ML091730191
| ML091730191 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 08/07/2009 |
| From: | Balwant Singal Plant Licensing Branch IV |
| To: | Muench R Wolf Creek |
| Singal, Balwant, 415-3016, NRR/DORL/LPL4 | |
| References | |
| TAC ME0805 | |
| Download: ML091730191 (13) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 August 7, 2009 Mr. Rick A. Muench President and Chief Executive Officer Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation Post Office Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839 SUB,JECT:
WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:
ADOPTION OF TSTF-511, REVISION 0, "ELIMINATE WORKING HOUR RESTRICTIONS FROM TS 5.2.2 TO SUPPORT COMPLIANCE WITH 10 CFR PART 26" (TAC NO. ME0805)
Dear Mr. Muench:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 185 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-42 for the Wolf Creek Generating Station. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated March 6, 2009, as supplemented by letter dated JUly 14, 2009.
The amendment revises the TS 5.2.2, "Unit Staff," to eliminate working hour restrictions in paragraph d to support compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 10 Part 26. The request is consistent with the guidance contained in NRC-approved TS Task Force (TSTF) change traveler TSTF-511, Revision 0, "Eliminate Working Hour Restrictions from TS 5.2.2 to Support Compliance with 10 CFR Part 26." In addition, paragraphs e and f of TS 5.2.2 were renumbered to d and e to reflect the removal of parqgraph d of TS 5.2.2, and a reference in 5.2.2b was updated to reflect the renumbering of 5.2.2f. to 5.2.2e. The availability of this TS improvement was announced in the Federal Register on December 30, 2008 (73 FR 79923), as part of the consolidated line item improvement process.
A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.
Sincerely,
~ -:-: ~ -!tz 6.r~
Balwant K. Singal, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-482
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 185 to NPF-42
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via ListServ
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 WOLF CREEK NUCLEAR OPERATING CORPORATION WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-482 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 185 License No. NPF-42
- 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment to the Wolf Creek Generating Station (the facility)
Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-42 filed by the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (the Corporation), dated March 6, 2009, as supplemented by letter dated July 14, 2009, 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, as amended, 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 license 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 Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-42 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. 185, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, both of which are attached hereto, are hereby incorporated in the license. The Corporation shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.
- 3.
The license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 30 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 Renewed Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: August 7, 2009
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 185 RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-42 DOCKET NO. 50-482 Replace the following pages of the Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-42 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.
The corresponding overleaf pages are provided to maintain document completeness.
Renewed Facility Operating License REMOVE INSERT 4
4 Technical Specifications REMOVE INSERT 5.0-2 5.0-2 5.0-3 5.0-3 5.0-4 5.0-4
4 (5)
The Operating Corporation, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use in amounts as required any byproduct, source or special nuclear material without restriction to chemical or physical form, for sample analysis or instrument calibration or associated with radioactive apparatus or components; and (6)
The Operating Corporation, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to possess, but not separate, such byproduct and special nuclear materials as may be produced by the operation of the facility.
C.
This renewed operating license shall be deemed to contain and is subject to the conditions specified in the Commission's regulations in 10 CFR Chapter I and is subject to all applicable provisions of the Act and to the rules, regulations, and orders of the Commission, now or hereafter in effect; and is subject to the additional conditions specified or incorporated below:
(1 )
Maximum Power Level The Operating Corporation is authorized to operate the facility at reactor core power levels not in excess of 3565 megawatts thermal (100% power) 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. 185, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix 8, both of which are attached hereto, are hereby incorporated in the license. The Corporation shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.
(3)
Antitrust Conditions Kansas Gas & Electric Company and Kansas City Power & Light Company shall comply with the antitrust conditions delineated in Appendix C to this license.
(4)
Environmental Qualification (Section 3.11, SSER #4, Section 3.11!
SSER #5)*
Deleted per Amendment No. 141.
- The parenthetical notation following the title of many license conditions denotes the section of the supporting Safety Evaluation Report and/or its supplements wherein the license condition is discussed.
Renewed License No. NPF-42 Amendment No. 185
Organization 5.2 5.0 ADMINJSTRATIVE CONTROLS 5.2 Organization 5.2.1 Onsite and Operating Organizations Onsite and operating organizations shall be established for unit operation and corporate management, respectively. The onsite and operating organizations shall include the positions for activities affecting safety of the nuclear power plant.
- a.
Lines of authority, responsibility, and communication shall be defined and established throughout highest management levels, intermediate levels, and all operating organization positions. These relationships shall be documented and updated, as appropriate, in organization charts, functional descriptions of departmental responsibilities and relationships, and job descriptions for key personnel positions, or in equivalent forms of documentation. These requirements including the plant-specific titles of those personnel fulfilling the responsibilities of the positions delineated in these Technical Specifications shall be documented in the USAR;
- b.
The plant manager shall be responsible for overall safe operation of the plant and shall have control over those onsite activities necessary for safe operation and maintenance of the plant;
- c.
A specified corporate officer shall have corporate responsibility for overall plant nuclear safety and shall take any measures needed to ensure acceptable performance of the staff in operating, maintaining, and providing technical support to the plant to ensure nuclear safety; and
- d.
The individuals who train the operating staff, carry out health physics, or perform quality assurance functions may report to the appropriate onsite manager; however, these individuals shall have sufficient organizational freedom to ensure their independence from operating pressures.
5.2.2 Unit Staff The unit staff organization shall include the following:
- a.
A nuclear station operator shall be assigned when fuel is in the reactor and an additional nuclear station operator shall be assigned when the unit is in MODE 1, 2, 3, or 4.
- b.
Shift crew composition may be one less than the minimum requirement of 10 CFR 50.54(m)(2)(i) and 5.2.2.a and 5.2.2.e for a period of time not to exceed 2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> in order to accommodate unexpected absence of on-duty (continued)
Wolf Creek - Unit 1 5.0-2 Amendment No. 123, 135, 149, 185
5.2.2 Organization 5.2 5.2 Organization Unit Staff (continued) shift crew members provided immediate action is taken to restore the shift crew composition to within the minimum requirements.
- c.
An individual from the Health Physics Group qualified in radiation protection procedures shall be on site when fuel is in the reactor. The position may be vacant for not more than 2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br />, in order to provide for unexpected absence, provided immediate action is taken to fill the required position.
- d.
The Superintendent Operations or operations manager shall hold an SRO license.
- e.
An individual shall provide advisory technical support to the unit operations shift crew in the areas of thermal hydraulics, reactor engineering, and plant analysis with regard to the safe operation of the unit. This position shall be manned in MODES 1,2, 3 or 4, unless the Shift Manager or the individual with a Senior Operator License meets the qualifications specified by the Commission Policy Statement on Engineering Expertise on Shift.
Wolf Creek - Unit 1 5.0-3 Amendment No. 123, 131, 149, 159, 185
I 1I'J'!1 Unit Staff Qualifications 5.3 5.0 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS 5.3 Unit Staff Qualifications 5.3.1 Each member of lhe unit staff shall meet or exceed the minimum qualifications of ANSIJANS 3.1-1978 with the following exceptions:
5.3.1.1 The education and experience eligibility requirements for operator license applicants, and changes thereto, shall be those previously reviewed and approved by the NRC, specifically those referenced in lettcr dotcd Octcber 7, 2004 {WO 04 r 0031}. The positions of Shift Manager and Control Room Supervisor shall meet or exceed the qualifications of ANSI/ANS 3.1-'1981.
5.3.1.2 The Radiation Protection Manager shall be a supervisor with line responsibility for operational health physics who meets or exceeds the qualifications of RegUlatory Guide 1.8, September 1975 for a Radiation Protection Manager. The Radiation Protection Manager will be designated by the plant manager.
5.3.1.3 The position of operations manager shall hold or have previously held a senior reactor operator license for a similar unit {PWR}.
5.3.2 For the purpose of 10 CFR 55.4, a licensed Senior Reactor Operator {SRO} and a licensed reactor operator {RO} are those individuals who, in addition to meeting the requirements of TS 5.3.1, perform the functions described in 10 CFR 50.54{m).
--./
Wolf Creek ~ Unit 1 5.0-4 Amendment No. 12d, 149, 150, 159
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 185 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-42 WOLF CREEK NUCLEAR OPERATING CORPORATION WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-482
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated March 6, 2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML090700119), as supplemented by letter dated July 14, 2009 (ADAMS Accession No. ML092030379), Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (the licensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs, Appendix A to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-42) for the Wolf Creek Generating Station (WCGS). The supplemental letter dated July 14, 2009, provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register.
The proposed amendment would revise TS 5.2.2, "Unit Staff." Specifically, the proposed changes would eliminate working hour restrictions in paragraph d of TS 5.2.2 to support compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 26. In addition, paragraphs e and f of TS 5.2.2 were renumbered to d and e to reflect the removal of paragraph d of TS 5.2.2, and a reference in 5.2.2b was updated to reflect the renumbering of 5.2.2f. to 5.2.2e. The licensee stated that the application is consistent with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-approved TS Task Force (TSTF) Improved Standard Technical Specification change traveler TSTF-511, Revision 0, "Eliminate Working Hour Restrictions from TS 5.2.2 to Support Compliance with 10 CFR Part 26." The availability of this TS improvement was announced in the Federal Register on December 30, 2008 (73 FR 79923), as part of the consolidated line item improvement process (CLlIP).
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
The history of NRC regulations pertaining to prevention of worker impairment is summarized in the Federal Register notice containing the final rule that amended 10 CFR Part 26 (73 FR 16966, March 31, 2008). Subpart I, "Managing Fatigue," of 10 CFR Part 26 provides the regulatory requirements for managing worker fatigue at nuclear power plants.
- 2 In Section 50.36, "Technical specifications," of 10 CFR, the Commission established its regulatory requirements related to the content of TSs. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.36, TSs are required to include items in the following five specific categories related to station operation:
(1) safety limits, limiting safety systems settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation; (3) surveillance requirements; (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls. The administrative controls are the provisions relating to organization and management, procedures, recordkeeping, review and audit, and reporting necessary to assure operation of the facility in a safe manner.
The NRC's guidance for the format and content of licensee TSs can be found in NUREG-1430, Revision 3.0, "Standard Technical Specifications Babcock and Wilcox Plants," NUREG-1431, Revision 3.0, "Standard Technical Specifications Westinghouse Plants," NUREG-1432, Revision 3.0, "Standard Technical Specifications Combustion Engineering Plants,"
NUREG-1433, Revision 3.0, "Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants, BWR/4," and NUREG-1434, Revision 3.0, "Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants, BWR/6," referred to as the Standard Technical Specifications (STS). Paragraph d of Section 5.2.2 of the STS contains requirements for administrative procedures to limit the working hours of personnel who perform safety-related functions. This paragraph represents NRC's guidance on how licensee TS requirements should address work hour controls.
Licensees adhere to the guidance to varying degrees due to minor administrative differences and differences in each licensee's current licensing basis. The inconsistent level of adherence to NRC guidance has lead to inconsistent TS interpretation and implementation. This has also made it difficult for NRC to enforce the requirements.
The new requirements of 10 CFR Part 26, Subpart I supersede the guidance for requirements found in Paragraph d of Section 5.2.2 of all STS. Subpart I distinguishes between work hour controls and fatigue management and strengthens the requirements for both. SUbpart I requires nuclear power plant licensees to ensure against worker fatigue adversely affecting public health and safety and the common defense and security by establishing clear and enforceable requirements for the management of worker fatigue. Licensees are required to implement Subpart I by October 1, 2009, as announced in the Final rule that revised 10 CFR Part 26 (73 FR 16966, March 31, 2008). TSTF-511, Revision 0, proposed a change to STS that would delete paragraph d of STS 5.2.2. This change was approved in Federal Register notice on December 30, 2008 (73 FR 79923).
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
Controls on work hours for personnel at nuclear power plants are necessary to prevent worker fatigue from adversely affecting public health and safety and the common defense and security.
Work hour controls for WCGS are currently located in paragraph d of TS 5.2.2. The licensee proposed deleting paragraph d of TS 5.2.2. The licensee committed to implement the new requirements of 10 CFR Part 26, Subpart I concurrently with the deletion of the TS requirements on work hour controls. When the amendment is implemented, the regulatory requirements of 10 CFR 26, Subpart I replace the plant-specific TS requirements found in paragraph d of WCGS TSs. The NRC staff finds that reasonable controls for the implementation and for subsequent evaluation of proposed changes pertaining to the above regulatory commitment are best provided by the licensee's administrative processes, including its commitment management program (see NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2000-017, "Managing Regulatory Commitments
- 3 Made by Power Reactor Licensees to the NRC Staff," dated September 21, 2000). The above regulatory commitment does not warrant the creation of regulatory requirements (items requiring prior NRC approval of subsequent changes).
The NRC staff evaluated the licensee's proposed change against the applicable regulatory requirements listed in Section 2.0 of this Safety Evaluation. The NRC staff also compared the proposed change to the change made to STS by TSTF-511. The text of paragraph d of WCGS TS 5.2.2 is a duplicate of the text of TSTF-511 STS 5.2.2 paragraph d. The licensee has committed to remove the plant-specific TS requirements concurrently with the implementation of the 10 CFR Part 26, Subpart I requirements. The licensee's commitment provides reasonable assurance that the licensee will comply with the regulations for work hour controls, either through TS requirements or through the requirements of 10 CFR Part 26, SUbpart I, at all times at WCGS. Proper adoption of TSTF-511, Revision 0, and implementation of 10 CFR Part 26, Subpart I by the licensee provides reasonable assurance that the licensee will maintain limits on the working hours of personnel who perform safety-related functions and the licensee will continue to prevent worker fatigue from adversely affecting public health and safety and thereby protect common defense and security. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes the proposed change is acceptable.
3.1 Editorial Changes The licensee has proposed to revise TS 5.2.2.e and f to 5.2.2.d and e. In addition, a reference in TS 5.2.2b was updated to reflect the renumbering of 5.2.2f. to 5.2.2e. These changes are needed to maintain the numbering consistency of the TSs as result of the deletion of TS 5.2.2.d.
The NRC concludes that these changes are editorial in nature and, therefore, are acceptable.
4.0 REGULATORY COMMITMENT In its March 6, 2009, letter, the licensee stated that it will make the following regulatory commitment:
Removal of the plant-specific TS requirements will be performed concurrently with the implementation of the 10 CFR 26, Subpart I requirements.
The licensee committed to complete the above commitment no later than October 1, 2009. The NRC staff finds this commitment acceptable.
5.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Kansas State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendment changes recordkeeping, reporting, or administrative procedures. Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(1 0). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or
- 4 environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.
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 amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor: Kristy Bucholtz Date: August 7, 2009
ML091730191 OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/PM NRRlLPL4/LA DIRSIITSB/BC OGC NRR/LPL4/BC NRRlLPL4/PM NAME AWang BSingal JBurkhardt RElliott MSmith MMarkley BSingal MMarkley for DATE 7/20/09 7/20/09 7/10/09 5/19/09 7/21/09 817/09 8/7109