ML17306A556
| ML17306A556 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 03/02/1992 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17306A555 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9203190128 | |
| Download: ML17306A556 (6) | |
Text
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UNITEDSTATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 SAFETY EVALUATION'BYTHE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO.
57 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO.
NPF-41 AMENDMENT NO.
4 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO.
NPF-51 AND AMENDMENT NO.
30 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO.
NPF-74 ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY ET AL.
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION UNIT NOS.
1 2
AND 3 DOCKET NOS.
STN 50-528 STN 50-529 AND STN 50-530
- 1. 0 INTRODUCTION By letter dated May 28,
- 1991, as supplemented November 27, 1991, the Arizona Public Service Company (APS or the licensee) requested changes to the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, Technical Specifications (TS).
The requested changes would remove the snubber visual examination schedule in the existing TS and replace it with a refueling outage based visual examination
- schedule, Table 1 of the Generic Letter 90-09 dated December 6,
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 TS 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 restric-tive.
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 snubbers 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 9203190i28 920302 PDR ADOCN 05000528 P
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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 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 6,
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 4.7.9 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.
However, it is noted that the generic letter's suggested text in Surveillance Requirement 4.7.9c regarding snubbers found connected to an inoperable common hydraulic fluid reservoir is not relevant to incorporate as Palo Verde Nuclear Generating System snubbers do not utilize common fluid reservoirs.
The NRC staff finds that the proposed changes to the TS for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Unit Nos.
1, 2, and 3 are acceptable.
The NRC staff included three additional changes based on the licensee's response of November 27, 1991, to the staff Request for Additional Information of September 24, 1991.
These changes clarified the requirements and do not alter the acceptability of the final amendment.
- 3. 0 STATE CONSULTATION In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Arizona State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment.
The State official had no comments.
- 4. 0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIOERAT ION The amendments change a requirement with respect to the 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 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 increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
The Commission has previously issued a
proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards considera-tion, and there has been no public comment on such finding (56 FR 31429)
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Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibilitycriteria 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 amendments.
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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.
Ra)an Date:
March 2, 1992
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