ML17139D314
| ML17139D314 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Susquehanna  |
| Issue date: | 11/22/1985 |
| From: | Novak T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17139D312 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8512110611 | |
| Download: ML17139D314 (15) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION PENNSYLVANlA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY SUS UEHANNA STEAM ELECTR1C STATION UNITS 1
AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-387/388 NOTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IllPACT 37590-011 A
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The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Coranission (the Conmission) is considering issuance of an Exemption to 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, Criterion 17 for Facility Operating License Nos.
NPF-14 and NPF-22, issued to the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company (the licensee),
for operation of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 1 and Unit 2, located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Pro osed Action:
This Exemption would suspend the require-ment to comply with the single failure criteria for onsite electric power supplies as stated in 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, Criterion 17 upon commencement of the fifth diesel generator tie-in work until completion of this work which is not to exceed 60 days in the Limiting Condition of Operation (LCO) extension.
The Need for the Pro osed Action:
The proposed Exemption from the regulation is required in order to connect control and power circuits from the existing diesel generators to transfer points in the new diesel generator building.
This tie-in work requires removing from service the diesel generators, one at a
time, for a cumulative period of 60 days.
Without this Exemption, a forced dual, unit shutdown would be required in order to perform the necessary tie-ir, work.
8512110611 851203 PDR ADOCK 05000387 P
Environmental Im acts of the Pro osed Action:
There are no environmental impacts of the proposed action.
During the extended LCO (a cumulative period of 60 days) the licensee will remove from service, one at a time, an existing diesel generator in order to connect control and power circuits from the existing diesel generators to transfer points in the new diesel generator building.
This work will be performed on a diesel generator after the diesel generator has been taken out of service.
This work will be completely isolated from the operating plants.
The staff has reviewed the proposed design changes and procedures for the tie-in of the fifth diesel generator and finds that this tie-in work will not impact plant operation.
No changes are being made in the allowable amounts and no significant changes in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
Should a release occur during the extended LCO it would not be greater than any release contemplated during the normal allowable LCO.
Additionally, with one diesel out of service for tie-in work, the three remaining diesels are capable of shutting dnwn both units in the event of a loss of offsite power coincident >>ith a
LOCA in one of the units.
There is nothing in the proposed change that would suggest that the probability of release would be significantly increased.
- Further, the proposed change aoes not otherwise affect radiological plant effluents, nor any significant occupational exposures.
Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significan. radiological environmental impacts associated with this proposed Exemption.
Alternative to the Pro csed Action:
Since we have concluded that there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the granting of the proposed
Exemption, any alternative to this exemption will have the same or greater environmental impact.
The principal alternative would be to deny the Exemption which would prohibit operation of both units for a period of 60 days.
Alternative Use of Resources:
This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in connection with the "Final Environmental Statement" related to the operation of Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2, dated June 1981.
A encies and Persons Consulted:
The NRC staff performed the entire review of the licensee's position and did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDINGS OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed Exemption.
Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude 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 Amendment No.
51 to NPF-14 and Amendment No.
19 to NPF-22.
These items will be available for public inspection at the Commission Document
- Room, 1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20555 and at the Osterhout Free Library, Reference Department, 71 South
Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701.
A copy may be obtained on request addressed to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.
20555, Attention:
Walter R. Butler, (301) 492-7435.
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 22n day of November 1985.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COtNISSION Thomas M. Novak, Assistant Director for Licensing Division of Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701.
A copy may be obtained on request addressed to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.
20555, Attention:
Walter R. Butler, (301) 492-7435.
