ML102280473
| ML102280473 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 11/03/2010 |
| From: | Lyon C Plant Licensing Branch IV |
| To: | Reddeman M Energy Northwest |
| Lyon C Fred, NRR/DORL/LPL4, 301-415-2296 | |
| References | |
| TAC ME3773 | |
| Download: ML102280473 (11) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 November 3, 2010 Mr. Mark E. Reddeman Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 (Mail Drop 1023)
Richland, WA 99352-0968
SUBJECT:
COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION -ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ADD CHANNEL CHECK SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3.3.6.1 (TAC NO. ME3773)
Dear Mr. Reddeman:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Commission) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 219 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-21 for the Columbia Generating Station. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated March 31, 2010.
The amendment revises the TSs to add a channel check surveillance requirement to TS 3.3.6.1, "Primary Containment Isolation Instrumentation," for the reactor pressure vessel low water level isolation signal to the primary containment isolation valves.
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, Carl F. Lyon, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 219 to NPF-21
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via Listserv
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 ENERGY NORTHWEST DOCKET NO. 50-397 COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 219 License No. NPF-21
- 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by Energy Northwest (licensee), dated March 31, 2010, 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-21 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. 219 and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee 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 prior to entry into Mode 2 during restart from Refueling Outage R-20, currently scheduled for spring 2011.
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-21 and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: November 3, 2010
ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 219 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-21 DOCKET NO. 50-397 Replace the following pages of the Facility Operating License No. NPF-21 and Appendix A, Technical Specifications with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain vertical lines indicating the areas of change.
Facility Operating License REMOVE INSERT -3 Technical Specification REMOVE INSERT 3.3.6.1-5 3.3.6.1-5
- 3 (3)
Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use at any time any byproduct, source and special nuclear material as sealed neutron sources for reactor startup, sealed sources for reactor instrumentation and radiation monitoring equipment calibration, and as fission detectors in amounts as required; (4)
Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use in amounts as required any byproduct, source of special nuclear material without restriction to chemical or physical form, for sample analysis or instrument calibration or associated with radioactive apparatus or components; and (5)
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.
(6)
Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to store byproduct, source and special nuclear materials not intended for use at Columbia Generating Station. The materials shall be no more than 9 sealed neutron radiation sources designed for insertion into pressurized water reactors and no more than 40 sealed beta radiation sources designed for use in area radiation monitors. The total inventory shall not exceed 24 microcuries of strontium-90, 20 microcuries of uranium-235, 30 curies of plutonium-238, and 3 curies of americium-241.
C.
This license shall be deemed to contain and is subject to the conditions specified in the Commission's regulations set forth 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 licensee is authorized to operate the facility at reactor core power levels not in excess of full power (3486 megawatts thermal). Items in shall be completed as specified. Attachment 1 is hereby incorporated into this license.
(2)
Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 219 and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.
(a)
For Surveillance Requirements (SRs) not previously performed by existing SRs or other plant tests, the requirement will be considered met on the implementation date and the next required test will be at the interval specified in the Technical Specifications as revised in Amendment No. 149.
Amendment No. 219
Columbia Generating Station 3.3.6.1-5 Amendment No.
149.169.172.214 219
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555*0001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 219 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-21 ENERGY NORTHWEST COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-397
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated March 31, 2010 (Reference 1), Energy Northwest (EN, the licensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for the Columbia Generating Station (CGS). The requested change would revise the TSs to add a channel check surveillance requirement to TS 3.3.6.1, "Primary Containment Isolation Instrumentation," for the reactor pressure vessel low water level isolation signal to the primary containment isolation valves.
Specifically, the proposed amendment would add channel check surveillance requirement (SR) 3.3.6.1.1 to TS 3.3.6.1, Table 3.3.6.1-1, "Primary Containment Isolation Instrumentation,"
Function 1.a, "Main Steam Line Isolation Reactor Vessel Water Level - Low Low Low, Level 1."
On August 18, 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Amendment No. 214 (Reference 2) to the TSs for CGS. The amendment revised TS 3.3.6.1, "Primary Containment Isolation Instrumentation." The change lowered the Group 1 isolation valves reactor water level isolation signal from Level 2 to Level 1. New instrumentation will be installed during Refueling Outage R-20 at CGS as part of the implementation of Amendment No. 214 to change the low reactor water level isolation of the main steam lines from Level 2 to Level 1.
The new reactor vessel water level instrumentation will support performance of the proposed channel check.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
Section 182a of the Atomic Energy Act requires applicants for nuclear power plant operating licenses to include TSs as part of the license. The TSs ensure the operational capability of structures, systems, and components that are required to protect the health and safety of the public. The NRC's regulatory requirements related to the content of the TS are contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.36. That regulation requires
- 2 that the TSs include items in the following specific categories: (1) safety limits, limiting safety systems settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation; (3) SRs; (4) design features; (5) administrative controls; (6) decommissioning; (7) initial notifications; and (8) written reports. However, the regulation does not specify the particular TS to be included in a plant's license.
The regulations in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(3) state that SRs "are requirements relating to test, calibration, or inspection to assure that the necessary quality of systems and components is maintained, that facility operation will be within safety limits, and that the limiting conditions for operation will be met."
The NRC's guidance for the format and content of licensee TSs are found in NUREG-1433, "Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants BWRJ4," Revision 3.0 (Reference 3),
and NUREG-1434, "Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants, BWRJ6,"
Revision 3.0 (Reference 4).
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
The main steam isolation valve (MSIV) low water level isolation closes inboard and outboard MSIVs in response to indications that the ability to cool the core may be threatened due to the low water level. Isolation of the MSIVs supports actions to ensure that offsite dose limits are not exceeded for a design-basis accident (DBA). Low water level isolation of the main steam lines is considered in anticipated (moderate frequency) operational occurrences and postulated accidents of low or extremely low probability (DBA or limiting faults).
In its application, EN states, The addition of a channel check surveillance is for purposes of detecting a gross channel failure. While channel failure is rare, inclusion of a formal surveillance to supplement less formal checks of the channels during normal operational use provides further assurance of system operability when the low water isolation function is required. The channel check also complements existing channel calibration and testing surveillances and verifies that the low water level isolation function continues to operate properly between the less frequent channel calibrations.
EN has proposed to add SR 3.3.6.1.1 to the list of required surveillances for Function 1.a, "Main Steam Line Isolation Reactor Vessel Water Level-Low Low Low, Level 1." The licensee proposes to add the channel check surveillance at a 12-hour frequency based on operating experience indicating that failure of a channel is rare.
The NRC staff agrees that the performance of the channel check once every 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> ensures that a gross failure of instrumentation has not occurred. A channel check will detect gross channel failure; thus, it is a key to verifying that the instrumentation continues to operate properly between each channel calibration. The frequency is based on operating experience that demonstrates channel failure is rare. The channel check supplements less formal, but more frequent, checks of channels during normal operational use. The proposed change is
- 3 consistent with NUREG-1433, Revision 3.0 and NUREG-1434, Revision 3.0. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed change is acceptable.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Washington State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
5.0 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 NRC 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 published in the Federal Register on June 1, 2010 (75 FR 30445). 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.
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 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.
7.0 REFERENCES
- 1.
W.S. Oxenford, Energy Northwest, to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Columbia Generating Station, Docket No. 50-397 License Amendment Request for Proposed Changes to Columbia Technical Specification 3.3.6.1; Add Channel Check Surveillance Requirement to Primary Containment Isolation Instrumentation Main Steam Line Isola1ion - Reactor Vessel Water Level Low Function," dated March 31, 2010, Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML101031094.
- 2.
N.J. DiFrancesco, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to J.V. Parrish, Energy Northwest, "Columbia Generating Station - Issuance of Amendment RE: Change in Group 1 Primary Isolation Valves Reactor Water Level Isolation Signal from Level 2 to Level 1 (TAC No. MD9598)," dated August 18, 2009, ADAMS Accession No. ML091700146.
- 4
- 3.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants, BWR/4," NUREG-1433, Vol. 1 and 2, Revision 3, June 30, 2004, ADAMS Accession Nos. ML041910194, ML041910212, and ML041910214.
- 4.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Standard Technical Specifications General Electric Plants, BWR/6," NUREG-1434, Vol. 1 and 2, Revision 3, June 30, 2004, ADAMS Accession Nos. ML041910204, ML041910223, and ML041910224.
Principal Contributor: K. Bucholtz Date: November 3, 2010
November 3, 2010 Mr. Mark E. Reddeman Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 (Mail Drop 1023)
Richland, WA 99352-0968
SUBJECT:
COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION -ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ADD CHANNEL CHECK SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3.3.6.1 (TAC NO. ME3773)
Dear Mr. Reddeman:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Commission) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 219 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-21 for the Columbia Generating Station. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated March 31, 2010.
The amendment revises the TSs to add a channel check surveillance requirement to TS 3.3.6.1, "Primary Containment Isolation Instrumentation," for the reactor pressure vessel low water level isolation signal to the primary containment isolation valves.
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,
/RAJ Carl F. Lyon, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 219 to NPF-21
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsOgcRp Resource LPLIV Reading RidsNrrDorlLpl4 Resource RidsRgn4MailCenter Resource RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrPMColumbia Resource KBucholtz. NRR/DIRS/ITSB RidsNrrDirsltsb Resource RidsNrrLAJBurkhardt Resource ADAMS Accession No ML102280473
- memo dated OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA DIRS/ITSB/BC OGC NRR/LPL4/BC NRR/LPL4/PM NAME FLyon JBurkhardt RElliott*
MSpencer MMarkley FLyon DATE 9/24/10 9/23/10 8/5/10 9/27/10 10/26/10 11/3/10 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy