ML17265A569

Application for Amend to License DPR-18,proposing Change in ITS to Revise Battery Cell Parameters Limit for Specific Gravity (SR 3.8.6.3 & SR 3.8.6.6)

ML17265A569
Person / Time
Site:	Ginna
Issue date:	03/01/1999
From:	Mecredy R ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP.
To:
Shared Package
ML17265A568	List: ML17265A567 ML17265A569 ML17265A591
References
NUDOCS 9903100123
Download: ML17265A569 (13)

Text

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of )

)

Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation ) Docket No. 50-244 (R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant) )

APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT T PERATING LICENSE Pursuant to Section 50.90 of the regulations of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the "Commission" ), Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation ("RG&E"), holder of Facility Operating License No. DPR-18, hereby requests that the Improved Technical Specifications set forth in Appendix A to that license be amended. This request for change in Improved Technical Specifications is to revise the battery cell parameters limit for specific gravity (SR 3.8.6.3 and SR 3.8.6.6).

A description of the amendment request, necessary background information, justification of the requested changes, and environmental impact considerations determination are provided in Attachment I. The no significant hazards consideration evaluation is provided as Attachment II. A marked up copy of the current Ginna Station Improved Technical Specifications which shows the requested changes is set forth in Attachment III, The proposed revised Improved Technical Specifications are provided in Attachment IV.

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The evaluation set forth in Attachments I and II demonstrate that the proposed changes do not involve a significant change in the types or a significant increase in the amounts of effluents or any change in the authorized power'level of the facility. The proposed changes also do not involve a significant hazards consideration.

WHEREFORE, Applicant respectfully requests that Appendix A to Facility Operating License No. DPR-18 be amended in the form attached hereto as Attachment IV.

Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation By Robert C. Mec edy Vice President Nuclear Operations Group Subscribed and sworn to before me on this 1st day of March, 1999.

lkhM'1 6 Notary Public SHARON P. SORTINO Notary PubIic, State of New York Registration No. 01S0600755 Monroe County Commission Expires December 2l,2000

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Attachment I R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant LICENSE AMENDMENTREQUEST BATTERY CELL PARAMETERS CHANGE This attachment provides a description of the amendment request and necessary justification for the proposed changes. The attachment is divided into five sections as follows. Section A identifies all changes to the current Ginna Station Improved Technical Specifications ITS) while Section B provides the background and history associated with the changes being requested.

Section C provides detailed justification for the proposed changes. 'An environmental impact consideration of the requested changes is provided in Section D. Section E lists all references used in Attachments I and II.

A. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENTREQUEST This License Amendment Request (LAR) proposes to revise Ginna Station ITS to reflect the battery cell parameters limit for specific gravity consistent with NUREG-1431. The change is summarized below and shown in Attachments III and IV.

1. LCO 3.8.6 ao SR 3.8.6.3 will be revised to correct the specified minimum specific gravity of the designated pilot cell in each battery in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1431.

b. SR 3.8.6.6 will be revised to correct the specified minimum average specific gravity of all connected cells in each battery in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1431.

B. BACKGROUND On February 13, 1996, the NRC issued Amendment No. 61 to the Ginna Station Technical Specifications. This amendment replaced the existing Ginna Station Technical Specifications in their entirety with ITS that were based on NUREG-1431, Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants. Included within the ITS was the addition of specific limits for battery cell minimum specific gravity. The previous Technical Specifications contained only a requirement to measure the battery cell specific gravity, no specific minimum value was listed. The minimum specific gravity value as recommended by NUREG-1431 is "0.020 below the manufacturer recommended fully

charged, nominal specific gravity". Ginna Station utilizes batteries manufactured by GNB Technologies Industrial'attery Company and the manufacturer recommended nominal specific gravity is 1.215, therefore the minimum value should be 1.195.

However, as identified in RG&E ACTION Report 98-1726, SR 3.8.6.3 and 3.8.6.6 currently contain minimum limits of 1.188 (A battery) and 1.192 (B battery). The values currently listed within the ITS surveillances were determined to be based on the actual observed specific gravity of the batteries at the time of installation, not the manufacturers nominal value as discussed in the current Bases. With a battery as-found specific gravity below the minimum limit the assurance that the battery has sufficient capacity no longer exists and the battery must be declared inoperable.

A review of previous surveillance results was performed to verify that the actual battery specific gravity was never below the NUREG-1431 recommended limit for either battery.

To ensure continued compliance with the guidance of NUREG-1431, RG&E is currently utilizing a conservative minimum specific gravity limit of 1.195. The administrative control of the minimum value has been added to the Ginna Station Technical Requirements Manual and the implementing surveillance procedure.

No hardware changes are required as a result of this Improved Technical Specification change.

C. JVSTIFICATION OF CHANGES This section provides the justification for all changes described in Section A above and shown on Attachment IV. The justifications are organized based on whether the change is: more restrictive (M), less restrictive (L), administrative (A), or the requirement is relocated (R). The justifications listed below are also referenced in the technical specification(s) which are affected (see Attachment III).

C.l M re Re trictive The minimum allowed battery specific gravity, as listed in surveillance SR 3.8.6.3 and SR 3.8.6.6, will be revised in order to match with the guidance of NUREG-1431 and the recommendation of the manufacturer, GNB Technologies Industrial Battery Company. This change is required to correct an error that was caused by using the actual observed specific gravity of the individual batteries, at the time of installation, as the basis for the limits. The guidance of NUREG-1431 is to use the manufacturer recommended fully charged nominal specific gravity as a basis for determining the minimum value. By using the installed specific gravity value as the basis for the limit the minimum value may be nonconservative. The proposed new minimum value provides a higher assurance that the battery has sufficient capacity to meet all analyzed conditions and therefore provides an increase in safety.

There are no administrative (A), relocated (R), or less restrictive (L) changes associated with this LAR.

D. ENVIRONMENTALIMPACT CONSIDERATION RGB'as evaluated the proposed changes and determined th'at:

1. The changes do not involve a significant hazards consideration as documented in Attachment II; and

2. The changes do not involve a significant change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite since no specifications related to offsite releases are affected; and

3. The changes do not involve a significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure since no new or different type of equipment are required to be installed as a result of this LAR.

Accordingly, the proposed changes meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51,22(b), an environmental assessment of the proposed changes is not required.

E. REFERENCES

1. NUREG-1431 Rev.1, Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants

2. GNB Technologies Installation and Operating Instructions

Attachment H R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION EVALUATION The proposed changes to the Ginna Station Improved Technical Specifications as identified in Attachment I Section A and justified by Section C have been evaluated with respect to 10 CFR 50.92(c) and shown not to involve a significant hazards consideration as described below. This attachment is organized based on Attachment I Section C.

vl in fMr R ri iv hne The more restrictive change discussed in Attachment I Section C.1 does not involve a significant hazards consideration as discussed below:

1) Operation of Ginna Station in accordance with the proposed change does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated. The change is only to correct an error in the determination of the minimum limiting value for specific gravity of the station batteries. This does not increase the probability of an accident previously evaluated since the battery specific gravity is only a measure of the state of charge of the battery and the batteries themselves are not an accident initiator. The proposed minimum value for specific gravity, based on the NUREG-1431 guidance, gives a higher assurance that the battery has sufficient capacity.

Therefore, the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated is not significantly increased.

2) Operation of Ginna Station in accordance with the proposed change does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.

The proposed change does not involve a physical alteration of the plant (ie. no new or different type of equipment will be added) or changes in the methods governing normal plant operation. The change only involves implementing a more conservative minimum limiting value for the battery cell parameter of specific gravity. Therefore, the possibility for a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated is not created.

3) Operation of Ginna Station in accordance with the proposed change does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. The proposed change only corrects an error in the determination of the limiting value for specific gravity. The error is being corrected by using a more conservative value as determined by the guidance of NUREG-1431. Therefore, this change does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.

Based upon the preceding information, it has been determined that the proposed change, amending the minimum battery cell parameter for specific gravity in the Technical Specifications surveillance SR 3;8.6.3 and SR 3.8.6.6, does not involve a significant increase in the probability ol'onsequences of an accident previously evaluated, create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated, or involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. Therefore, it is concluded that the proposed change meets the requirements of 10 CFR 50.92(c) and does not involve a significant hazards consideration.

Attachment III R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant Mark-up of Existing Ginna Station Technical Specifications Included pages:

3.8-19