ML17309A911

Application for Amend to License NPF-16,modifying Specifications for Selected cycle-specific Reactor Physics Parameters to Provide Reference to St Lucie Unit 2 COLR for Limiting Values

ML17309A911
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie, Turkey Point
Issue date:	12/29/1997
From:	Stall J FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML17309A912	List: ML17309A911 ML17309A913 ML17309A914 ML17309A915
References
RTR-NUREG-1432 GL-88-16, L-97-280, NUDOCS 9801060185
Download: ML17309A911 (14)

Text

Fiorida Power 6 Light Company,6351 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL34957 December 29, 1997 ~

L-97-280 10 CFR 50.90 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555 Re: St. Lucie Unit 2 Docket No. 50-389 Proposed License Amendment Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR Ref: (1) Letter from R.P. Croteau (NRC) to J.H. Goldberg (FPL), Turkey Point Units 3 and 4-Issuance of Amendments Re: Implementation of FPL Nuclear Physics Methodology (TAC Nos. M91393 and M91394; June 9, 1995.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.90, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) requests to amend Facility Operating License NPF-16 for St. Lucie Unit 2 by incorporating the attached Technical Specifications revisions. The amendment will modify specifications for selected cycle-specific reactor physics parameters so that they refer to the St. Lucie Unit 2 Core Operating Limits Report (COLR) for limiting values. Minor administrative changes are also included. The proposed TS changes conform to the guidance. provided in Generic Letter 88-16 and are consistent with the Standard Technical Specifications for Combustion Engineering Plants (NUREG-1432, Revision 1).

It is requested that the proposed amendment, if approved, be issued by July 31, 1998.

Attachment 1 is an evaluation of the proposed TS changes. Attachment 2 is the "Determination of No Significant Hazards Consideration." Attachment 3 contains a copy of the affected TS pages marked-up to show the proposed changes. Enclosure (1) is the St. Lucie Unit 2, Cycle 10, Core Operating Limits Report. Enclosure (2) is Supplement 1 to FPL's Topical Report NF-TR-95-01, Nuclear Physics Methodology for Reload Design of Turkey Point and St. Lucie Nuclear Plants, which provides comparisons between core physics predictions and actual operating data for St. Lucie Unit

2. The original report reviewed by the NRC staff (Reference 1) did not contain St. Lucie Unit 2 specific data. The supplement is voluntarily submitted to further demonstrate FPL's ability to perform reload core design for that unit.

The proposed amendment has been reviewed by the St. Lucie Facility Review Group and the Florida Power & Light Company Nuclear Review Board. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.91 (b)(1), a copy of the proposed amendment is being forwarded to the State Designee for the State of Florida.

Please contact us if there are any questions about this submittal.

Very truly yours, p.o ~"

J. A. Stall, Vice President St. Lucie Plant 980i060i85 97i229 PDR ADQCK 05000250 P PDR an FPL Group company ill llllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllll

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Page 2 Proposed License Amendment Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR JASIRLD Attachments

Enclosures:

(1) St. Lucie Unit 2, Cycle 10, Core Operating Limits Report, Revision 0.

(2) Nuclear Physics Methodology for Reload Design of Turkey Point and St. Lucie Nuclear Plants, NF-TR-95-01, Supplement 1; August, 1997.

cc: Regional Administrator, Region II, USNRC.

Senior Resident Inspector, USNRC, St. Lucie Plant.

Mr. W.A. Passetti, Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Page 3 Proposed License Amendment Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR STATE OF FLORIDA )

) ss.

COUNTY OF ST. LUCIE J. A. Stall being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

That he is Vice President, St. Lucie Plant, for the Nuclear Division of Florida Power 8 Light Company, the Licensee herein; That he has executed the foregoing document; that the statements made in this document are true and correct to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, and that he is authorized to execute the document on behalf of said Licensee.

J. A. Stall STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTYOF this ~

Sworn to and subscribed before me day of Od08Ã58(

by J. A. Stall, who is personally known to me.

Signature of Nota ublic-State of Florida Leslie J. WMtwem

~ss ~:>> iN COMMiSSiON f CCQ61S3 EXPIAES hby 12, 2001

'~i,~",~4'0NOED llRU Ttey fhN $ 5URAHCE, INC.

