ML12250A720

Request for Additional Information, Request to Revise Technical Specifications to Eliminate Use of the Term Core Alteration Consistent w/TSTF-471 and NUREG-1432, Revision 3

ML12250A720
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	09/11/2012
From:	Lauren Gibson Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Edington R Arizona Public Service Co
Gibson L
References
TAC ME8160, TAC ME8161, TAC ME8162
Download: ML12250A720 (4)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 September 11, 2012 Mr. Randall K. Edington Executive Vice President Nuclear!

Chief Nuclear Officer Mail Station 7602 Arizona Public Service Company P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034

SUBJECT:

PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1,2, AND 3 REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO ELiMATE THE USE OF THE TERM CORE ALTERATION (TAC NOS. ME8160, ME8161, AND ME8162)

Dear Mr. Edington:

By letter dated March 8, 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML12076A045), Arizona Public Service Company (APS, the licensee) submitted a license amendment (LAR) for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3. The proposed amendment would eliminate the use of the term CORE ALTERATION from the Technical Specifications.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the information provided by the licensee and determined that the additional information identified in the enclosure to this letter is needed in order for the NRC staff to complete its review. The draft copy of the request for additional information was provided to Mr. Robert Roehler of your staff via e-mail on September 4,2012. Mr. Roehler agreed to provide a response to the request for additional information within 30 days of the date of this letter.

R. Edington - 2 If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1056 or via e-mail at Lauren. Gibson@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Lauren K. Gibson, Project Manager Plant licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, and STN 50-530

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF THE TERM CORE ALTERATION IN THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1,2, AND 3 DOCKET NOS. 50-528, 50-529, AND 50-530 By letter dated March 8, 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML12076A045), Arizona Public Service Company (APS, the licensee) submitted a license amendment (LAR) for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3. The proposed amendment would eliminate the use of the term CORE ALTERATION in the Technical Specifications.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the submitted information and determined that the following information is needed for the staff to complete its evaluation:

1. The proposed REQUIRED ACTION A.1 of TS 3.9.2 states that with one startup range monitor (SRM) inoperable, the operator is required to suspend positive reactivity additions. This REQUIRED ACTION is inconsistent with guidance in TS 3.9.2 of NUREG-1432, Revision 4, "Standard Technical Specifications, Combustion Engineering," April 2012 (STS) (ADAMS Accession No. ML12102A165). For Condition A of TS 3.9.2 of the STS, the REQUIRED ACTION states that if one required SRM is inoperable, the operators are required to suspend immediately: (A. 1) positive reactivity additions, and (A.2) introduction of coolant into the reactor coolant system (RCS) with boron concentration less than required to meet the minimum boron concentration of limiting condition for operation (LCO) 3.9.1.

The proposed TS 3.9.2 does not adopt REQUIRED ACTION A.2 as stated above. Suspending introduction of coolant inventory from sources that have a boron concentration less than that what would be required in the RCS for minimum refueling boron concentration could prevent the boron dilution event from occurring.

Please address the acceptability of the proposed TS 3.9.2 without inclusion of the REQUIRED ACTION A.2 specified in STS 3.9.2. In particular, please explain what is captured by "suspend positive reactivity additions" for Palo Verde.

Enclosure

R. Edington -2 If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1056 or via e-mail at Lauren.Gibson@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, IRA!

Lauren K. Gibson, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, and STN 50-530

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/enc\: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

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