ML19210C621
| ML19210C621 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 10/30/1979 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19210C620 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911190240 | |
| Download: ML19210C621 (2) | |
Text
[p now,p UNITED STATES y'
<(gg NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 s, o /
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENT NO. 54 TO PROVISIONAL OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-20 CONSUMERS POWER COMPANY PALISADES PLANT DOCKET NO. 50-255
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated June 7,1979, Consumers Power Cmpany (the licensee) requested an amendment to the Technical Specifications appended to License No. DPR-20 for the Palisades Plant. The amendment would provide for an improved physics testing program and delete portions of the Technical Specifications which are no longer applicable.
2.0 EVALUATION The licensee's proposal to chang th low power physics tests from "10-2 "e reactor power limit during
% to "25" of rated power is to allow low pot physics testing at flux levels high enough to minimize the.nfluence of gamma background noise on the measurements.
The tests would be perfonned in the optimum range between the back-ground level and the region of sdnsible heat, but no greater than 2% thermal power. The value of 2% is the. upper bound for the Hot Standby condition, so the mode of operation during the tests would not change, The Combustion Engineering (CE) Technical Specifications allow 5% power for these tests. We, therefore, find the proposed change acceptable.
The licensee has also requested the addition of a new Section 3.10,8,
" Center Control Rod Misalignment." This addition would allow the use of only one control rod rather than the entire group durinq the performance of tenperature and power coefficient tests.
In these tests, reactivity is inferred from the amount of control rod motion and, since the worth of a single control rod is about one quarter of that of a regulating group, the rod will travel four times as far, The measurement uncertainty in control rod positions over 1%bOM
'367 266 2W on1 9o small distances, which is a major source of uncertainty in these tests, will therefore be significantly reduced. Utilization of the center rod minimizes the impact on core power distribution and results in no azimuthal tilts. Margin to thermal limits will be maintained throughout the tests. A similar provision currently exists in the CE Standard Technical Specifications, and we, therefore, find the proposed change acceptable.
Deletion of Specification 3.6.4 would eliminate a specification that was authorized on a one time only basis for preparation of the December 1975 outage.
Section 6.9.3.3.c was approved to require a report on the results of the fuel surveillance program prior to the use of Cycle 2 fuel for Cycle 3.
This report was sutnitted on March 14, 1978. The upcoming reload is for Cycle 4.
Based on the above, we find the two (2) proposed deletions acceptable.
3.0 EfNIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION We have detennined that the amendment does not involve a change in effluent types or total amounts nor an increase in power level and will not result in any significant environmental impact.
Having made this determination, we have further concluded that the amendment involves an action which is insignificant frorg the standpoint of environmental impact and, pursuant to 10 CFR 551.5(d)(4), that an environmental impact statement or negative declaration and environmental impact appraisal need not be prepared in connection with the issuance of this amendment.
4.0 CONCLUSION
We have concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:
(1) because the amendment does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of accidents previously considered and does not involve a significant decrease in a safety margin, the amendment does not involve a significant hazards con-sideration, (2) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and (3) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Date: October 30, 1979
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