ML102090137

License Amendment, Issuance of Amendment One-time Extension to the Integrated Leak Rate Test Interval

ML102090137
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	08/23/2010
From:	Mahesh Chawla Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Entergy Nuclear Operations
Chawla M, NRR/DORL, 415-8371
References
TAC ME2122
Download: ML102090137 (14)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 August 23, 2010 Vice President, Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ONE-TIME EXTENSION TO THE INTEGRATED LEAK RATE TEST INTERVAL (TAC NO. ME2122)

Dear Sir or Madam:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 240 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 for the Palisades Nuclear Plant. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated August 25, 2009, supplemented by letter dated May 3, 2010.

The amendment would modify TS 5.5.14, "Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program," to allow a one time extension to the 1O-year frequency for the next 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix J, Option B, Type A, containment integrity leakage test (ILRT) or Type A test at Palisades Nuclear Plant. The proposed change would permit the existing ILRT frequency to be extended from 10 years (120 months) to approximately 11.25 years (135 months). The proposed change would also avoid the necessity of performing a Type A test 6 months prior to the 10th anniversary of the completion of the last Type A test, which was completed on May 3, 2001.

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, Mahesh L. Chawla, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 240 to DPR-20

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

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC.

DOCKET !'JO. 50-255 PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 240 License No. DPR-20

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

A. The application for amendment by Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (the licensee),

dated August 25, 2009, as supplemented by letter dated May 3, 2010, 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; 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 the license amendment and Paragraph 2.C.(2) of Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 is hereby amended to read as follows:

The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 240, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B are hereby incorporated in the license. Entergy Nuclear Operations shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

-2

3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of issuance and shall be implemented within 60 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION XJi?~

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: AUf,Ust 23, 2010

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 240 RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-20 DOCKET NO. 50-255 Replace the following page of the Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 with the attached revised page. The changed area is identified by a marginal line.

REMOVE INSERT Page 3 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 a marginal line indicating the area of change.

REMOVE INSERT 5.0-18 5.0-18

-3 (1) Pursuant to Section 104b of the Act, as amended, and 10 CFR Part 50, "Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities," (a) ENP to possess and use, and (b) END to possess, use and operate, the facility as a utilization facility at the designated location in Van Buren County, Michigan, in accordance with the procedures and limitation set forth in this license; (2) END, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use source and special nuclear material as reactor fuel, in accordance with the limitations for storage and amounts required for reactor operation, as described in the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, as supplemented and amended; (3) END, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70, to receive, possess, and use byproduct, source, and special nuclear material as sealed sources for reactor startup, reactor instrumentation, radiation monitoring equipment calibration, and fission detectors in amounts as required; (4) END, 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 for sample analysis or instrument calibration, or associated with radioactive apparatus or components; and (5) END, 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 operations 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; 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) END is authorized to operate the facility at steady-state reactor core power levels not in excess of 2565.4 Megawatts thermal (100 percent rated power) in accordance with the conditions specified herein.

(2) The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 240, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B are hereby incorporated in the license. END shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

(3) END 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 and as approved in the SERs dated 09/01/78, 03/19/80, 02/10/81, OS/26/83,07/12/85,01/29/86, 12/03/87, and 05/19/89 and subject to the following provisions:

Renewed License No. DPR-20 Amendment No. 240

Programs and Manuals 5.5 5.5 Programs and Manuals 5.5.13 Safety Functions Determination Proaram (SFDP) (continued)

c. A required system redundant to support system(s) for the supported systems (a) and (b) above is also inoperable.

The SFDP identifies where a loss of safety function exists. If a loss of safety function is determined to exist by this program, the appropriate Conditions and Required Actions of the LCO in which the loss of safety function exists are required to be entered. When a loss of safety function is caused by the inoperability of a single Technical Specification support system, the appropriate Conditions and Required Actions to enter are those of the support system.

5.5.14 Containment Leak Rate Testing Program

a. A program shall establish the leakage rate testing of the containment as required by 10 CFR 50.54(0) and 10 CFR 50, Appendix J, Option B, as modified by approved exemptions. This program shall be in accordance with the guidelines of Regulatory Guide 1.163, "Performance-Based Containment Leakage-Test Program," dated September 1995, except that the next Type A test performed after the May 3, 2001, Type A test shall be performed no later than August 3, 2012, as modified by the following I

exceptions:

1. Leakage rate testing is not necessary after opening the Emergency Escape Air Lock doors for post-test restoration or post-test adjustment of the air lock door seals. However, a seal contact check shall be performed instead.

Emergency Escape Airlock door opening, solely for the purpose of strongback removal and performance of the seal contact check, does not necessitate additional pressure testing.

2. Leakage rate testing at Pa is not necessary after adjustment of the Personnel Air Lock door seals. However, a between-the-seals test shall be performed at ~1 0 psig instead.

3. Leakage rate testing frequency for the Containment 4 inch purge exhaust valves, the 8 inch purge exhaust valves, and the 12 inch air room supply valves may be extended up to 60 months based on component performance.

b. The calculated peak containment internal pressure for the design basis loss of coolant accident, Pal is 53 psig. The containment design pressure is 55 psig.

c. The maximum allowable containment leakage rate, La, at Pa, shall be 0.1 % of containment air weight per day.

Palisades Nuclear Plant 5.0-18 Amendment No. 489,494,2-34, 2W, 240

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-QQ!)1 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 240 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-20 ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC.

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated August 25, 2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No. ML092380646), Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (ENO, the licensee) requested an amendment to Appendix A, Technical Specifications (TSs) of Facility Operations License No. DPR-20, for the Palisades Nuclear Plant (PNP). The proposed changes would modify TS 5.5.14, "Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program," to allow a one-time extension to the 1O-year frequency for the next containment integrity leakage test (ILRT) or Type A test at PNP. The proposed change would permit the existing ILRT frequency to be extended from 10 years (120 months) to approximately 11.25 years (135 months), from the current due date of May 3, 2011, to no later than August 3, 2012. The proposed change would also avoid the necessity of performing a Type A test 6 months prior to the 10th anniversary of the completion of the last Type A test conducted on May 3, 2001.

In response to the staff requests for additional information (RAI), the licensee provided supplemental information by letter dated May 3, 2010 (ADAMS Accession No. ML101241109).

The supplemental information clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not alter the conclusions of the original request dated August 25, 2009.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

Pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50, Section 50.54(0) and Appendix J. Option B, "Performance Based Requirements," require that a,Type A test be conducted at a periodic interval based on historical performance of the overall containment system. PNP TS 5.5.14 requires that leakage rate testing be performed as required by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B, as modified by approved exemptions, and in accordance with the guidelines contained in U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissiq,n (NRC) Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.163, "Performance-Based Containment Leak-Rate Testing program," dated September 1995 (ADAMS Accession No. ML003740058). This RG endorses, with certain exemptions, Nuclear Energy institute (NEI) Report 94-01, Revision 0, "Industry Gl)ideline for Implementing Performance Based Option of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J," dated July 26, 1995.

-2 A Type A test is an overall ILRT of the containment structure. NEI 94-01, Revision 0, specifies an initial test interval of 48 months, but allows an extended interval of 10 years, based upon two consecutive successful tests. There is also a provision for extending the test interval an additional 15 months, but this "should be used only in cases where refueling schedules have been changed to accommodate other factors." The most recent two Type A tests at PNP have been successful, so the current interval requirement is 10 years.

The last PNP ILRT was completed on May 3, 2001. The next ILRT, per TS 5.5.14, is required to be performed no later than May 3,2011. The next PNP refueling outage (1R21) is scheduled for fall of 2010. Therefore, the next Type A test would have to be performed 6 months less than 10 years after the most recent one, because the following refueling outage ('I R22) would be 132 months after the most recent Type A test, and the extension allowed by NEI 94-01 does not apply. Thus, the licensee is requesting a TS change to add one more operating cycle to the test interval.

The proposed TS change does not involve any other changes to licensing commitments or acceptance criteria.

