ML17158B719
| ML17158B719 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Susquehanna  |
| Issue date: | 07/02/1996 |
| From: | NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17158B718 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9607120208 | |
| Download: ML17158B719 (8) | |
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++*++ i UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTONs D.C. 20555-II001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION' AT D 0
M NOMEN 0.158TO FACILITY OPERATI G LIC NSE NO.
NP -14 ENDMENT N0.129 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-22 E NSYLVANIA POWER
& LIGHT COMPANY ALLEGHENY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC.
SUS UEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION UNITS 1
AND 2 DOCKET NOS.
50-387 AND 388 I.
~IIIII I Tl On September 12, 1995, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved issuance of a revision to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, "Primary Reactor Containment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Power Reactors,"
which was subsequently published in the Federal
~Re ister on September 26,
- 1995, and became effective on October 26, 1995., The NRC added Option B, "Performance-Based Requirements,"
to allow licensees to voluntarily replace the prescriptive.testing requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, with testing requirements based on both overall performance and the performance of individual components.
By letter dated February 12, 1996, the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company (the licensee) submitted a request for changes to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES),
Units 1 and 2, Technical Specifications (TSs).
The requested changes would revise the TSs to establish and reference a Primary Containment Leak Rate Testing Program in order to implement the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B.
Option B of Appendix J permits implementation of a performance based leak rate test schedule in lieu of the prescriptive requirements contained in Appendix J, Option A.
The Program will be established,'mplemented, and maintained in the Administrative Controls portion of the TSs under Specification 6.8, Procedures and Programs.
A new Specification 6.8.5, Prima}y Containment Leakage Rate Testing
- Program, is being established under this change.
This specification requires that the Primary Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program, shall be in accordance with the guidelines contained in Regulatory Guide (RG)
- 1. 163, "Performance-Based Containment Leak-Test Program," dated September 1995.
This specification also includes the definition of P, and L, for SSES and specifies the Leak Rate
'cceptance Criteria for Type A, B, and C tests and air locks.
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2.0 ICKGROUND Compliance with Appendix J provides assurance that the primary containment, including those systems and components which penetrate the primary containment, do not exceed the allowable leakage rate specified in the TSs and Bases.
The allowable leakage rate is determined so that the leakage rate assumed in the safety analyses is not exceeded.
On February 4, 1992, the RRC published a notice in the ~Federa geeister (57 FR 4166) discussing a planned initiative to begin eliminating requirements marginal to safety which impose a significant regulatory burden.
Appendix J, "Primary Containment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Power Reactors," of 10 CFR Part 50 was considered, for'his initiative and the NRC staff undertook a study of possible changes to this regulation.
The study examined the previous performance history of domestic containments and examined the effect on risk of a revision to the requirements of Appendix J.
The results of this study are reported in NUREG-1493, "Performance-Based, Leak-Test Program".
Based on the results of this study, the NRC staff developed a performance-based approach to containment leakage rate testing.
On September 12,
- 1995, the NRC approved issuance of this revision to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, which was subsequently published in the Federal
~Re ister on September 25,
- 1995, and became effective on October 26, 1995.
The revision added Option B, "Performance-Based Requirements,"
to Appendix J to allow licensees to voluntarily replace the prescriptiv'e testing requirements of Appendix J with testing requirements based on both overall and individual component leakage
, rate performance.
RG 1. 163, "Performance-Based Containment Leak-Test Program,"
dated September
- 1995, was developed as a method acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing Option B.
This regulatory guide states that the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) guidance document NEI 94-01, Revision 0, "Industry Guideline for Implementing Performance-Based Option of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix.J," provides methods acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with Option B with four exceptions which are described therein.
Option B requires that the RG, or other implementation document used by a licensee to develop a performance-based leakage testing program, must be
- included, by general reference, in the plant TSs.
The licensee has referenced RG 1. 163, dated September 1995, in the proposed SSES TSs.
RG 1.163, dated September 1995, specifies an extension in Type A test frequency to at least one test in 10 years based upon two consecutive successful tests.
Type B tests may be extended up to a maximum interval of 10 years based upon completion of two consecutive successful tests and Type C
tests may be extended up to 5 years based on two consecutive successful tests.
By letter dated October 20,
- 1995, NEI proposed TSs to implement Option B.
After some discussion, the NRC staff and NEI agreed on final TSs which were transmitted to NEI in a letter dated November 2, 1995.
These TSs are to serve as a model for licensees to develop plant-specific TSs in preparing amendment requests to implement Option B.
In order for a licensee to determine the performance of each component, factors that are indicative of or affect performance, such as an administrative leakage limit, must be established.
The administrative limit is selected to be indicative of the potential onset of component degradation.
Although these limits are subject to NRC inspection to assure that they are selected in a reasonable
- manner, they are not TS requirements.
Failure to meet an administrative limit requires the licensee to return to the minimum value of the test interval.
Option B requires that the licensee maintain records to show that the criteria for Type A, B and C tests have been met.
In addition, the, licensee must maintain comparisons of the performance of the overall containment system and the individual components to show that the test intervals are adequate.
These records are subject to NRC inspection.
- 3. 0 EVALUATION The licensee's February 12, 1996, letter to the NRC proposes to establish a
"Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program" and proposes to add this program to'he TS.
The program references RG 1. 163, which specifies a method acceptable to the NRC for complying with Option B.
This requires a change to existing TS 4.6.1.1, 3.6.1.2, 4.6.1.2, 3.6.1.3, 4,6,1,3, 4.6.1.5.1, 4.6.1.8.2, and the addition of the "Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program" to Section 6.8.5.
Corresponding
- bases, 3/4.6. 1.2, 3/4.6. 1.3, 3/4.6. 1.5, were also modified..
Option B permits a licensee to choose Type A; or Type B and C; or Type A, B
and C; testing to be done on performance basis.
The licensee has elected to perform Type A, B and C testing on a performance basis.
The effect of SSES's increasing containment leakage rate testing intervals has been evaluated by the Nuclear Energy Institute using the methodology described in NUREG-1493 and historical representative industry leakage rate testing data.
The results of this evaluation, as published in NEI 94-01, Revision 0, are that the increased safety risk corresponding to the extended test intervals is small, with less than 0. 1 percent of total risk, and compares well to the guidance of the NRC's safety goal.
- Moreover, as demonstrated by risk analyses contained in NUREG-1482, relaxation of the integrated leak rate test frequency does not significantly increase the probability or consequences of a previously evaluated accident.
Integrated leakage rate tests (ILRT) have been demonstrated to be of limited value in detecting significant leakages from penetrations and isolation valves.
The licensee stated that the primary containment leak rate data and component pe'rformance history at SSES are consistent with the conclusions reached in NUREG-1493 and NEI 94-01.
Th license
-stated that the proposed revision will continue to maintain the allowable leak rate (L ) as the Type A test performance criterion.
In
- addition, a requirement to perform a.periodic general visual inspection of the containment is part of the performance-based leakage testing program.
The revised TS will maintain the allowable leak rate (La) as the Type B and C
tests'erformance criterion as before.
As supported by the findings of NUREG-1493, the percentage of leakages detected only by integrated leak rate tests is small, by only a few percent, and Type B and C leakage tests are capable of detecting more than 97 percent of containment leakages and virtually all such leakages are identified by local leak rate tests (LLRTs) of containment isolation valves.
The staff has reviewed the changes to the TS and associated Bases proposed by the licensee.
The staff agrees that the proposed license amendments adopting a performance based approach for verification of leakage rates for isolation
- valves, containment penetrations, and the containment overall, will continue to meet the regulatory goal of providing an essentially leak tight containment
- boundary, and will provide an equivalent level of safety as the current requirements.
In addition, the proposed TS changes are in compliance with the requirements of Option 8 and consistent with the guidance of RG 1. 163, and the generic TS of the November 2, 1995, letter and are, therefore, acceptable.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Pennsylvania State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments.
The State official had no comments.
- 5. 0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONS IOERATIO The amendments change 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 change surveillance requirements.
The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve 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 incr ease in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
The Commission has previously issued a
proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (61 FR 15993).
The amendments also relate to changes in recordkeeping, reporting, or administrative procedures or requirements.
Accordingly, the amendments meet eligibilitycriteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9) and (10).
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendments.
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e.o CnNCLuSloN The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed
- above, that:
(1) there is reasonable assur ance 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 amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor:
T. Liu Date: Jvly 2, 1996
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