ML17056A050
| ML17056A050 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 06/14/1989 |
| From: | Capra R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17056A051 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8906210069 | |
| Download: ML17056A050 (10) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION DOCKET NO. 50-220 NOTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 7590-01 The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuing an exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR Part 50. Appendix J.
to the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (the licensee), for the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (NMP-1), located at the licensee's site in Scriba, New York.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Pro osed Action:
The proposed action would exempt the licensee from meeting certain requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix J, until startup following the next refueling outage.
Appendix J requires containment isolation valves to be Type C leakage tested.
In the past the licensee has not included the four containment isolation 'valves in the shutdown cooling system suction and return line (38-01, -02, 38-12, -13) in the Type C testing program.
The licensee did not consider them to be containment isolation valves.
However, by letter dated May 6, 1988 the NRC transmitted to the licensee a safety evaluation (SE) concerning the licensee's leakage rate testing program.
In that SE the staff stated its finding that the subject valves needed to be included in the Type C testing program.
Recent attempts by the 8906210069 S90614 PDR AGOCK 05000220 P
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licensee to perform the Type C tests have resulted in the isolation valve leak rates exceeding Appendix J criteria.
The licensee has determined that the valves can not be made sufficiently leak-tight to meet Appendix J criteria.
The licensee has proposed that a schedular exemption be granted from the requirement to perform Type C leakage testing of the shutdown cooling system isolation valves (38-01, -02, -12, and -13) and from the requirement that the leakage of these valves be included in the 0.60L acceptance criteria for a
Type B and Type C tests.
The requested exemption is for the period up to and including the next refueling outage.
The schedular exemption was requested to allow time to procure needed hardware and to develop and install the necessary changes to meet the requirement of 10 CfR 50, Appendix J.
The licensee's request for this exemption, and the basis therefor are contained in its letter dated November 22, 1988.
The Need for the Pro osed Action:
The exemption is required in order to permit the licensee to startup from the current outage and operate the plant while the necessary changes are developed and the necessary hardware is procured.
Without this exemption the restart and operation of this plant would be delayed until the necessary changes and testing were completed.
Environmental Im acts of the Pro osed Action:
The exemption would allow the changes needed to the isolation valves on the shutdown cooling system suction and return lines to. meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix J, to be
completed during the next refueling outage.
The exemption would allow the
=plant to be operated during the period of time necessary to determine the necessary changes and procure the necessary hardware.
The effect of leakage from the shutdown cooling system isolation valves has been evaluated with respect to normal operation, shutdown and accident conditions.
Each case indicates that leakage is into a closed loop or the leakage through the valve is minor.
The leakage will not affect the processing of effluents, including radiological effluents during normal operation.
During accident conditions, leakage through the valves will be into a closed system and wi 11 be further restricted by the other isolation valves in the process stream prior to its release back into the Reactor Coolant System inside the primary containment.
If a break occurs in the shutdown cooling system, any leakage into it from the reactor coolant system would be minimized by the valves themselves and core uncovery or fuel failure is not expected.
Therefore, leakage from the valves will not significantly contribute to the radiological release to the environment following a design basis loss of coolant accident (LOCA).
The licensee has stated the exemption would not increase the probability of an accidental release of radioactivity.
The exemption would not increase the probability of fuel clad failure or decrease the mitigation effects of the emergency core cooling systems nor decrease the decay heat removal process.
The exemption will not affect normal radiological plant effluents or increase normal occupation exposures.
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4 Therefore, based on the considerations discussed
- above, the staff concludes that granting the proposed exemption will not increase the probability of an accident and will not result in any post-accident radiological releases significantly in excess of those previously determined for Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1.
Moreover, the proposed exemption would not otherwise affect radiological plant effluents, nor result in any significant occupational exposure.
Likewise, the exemption does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological or non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
Alternative to the Pro osed Action:
The staff has concluded that there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption.
Therefore, alternatives to the exemption will have either no environmental impact or greater environmental impact.
The principal alternative would be to deny the requested exemption.
Such action would not reduce environmental impacts of the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1 operations and would result in unwarranted delays in plant startup and operation.
'I Alternative Use of Resources:
These actions associated with the granting of the proposed exemption as detailed above do not involve the use of resources not previously considered in connection with the "Final
P Environmental Statement Related to Operation of Nine Nile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1," dated January 1974.
A encies and Persons Consulted:
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's 1
submitt'al that supports the proposed exemption discussed above.
The NRC staff did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDINGS OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
'he Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
For further details with respect to this action, see the request for the exemption as listed herein, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
- Room, 1717 H Street, N.W. Washington, D. C.
- 20555, and at the Penfield Library, State University College,
- Oswego, New York 13126.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14eh day of June 1989 FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Original signed by Robert A. Capra, Director Project Directorate I-1 Division of Reactor Projects I/II PDI-I Q PDI-I QQ CVogan NSlosson/bah 5/'8/89 5/gl89 Al(~
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