NL-12-1990, Administrative Controls in Lieu of Automatic Actions for Degraded Grid Protection - Implementation Schedule

Administrative Controls in Lieu of Automatic Actions for Degraded Grid Protection - Implementation Schedule

ML12276A109
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	09/28/2012
From:	Ajluni M Southern Co, Southern Nuclear Operating Co
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Document Control Desk
References
NL-12-1990
Download: ML12276A109 (2)

Text

Mark J. Ajluni, P.E. Southern Nuclear Nuclear Licensing Director Operating Company, Inc 40 Invern ess Center Parkway Post Office Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201 Tel 205.992.7673 Fax 205992.7885 September 28,2012 SOUIHERN'\

Docket Nos.: 50-348 COMPANY NL-12-1990 50-364 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission AnN: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555-0001 Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant - Units 1 and 2 Administrative Controls in Lieu of Automatic Actions for Degraded Grid Protection - Implementation Schedule Ladies and Gentlemen:

On December 19, 2011, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a NRC Component Design Bases Inspection (CDBI) Report to Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant (FNP). The report included details of an Unresolved Item (URI 2011010-10 Degraded Voltage Protection) regarding the licensee's use of administrative controls in lieu of automatic degraded voltage protection to assure adequate voltage to safety-related equipment during design basis events.

Per the CDBI Report, FNP's current system configuration, which relies on administrative actions, was recognized as a deviation from the guidance on degraded voltage protection provided in a NRC letter (dated June 2, 1977), but was accepted by the NRC in a Safety Evaluation Report (dated November 21, 1995). Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) hereby provides the following information regarding the plans and schedule to resolve this issue, which is to eliminate manual actions as part of the FNP degraded grid voltage protection system.

SNC's project plan involves proposed modifications to replace Degraded Voltage Relays, possible replacement of the Loss of Offsite Power relays, and installation of new cabinets to house the relays. This project will ensure sufficient capacity and capability of FNP's electrical distribution system to automatically start, as well as, operate all required safety loads during undervoltage conditions .

Modification Implementation Plan:

2013 January Planning Started 2013 July Design Started 2016 January Design Completion and Implementation Preparation 2016 January Technical Specification (TS) Amendments Submitted 2017 January Issuance of Technical Specification Amendments 2017 U2R25 Fall Outage - Unit 2 Compliance 2018 U1 R28 Spring Outage - Unit 1 Compliance

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NL-12-1990 Page 2 The implementation plan allows time for detailed design completion, time to develop the engineering basis for the technical specification amendment request ,

as well as, coordination of outage switchyard activities. Non-critical path work activities performed at power are not included in the above schedule. As with major projects, the foregoing milestones are dependent upon the absence of unanticipated events and conditions.

The implementation plan and proposed completion dates do not pose a threat to safety due to current administrative controls that will remain in place until the completion of the modifications and TS amendments occur.

An Operating License (OL) amendment will be submitted by December 31 , 2012 to update FNP's current OL with the proposed 2017 and 2018 completion dates of the modifications for the Unit 1 and Unit 2 degraded voltage protection systems.

This letter contains no NRC commitments. If you have any questions, please contact Doug McKinney at (205) 992-5982.

Sincerely, M. J. AJluni Nuclear Licensing Director MJAlJMCllac cc: Southern Nuclear Operating Company Mr. S. E. Kuczynski, Chairman, President & CEO Mr. D. G. Bost, Executive Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer Mr. T. A. Lynch, Vice President - Farley Mr. B. L. Ivey, Vice President - Regulatory Affairs Mr. B. J. Adams, Vice President - Fleet Operations RTYPE: CFA04.054 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. V. M. McCree, Regional Administrator Mr. R. E. Martin, NRR Project Manager - Farley Mr. E. L. Crowe, Senior Resident Inspector - Farley