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this22n day of November 1985.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
~%aeX oned by>
Thomas ll. Novak, Assistant Director for Licensing Division of Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
- Previously concurred:
LB82/DL LB&2/DL
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- EHylton 11/05/95 11/05/85 LB82/DL
- WButler 11/07/85 OELD
- JGoldberg 11/12/85 AD/L/DL TMNovak 11/
/85
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LEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIO WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 December 3, 1985 D
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es PD ea ing EGHyhton MCampagnone
- FIngram, PA DOCKET No. 5p 387/388 MEMORANDUMFOR:
Docketing and Service Branch Office of the Secretary of the Commission FROM:
SUBJECT:
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation SUSQUEHANNA EXEMPTION One signed original of the Federal Register Notice identified below is enclosed for your transmittal to the Office of the Federal Register for publication. Additional conformed copies
(
5
) of tlie Notice are enclosed for your use.
C3 Notice of Receipt of Application for Construction Permit(s) and Operating License(s).
CI Notice of Receipt of Partial Application for Construction Permit(s) and Facility License(s):
Time for Submission of Views on Antitrust Matters.
C3 Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License.
C3 Notice of Receipt of Application for Facility License(s); Notice of Availabilityof Applicant's Environmental Report; and Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Facility License(s) and Notice of Opportunity for Hearing.
C3 Notice of Availabilityof NRC Draft/Final Environmental Statement.
O Notice of Limited Work Authorization.
Notice of Availabilityof Safety Evaluation Report.
D Notice of Issuance of Construction Permit(s).
CI Notice of Issuance of Facility Operating License(s) or Amendment(s).
Order.
8 "'" " dated December 3, 1985 Notice of Granting of Relief.
C3 Other:
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
As stated ORRiCa P SURNAME $
oaTC P EsH Irh.
12/3/85 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of PENNSYLVANIA POWER 5 LIGHT COMPANY Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2
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3 Docket Nos.
50-387 50-388
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EXEMPTION I.
The Pennsylvania Power and Light Co.
(PPSL/the licensee) is the holder 4
of Facility License Nos.
NPF-14 and NPF-22 which authorize operation of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 1 (SSES-1) and Unit 2 (SSES-2) at power levels not in excess of 3293 megawatts thermal for each unit.
The facilities are boiling water reactors located at the licensee's site in L
Luzerne County, Pennsylvan'ia.
The licenses
- provide, among other things, that the facilities are subject to all rules, regulations and Orders of the Commission now or hereafter in effect.
Compliance with the single failure criterion for the onsite electric power supplies's required by 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, Criterion 17.
In 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, "Criterion 17-Electrical Power Systems,"
paragraph 2 states that:
"The onsite electric power supplies, including the batteries, and the onsite electric distribution -system, shall have sufficient independence, redundancy, and testability to perform their safety functions assuming a single failure."
The Pennsylvania Power and Light Company proposed an extension to the Limiting Conditions of Operation for Technical Specifications 3.8.1.1 and 3.7.1.2 for both Units 1 and 2, which would allow the existing dispel generators to be removed from service, one at a time, for a cumulative period of 60 days.
The staff has found that approval of the proposed extension would conservatively warrant the granting of this one-time exemption for each Unit so that PP8L may continue to operate the plants during the tie-in of the fifth diesel generator.
This tie-in work requires the connection of control and power circuits from the existing diesel generators to transfer points in the new diesel generator building.
With one diesel generator removed from service, PP8L cannot meet the single failure, criterion for onsite electrical power supplies as stated in 10 CFR 50 Appendix A, Criterion 17.
Thus, approval of the proposed extension would conservatively warrant the granting of this exemption from Criterion 17 for. both SSES-1 and SSES-2.
It should be noted that the NRC staff's decision to process an exemption from the requirements of GPC-17 was made so as to interpret the regulations in the most conservative manner.
~ It has previously been the staff's practice to grant LCO extensions to the Technical Specification requirements for out of service equipment, which is required to be operable, as long as the extension does not pose undue risk to the health and safety of the public.
These actions.-
have previously been taken without requiring exemptions to the regulations.
Nevertheless, the staff has decided to process this temporary exemption from GDC-17.
This action should not be viewed as a precedent for use in future
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considerations.
The exemption is required so as to extend the allowed out of service time for the diesel generators, one at a time, without requiring a shutdown of both units.
This exemption will allow both units to remain at power during the tie-in work for the fifth diesel generator.