As additional background, the NRC staff has issued licensing amendments to a significant number of reactor units which extended, on a one-time basis, their Type A test intervals to 15 years, based primarily on probabilistic risk assessment arguments. ENO's proposed request for PNP is also on a one-time basis, but only increases the Type A test interval to 11.25 years (135 months). The licensee cited Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Unit 1, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, and Arkansas Nuclear One Unit No.2, as precedents in obtaining NRC approval of license amendment requests similar to the one proposed for PNP.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Technical specifications The current TS 5.5.14 "Containment Leak Rate Testing Program," subsection a, reads as follows:

A program shall establish the leakage rate testing of the containment as required by 10 CFR 50.54(0) and 10 CFR 50, Appendix J, Option B, as modified by approved exemptions. This program shall be in accordance with the guidelines of Regulatory Guide 1.163, "performance based Containment Leakage-Rate program," dated September 1995, as modified by the following exceptions:

The licensees proposed request would modify TS 5.5.14.a as follows:

A program shall establish the leakage rate testing of the containment as required by 10 CFR 50.54(0) and 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B, as modified by approved exemptions. This program shall be in accordance with the guidelines of Regulatory Guide 1.163, "performance based Containment Leakage-Rate program," dated September 1995, except that the next Type A test performed after May 3,2001, shall be performed no later than August 3,2012, as modified by the following exceptions:

-3 3.2 Containment, In-service Inspection (lSI) Program, and Structural Leak-Tight Integrity Considerations The reactor containment leakage test program requires the licensee to perform ILRT, also termed as a Type A test, and local leakage tests (LLRTs) termed as Type B and Type C tests.

The Type A test measures the overall leakage rate of the primary reactor containment. Type B tests are primarily intended to detect leakage paths and measure leakage rates for primary reactor containment penetrations. Type C tests are intended to measure containment isolation valve leakage.

The PNP TS 5.5.14 currently requires that that the next Type A test shall be within 10 years after the last ILRT test, which was performed on May 3, 2001. The licensee has requested an extension of the next Type A test interval not to exceed 15 months.

NEI 94-01, Revision 0, allows an additional 15 months to be added on to the 10-year interval at the discretion of the licensee, but with the restriction that it "should be used only in cases where refueling schedules have been changed to accommodate other factors," The purpose of this restriction is to prevent a licensee from arbitrarily adding the 15 months on to every testing interval, which would effectively change the interval permanently to 135 months. The safety and risk significance of the 15-month extension has already been incorporated into the models used to determine the acceptability of the testing interval.

The proposed revision would avoid the necessity of performing a Type A test 6 months prior to the 10th year anniversary of the completion of the last Type A test on May 3, 2001, and would also extend the period from 120 months (10 years) to no longer than 135 months between successive tests, In terms of refueling outages, this extension would move the performance of the next ILRT from PNP outage #21 (1 R21) to PNP outage #22 (1 R22).

The leak-tight integrity of the penetrations and isolation valves are verified through Type Band Type C LLRTs and the overall leak-tight integrity and structural integrity of the primary containment is verified through a Type A test (ILRT) as required by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J.

These tests are performed at the design-basis accident pressure. The testing frequency for Type B and Type C tests is not affected by the proposed amendment and will continue to be performed in accordance with NEI 94-01, Revision 0, as endorsed by RG 1.163.

Additionally, no modifications that require a Type A test are planned prior to 1R22, which is when the next Type A test would be performed under this proposed change. Any unplanned modifications to the containment prior to the next scheduled Type A test would be subject to the special testing requirements of Section IV.A of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J. There have been no pressure or temperature excursions in the containment which could have adversely affected the containment integrity. There is no anticipated addition or removal of plant hardware within containment which could affect leak-tightness.

3.3 Containment Pressure Boundary Evaluation The first PNP ILRT was performed on May 26, 1970. The last PNP ILRT was completed on May 3, 2001. In between, there were four other ILRTs performed. The licensee stated that the

- 4 second, third and fourth post-operational tests have resulted in combined calculated leakage, plus the adjusted measures penetration leakage exceeding the acceptance criteria. All other ILRTs at PNP have been successful.

During the review, the staff noted that PNP will be entering into the period of extended operation on March 24, 2011. By TS 5.5.14, PNP is required to perform its ILRT test by May 3, 2011, which is approximately 6 months after 1R21. Based on the licensee's relief request, PNP has requested to extend its ILRT test interval to August 3,2012. However, in NUREG-1871, "SER Related to the License Renewal of Palisades Nuclear Plant," January 2007, on page 3-22, the staff states that the plant-specific operating experience revealed some instances where the Containment Inservice Inspection Program had been instrumental in discovering material degradation. Containment degradation included liner plate corrosion, unacceptable tendon liftoff values, tendon gallery corrosion, tendon grease leakage, the moisture barrier not in place, and tendon sheath water intrusion. By letter dated February 3, 2010, the staff requested that the licensee justify its basis for not conducting the ILRT during 1R21, which is scheduled for October 2010, and the examination results of IWE and IWL programs, and any corrective/

preventive actions, acceptance criteria, and monitoring and trending were taken.

In response to the staff's RAI, by letter dated May 3,2010, the licensee stated that its justification for not conducting the ILRT during 1R21 is, in part, based on the same conclusions described in NUREG-1871. Further justification is that in the NUREG-1871 discussion of the NRC acceptance of the program elements of the CIS I and Containment Leakage Testing program and the conclusion that the effects of aging will be adequately managed. The licensee also stated that ENO is proposing this [license] revision based on the good containment leakage rate history and containment visual examination history at PNP, and because there is no substantial increase in risk associated with extending the inspection interval by 15 months. The licensee further stated that all reported visual observations were considered cosmetic with no areas of suspect damage or deterioration, which would impact the structural integrity or leak tightness of the containment liner. In addition, based on the data gathered during the 2008 35-year containment IWL inspection, there were no occurrences of abnormal degradation of the post tensioning system on the PNP containment structure. The staff reviewed the licensee's responses and found them acceptable, because the PNP operating experience shows that no significant problems have been found and the local leakage rate testing program has been able to detect developing deterioration before it could result in loss of containment leak-tight integrity.

Therefore, the staff's concern described in its RAI is resolved.

PNP has established procedures for performing visual examination of the accessible surfaces of the containment for the detection of structural problems. RG 1.163, Regulatory Position C.3, specifies that these examinations should be conducted prior to initiating a Type A test and during two other outages before the next Type A test, if the interval for the Type A test has been extended to 10 years, in order to allow for early detection of evidence of structural deterioration.

These visual examinations have been completed, with no significant defects noted to date. It is noted that a visual inspection is also conducted in accordance with the containment lSI requirements, per 10 CFR 50.55a(b)(2) and Subsections IWE and IWL of Section XI of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.

-5 The testing frequency for Type Band C tests is not affected by this requested amendment to extend the Type A test interval from 120 months (10 years) to approximately 135 months.

Based on the successful results of the recent two ILRTs, the LLRTs and the containment lSI program discussed above, there is reasonable assurance that the containment structural and leak-tight integrity will continue to be maintained without undue risk to safety if the Type A test interval is extended by up to15 months. Therefore, the staff finds that the requested TS change for a one-time extension of the Type A test interval from 120 months to 135 months is acceptable.

In response to a staff's RAI, the licensee in a letter dated May 3, 2010, the licensee also stated that the determination of the failure of the second post-operational ILRT conducted in March 1978, and the third post-operational ILRT conducted in November 1981, occurred significantly later than the actual test dates. In 1986, NRC Inspection Report to Consumers Power Company (then owner of PNP) identified a violation (255/86005-04) with respect to the methodology that was being used at PNP. The methodology concerns with containment isolation valve leak testing and isolation valve repairs that were done prior to Type A tests, but have not added LLRT differences to the ILRT results. Adding in the LLRT results in 1986 led to the failing of the 1978 and 1981 Type A tests. The fourth post-operational ILRT failed the as found leakage rate criteria due to the addition of repair and adjustment penalties of two containment penetrations.

In a letter dated August 25, 2009, the licensee stated that the current total penetration leakage on a maximum path basis is less than 11 percent of the leakage allowed for containment integrity. In a staff's RAI, the licensee was asked to provide the as-found Type B & C total leakage values for the last refueling outage when a Type A test was performed and the combined as-found Type B & C values for tests performed since then. The licensee provided the requested values for the last Type A test performed in May 2001, and the subsequent Type B & C tests performed on 14 occasions since that time. In terms of leakage allowed (0.6La),

these values varied from approximately 14 percent to 18 percent, except in two instances. In December 2001 , and November 2004, the values are higher at approximately 37 percent and 54 percent of allowable leakage (0.6La). The largest contribution to the as-found leakage in these two instances was attributed to a specific, but different penetration in each case. The penetrations were fixed, retested, and placed on increased test frequency in accordance with the LLRT program. The La value of 148,225 standard cubic centimeters per minute was unchanged during the entire period from the most recent Type A test in 2001 to the present.

Based on the information provided by the licensee, the staff concludes that the combined as found Type B & C leakage values are well below the allowable leakage, and there is no discernible increase in these values during this period.

In response to a staff's RAI, the licensee also provided as-found and as-left Type A test results and their comparison with the allowable leakage rate. The staff reviewed the results from the most recent Type A tests performed in November 1988, February 1991, and May 2001. The 1988 and 2001 tests show that as-found and as-left results of Type A leakage are well below the test acceptance limit 0.075 wt percent/day. The steam generators at PNP were replaced during the 1991 outage, which required a hole to be cut in the primary containment structure.

Therefore, the licensee considered the ILRT in 1991 a pre-operational test. The as-left test result in 1991 is higher than previous test results but still below the Appendix J acceptance

-6 criteria of 0.075 wt percent/day. The licensee further stated that the addition of Type B & C penalties caused the higher containment leak rate. However, the staff concludes, based on the ILRT test results in 2001 and the combined B & C leakage values since 2001 provided by the licensee, the containment leak rates at PNP have been brought back to within normal practices.

4.0

SUMMARY

Based on the foregoing evaluation, the NRC staff finds that there are no significant increases in risk or reductions in safety resulting from the requested test extension, beyond those already considered in the establishment of the intervals allowed by RG 1.163 and NEI 94-01, Revision O. Further, the PNP containment has a good recent leakage rate history and has passed the required visual and lSI inspections. There is reasonable assurance that the containment structural and leak-tight integrity will continue to be maintained without undue risk to safety the Type A test interval is extended by up to 15 months. Therefore, the staff concludes that the requested TS change, increasing the Type A test interval one time from 120 months to 135 months, is acceptable.

5.0 REFERENCES

1. Letter dated August 25,2009, from Pamela B. Cowan (Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.)

to USNRC with regard to Request for Amendment to Technical Specification 5.5.14, "Primary Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program," for Palisades Nuclear Plant (ML092380646).

2. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. letter dated May 3, 2010 "Response to Request for Additional Information - One Time Extension to ILRT - ME2122" for Palisades Nuclear Plant (ML101241109).

3. U.S. NRC Regulatory Guide 1.163, "Performance-Based Containment Leak-Test Program," September 1995 (ML003740058).

4. Nuclear Energy Institute Document, NEI 94-01, Revision 0, "Industry Guideline for Implementing Performance-Based Option of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J," July 1995.

6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment changes 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 staff has determined that the amendment involves 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 amendment involves no significant hazards consideration and there has been no public comment on such finding (74 FR 53777). Accordingly, the amendment meets 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 amendment.

-7

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 Contributors: N. Karipineni, NRR Dan Hoang, NRR Date: August 23, 2010

August 23, 2010 Vice President, Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ONE-TIME EXTENSION TO THE INTEGRATED LEAK RATE TEST INTERVAL (TAC NO. ME2122)

Dear Sir or Madam:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 240 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 for the Palisades Nuclear Plant. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated August 25, 2009, supplemented by letter dated May 3, 2010.

The amendment would modify TS 5.5.14, "Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program," to allow a one time extension to the 1O-year frequency for the next 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix J, Option B, Type A, containment integrity leakage test (ILRT) or Type A test at Palisades Nuclear Plant. The proposed change would permit the existing ILRT frequency to be extended from 10 years (120 months) to approximately 11.25 years (135 months). The proposed change would also avoid the necessity of performing a Type A test 6 months prior to the 10th anniversary of the completion of the last Type A test, which was completed on May 3, 2001.

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 Mahesh L. Chawla, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 240 to DPR-20

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

PUBLIC LPL3-1 r/f RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 Resource RidsOgcRp Resource RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrPMPalisades Resource NKaripineni RidsNrrDirsltsb Resource RidsNrrLABTully Resource Dhoang RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsRgn3MailCenter Resource ADAMS Accession No ML102090137 OFFICE LPL3-1/PM LPL3-1/LA SCVB/BC EMCB/BC ITSB/BC OGC LPL3-1/BC NAME MChawla BTuily fTHarris for RDennig MKhanna RElliolt LSubin NLO RPascarelli DATE 08/20/10 08/20/10 08/12/10 08/16/10 08/17110 08/19/10 08/23/10 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy