ML14136A008

Issuance of Amendment No. 181, Revise Technical Specification 3.8.4, DC Sources - Operating SRs 3.8.4.2 and 3.8.4.5 to Add Acceptance Criteria to Address Non-conservative Conditions

ML14136A008
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend
Issue date:	06/18/2014
From:	Wang A Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Entergy Operations
Wang A
References
TAC MF0658
Download: ML14136A008 (13)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 June 18, 2014 Vice President, Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.

River Bend Station 5485 US Highway 61 N St. Francisville, LA 70775

SUBJECT:

RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1 -ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGES TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE NON-CONSERVATIVE STATION BATTERY CONDITIONS (TAC NO. MF0658)

Dear Sir or Madam:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 181 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-47 for the River Bend Station, Unit 1 (RBS). The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated February 7, 2013, as supplemented by letter dated January 16, 2014.

The amendment revises the TS 3.8.4, "DC [Direct Current] Sources- Operating," Surveillance Requirements 3.8.4.2 and 3.8.4.5. The change is the result of the licensee's determination that the total battery capacity would possibly be insufficient to supply its required load to the DC system if each of the battery-to-battery connections were to reach the individual resistance limits. The changes to the Surveillance Requirements add new acceptance criteria to address the possible non-conservative conditions when the battery connection resistances are at maximum TS values.

A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included ir}.

the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

~vJcwy/

Alan B. Wang, Project Manager Plant Licensing IV-2 and Decommissioning Transition Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-458

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 181 to NPF-4 7

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

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

DOCKET NO. 50-458 RIVER BEND STATION. UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 181 License No. NPF-47

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

A. The application for amendment by Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee), dated February 7, 2013, as supplemented by letter dated January 16, 2014, 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, as amended, 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 license 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.

Enclosure 1

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-47 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. 181 and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. EOI 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 within 90 days from the date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 9o/A/}/.._____

Douglas A. Broaddus, Chief Plant Licensing IV-2 and Decommissioning Transition Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

. Changes to the Facility Operating License No. NPF-47 and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: June 18, 2014

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 181 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-47 DOCKET NO. 50-458 Replace the following page of Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by the Amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Facility Operating License Remove Technical Specifications Remove 3.8-25 3.8-25

( '

. (3) EOI, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, to receive, possess and to use at any time special nuclear material as reactor fuel, in accordance with the limitations for storage and amounts required for reactor operation, as described in the Final Safety Analysis Report, as .

supplemented and amended; *

• : (4) EOI, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30,40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use at ariy 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; (5) EOI, 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 without restriction to chemical or physical form,

. for sample analysis or instrument calibration or associated with radioactive apparatus or components; and (6) EOI, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to possess, but not separ.ate, such byproduct and special nuclear materials as may be produced by the operation of the facility.

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 EOI is authorized to operate the facility at reactor core power levels not in excess of 3091 megawatts thermal (1 00% rated power) in accordance with the conditions specified herein. The items identified in Attachment 1 to this license 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. 181 and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix 8, are hereby incorporated in the license.

• EOI shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

Amendment No. 181

DC Sources-Operating 3.8.4 SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS SURVEILLANCE FREQUENCY SR 3.8.4.1 Verify battery terminal voltage is:<: 130.2 Von float 7 days charge.

SR 3.8.4.2 Verify no visible corrosion at battery terminals and 92 days connectors.

Verify battery connection resistance is

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell connections,

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-rack connections,

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-tier connections, and

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for terminal connections.

Verify the total resistance for battery inter-cell, inter-rack, inter-tier, and terminal connections combined is ~ 27.45 E-4 ohms.

SR 3.8.4.3 Verify battery cells, cell plates, and racks show no 24 months visual indication of physical damage or abnormal deterioration.

SR 3.8.4.4 Remove visible corrosion, and verify battery cell to 24 months cell and terminal connections are coated With anti-corrosion material.

SR 3.8.4.5 Verify battery connection resistance is 24 months

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell connections,

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-rack connections,

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-tier connections, and

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for terminal connections.