We have completed our review of the "Probabilistic Evaluatioh of Tem-porarily Extending the Diesel Generator LCO's," submitted by PP8L.
This submittal was in support of the licensee's proposed one-time change to the Technical Specifications and one-time exemption from GDC-17.
The staff has conservatively estimated the probability for severe core damage at one unit to be 3
X 10 Of this, there is a probability of about 2x10 that both units will experience severe core damage.
The probability that Unit 1 will experience severe core damage, but not Unit 2, is about 1X10 with a similar value for a
Unit 2 experiencing severe core damage but not Unit 1.
The staff finds that the addition of the 5th diesel generator will likely reduce the probability of severe core damage due to loss of offsite power events for the remainder of the life of the plants.
III.
The NRC staff has evaluated the l.icensee's schedule for completing the fifth diesel generator t>'e-in relating to the temporary LCO extensions and finds that not granting this exemption could result in a forced two unit shut-...
down.
Granting of this exemption would only slightly increase the probability of severe core damage due to a loss of offsite power event.
The staff finds this temporary small increase in the probability of severe core damage during the proposed 60 days, coincident with a loss of offsite power event, is outweighed by the benefits of the" improvement in safety over the remaining life of the plants
,~r due to the addition-of this fifth diesel generator.
For evaluating the changes to the Technical Specifications and the associated exemption, the staff reviewed the licensee's technical justifications for each change and the justifications based on the Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) study on the subject.
The staff
also reviewed the reliability of the Offsite Power System as the preferred source of power for the plant's safe shutdown systems and the reliability of the existing diesel generators to ascertain that, while one of them is taken out of service to complete the new diesel generator tie-in work, the remaining three will provide a reliable source of emergency power.
The tie-in work, including applicable procedures, was reviewed to demonstrate that this work will not degrade the operability of the safe shutdown systems, including the remaining diesel generators, while the plants'ontinue to operate.
Included in this review was the adequacy of the post-modification testing for each diesel generator before one diesel is.returned to service and another one is taken out of service for the tie-in work.
The staff also reviewed the related plant Emergency Procedures and operator training and knowledge to verify that such procedures are adequate for a postulated emergency during the LCO extension and that the operator would properly respond to the emergency.
The details of the above described review are discussed in the attached Safety Evaluation.
Based on the information provided by the licensee, the staff's evaluation--
of the licensee's submittal and the staff's on site review of the design change
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packages and procedures to be used for the fifth diesel generator tie-in, the NRC staff concludes that the licensee has used proper planning, has available
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the proper procedures and detailed design change packages necessary to accomplish the fifth diesel generator tie-in work.
The NRC staff finds that operation of SSES-I and SSES-2 during the proposed LCO extensions is acceptable and that the availability of a fifth diesel generator gives an overall long term improvement in safety for the remaining life of the plants.
Therefore, the staff finds that the proposed temporary exemption from 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, Criterion 17 is acceptable.
IV.
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 50. 12, the exemption is authorized by law, will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security and is otherwise in the public interest.
Therefore, the Commission hereby grants the exemption as follows:
"An exemption is granted from the single failure criterion for onsite electric:pow'er supplies as stated in 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, Criterion 17.
This exemption is granted for the period specified in the licensee's September 23, 1985, request for exemption (60 cumulative days in the LCO) and is only applicable to SSES-1 and SSES-2 when a diesel generator is out of service specifically for the performance of the fifth diesel generator tie-in work."
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the issuance of the exemption will have no significant impact on the environment (49 FR 48655).
A copy of the Commission's Safety Evaluation dated November 1985, related to this action is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
- Room, 1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC and at the Osterhout Free Library, Reference Department, 71 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18101.
This Exemption is effective upon commencement of the fifth diesel generator tie-in work and is to expire upon completion of 60 cumulative diesel outage days related to the tie-in of the fifth diesel generator.'OR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 3<<
day of December 1985 Robert Bernero, Director Division of BLJR Licensing
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