ML19225C935
| ML19225C935 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 07/03/1979 |
| From: | Disenhut D, Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19225C933 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908030310 | |
| Download: ML19225C935 (5) | |
Text
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7590-01 UNITED 3TATES'0F AMERICA HUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
)
Florida Power Corporation, et al Docket '4o. 50-302
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Crystal River Unit No. 3, Nuclear
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Generating Plant
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EXEMPTION I.
Florida Power Corporation (licensee) and eleven other co-owners are the holders of Facility Operating License No. OPR-72 which authorizes the operation of the nuclear power reactor known as Crystal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Ge,erating Plant (facility), at steady state reactor power levels not in excess of 2452 megawatts thermal (rated power). The facility consists of a Babcock & Wilcox (S&W) designed' pressurized water reactor (PWR) located at tne licensee's site in Citrus County, Florida.
r II.
Ic April 1978 it was determined that the limiting small break loss of coolant accidW (LCCA) for B&W 177 fuel assembly lowered loop plants was a break on ';he discharge side of a' reactor coolant pump. For this break, assuming loss j
of aff site pcwer and the worst single failure, about 50% of the flow from one high 1rassure injection pump would be available to cool the core.
Calculations indicated that peak clad temperature might exceed the 2200 ?
1imit.
CR-3 was shutdown wnen this proble, was identified.
By letter dated hne la,1978 the licersee submitted justification for restart and operation of the CR-3 at rated ocwer prior to ir:plementation of a permanent solution
- .ne..aall break analysis problem.
[db 79090393 ; g
7590-01 This justification included procedure changes to direct operator actions in the event of a LOCA. These actions included prompt local operation of valves after the onset of a LOCA. The licensee also proposed a permanent solution for the small break analysis problem by letter dated July 21,1978, as supplemented on July 27, 1978.
In addition the licensee, by letter dated August 4, 1978, requested an exemption from the 'ovisions of 10 CFR 50.46.
The licensee stated that CR-3 co id ce operated 'to 100" rated power in full compliance with 10 CFR 50.46; however, to assure this, prompt local operator actions as desc. ibed in their June 14, 1978 letter were necessary.
On September 1,1978, Florida Power Corporation was granted an exemption from the provisions of 10 CFR Part 50, Paragraph 60.46(a). This exemption allowed continued operation of CR-3 in accordance with procedures-described in the licensee's letter c7 June 14,1978. The exemption was, conditioned to terminate upon completion of the permanent solution to the small break ant. lysis problem or completion of the remainder of operating Cycle 1, whichever occurred first.
The pernanent solution proposed for CR-3 consists of modifications to provide a means of supplying electrical power to the motor operators of the high pressure injection valves frem the Engineering Safeguards electrical busses of both cnannels. The licensee estimated an interval of 31 weeks cetween final NRC approval and installation of these modifications due to equipment procurement schedules.
These proposed modifications were approved on May 29, 1979.
In anticipation of not being able to install an NRC aporoved modificati n ::rior
~
to restart frca tne Cycle 2 reload, the licensee, by letter dated March 14, 1979 requestec an exemotion for Cycle 2 similar to that under whicn it was operating it tne time.
In resconse to an NRC staff request for an economic imoact assess-420 355
7590-01 ment of requiring that the modification be installed prior to restart from the current outage, the licensee provided, by lettnr dated June 5,1979, the following:
1.
The f astallation of the permanent modification is of the hi hest 5
priority to the licensee and all avenues of expediting this ins >allation tre being employed including premium payment for rush orders.
2.
Extending the current outage antil.nstallation of the modif~ cation is complete would delay restart until at least July 20, 1979 and would cost consumers about 15.3 million dollars in replacement fuel costs.
This wou. uiso increase the probability of the licensee not being able to supply its firm load customers in June and July 1979.
3.
Shut down of the facility upon receipt of the final piece of equip-ment would involve a two week outage and replacement fuel costs of about 6.3 million dollars. The final piece of equipment is scheduled to be received by July 6, 1979.
4.
Facility operation until August 6,19/9 would permit installation of some equipment during power operation as well as allow for some slip in equipment delivery. Complete installation of the modification could be done in a 3 to a day outage, which could be scheduled for a weekend, and would involve about 1.8 million dolTars in replacement fuel costs.
Based on the above, the licensee requested that the exemption from 10 CFR 50.46 be granted and that the facility be authorized to operate at rated. care thermul power until August 6,1979.
In addition the licensee stated that the justification for restart and operation contained in their JL e 14,1978 letter remains valid.
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.w-,
7590-UI
., We have reviewed the effects of changes made to the f acility during the current outage and have concluded that operation of CR-3 at power levels of up to 2452 Mwt and in accordance with the operating procedures of this Exemptwn, will assure that the ECCS system will conform to the performance critzria of 10 CFR 50.46. Accordingly, until modifications are completed to achieve full compliance with 10 CFR 50.46, operation of the facility at power levels up to 2452 Mwt with appropriate operating procedures will not endanger life or property or the cor.inon defense and security.
We have also reviewed the licensee's economic impact assessment and agree that economic factors justify the proposed installation schedule.
In the absence of any safety problem associated with the facility during the period unt'il the modifications for chieving full compliance with 10 CFR 50.46 are completed, there appears to be no public interest coc-sideration favoring undue restriction of the operation of the captioned facility. Accorfingly, the Commission has determined that an exemption in eccordance with 10 CFR 50.12 is appropriate. The specific exemption is limited to the period of time necessary to complete modifications regarding the ECCS system, but no later than August 6,1979.
III.
Copies of the following documents are available for inspection at the Commission's public Document Recm at 1717 H Street, Washington, D.C.
- 20555, and are being placed in the Ccmmission's local public document roem at the Crystal River public Library, Crystal River, Florida.
(1 ) S&W Report "Ar.alysis of Small Breaks in the Reac:cr Ccolant ?uma Discharge piping for the B&W Lowered Loop 177 FA Fiants" ca:ed May 1, 1978.
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. 7590-01 (2) The licensee's justification for restart and interim operation dated June 14, 1978.
(3) The application for exemption dated March 14, 1979.
(4) The licensee's clarification of exemption request dated June 5, 1979, and (5) This Exemption in the matter of Florida Power Corporation, et al, Crystal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Generating Plant.
IV.
WHEREFORE, in accordance with the Comission's regulations as set forth in 10 CFR 50.12, Florida Power Corporation is hereby grantec an exemption from the provisions of 10 CFR Part 50, Paragraph 50.46(a). With respect to Crystal River Unit No. 3, this exemption is conditioned as follows:
(1) Until further authorization by the Cormission, Florida Power Corporation shall operate in accordance with the procedures described in its letter of June 14, 1978.
(2) This exe=tien shall be terminated upon completien of the modifi-cations in accordance with this exem; tion or August 5,1979, whichever occurs first.
FOR THE NUCLEA P REGULATORY CCMMISSION 9
i f
n N',
g' Director e
. Ei Division of Operating Reactors Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Eethesda, Maryland, this 3rc day of July 1979.
420 358
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