Verify the total resistance for battery inter-cell, inter-rack, inter-tier, and terminal connections combined is~ 27.45 E-4 ohms.

(continued)

I RIVER BEND 3.8-25 Amendment No.8-+, +68 181

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20S.S.S.-0001 RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 181 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-47 ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.

RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-458

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated February 7, 2013 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML13044A058), as supplemented by letter dated January 16, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No. ML14028A255), Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee),

requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for the River Bend Station, Unit 1 (RBS). The supplemental letter dated January 16, 2014, provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2013 (78 FR 25312).

The proposed changes would revise RBS TS 3.8.4, "DC [Direct Current] Sources- Operating,"

Surveillance Requirements (SRs) 3.8.4.2 and 3.8.4.5. The change is the result of the licensee's determination that the total battery capacity would possibly be insufficient to supply its required load to the DC system if each of the battery-to-battery connections were to reach the individual resistance limits. The changes to the SRs add new acceptance criteria to address the possible non-conservative conditions when the battery connection resistances are at maximum TS values.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

Station batteries provide power to the safety-related DC electrical power system in the event of a station blackout (SBO). The station DC electrical power system provides the alternating current (AC) emergency power system with control power. It also provides both motive and control power to selected safety-related equipment and preferred AC vital bus power (via inverters). The DC electrical power system is designed to have sufficient independence, redundancy, and testability to perform its safety functions, assuming a single failure.

Enclosure 2

Section 182a ofthe Atomic Energy Act requires applicants for nuclear power plant operating licenses to include TSs. The TSs ensure the operational capability of structures, systems, and components (SSCs) that are required to protect the health and safety of the public. The NRC's regulatory requirements related to the content of the TSs are contained in Section 50.36, "Technical specifications," of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (1 0 CFR).

The regulations in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(3) require that the TSs include SRs, which 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. '

Section 50.63, "Loss of all alternating current power," of 10 CFR requires that each light-water cooled nuclear power plant licensed to operate must be able to withstand for a specified duration and recover from an SBO.

The regulations in 10 CFR 50.34(a)(3) require that the design of the facility incorporate the design criteria listed in 10 CFR 50 Appendix A, "General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants."

Appendix A, "General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50 contains 64 criteria for nuclear power reactors and one of these is applicable to this amendment.

General Design Criterion (GDC) 17, "Electric power systems," requires, in part, that nuclear power plants have onsite and offsite electric power systems to permit the functioning of SSCs that are important safety to assure that (1) fuel design limits arid reactor coolant pressure boundary design conditions are not exceeded as a result of anticipated operational occurrences and (2) the core is cooled and containment integrity and other vital functions are maintained in the event of postulated accidents.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard (Std.) 485-1983, "IEEE Standard for the Sizing of Large Stationary Type Power Plant and Substation Lead Storage Batteries," describes methods for defining the DC load and for sizing a lead-acid battery to supply that load for stationary battery applications in fu*ll-float operations. 1

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Brief Description of the Amendment Request In its license amendment request (LAR), the licensee proposed to add an additional acceptance criteria to SRs 3.8.4.2 and 3.8.4.5 to verify that the total resistance value is less than or equal to 27.45 E-4 ohms. These proposed changes are to address possible non-conservative conditions when the battery connection resistances are at maximum values and the total battery capacity IEEE Std. 485-1983 is not explicitly endorsed by the NRC, but the NRC staff has previously endorsed designs predicated on IEEE Std. 485-1983. Please see NRC Regulatory Guide 1.212, "Sizing of Large Lead-Acid Storage Batteries," issued November 2008 (ADAMS Accession No. ML082740047), for more information.

would be insufficient, ensuring the battery assembly is capable of supplying the DC system with adequate power as designed.

3.2 Proposed TS Changes Current SR 3.8.4.2 states:

Verify no visible corrosion at battery terminals and connectors.

Verify battery connection resistance is

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell connections,

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-rack connections,

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-tier connections, and

1.5 E-4 ohm for terminal connections.

Revised SR 3.8.4.2 would state:

Verify no visible corrosion at battery terminals and connectors.

Verify battery connection resistance is

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell connections,

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-rack connections,

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-tier connections, and

1.5 E-4 ohm for terminal connections.

Verify the total resistance for battery inter-cell, inter-rack, inter-tier, and terminal connections combined is::;; 27.45 E-4 ohms.

Current SR 3.8.4.5 states:

Verify battery connection resistance is

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell connections,

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-rack connections,

1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-tier connections, and

1.5 E-4 ohm for terminal connections.

Revised SR 3.8.4.5 would state:

Verify battery connection resistance is

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell connections,

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-rack connections,

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-tier connections, and

~ 1.5 E-4 ohm for terminal connections.

AND Verify the total resistance for battery inter-cell, inter-rack, inter-tier, and terminal connections combined is~ 27.45 E-4 ohms.

3.3 NRC Staff Evaluation The 125-Volt direct current (VDC) system is designed to provide reliable DC power to plant auxiliaries during plant startup, shutdown, normal operation, abnormal operational transients, and design basis accidents. It includes a battery charger, a lead-acid battery with 60 cells, a 125-VDC distribution switchgear en~rgized from a battery distribution panel, local and control room instrumentation, and alarm facilities.

GDC 17 and 10 CFR 50.63 require that RBS be able to provide emergency power during anticipated operational occurrences, postulated accidents, and SBO. To determine if the licensee's proposed total resistance value of~ 27.45 E-4 ohms provides sufficient power to the 125-VDC system, the NRC staff reviewed the licensee's total resistance value calculations. The licensee stated that the calculated total resistance value is based on the 59 cell-to-cell connections, which include inter-cell, ihter-rack, and inter-tier connections and two terminal connections, for a total of 61 connections. Currently, SR 3.8.4.2 and SR 3.8.4.5 allow a total resistance value of 1.5 E-4 ohm for inter-cell, inter-rack, inter-tier, and terminal connections.

Using 61 connections, the calculated total residence value is 91.5 E-4 ohms(~ 61*(1.5 E-4)).

To develop a total resistance value for SR 3.8.4.2 and SR 3.8.4.5, the licensee determined that each inter-cell connection resistance is 25 E-6 ohms, to which an additional 20 E-6 ohms for margin and 30 E-6 ohms for instrument uncertainty were added. This calculation resulted in a total resistance value of 45.75 E-4 ohms(~ 61*(25 E-6 + 20 E-6 + 30 E-6)), which was proposed as a new SR value in the LAR.

The NRC staff requested additional information by e-mail dated November 21, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13184A170), to support the licensee's calculation. By letter dated January 16, 2014, the licensee responded that the total resistance value was revised to

~ 27.45 E-4 ohms due to an engineering change which removed the 30 E-6 ohms value for instrument uncertainty (~ 61 *(25 E-6 + 20 E-6)) from the SR. The removal of the uncertainty term from the SR provides a more conservative TS value as a lower total resistance value will allow for an earlier detection of battery degradation. However, the uncertainty term is used by the licensee for load flow and voltage drop calculations to determine the required battery.

capacity. As noted above, the concern is that if each battery-to-battery connection was to reach the TS resistance limit the total battery capacity would possibly be insufficient. When

compared, the licensee's proposed total resistance value (27.45 E-4) is 30 percent of the current calculated SR total resistance value (91.5 E-4) based on the summation of the individual resistances. The NRC staff concludes thatthis SR is an additional a*nd more conservative requirement with respect to the current SR.

Additionally, the NRC staff reviewed the summary of past measured resistances provided in the request and found that the values for the highest inter-cell, inter-tier, inter-rack, and terminal resistance, are within the proposed total resistance value of :s: 27.45 E-4 ohms, demonstrating that the licensee's highest historical resistance values allow them to remain in compliance with the revised SR 3.8.4.2 and SR 3.8.4.5.

The RBS safety-related 125-VDC system is required for emergency power and is powered by the station batteries during anticipated operational occurrences, postulated accidents, and SBO.

The licensee stated that the SSCs powered by the 125-VDC system, and relied upon during those events, are rated to operate between 101 and 140 VDC, and that the minimum acceptable battery node voltage at the end of the 4-hour duty cycle will be greater than 108 VDC. The NRC staff requested in the November 21, 2013, e-mail that the licensee confirm that the safety-related 125-VDC system node voltages will be greater than or equal to the minimum required safety-related 125-VDC sse terminal voltages at the end of the battery duty cycle. In its letter dated January 16, 2014, the licensee stated that the voltages at the terminals of the safety-related 125-VDC SSCs will be greater than or equal to the equipment minimum required node voltage at the end of the 4-hour battery duty cycle for the Division 1 and Division 2 batteries, and the 2-hour duty cycle for the Division 3 battery. The licensee performed battery sizing, load flow, and voltage drop calculations to evaluate the node voltages at all of the safety-related 125-VDC SSCs terminals that are expected to operate during anticipated operational occurrences, postulated accidents, and SBO. The licensee then performed calculations to demonstrate that all analyzed nodes meet the safety-related 125-VDC SSCs' voltage requirements with the proposed total resistance value of :s: 27.45 E-4 ohms. The staff reviewed the licensee's calculations against the standards in IEEE Std. 485-1983. During the review, the staff evaluated the design and aging margins, the assumptions used in the calculations for load flow and voltage drop, and confirmed that the battery sizing calculations included temperature correction factors. The NRC staff found that the licensee's node voltages with a total resistance value of :s: 27.45 E-4 ohms continue to be in accordance with IEEE Std. 485-1983. The NRC staff concludes that the proposed total resistance value of :s: 27.45 E-4 ohms will assure that the batteries provide sufficient power for the safety-related 125-VDC SSCs during anticipated operational occurrences, postulated accidents, and SBO.

Based on the facts that a new and conservative SR acceptance criterion is being added, the batteries maintain sufficient capacity under the new criterion, arid that the 125-VDC system voltages are sufficient for the safety-related SSCs operation under the new acceptance criterion, the NRC staff concludes that the licensee's proposed battery total resistance value of

s: 27.45 E-4 ohms meet the requirements of GDC 17 and 10 CFR 50.63.

3.4 Conclusion The NRC staff evaluated the licensee's request to modify SRs 3.8.4.2 and 3.8.4.5 by adding an additional acceptance criterion for the total connection resistance value. Based on the above

evaluation, the staff concludes that the proposed changes to the RBS TS provide reasonable assurance of the continued availability of the required electrical power to shut down the reactor and to maintain the reactor in a safe condition after anticipated operational occurrences, postulated accidents, and SBO. Furthermore, the staff concludes that the proposed TS changes are in accordance with GDC 17 and 10 CFR 50.63. Therefore, the staff finds the proposed changes acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Louisiana 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 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 April30, 2013 (78 FR 25312). 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) there is reasonable assurance that 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: Sergiu Basturescu Date: June 18, 2014

June 18, 2014 Vice President, Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.

River Bend Station 5485 US Highway 61 N St. Francisville, LA 70775

SUBJECT:

RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1 -ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGES TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE NON-CONSERVATIVE STATION BATTERY CONDITIONS (TAC NO. MF0658)

Dear Sir or Madam:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 181 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-47 for the River Bend Station, Unit 1 (RBS). The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated February 7, 2013, as supplemented by letter dated January 16, 2014.

The amendment revises the TS 3.8.4, "DC [Direct Current] Sources- Operating," Surveillance Requirements 3.8.4.2 and 3.8.4.5. The change is the result of the licensee's determination that the total battery capacity would possibly be insufficient to supply its required load to the DC system if each of the battery-to-battery connections were to reach the individual resistance limits. The changes to the Surveillance Requirements add new acceptance criteria to address the possible non-conservative conditions when the battery connection resistances are at maximum TS values.

A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely, IRA/

Alan B. Wang, Project Manager Plant Licensing IV-2 and Decommissioning Transition Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-458

Enclosures:

• 1. Amendme.nt No. 181 to NPF-47

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

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