. Specific Activity 3.7.17 Spent Fuel Ass~mb1y Storage 3.8 ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS 3.8.1 AC Sources -- Operating 3.8.2 AC Sources -- Shutdown 3.8.3 Diesel Fuel Oil. Lube Oil and Starting Air 3.8.4 DC Sources -- Operating 3.8.5 DC Sources --
Shutdown 3.8.6 Battery Cell Parameters 3.8.7 Inverters -- Operating 3.8.8 Inverters -- Shutdown 3.8.9 Distribution Systems -- Operating 3.8.10 Distribution Systems -- Shutdown PALO VERDE UNITS 1.2.3 iii AMENDMENT NO. +/-+/-+ 173
PAM Instrumentation 3.3.10 3.3 INSTRUMENTATION 3.3.10 Post Accident Monitoring (PAM) Instrumentation LCO 3.3.10 The PAM instrumentation for each Function in Table 3.3.10-1 shall be OPERABLE.
APPLICABILITY:
MODES 1. 2. and 3.
ACTIONS
'---------------------------NOTE-----------------------------------
Separate Condition entry is allowed for each Function.
CONDITION REQU IRED ACTI ON COMPLETION TIME A.
One or more Functions with one required channel inoperable.
A.I Restore required channel to OPERABLE status.
30 days B.
Required Action and associated Completion Time of Condition A not met.
B.1 Initiate action in accordance with Specification 5.6.6.
Immediately C.
One or more Functions with two required channels inoperable.
C.1 Restore one channel to OPERABLE status.
7 days (continued)
PALO VERDE UNITS 1.2.3 3.3.10-1 AMENDMENT NO. ~.173
PAM Instrumentation 3.3.10 ACTIONS (continued)
CONDITION REQUIRED ACTION COMPLETION TIME D.
Required Action and associated Completion Time of Condition C not met.
0.1 Enter the Condition referenced in Table 3.3.10-1 for the channel.
Immediately E.
As required by Required Action 0.1 and referenced in Table 3.3.10-I.
E.1 AND E.2 Be in MODE 3.
Be in MODE 4.
6 hours6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br /> 12 hours F.
As required by Required Action 0.1 and referenced in Table 3.3.10-1.
F.1 Initiate action in accordance with Specification 5.6.6.
Immediately PALO VERDE UNITS 1.2.3 3.3.10-2 AMENDMENT NO. +/-+/-+ 173
PAM Instrumentation 3.3.10 Table 3.3.10-1 (page 1 of 1)
Post Accident Monitoring Instrumentation CONDITIONS REFERENCED FROM FUNCTION REQUIRED CHANNELS REQUIRED ACTION 0.1
- l. Logarithmic Neutron Flux 2
E
- 2. Reactor Coolant System Hot Leg Temperature 2 per loop E
- 3. Reactor Coolant System Cold Leg Temperature 2 per loop E
- 4. Reactor Coolant System Pressure (wide range) 2 E
- 5. Reactor Vessel Water Level 2(d)
F
- 6. Containment Sump Water Level (wide range) 2 E
- 7. Containment Pressure (wide range) 2 E
B. Containment Isolation Valve Position E
2 per ~~~~t~~t69n flow
- 9. Containment Area Radiation (high range) 2 F
- 10. Pressurizer Level 2
E
- 11. Steam Generator Water Level (wide range) 2 per steam generator E
- 12. Condensate Storage Tank Level 2
E
- 13. Core Exit Temperature - Quadrant 1 2(C)
E
- 14. Core Exit Temperature - Quadrant 2 2(C)
E
- 15. Core Exit Temperature - Quadrant 3 2(C)
E
- 16. Core Exit Temperature - Quadrant 4 2(C)
E
- 17. Steam Generator Pressure 2 per steam generator E
lB. Reactor Coolant System Subcooling Margin 2
E Monitoring
- 19. Reactor Coolant System Activity 2
F
- 20. High Pressure Safety Injection Cold Leg Flow 2 per loop E
2l. High Pressure Safety Injection Hot Leg Flow 2
E (a) Not required for isolation valves whose associated penetration is isolated by at least one closed and de-activated automatic valve. closed manual valve. blind flange. or check valve with flow through the valve secured.
(b) Only one position indication channel is required for penetration flow paths with only one installed control room indication channel.
(c) Achannel consists of two or more core exit thermocouples.
(d) Achannel is eight sensors in a probe. Achannel is OPERABLE if four or more sensors. two or more in the upper four and two or more in the lower four, are OPERABLE.
PALO VERDE UNITS 1.2.3 3.3.10-4 AMENDMENT NO. +/-J.l.. 173
Reporting Requirements 5.6 5.6 Reporting Requirements (continued) 5.6.6 PAM Report When a report is required by Condition Bor F of LCO 3.3.10. "Post Accident Monitoring (PAM) Instrumentation," a report shall be submitted within the following 14 days.
The report shall outline the preplanned alternate method of monitoring, the cause of the inoperability, and the plans and schedule for restoring the instrumentation channels of the Function to OPERABLE status.
5.6.7 Tendon Surveillance Report Any abnormal degradation of the containment structure detected during the tests required by the Pre-Stressed Concrete Containment Tendon Surveillance Program shall be reported to the NRC within 30 days.
The report shall include a description of the tendon condition, the condition of the concrete (especially at tendon anchorages). the inspection procedures. the tolerances on cracking, and the corrective action taken.
5.6.8 Steam Generator Tube Inspection Report A report shall be submitted within 180 days after the initial entry into MODE 4 following completion of an inspection performed in accordance with the Specification 5.5.9, Steam Generator (SG)
Program.
The report shall include:
- a.
The scope of inspections performed on each SG.
,b.
Active degradation mechanisms found.
- c.
Nondestructive examination techniques utilized for each degradation mechanism.
- d.
Location. orientation (if linear). and measured sizes (if available) of service induced indications.
- e.
Number of tubes plugged during the inspection outage for each active degradation mechanism.
- f.
Total number and percentage of tubes plugged to date.
- g.
The results of condition monitoring, including the results of tube pulls and in-situ testing.
PALO VERDE UNITS 1.2,3 5.6-6 AMENDMENT NO. ~,173
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 173 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-41, AMENDMENT NO. 173 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-51, AND AMENDMENT NO. 173 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 letter dated January 15, 2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML090350212), to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, Commission), Arizona Public Service Company (APS, the licensee), requested a change to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) Units 1, 2, and 3. The proposed change would delete the TS requirements associated with the hydrogen recombiners and hydrogen monitors.
The NRC has revised Section 50.44 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
"Combustible gas control for nuclear power reactors." The amended standards eliminated the requirements for hydrogen recombiners and relaxed the requirements for hydrogen and oxygen monitoring. In letters dated December 17,2002 (ADAMS Accession No. ML023530110), and May 12, 2003 (ADAMS Accession No. ML031350006), the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) proposed to remove requirements for hydrogen recombiners and hydrogen and oxygen monitors from the standard technical specifications (STS) (NUREGs 1430-1434) on behalf of the industry to incorporate the amended standards.
This proposed change is designated TSTF-447, "Elimination of Hydrogen Recombiners and Change to Hydrogen and Oxygen Monitors."
The NRC staff prepared a model safety evaluation (SE) for the elimination of requirements regarding containment hydrogen recombiners and the removal of requirements from the TSs for containment hydrogen and oxygen monitors and solicited public comment as published in the Federal Register on August 2, 2002 (67 FR 50374) in accordance with the consolidated line item improvement process (CLlIP). The use of the CLlIP in this matter is intended to help the NRC to efficiently process amendments that propose to remove the hydrogen recombiner and hydrogen and oxygen monitor requirements from the TSs. Licensees of nuclear power reactors to which the model SE applies were informed in the Federal Register (68 FR 55416) on
- 2 September 25, 2003, that they could request amendments conforming to the model, and, in such requests, should confirm the applicability of this SE to their reactors and provide the requested plant-specific verifications and commitments.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2000-06, "Consolidated Line Item Improvement Process for Adopting Standard Technical Specification Changes for Power Reactors" (ADAMS Accession No. ML003693442), was issued on March 20, 2000. The CUIP is intended to improve the efficiency of NRC licensing processes. This is accomplished by processing proposed changes to the STS in a manner that supports subsequent license amendment applications. The CUIP includes an opportunity for the public to comment on proposed changes to the STS following a preliminary assessment by the NRC staff and finding that the change will likely be offered for adoption by licensees. The NRC staff evaluates any comments received for a proposed change to the STS and either reconsiders the change or proceeds with announcing the availability of the change for proposed adoption by licensees. Those licensees opting to apply for the subject change to the TSs are responsible for reviewing the staffs evaluation, referencing the applicable technical justifications, and providing any necessary plant-specific information. Each amendment application made in response to the notice of availability would be processed and noticed in accordance with applicable rules and NRC procedures.
The Commission's regulatory requirements related to the content of the TSs are set forth in 10 CFR 50.36. This regulation requires that the TS include items in five specific categories.
These categories include: 1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings and limiting control settings, 2) limiting conditions for operation (LCOs), 3) surveillance requirements, 4) design features, and 5) administrative controls. However, the regulation does not specify the particular TS to be included in a plant's license.
Additionally, 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(ii) sets forth four criteria to be used in determining whether an LCO is required to be included in the TS. These criteria are as follows:
Criterion 1.
Installed instrumentation that is used to detect, and indicate in the control room, a significant abnormal degradation of the reactor coolant pressure boundary.
Criterion 2.
A process variable, design feature, or operating restriction that is an initial condition of a design basis accident or transient analysis that either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of a fission product barrier.
Criterion 3.
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 a fission product barrier.
Criterion 4.
A structure, system, or component which operating experience or probabilistic risk assessment has shown to be significant to public health and safety.
- 3 Existing LCOs and related surveillances included as TS requirements which satisfy any of the criteria stated above must be retained in the TS. Those TS requirements which do not satisfy these criteria may be relocated to other licensee-controlled documents.
As part of the rulemaking that revised 10 CFR 50.44, the Commission retained requirements for ensuring a mixed atmosphere, inerting Mark I and II containments, and providing hydrogen control systems capable of accommodating an amount of hydrogen generated from a metal water reaction involving 75 percent of the fuel cladding surrounding the active fuel region in Mark III and ice condenser containments. The Commission eliminated the design-basis loss-of coolant accident (LOCA) hydrogen release from 10 CFR 50.44 and consolidated the requirements for hydrogen and oxygen monitoring to 10 CFR 50.44 while relaxing safety classifications and licensee commitments to certain design and qualification criteria. The Commission also relocated without change the hydrogen control requirements in 10 CFR 50.34(f) to 10 CFR 50.44 and the high-point vent requirements from 10 CFR 50.44 to 10 CFR 50.46a.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
The ways in which the requirements and recommendations for combustible gas control were incorporated into the licensing bases of commercial nuclear power plants varied as a function of when plants were licensed. Plants that were operating at the time of the Three Mile Island (TMI), Unit 2, accident are likely to have been the subject of confirmatory orders that imposed the combustible gas control functions described in NUREG-0737, "Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements," dated November 1980 (ADAMS Accession No. ML051400209), as obligations. The issuance of plant-specific amendments adopting the changes of TSTF-447 to remove hydrogen recombiner and hydrogen and oxygen monitoring controls from the TSs supersede the combustible gas control-specific requirements imposed by post-TMI confirmatory orders.
3.1 Hydrogen Recombiners The revised 10 CFR 50.44 no longer defines a design-basis LOCA hydrogen release, and eliminates requirements for hydrogen control systems to mitigate such a release. The installation of hydrogen recombiners and/or vent and purge systems required by 10 CFR 50.44(b)(3) was intended to address the limited quantity and rate of hydrogen generation that was postulated from a design-basis LOCA. The Commission has found that this hydrogen release is not risk-significant because the design-basis LOCA hydrogen release does not contribute to the conditional probability of a large release up to approximately 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> after the onset of core damage. In addition, these systems were ineffective at mitigating hydrogen releases from risk-significant beyond design-basis accidents (DBAs). Therefore, the Commission eliminated the hydrogen release associated with a design-basis LOCA from 10 CFR 50.44 and the associated requirements that necessitated the need for the hydrogen recombiners and the backup hydrogen vent and purge systems. As a result, the NRC staff finds that requirements related to hydrogen recombiners no longer meet any of the four criteria in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(ii) for retention in TS and may be relocated to other licensee-controlled documents for all plants.
- 4 Hydrogen recombiners are no longer required by 10 CFR 50.44 and no longer meet the criteria in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(ii). Therefore, removal of the hydrogen recombiners from the PVNGS TS and placement in the PVNGS Technical Requirements Manual (TRM) is an acceptable change.
3.2 Hydrogen Monitoring Equipment Paragraph 50.44(b)(1) of 10 CFR, the STS, and plant-specific TS currently contain requirements for monitoring hydrogen. Licensees have also made commitments to design and qualification criteria for hydrogen monitors in Item II.F.1, Attachment 6, of NUREG-0737, "Containment Hydrogen Monitor," and Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.97, Revision 4, "Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Plants," dated June 2006 (ADAMS Accession No. ML061580448; prior to the issuance of Revision 1, RG 1.97 was entitled, "Instrumentation for Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants to Assess Plant and Environs Conditions During and Following an Accident"). The hydrogen monitors are required to assess the degree of core damage during a beyond DBA and confirm that random or deliberate ignition has taken place. If an explosive mixture that could threaten containment integrity exists during a beyond DBA, then other severe accident management strategies, such as purging and/or venting, would need to be considered. The hydrogen monitors are needed to implement these severe accident management strategies.
With the elimination of the design-basis LOCA hydrogen release, hydrogen monitors are no longer required to mitigate DBAs and, therefore, the hydrogen monitors do not meet the definition of a safety-related component as defined in 10 CFR 50.2. RG 1.97 recommends classifying the hydrogen monitors as Category 1. RG 1.97 Category 1 is intended for key variables that most directly indicate the accomplishment of a safety function for DBA events and, therefore, are items usually addressed within the TSs. As part of the rulemaking to revise 10 CFR 50.44, the Commission found that the hydrogen monitors no longer meet the definition of Category 1 in RG 1.97. The Commission concluded that Category 3, as defined in RG 1.97, is an appropriate categorization for the hydrogen monitors because the monitors are required to diagnose the course of beyond DBAs. Hydrogen monitoring is not the primary means of indicating a significant abnormal degradatiofl of the reactor coolant pressure boundary.
Section 4 of Attachment 2 to SECY-00-0198, "Status Report on Study of Risk-Informed Changes to the Technical Requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 (Option 3) and Recommendations on Risk-Informed Changes to 10 CFR 50.44 (Combustible Gas Control)," dated September 14, 2000 (ADAMS Accession No. ML003747713), found that the hydrogen monitors were not risk significant. Therefore, the NRC staff finds that hydrogen monitoring equipment requirements no longer meet any of the four criteria in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(ii) for retention in the TSs and, therefore, may be relocated to other licensee-controlled documents.
The elimination of Post-Accident Sampling System requirements from some plant-specific TSs (and associated CUIP notices) indicated that during the early phases of an accident, safety grade hydrogen monitors provide an adequate capability for monitoring containment hydrogen concentration. The NRC staff has subsequently concluded that Category 3 hydrogen monitors also provide an adequate capability for monitoring containment hydrogen concentration during the early phases of an accident.
- 5 However, because the monitors are required to diagnose the course of beyond DBAs, each licensee should verify that it has, and make a regulatory commitment to maintain, a hydrogen monitoring system capable of diagnosing beyond DBAs.
APS has verified that a hydrogen monitoring system capable of diagnosing beyond DBAs is installed at PVNGS and is making a regulatory commitment to maintain that capability. The hydrogen monitors will be included in the TRM within 90 days of issuance of the license amendment. Therefore, removal of the hydrogen monitoring equipment from the PVNGS TS and placement in the PVNGS TRM is an acceptable change.
The deletion of the requirements for the hydrogen recombiner and hydrogen monitors resulted in numbering and formatting changes to other TS, which were otherwise unaffected by this proposed amendment. The NRC staff has confirmed that the related changes are appropriate and do not affect the technical requirements.
4.0 VERIFICATIONS AND COMMITMENTS As requested by the NRC staff in the noticeof availability for this TS improvement, the licensee has addressed the following plant-specific verifications and commitments.
- 1.
Each licensee should verify that it has, and make a regulatory commitment to maintain, a hydrogen monitoring system capable of diagnosing beyond DBAs.
In its letter dated January 15, 2009, the licensee verified that it has a hydrogen monitoring system capable of diagnosing beyond DBAs. The licensee has committed in its application to maintain the hydrogen monitors within its TRM. The licensee will implement this commitment within 90 days as part of the implementation of the amendment.
- 2.
For plant designs with an inerted containment, each licensee should verify that it has, and make a regulatory commitment to maintain, an oxygen monitoring system capable of verifying the status of the inert containment.
Commitment 2 is not applicable as PVNGS does not have an inerted containment.
The NRC staff finds that reasonable controls for the implementation and for subsequent evaluation of proposed changes pertaining to the above regulatory commitments are provided by the licensee's administrative processes, including its commitment management program.
Should the licensee choose to incorporate a regulatory commitment into the emergency plan, final safety analysis report, or other document with established regulatory controls, the associated regulations would define the appropriate change-control and reporting requirements.
The NRC staff has determined that the commitments do not warrant the creation of regulatory requirements which would require prior NRC approval of subsequent changes. The NRC staff has agreed that NEI 99-04, Revision 0, "Guidelines for Managing NRC Commitment Changes,"
dated July 1999 (ADAMS Accession No. ML003680088), provides reasonable guidance for the control of regulatory commitments made to the NRC staff (see Regulatory Issue Summary 2000-17, "Managing Regulatory Commitments Made by Power Reactor Licensees to the NRC Staff' dated September 21,2000 (ADAMS Accession No. ML003741774)). The commitments should be controlled in accordance with the industry guidance or comparable criteria employed
- 6 by a specific licensee. The NRC staff may choose to verify the implementation and maintenance of these commitments in a future inspection or audit.
5.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Arizona State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. The State official had no comments.
6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendments change a requirement with respect to the installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. 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 as published in the Federal Register on March 10,2009 (74 FR 10307). 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.
7.0 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. Hamm Date:
May 14. 2009
R. Edington
- 2 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, IRA by Nicholas DiFrancesco forI James R. Hall, 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. 173 to NPF-41
- 2. Amendment No. 173 to NPF-51
- 3. Amendment No. 173 to NPF-74
- 4. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC LPLIV r/f RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrDirsltsb Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsNrrDorlLpl4 Resource RidsNrrPMPaloVerde Resource RidsNrrLAJBurkhardt Resource RidsOgcRp Resource RidsRgn4MailCenter Resource KBucholtz. NRRIDIRS/ITSB MHamm, NRR/DIRS/ITSB ADAMS Accession No ML091100066
- SE memo dated OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA DIRSIITSB/BC OGC NRR/LPL4/BC NRR/LPL4/PM NAME NDiFrancesco JRHall JBurkhardt RElliott*
Not Required MMarkley JRHail NDiFrancesco for DATE 5/6/09 5/12/09 4/28/09 2/6109 5/14/09 5/14/09 OFFICIAL AGENCY RECORD