ML17312A963
| ML17312A963 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 09/06/1996 |
| From: | Clifford J NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17312A964 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9609180065 | |
| Download: ML17312A963 (18) | |
Text
7590-01 UN T D STAT S NUCL AR REGU ATORY COMMISSION AR ONA PUB C SERVICE COMPANY OCK NOS STN 50-528 STN 50-529 AND STN 50-530 S
D T
0 SSU NC OF AMENDMENTS TO FAC TY OP TING ICENS S
PROPOS D
NO SIGNIFICANT HA ARDS S
RAT ON T RMINATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR A H AR NG The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos.
NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74 issued to Arizona Public Service Company (the licensee) for operation of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, located in Maricopa County, Arizona.
The proposed amendment would modify the technical specifications (TS) to change (1) the reference method for calculating dose conversion factors (DCFs) to be used in dose calculations, and (2) the upper and lower limits for operating pressurizer pressure to account for new instrument uncertainties and to reduce the allowed operating band.
. Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations.
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
Under the Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) involve a significant incr ease in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of 9609180065 9609'06 PDR ADOCK 05000528 I
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accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve. a significant 1
reduction in a margin of safety.
As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a),
the licensee has provided its analysis of the issue of no significant hazards consideration.
The NRC staff's analysis is presented below.
1.
The proposed change does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
The proposed 'amendment does not involve any change in the method of operation of any plant equipment or modify any plant equipment.
The proposed change to the allowed pressurizer pressure operating band does not add any operating range not previously allowed, nor does it affect the nominal operating pressure.
Thus the proposed change does not represent a new or more frequent initiating event or transient.
Based on a review of historical plant operating data for pressurizer
- pressure, limiting the allowed operating band for pressure will not require additional operator action or create additional burden on the operators.
Nominal operating pressure is approximately 2250
- psia, and pressure deviates only approximately 10 psi from this pressure during normal operation.
Additionally, the reactor trip setpoints remain unchanged, thus the proposed change will not affect the probability of a reactor trip.
The proposed change to the DCFs would allow use of a more accurate method for determining thyroid dose consequence resulting from postulated accident conditions.
This portion of the proposed change does not involve any changes to plant operation or equipment.
Therefore, the proposed changes do not involve a significant increase in the probability of an accident.
II
The proposed change to the allowed pressurizer pressure band would be used in transient and accident analyses for each core reload'.
The proposed change does not affect the acceptance criteria for the analysis results, thus this portion of the proposed change would not affect the consequences of accidents previously analyzed.
The proposed change to DCFs does not affect the calculated off-site doses to postulated accidents.
The new OCFs would only provide more accurate estimates of the potential effects to the thyroid based on the calculated off-site doses.
Based on 'the above, the proposed changes do not result in a significant increase in the probability or consequ'ences of an accident previously evaluated.
2.
The proposed change does not create the possibi.lity of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.
The proposed amendments do not modify the configuration of the units, involve any change to plant equipment, or change the methods of plant operation.
- Thus, the proposed changes do not result
.in any new failure modes for any plant system or component.
Therefore, the amendment does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.
3.
The proposed change does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
The proposed change associated with operating pressurizer pressure limits will implement more restrictive acceptance criteria in surveillance procedures to ensure that safety analysis assumptions are maintained.
The
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more restrictive range of operation has been analyzed and is bounded by the existing safety analyses.
The use of new DCFs in dose effects calculations.
do not change any of the safety limits for existing analyses.
Therefore, the proposed changes do not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
Based on this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are satisfied.
Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed determination.
Any comments received within 30 days after the.date of publication of this notice, will be considered in making any final determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until'he expiration of the 30-day notice period.
- However, should circumstances change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facil,ity, the Commission may issue the license amendment,'before the expiration of the 30-day notice
- period, provided that its final determination is that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration.
The final determination will consider all public.and State comments received.
Should the Commission take this action, it will publish in the FEDERAL REGISTER a notice of issuance and provide for opportunity for a hearing after issuance.
The Commission expects that the need to take this action will occur very infrequently..
Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Chief, Rules Review and Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and Publications
- Services, Office of Administration,.U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
ll
Washington, DC 20555-0001, and should cite the publication date and page number of this FEDERAL'EGISTER notice.
Written comments may also be delivered'o Room 6D22, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4: 15 p.m.
Federal workdays.
Copies of written comments received may be examined at the NRC Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to intervene is discussed below.
By October ii, 1996
, the licensee may file a request for a hearing with respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating license and any person whose inter est may be affected by this proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene.
Requests:for a
hearing and a petition for leave to intervene shall be fi.led in accordance with the Commission's "Rules of Practice for Domestic 'Licensing Proceedings" in 10 CFR Part 2.
Interested persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which is available at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the Phoenix Public Library, 1221 N. Central
- Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
If a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date, the Commission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, designated by the Commission or by the Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of hearing or an appropriate order.
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As required by 10 CFR 2.71'4, a petition for leave to intervene shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in.the proceeding, and how that interest may. be affected by the results of the proceeding.
The petition should specifically explain the reasons why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the following factors.:
(1) the nature of the petitioner's right under the Act to be made party to the proceeding;,
(2) the nature and -extent of the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest.
The petition should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene.
Any person who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition, must satisfy the specificity requirements described above.
Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing. conference scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to the petition to intervene which -must include a list of the contentions which are sought to be l:itigated in the matter.
Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised or controverted.
In addition, the petitioner shall provide a brief, explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the contention.at the hearing.
The petitioner must also provide references to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is
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aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those facts or expert opinion.
'Petitioner must provide sufficient information to show that a
genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact.
Contentions shal-1 be limited to matters within the scope of the amendment under consideration.
The contention must be one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief,.
A petitioner, who fails to file such a
supplement'hich satisfies these requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be permitted to participate as a party.
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the. hearing, including the opportunity, to present evidence and cross-examine wi'tnesses.
If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final determination on the issue of no significant hazards, consideration.
The final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the amendment and-make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing.
Any hearing held would take place after issuance of the amendment.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a
significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place before the issuance of any amendment.
A request for a hearing, or a petition for leave to intervene must be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear.Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention:
Docketing and Services
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Branch, or may be delivered to the Commission's 'Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, by the above date.
Where petitions are filed during,the last 10 days of the notice period, it is requested that the petitioner promptly so inform the Commission by a toll-free telephone call to Western Union at l-(800) 248-5100 (in Hissouri 1=(800) 342-6700).
The Western Union operator should be given Datagram Identification Number N1023 and the following message addres'sed to William H. Bateman, Director, 'Project Directorate IV-2: petitioner's name and: telephone
- number, date petition was.mailed, plant name,.
and publ.ication date and page number of this FEDERAL REGISTER notice.
A copy of the petition should also be sent to the Office of the, General
- Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,
.DC 20555-0001, and to Nancy C. Loftin, Esq.,
Corporate Secretary and Counsel.,
Arizona Public Service
- Company, P.O.
Box 53999, Hail Station 9068',
- Phoenix, Arizona 85072-3999, attorney for the licensee.
Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to.intervene, amended petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not be entertained absent,a determination by the Commission, the presiding officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the petition and/or request should 'be granted based upon a balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.71'4(a)(1)(i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
For further details with respect to this action, see the application for amendment dated June 17, 1996, which is available for publ.ic inspection at the Commission's Public.Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street,
ll
NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the Phoenix Public Library, 1221 N. Central
- Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland,,this 6th day of September 1996.
.FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION J
mes W. Clif rd, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate IV-2 Div'ision of Reactor Projects III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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