ML17058A734

Safety Evaluation Supporting Amend 29 to License NPF-69

ML17058A734
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	05/06/1991
From:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Shared Package
ML17058A733	List: ML17058A732 ML17058A734
References
NUDOCS 9105130127
Download: ML17058A734 (6)

Text

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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D.C. 20555 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO.

29 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-69 NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION UNIT 2 DOCKET NO. 50-410

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated February 20, 1991, the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (the licensee) submitted a request for changes to the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2, Technical Specifications (TS).

The requested changes would remove the snubber visual examination schedule'in the existing Technical Specifications and replace it with a refueling outage based visual examination

schedule, Table 1 of the Generic Letter 90-09 dated December 11, 1990, to all holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power reactors.

2.0 EVALUATION The snubber visual examination schedule in the existing Technical Specification is based on the permissible number of inoperable snubbers found during the visual examination.

Because the existing snubber visual examination schedule is based only on the absolute number of inoperable snubbers found during the visual examinations irrespective of the total population of snubbers, licensee's with a large snubber population find the visual examination schedule excessively restrictive.

The purpose of the alternative visual examination schedule is to allow the licensee to perform visual examinations and corrective actions during plant outages without reduction of the confidence level provided by the existing visual examination schedule.

The new visual examination schedule specifies the permissible number of inoperable snubbers for various snubber populations.

The basic examination interval is the normal fuel cycle up to 24 months.

This interval may be extended to as long as twice the fuel cycle or reduced to as small as two-thirds of the fuel cycle depending on the number of unacceptable snubber s found during the visual examination.

The examination interval may vary by +25 percent to coincide with the actual outage.

In the event one or more snubbers are found inoperable during a visual examination, the Limiting Conditions for Operation (LCO) in the present TS require the 'licensee to restore or replace the inoperable snubber(s) to operable status within 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> or declare the attached system inoperable and follow the appropriate action statement for that system.

This LCO will remain V

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' r in the TS; however, the permissible number of inoperable snubber(s) and the subsequent visual examination interval will now be determined in accordance with the new visual examination schedule (Table 1 of Generic Letter 90-09 dated December 11, 1990).

As noted in the guidance for this line item TS improvement, certain corrective actions may have to be performed depending on the number of inoperable snubbers found.

All requirements, for corrective actions and evaluations associated with the use of visual examination schedule and stated in the footnotes 1 thru 7 (Table 1 of Generic Letter 90-09), shall be included in the TS.

The licensee has proposed changes to Specification 4.7.5 that are consistent with the guidance provided in Generic Letter 90-09 for the replacement of the snubber visual examination schedule with Table 1 (including footnotes 1 thru 7) of the Generic Letter 90-09.

On the basis of its review of this matter, the staff finds that the proposed changes to the TS for Nine Mile Point Unit No.

2 are acceptable.

The current technical specifications refer to the first refueling outage as

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1 the first inspection period for functional testing of snubbers and as 2

the second inspection period for visual inspection of snubbers.

The functional tests and visual inspections required during the first refueling outage were completed during the first refueling outage which was completed during January 1991.

Since these required actions were completed during the first refueling outage, the licensee has proposed deletion of references to these requirements.

The staff finds these proposed deletions acceptable since they are purely editorial type changes and the required functional tests and visual inspection have been completed.

3.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the New York State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment.

The State official had no comments.

4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment cha'nges a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes surveillance requirements.

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 (56 FR 13657).

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.

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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:

J.

Rajan Date:

May 6, 1991

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