ML14183A251
| ML14183A251 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Robinson  |
| Issue date: | 04/19/1993 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML14183A250 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9304210384 | |
| Download: ML14183A251 (2) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 146 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-23 CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY H. B. ROBINSON STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, UNIT NO. 2 DOCKET NO. 50-261
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated November 27, 1991, Carolina Power & Light Company (licensee) submitted a request for changes to the H. B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2 (HBR2), Technical Specifications (TS).
The amendment would revise the TS to allow one safety injection accumulator to be inoperable due to improper pressure, borated water volume, or boron concentration for the same amount of time currently allowed for inoperability due isolation.
2.0 DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION The HBR2 emergency core cooling system is equipped with three safety injection accumulators, each connected to a reactor coolant system (RCS) cold leg. The accumulators are pressure vessels partially filled with borated water and pressurized with nitrogen gas. The functions of the accumulators are to supply water to the reactor vessel in case of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA).
A Licensee Event Report (LER) was submitted to the NRC on July 19, 1491, which reported that on April 12, 1991, an accumulator was drained down below the minimum volume required by TS and refilled with borated water to correct a low boron concentration. The level was below TS limits for 40 minutes. The licensee applied TS 3.3.1.2.a, which allows one accumulator to be isolated for a period not to exceed 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />. The LER indicates that this was consistent with past applications of the TS.
The current TS for HBR2 provide no action statement to address an accumulator that becomes inoperable due to volume, pressure, or boron concentration. The licensee stated in a November 27, 1991 letter, that without an action statement, by literally reading the TS, operations staff could enter TS 3.0 whenever an accumulator becomes inoperable for any reason other than closure of the discharge isolation valve. Entry into TS 3.0 requires the plant to be in hot shutdown within 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br />. Anomalies in these parameters do not typically require entry into hot shutdown.
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-2 To eliminate the potential for unnecessary shutdown in response to a condition for which 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> is sufficient to take corrective action, the licensee has proposed a revision to TS 3.3.1.2 to clarify the TS by adding an action statement to account for one accumulator that is inoperable for reasons other than being isolated. The licensee has proposed an allowed out of service time (AOT) of 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />, the same period presently allowed for an isolated accumulator. The current TS for an isolated accumulator establish the 4-hour time period as an acceptable AOT. We find that the proposed amendment assures availability of accumulators in the event of a loss-of-coolant-accident and, thus, is acceptable.
3.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the State of South Carolina official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
4.0 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 (57 FR 45078). 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.
5.0 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 Contributor: B. Mozafari Date:
April 19, 1993