ML100280007

Issuance of Amendments Apply Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.0.2 Interval Extension to SR 3.8.1.8

ML100280007
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	03/01/2010
From:	Thomas Wengert Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Schimmel M Northern States Power Co
Wengert, Thomas J, NRR/DORL, 415-4037
References
TAC ME0811, TAC ME0812
Download: ML100280007 (16)

Text

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~01' NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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1-" ...0 Mr. Mark A. Schimmel Site Vice President Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Northern States Power - Minnesota 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089

SUBJECT:

PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: APPLY SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT (SR) 3.0.2 INTERVAL EXTENSION TO SR 3.8.1.8 (TAC NOS. ME0811 AND ME0812)

Dear Mr. Schimmel:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 194 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-42 and Amendment No. 183 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-60 for the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated March 5, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated April 13 and September 23, 2009.

The amendments revise the TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.8.1.8 Frequency to allow the use of the SR 3.0.2 interval extension (1.25 times the interval specified in the Frequency). The amendments allow extending the Frequency interval of SR 3.8.1.8 from 24 months to 30 months.

A copy of our related safety evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely, R?,,-~~o="

Thomas J. Wengert, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-282 and 50-306

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 194 to DPR-42

2. Amendment No. 183 to DPR-60

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via ListServ

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY - MINNESOTA DOCKET NO. 50-282 PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT. UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No.194 License No. DPR-42

1. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota Corporation (NSPM, the licensee), dated March 5, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated April 13 and September 23, 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, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-42 is hereby amended to read as follows:

-2 Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 194 ,are hereby incorporated in the license. NSPM shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Robert J. Pascarelli, Chief Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 1, 2010

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY - MINNESOTA DOCKET NO. 50-306 PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNIT 2 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment NO.183 License No. DPR-60

1. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota Corporation (NSPM, the licensee), dated March 5, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated April 13 and September 23, 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, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-60 is hereby amended to read as follows:

-2 Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 183 ,are hereby incorporated in the license. NSPM shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Robert J. Pascarelli, Chief Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: ~ebch 1, 2010

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NOS. 194 AND 183 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. DPR-42 AND DPR-50 DOCKET NOS. 50-282 AND 50-305 Replace the following pages of the Facility Operating License No. DPR-42 and DPR-50 with the attached revised pages. The changed areas are identified by a marginal line.

REMOVE INSERT DPR-42, License Page 3 DPR-42, License Page 3 DPR-50, License Page 3 DPR-50, License Page 3 Replace the following page of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

REMOVE INSERT 3.8.1-8 3.8.1-8

-3 (4) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70, NSPM 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 and equipment calibration or associated with radioactive apparatus or components; (5) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70, NSPM to possess but not separate, such byproduct and special nuclear materials as may be produced by the operation of the facility; (6) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70, NSPM to transfer byproduct materials from other job sites owned by NSPM for the purpose of volume reduction and decontamination.

C. This amended license shall be deemed to contain and is subject to the conditions specified in the following Commission regulations in 10 CFR Chapter I: Part 20, Section 30.34 of Part 30, Sections 50.54 and 50.59 of Part 50, and Section 70.32 of Part 70; 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 NSPM is authorized to operate the facility at steady state reactor core power levels not in excess of 1650 megawatts thermal.

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 194 ,are hereby incorporated in the license. NSPM shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

(3) Physical Protection I\lSPIVI shall fully implement and maintain in effect all provisions of the Commission-approved physical security, guard training and qualification, and safeguards contingency plans including amendments made pursuant to provisions of the Miscellaneous Amendments and Search Requirements revisions to 10 CFR 73.55 (51 FR 27817 and 27822) and to the authority of 10 CFR 50.90 and 10 CFR 50.54(p). The combined set of plans, which contains Safeguards Information protected under 10 CFR 73.21, is entitled: "Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Security Plan, Training and Qualification Plan, Safeguards Contingency Plan, and Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Security Program," Revision 1, submitted by letters dated October 18, 2006, and January 10, 2007.

Unit 1 Amendment No. 194

-3 (5) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70, NSPM to possess but not separate, such byproduct and special nuclear materials as may be produced by the operation of the facility; (6) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70, NSPM to transfer byproduct materials from other job sites owned by NSPM for the purposes of volume reduction and decontamination.

C. This amended license shall be deemed to contain and is subject to the conditions specified in the following Commission regulations in 10 CFR Chapter I: Part 20, Section 30.34 of Part 30, Sections 50.54 and 50.59 of Part 50, and Section 70.32 of Part 70; 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 NSPM is authorized to operate the facility at steady state reactor core power levels not in excess of 1650 megawatts thermal.

