ML19322A060
| ML19322A060 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Big Rock Point File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/29/1978 |
| From: | Bixel D CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| To: | Ziemann D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| TASK-06-04, TASK-6-4, TASK-RR NUDOCS 7901020135 | |
| Download: ML19322A060 (2) | |
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Company kN General Offices: 212 West Michigan Avenue, Jackson, Michigan 49201. Area Code 517788-0550 Decemoer 29, 1978 I
Director, Nuclear Reactor Regulat.on Att: Mr Dennis L Ziemann, Chief Operating Reactors Branch No 2 US Huclear Regulatory Commission i4ashington, DC 20555 DOCKET 50-155 - LICENSE DPR BIG ROCK POINT PLANT - CONTAIUMENT PURGING DURING NORMAL PLANT OPERATIOU; RESPONSE TO NRC LE'1"IER DATED NOVEMBER 29, 1978 Your letter dated November 29, 1978, discussed recent problems involving purging of reactor containment vessels during normal plant operaticn.
Specifically, you discussed recent events in which safety actuation signals were inadvertently overridden when performing such purging. Your letter requested that power reactor licensees cc=mit to a course of action involving
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termination of all containment purging during normal plant operation or specific justification of the acceptability of such purging.
Big Rock Point is designed to continuously ventilate the reactor containment building. Plant design utilizes continuous ventilation to provide contamina-tion control for access to operating equipment and cooling to maintain critical equipment operable. During warm weather, the continuous ventilation is essen-tial to maintain the containment temperature within the limits described in the Final Hazards Summary Report for large break accident initial conditions.
During winter months, inlet air must be heated to maintain containment tempera-ture above the lower limit considered in the Final Hazards Su= mary Report.
Standard Review Plan Section 6.2.h and Branch Technical Position CSB 6-4, which were attached to your letter, appear to address plants of never design involving containments normally isolated and for which containment purging is an abnormal condition.
Big Rock Point differs from this design in that the containment is normally ventilated as described in the Final Hazards Summary Report. An additional difference is that no reactor protective system actuation signal must be overridden to open the containment isolation valves.
The isolation valves are presumed to be open at all times and actuation signals are provided to close them in accident situations.
1 Based on the above considerations, Consumers Power Company has concluded that the request of your letter concerning limitation of containment purging is inappropriate for Big Rock Point.
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Consumers Power Company will review Big Rock Point safety actuation circuits as requested in your letter. The results of this review will be provided by mid-March, 1979 David A Bixel (Signed)
David A Bixel Nuclear Licensing Administrator CC: JGKeppler, USNRC l
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