Name of Notary Public (Print, Type, or Stamp)

St. Lucie Unit 2 Docket No. 50-389 Proposed License Amendment Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR ATTACHMENT1 to L-97-280 EVALUATIONOF PROPOSED TS CHANGES

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97>>280 Docket No. 50-389 Attachment 1 Proposed License Amendment Page1 of 4 Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR EVALUATIONOF PROPOSED TS CHANGES Introduction The proposed amendment to Facility Operating License NPF-16 for St. Lucie Unit 2 (PSL2) will modify Technical Specifications (TS) for selected cycle-specific reactor physics parameters so that they refer to the St. Lucie Unit 2 Core Operating Limits Report (COLR) for limiting values. Minor administrative changes are also included. The revisions conform to the guidance provided in Generic Letter (GL) 88-16 and are consistent with the Standard Technical Specifications for Combustion Engineering Plants (NUREG-1432, Revision 1). The proposed TS changes or the COLR do not alter the value of any of the existing parameter limits, and the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration.

Back round A number of TS include cycle-specific operating limits for reactor physics parameters that are subject to change as a function of reload core design, and the analytical methods used to determine such limits are typically documented in Topical Reports or in plant-specific submittals previously reviewed and approved by the NRC staff. As a consequence, the staffs review of proposed changes to these limits primarily involves confirmation that the updated limits are calculated using an NRC approved methodology and are consistent with all applicable limits of the safety analyses. In order to eliminate the burden that is associated with the process for requesting, reviewing, and approving a license amendment solely for the purpose of updating the calculated values of cycle-specific parameter limits, GL 88-16 encouraged licensees to propose changes to their technical specifications that are consistent with the guidance provided in that letter.

Three separate actions to modify the plant's TS are discussed in GL 88-16: (1) adding a definition of a named formal report, e.g., COLR, that includes the values of cycle-specific parameter limits that have been established using an NRC approved methodology and are consistent with all applicable limits of the safety analyses, (2) the addition of an administrative reporting requirement to submit the formal report to the Commission for information, and (3) the modification of individual TS to note that cycle-specific parameters shall be maintained within the limits provided in the defined formal report.

The NRC staff noted that "it is essential to safety that the plant is operated within the bounds of cycle-specific parameter limits and that a requirement to maintain the plant within the appropriate bounds must be retained in the TS. However, the specific values of these limits may be modified by licensees, without affecting nuclear safety, provided that these changes are determined using an NRC-approved methodology and [are] consistent with all applicable limits of the plant safety analysis that are addressed in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR)." The concept of a COLR and the provisions of GL 88-16 were incorporated into the improved Standard Technical Specifications for Combustion Engineering Plants (NUREG-1432).

Descri tion of Chan es Modifications to individual specifications include replacing the applicable operating limits with references to the COLR, deleting applicable figures, adding the required definition and administrative controls, and making editorial changes as necessary for the purpose of clarification and/or

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Attachment 1 Proposed License Amendment Page 2 of 4 Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR consistency. Copies of the affected TS pages, marked-up to show the proposed changes, are contained in Attachment 3 to this submittal.

Section 1.0 DEFINITIONS Add new definition 1.9a, CORE OPERATING LIMITS REPORT COLR, shown in Insert - A of Attachment 3 to this submittal.

TS 3.1.1.4 MODERATOR TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT Specification 3.1.1.4.c is deleted, and the associated limit of maximum negative moderator temperature coefficient at RATED THERMAL'OWER is relocated to the COLR.

TS 3/4.1.3 MOVABLECONTROL ASSEMBLIES - CEA POSITION Figure 3.1-1a, Allowable Time to Realign CEA vs. Initial FR~, specifying the time constraint for full power operation with one CEA misaligned from any other CEA in its group by more than 15 inches is deleted from TS and relocated to the COLR.

TS 3.1.3.6 REGULATING CEA INSERTION LIMITS Figure 3.1-2, % CEA Insertion vs. Fraction of Rated Thermal Power, showing the regulating CEA groups withdrawal sequence and insertion limits is deleted from TS and relocated to the COLR.

TS 3/4.2.1 LINEAR HEAT RATE Figure 3.2-1, Allowable Peak Linear Heat Rate vs. Bumup; Figure 3.2-2, Axial Shape Index vs. Fraction of Maximum Allowable Power Level per Specification 4.2.1.3; and Figure 3.2-3, Allowable Combinations of Thermal Power and FR', Fx', are deleted from TS and relocated to the COLR. Additionally, in Specifications 4.2.1.3 and 4.2.1.4, the phrase "monitoring the core power distribution" is changed to "monitoring the linear heat rate".

S'3 2.2 OTAL PLANAR RADIALPEAKING FACTO S - F ~

The calculated value for the F~ limit is deleted from TS and relocated to the COLR.

TS3.23 OT L IN G TED R DIAL P KING C OR- F~

The calculated value for the F,~ limit, and Figure 3.2P, Axial Shape Index Operating Limits with Four Reactor Coolant Pumps Operating, are deleted from TS and relocated to the COLR.

TS 3.2.5 DNB PARAMETERS - AXIALSHAPE INDEX TABLE 3.2-2 is revised to refer to COLR Figure 3.2A for the AXIALSHAPE INDEX limit.

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Attachment 1 Proposed License Amendment Page 3 of 4 Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR TS 3/4.9.1 REFUELING OPERATIONS - BORON CONCENTRATION The boron concentration limits are deleted from the TS and relocated to the COLR.

BASES 3/4.1.3 3/4.2.1 and 3/4.9.1 The bases are updated to reflect the changes to corresponding TS described above.

Section 6.0 ADMINISTRATIVECONTROLS:

Add new administrative control, "6.9.1.11 CORE OPERATING LIIMITSREPORT (COLR)" as shown in Insert - B of Attachment 3 to this submittal.

Page 3/4 1-19a, page 3/4 1-28, pages 3/4 24 through 3/4 2-6, and page 3/4 2-12 will be deleted from the TS since these pages will be blank. A note is added to page 3/4 2-3 and 3/4 2-11 which documents deletion of the affected pages and maintains continuity of pagination.

Bases for the Pro osed TS Chan es Cycle-specific parameter limits established in the COLR (Enclosure 1) have been relocated without change from the existing TS. The proposed amendment will allow FPL to make changes to the limits established in the COLR, provided NRC-approved methods are used and the calculated parameter values are consistent with all applicable limits of the plant safety analyses. Under the specified conditions, such changes can be made without an adverse impact on nuclear safety.

DEFINITION 1.9a is added to the St. Lucie Unit 2 Technical Specifications to formally define the Core Operating Limits Report (COLR). The COLR will provide cycle specific reactor physics parameter limits for each current operating reload cycle that are not otherwise retained in individual technical specifications. Accordingly, Limiting Conditions for Operation (LCO) 3.1.1.4, Moderator Temperature Coefficient; 3/4.1.3, Movable Control Assemblies - CEA Position; 3.1.3.6, Regulating CEA Insertion Limits; 3/4.2.1, Linear Heat Rate; 3.2.2, Total Planar Radial Peaking Factors; 3.2.3, Total Integrated Radial Peaking Factor, 3.2.5, DNB Parameters; and 3/4.9.1, Refueling Operations-Boron Concentration are modified to replace the specific values of cycle-specific parameter limits with the appropriate reference to the formally defined COLR. The affected specifications are also modified, as appropriate, to require that the plant be operated within the bounds of the limits provided in the COLR. The proposed TS changes conform to the guidance in GL 88-16 and,are consistent with NUREG-1432.

Specification 6.9.1.11 is added to the administrative controls section and (a) requires the cycle-specific limits for the above listed LCOs to be documented in the COLR prior to each reload cycle or prior to any remaining portion of a reload cycle; (b) lists the approved analytical methods used to determine the core operating limits; (c) requires the core operating limits to be consistent with applicable limits of the safety analyses; and (d) requires the COLR, including any revisions or supplements thereto, to be provided upon issuance for each reload cycle to the NRC. The proposed specification is consistent with GL 88-16 and NUREG-1432.

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Attachment 1 Proposed License Amendment -Page 4 of 4 Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR Included in the list of documents describing the analytical methods is FPL's Topical Report NF-TR-95-01, "Nuclear Physics Methodology for Reload Design of Turkey Point & St. Lucie Nuclear Plants,"

January, 1995. The topical report was approved as an acceptable reference in the COLR and associated TS for FPL's Turkey Point Plants (Reference 1), and for St. Lucie Unit 1 in Amendment No. 150 (4/1/97) to Facility Operating License DPR-67. The topical report describes the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (W} nuclear design methods and computer programs available at FPL for which FPL has received extensive training. For PSL2, the safety analysis methods of Asea Brown Boveri- Combustion Engineering (ABB-CE) and the nuclear design methods of W are used, where appropriate, in defining the specified COLR parameter limits. The safety analysis is performed by ABB-CE with the NRC approved computer codes. The generation of physics input to the safety analysis is accomplished by either ABB-CE using their codes or by FPL using the NRC approved W computer codes. Since NF-TR-95-01 did not include any benchmark data for PSL2, Supplement 1 (August 1997) to the Topical Report is provided as Enclosure 2 to this submittal to further demonstrate FPL's ability to perform reload core design for St. Lucie Unit 2. The predictions of physics parameters using the W methods show good agreement when compared to the St. Lucie Unit 2 measured data.

In TS 4.2.1.3 and 4.2.1.4, the phrase "core power distribution" is replaced with "linear heat rate" to more accurately reflect the monitored parameter addressed by the surveillance requirements. This is an administrative change and does not alter the specified requirements.

Conclusion The proposed changes to the Technical Specifications that have cycle-specific parameter limits conform to the guidelines of GL 88-16. The values of these parameter limits are defined in the COLR. In addition to 10 CFR 50.59, changes to the COLR will be controlled in accordance with the proposed administrative controls in this submittal which require the use of NRC-approved analytical methods and require that all applicable limits of the safety analyses are met. The COLR, including any mid-cycle revisions or supplements thereto, shall be provided to the NRC upon issuance, for each reload cycle.

Accounting for plant specific differences in format, the proposed TS changes are consistent with the Standard Technical Specifications for Combustion Engineering Plants. As discussed in Attachment 2 to this submittal, the proposed license amendment does not involve a significant hazards consideration

St. Lucie Unit 2 Docket No. 50-389 Proposed License Amendment Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR ATTACHMENT2 to L-97-280 DETERMINATIONOF NO SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Attachment 2 Proposed License Amendment Page 1 of 2 Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR DETERMINATIONOF NO SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION DescrfpI/on ofamendment request: The proposed amendment to Facility Operating License NPF-16 for St. Lucie Unit 2 (PSL2) will modify specifications for selected cycle-specific reactor physics parameters to refer to the St. Lucie Unit 2 Core Operating Limits Report (COLR) for limiting values.

Editorial changes are also included for purposes of clarification and/or consistency. The proposed Technical Specification (TS) changes conform to the guidance provided in Generic Letter 88-16 and are consistent with the Standard Technical Specifications for Combustion Engineering Plants (NUREG-1432, Revision 1).

Pursuant to 10CFR50.92, a determination may be made that a proposed license amendment involves no significant hazards consideration if operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not: (1) involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.

Each standard is discussed as follows:

(1) Operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.

The proposed amendment relocates the calculated values of selected cycle-speciTic reactor physics parameter limits from the TS to the COLR, and includes minor editorial changes which do not alter the intent of stated requirements. The amendment is administrative in nature and has no impact on any plant configuration or system performance relied upon to mitigate the consequences of an accident. Parameter limits specified in the COLR for this amendment are not changed from the values presently required by Technical Specifications. Future changes to the calculated values of such limits may only be made using NRC approved methodologies, must be consistent with all applicable safety analysis limits, and are controlled by the 10 CFR 50.59 process. Assumptions used for accident initiators and/or safety analysis acceptance criteria are not changed by this amendment. Therefore, operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment will not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.

(2) Operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.

The proposed amendment relocates the calculated values of cycle specific reactor physics limiting parameters to the COLR and will not change the physical plant or the modes of operation defined in the facility license. The changes do not involve the addition of new equipment or the modification of existing equipment, nor do they alter the design configuration of St. Lucie plant systems.

Therefore, operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.

St. Lucie Unit 2 L-97-280 Docket No. 50-389 Attachment 2 Proposed License Amendment Page 2 of 2 Core 0 eratin Limits Re ort COLR (3) Operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.

The cycle specific parameter limits being relocated to the COLR by this amendment have not been changed from the values presently required by the TS, and a requirement to operate the plant within the bounds of the limits specified in the COLR is retained in the individual specifications. Future changes to the calculated values of these limits by the licensee may only be developed using NRC-approved methodologies, must remain consistent with all applicable plant safety analysis limits addressed in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), and are further controlled by the 10 CFR 50.59 process. As discussed in Generic Letter 88-16, the administrative controls established for the values of cycle specific parameters using the guidance of that letter assure conformance with 10 CFR 50.36. Safety analysis acceptance criteria are not being altered by this amendment. Therefore, operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.

Based on the discussion presented above and on the supporting Evaluation of Proposed TS Changes, FPL has concluded that this proposed license amendment involves no significant hazards consideration.