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 183 ,are hereby incorporated in the license. NSPM shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

(3) Physical Protection NSPM shall fully implement and maintain in effect all provisions of the Commission-approved physical security, guard training and qualification, and safeguards contingency plans including amendments made pursuant to provisions of the Miscellaneous Amendments and Search Requirements revisions to 10 CFR 73.55 (51 FR 27817 and 27822) and to the authority of 10 CFR 50.90 and 10 CFR 50.54(p). The combined set of plans, which contains Safeguards Information protected under 10 CFR 73.21, is entitled: "Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Security Plan, Training and Qualification Plan, Safeguards Contingency Plan, and Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Security Program," Revision 1, submitted by letters dated October 18, 2006, and January 10, 2007.

Unit 2 Amendment No. 183

AC Sources-Operating 3.8.1 SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS (continued)

SURVEILLANCE FREQUENCY SR 3.8.1.6 ----------------------------NOTE--------------------------

All DG starts may be preceded by an engine prelube period.

Verify each DO starts from standby condition and 184 days achieves:

a. In.:::: 10 seconds, voltage ~ 3740 V and frequency ~ 58.8 Hz; and

b. Steady state voltage ~ 3740 V and.:::: 4580 V, and frequency ~ 58.8 Hz and.:::: 61.2 Hz.

SR 3.8.1.7 Verify each DG does not trip during and following a 24 months load rejection of:

1. Unit I ~ 650 kW; and

2. Unit 2 ~ 860 kW.

SR 3.8.1.8 Verify each DO's automatic trips are bypassed on an -------NOlLE-----

actual or simulated safety injection signal except: SR 3.0.2 interval extension (1.25

a. Engine overspeed; times the interval) applies

b. Generator differential current; and to this SR

c. Ground fault (Unit 1 only).

24 months Prairie Island Unit I - Amendment No. H-8 194 Units 1 and 2 3.8.1-8 Unit 2 - Amendment No. +49 183

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 194 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-42 AND AMENDMENT NO. 183 TO FACILITY OPERATION LICENSE NO. DPR-60 NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY - MINNESOTA PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-282 AND 50-306

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated March 5, 2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No. ML090641102), as supplemented by letters dated April 13 and September 23,2009 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML091040679 and ML092670336, respectively),

Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota Corporation (NSPM, the licensee), requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 (PINGP). The proposed changes would revise the TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.8.1.8 Frequency to allow use of the SR 3.0.2 interval extension (1.25 times the interval specified in Frequency). PINGP TS SR 3.0.2 does not allow use of the interval extensions for those SRs that have a 24-month Frequency unless exceptions are stated in the individual Specifications. Currently, the SR 3.8.1.8 has a 24-month Frequency. The proposed amendment would allow extension of the Frequency interval of SR 3.8.1.8 to 30 months (1.25 times the 24 months).

In its license amendment request (LAR), the licensee provided the following reason for the proposed amendment:

Currently, the [emergency diesel generator (EDG)] manufacturers recommend performance of a maintenance overhaul every 24 months. SR 3.8.1.8 is performed during each maintenance overhaul. However, it is not possible to precisely schedule and perform the maintenance on an exact 24-month interval and therefore, the interval may be slightly under or over 24 months. The current SR 3.8.1.8 Frequency of 24 months does not have any flexibility which would require an additional performance of this SR to meet the TS requirements if the maintenance schedule exceeds 24 months. Since performance of SR 3.8.1.8 requires each EDG to be taken out of service, the SR reduces EDG availability. The proposed amendment would provide the necessary flexibility for the performance of this SR.

In Section 4.2 of the LAR, the licensee further stated that any plant that has adopted the improved Standard Technical Specifications SR 3.0.2 provisions for interval extensions, and also have the Frequency for EDG bypass relay SR set at 24 months, have been granted the same interval for performing this surveillance as proposed in this LAR.

-2 The supplemental information dated April 13 and September 23, 2009, contained clarifying information, did not change the scope of the March 5, 2009, application or the initial no significant hazards consideration determination, and did not expand the scope of the original Federal Register notice.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

The regulatory requirements and guidance that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff applied in its review of the amendment included the following items.

Part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) provides that the TSs shall be included by applicants for a license authorizing operation of a production or utilization facility.

The regulation at 10 CFR 50.36(c) requires that TSs include items in five specific categories related to station operation. These categories are (1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operations (LCOs); (3) SRs; (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls. The proposed changes to the TS, discussed in this safety evaluation are within Category 3.

Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.9 (Rev. 3), "Selection, Design, Qualification, and Testing of Emergency Diesel Generator Units Used as Class 1E Onsite Electric Power Systems at Nuclear Power Plants." The Regulatory Position C.1.8 in this RG pertains to bypassing EDG protective trips during emergency conditions.

NUREG-1431 Rev. 3.0, "Standard Technical Specifications (STS) Westinghouse Plants." NRC encourages licensees to upgrade their TSs consistent with those criteria and conforming, to the practical extent possible, to the STS.

Generic Letter 91-04, "Changes in Technical Specification Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-month Fuel Cycle," dated April 2, 1991.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

Current TS Requirements Currently, the PINGP TS 3.8.1, SR 3.8.1.8 requires:

Verify each DG's [diesel generator's] automatic trips are bypassed on an actual or simulated safety injection except:

a. Engine overspeed;

b. Generator differential current; and

c. Ground fault (Unit 1 only)

The above SR is required to be performed with a 24-month Frequency.

In the LAR, the licensee stated that License Amendments 25 and 19, issued in 1978, first introduced the requirement for testing the EDG bypass relays for the plant EDGs D1 and D2 (at that time), to make EDG testing consistent with IEEE-387 (dated March 25, 1972). The test frequency was every 18 months. The plant was modified in 1992 to power the Unit 1 safeguards buses from EDGs D1 and D2, and power the Unit 2 safeguards buses from newly installed

-3 EOGs 05 and 06. License Amendments 103 and 96, issued in 1992, revised the TS to include provisions for testing EOGs 05 and 06 bypass relays.

The Frequency for the above SR was changed from 18 months to 24 months in 2002 with the conversion to improved TS (ITS). Guidance for PINGP conversion to the ITS was based on NUREG-1431, "Standard Technical Specifications Westinghouse Plants" that includes SR 3.0.2, which states:

"The specified Frequency for each SR is met if the Surveillance is performed within 1.25 times the interval specified in the Frequency, as measured from the previous performance or as measured from the time a specified condition of the Frequency is met."

The above provision allows an SR with a specified Frequency of 24 months to be performed at an interval up to 30 months. PINGP did not adopt this flexibility for SRs with the Frequency specified as 24 months, but rather proposed TS as follows:

"The specified Frequency for each SR is met, except for SRs with a specified Frequency of 24 months, if the Surveillance is performed within 1.25 times the interval specified in the Frequency, as measured from the previous performance or as measured from the time a specified condition of the Frequency is met."

The NRC Generic Letter (GL) 91-04, "Changes in Technical Specification Surveillance Intervals to accommodate a 24-month Fuel Cycle", issued April 2, 1991, required justification to be provided for SR performance at a 30-month interval (bounding surveillance interval limit provided to accommodate a 24-month fuel cycle). As a means to limit resource expenditures during the ITS conversion process, the PINGP operating plant licensee at that time chose to limit SRs with a 24-month Frequency to a 24-month interval without the SR 3.0.2 interval extension; that is, no additional justification was required under the guidance of GL 91-04 by eliminating the SR 3.0.2 interval extension for these SRs.

Proposed TS Changes The licensee stated that, in accordance with the EDG manufacturer's recommendations, a maintenance overhaul for each EOG is scheduled approximately every 24 months. Performance of SR 3.8.1.8 is included with the maintenance overhaul. However, since it is not possible to precisely perform the overhaul and SR 3.8.1.8, on a 24-month interval, an additional performance of SR 3.8.1.8 may be required in some cycles to meet the TS requirements, which means additional unavailability time for each EOG.

This LAR proposes to revise the SR 3.8.1.8 Frequency by adding a Note stating:

"SR 3.0.2 interval extension (1.25 times the interval) applies to this SR."

With this change, this SR can be performed at a nominal 24-month interval with extension up to 30 months, without a conflict with the PINGP TS SR 3.0.2 requirements.

GL 91-04 stated that licensees should (a) evaluate the effect on safety of an increase in 18-month surveillance intervals to support a conclusion that the effect on safety is small, (b)

-4 confirm that historical plant maintenance and surveillance data do not invalidate this conclusion, and (c) confirm that assumptions in the plant licensing basis would not be invalidated on the basis of performing any surveillance at the bounding surveillance interval limit provided to accommodate a 24-month fuel cycle. In addition, GL 91-04 stated that the bounding time interval for surveillances that allowed a surveillance to be extended by 25 percent would be 30 months.

The licensee used the above guidance of GL 91-04, and provided the following explanation to justify the extension of the SR 3.8.1.8 Frequency up to 30 months:

Each diesel generator control system has one relay that bypasses non-critical diesel generator trips during an emergency start which is tested by SR 3.8.1.8. The coils for these relays are normally in a de-energized state resulting in no degradation of the relay coil due to heating. Instrumentation drift, another consideration addressed in GL 91-04, is not applicable to these relays because they do not have any adjustable settings.

When the EDGs are operating, and a Safety Injection signal is present or a functional test of the relay is being performed, the relay coil is energized and the contacts change state. Opening of the relay contacts blocks the non-critical engine trip signals that would lead to automatic shutdown of the diesel engine.

These relay actuation mechanisms are aged based on the number of times they are cycled. Since these relays are only occasionally cycled and the coils are normally de-energized, the relays will have a longer life. Based on the installation of these relays in a clean and temperature-controlled environment, significant degradation of these relays is not expected. A review of the performance and history of these relays since approximately 1995 did not identify any instances of failures or the need for replacement.

Based on the maintenance history and the design of this bypass circuitry, the proposed Note which would change the allowable maximum interval from 24 months to 30 months will not affect the reliability of the PINGP EDGs.

Failure of the bypass relays does not directly result in the failure of an EDG to perform its safety function and provide power to the safeguards buses. The single-active failure of the bypass relay would not prevent operation of the EDGs during an accident. The failure of a single EDG is within the PINGP design basis; since there are two trains of EDGs, the emergency onsite AC system is designed to continue providing power to a safeguards bus following a single-active failure. Allowing the maximum test interval to be 30 months has minimal [effect] on the availability of the emergency onsite AC system.

The licensee also stated in the LAR that the guidance of GL 91-04 for SR extension to a bounding surveillance interval limit of 30 months is met as described below:

a. The effect on safety of an increase in the surveillance interval to accommodate a 30-month interval is small.

b. There have been no identified failures or replacements of these relays; therefore, the historical plant maintenance and surveillance data support this conclusion.

-5

c. The plant licensing basis would not be invalidated on the basis of performing this surveillance at the bounding 30 month interval. If this relay failed to function, the associated EDG would continue to operate unless a second active failure occurs to disable the EDG. The plant design basis continues to provide onsite emergency AC power jf a single-active failure occurs.

NRC Staff Evaluation

The NRC staff reviewed the justification provided by the licensee in the LAR for the proposed changes. In particular, the NRC staff noted that the licensee has adequately addressed the concerns of GL 91-04 for SR extension to a bounding surveillance interval limit of 30 months.

The NRC staff also reviewed the supplemental information provided by the licensee in its letter dated September 23, 2009, in response to the NRC staff's request for additional information.

Based on its review, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed change to SR 3.8.1.8 Frequency, (i.e., the addition of the Note which will allow use of SR 3.0.2 interval extension up to 1.25 times 24 months) is acceptable.

The NRC staff's evaluation is limited to the acceptance of the proposed Frequency change to SR 3.8.1.8.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Minnesota State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendments change the requirements with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 or change the surveillance requirements. The 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 (74 FR 23448). 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.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by

-6 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: V. Goel, NRR Date: March 1, 2010

Mareh 1, 2010 Mr. Mark A. Schimmel Site Vice President Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Northern States Power - Minnesota 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089 SUB~IECT: PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: APPLY SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT (SR) 3.0.2 INTERVAL EXTENSION TO SR 3.8.1.8 (TAC NOS. ME0811 AND ME0812)

Dear Mr. Schimmel:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 194 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-42 and Amendment No. 183 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-60 for the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated March 5, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated April 13 and September 23, 2009.

The amendments revise the TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.8.1.8 Frequency to allow the use of the SR 3.0.2 interval extension (1.25 times the interval specified in the Frequency). The amendments allow extending the Frequency interval of SR 3.8.1.8 from 24 months to 30 months.

A copy of our related safety evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely, IRAJ Thomas J. Wengert, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-282 and 50-306

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 194 to DPR-42

2. Amendment No. 183 to DPR-60

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via ListServ DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC LPL3-1 r/f RidsRgn3MailCenter Resource RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 Resource RidsNrrPMPrairielsland Resource RidsNrrLABTully Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrDirsltsb Resource V. Goel, NRR RdsNrrDeEeeb Resource RidsOgcRp Resource ADAMS Accession Number' ML100280007 "via memo dated 12/4/2009 OFFICE NRR/LPL3-1/PM NRR/LPL3-1/LA NRR/DE/EEEB/BC NRR/DIRS/ITSB/BC OGC NLO NRR/LPL3-1/BC NAME TWengert BTuily GWilson" RElliott BMizuno RPascarelli DATE 02/25/10 02/25/10 12/04/09 02/04/10 02/23/10 03/01/10 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy