ML19326C325
| ML19326C325 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Davis Besse, Arkansas Nuclear, Crystal River, Midland, Washington Public Power Supply System, Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/11/1977 |
| From: | Desiree Davis Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Phillips J ARKANSAS POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8004220876 | |
| Download: ML19326C325 (7) | |
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NU6 11 IO77 Docket !{o. 50-313 Arkansas Power & Light Company ATTH: fir. J. D. Phillips Senior Vice President Production Transmission, and Engineering Sixth and Pine Streets Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601 Gentlemen:
RE: ARKA!(SAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNIT 1 The Standard Technical Specifications (STS) for each NSSS vendor type plant currently contain a bases section that provides background information and technical support for each specification.
The informa-tion in the bases has proven to be useful in enabling plant operators, and others involved in the operation or licensing activities of a facility, to better understand the reasons for the various specifications.
It has also been useful to both licensees and the NRC staff as a technical sumary of the plant design bases and the interrelationship of many of the safety considerations associated with operation of a plant.
Consequently, the bases have served not only as support for the STS, but as training material for licensee personnel and, to some extent, as a source of background material for the HRC staff in reviewing certain licensing actions. We believe a number of benefits could be e
gained if the STS bases were upgraded. Among the major benefits we foresee are:
1.
Technical Specification change requests could be processed in less time and with reduced manpower since much of the detailed information affecting consideration of the pending change would be readily available in the bases. Since a large amount of effort is expended by each of our staffs in researching and reviewing all of the factors influencing a typical change request, we believe the potential savings in manpower effort resulting from this improvement would be significant for both licensees and the liRC.
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=r Arkansas Power a Light Company AUG 11 E77 2.
The relationship and effect of each of the factors influencing the selection of technical specification limits and requirements would be more clearly understood by users of the documents we thereby increasing the usefulness of the specifications as s+:
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operator training material for your staff.
3.
Questions involving interpretation of the technical specifications, h"
that occur from time to time, could be more easily resolved between licensees and the Office of Inspection and Enforcement.
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The continuity of detailed technical information would be preserved
[J in a systematic manner throughout the facility lifetime thereby minimizing the adverse impact of transfer or reassignment of if individuals who may possess detailed knowledge related to the evolution of the facility specifications.
F Accordingly, we are initiating a program to upgrade the bases section of each generic STS. The program includes upgrading the bases for Section 2, " Safety Limits and Limiting Safety System Settings", and
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Sections 3 and 4. " Limiting Condition for Operation" and " Surveillance Requirements". The objective of the program is to provide a more definitive and detailed rationale for each specification in these sections. This will require some reorganization of the information s'
currently in the bases, as well as the development of additional information. A suggested format for and the type of information that we believe should be considered for inclusion in the upgraded i
4 STS bases is provided in Enclosure 1.
As part of our continuing policy of involving the industry in the
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further refinement and improvement of the STS's, we are inviting your participation in this effort as one of those facilities' either
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already in operation or scheduled for operation with STS in the near future. Your !!SSS vendor is ansc baina invited to participate.
Upon cenp'ation, wo will incorporate the revised bases into the STS for all future operating licenses.
STS facilities in operation may then elcet, at their option, to upgrade their existing technical i
specification bases to reflect this improvement.
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!!e would appreciate your letting us know if you are willing to participate so that we can schedule a meeting with you, your vendor, and the other participating utilities at some time in the near future.
At this meeting, we could discuss the objectives of the program, and nutually develop plans for accomplishing the upgrading of tLa bases in a systematic manner.
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Arkansas Power & Light Company AUG 1113/7 In the event you feel it would be beneficial to form a generic users group, a list of those facilities being invited to participate in this 1....~
prograra, and who utilize the same ilSSS vendor, is provided for your information in enclosure 2.
If you have any questions regarding this program, or care to discuss it further, please contact us.
In any event, we would appreciate hearing from you within the next few weeks.
Sincerely.
Original signed by
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ygl47 Do Tn ;. avi, Acting Chief Operating Reactors Granch #2 Division of Operating Reactors DISTRIBUTION:
Enclosures:
Docket 1.
Information to be Provided HRC PDR for Upgraded STS Dases Local PDR Program ORB-2 Reading 2.
List of Facilities Requested RPSnaider to Participate JMcGough RMDiggs cc w/ enclosures:
JWetmore See next page DEisenhut Attorney, OELD I&E (3)
JRBuchanan TBAbernathy ACRS (16) i q
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M10 FCP.M !!S (9 76) NRC)! 0240 W us a.novr==urwr raiwrime orner se7e-eae.e 4
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Arkansas Power & Light Company August 11, 1977 7.:
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cc w/ enclosures:
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Horace Jewell, Esquire a
House, Holms & Jewell
. 1550 Tower Euilding
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Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
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Phillip K. Lyon, Esquire House,.Holms & Jewell
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1550 Tower Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Nr. ? tsid Rueter Manay'r, Licensing Arkansa Power & Light Company
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Post Ofi?ce Box 551 Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Arkansas Polytechnic College Russellville, Arkansas 72801 t
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ENCLOSURE NO. 1 INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED FOR UPGRADED STS BASES PROGRAMI/
-E Fundamentali;, the information in the bases for each specification should (1) describe why the specification is needed (i.e., identify its purpose), (2) explain why the quantitative values used as limits in the specification were chosen, and (3) indicate the margins of safety provided by the limits. To present this information in a clear and orderly fashion, a standardized format for the bases for each specification should be used.
In our view, the standardized 2
format should contain three basic parts:
(1) Purpose, (2) Supporting Information, and (3) Margin of Safety. The information presented in each part should be in the form of concise summary statements and/or tabulations of data that serve to support the specification.
The type of information that should be provided is delinoated below.
1.
PURPOSE
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The purpose of the specification should be stated in terms of the conditions the specification has been formulated to establish or maintain.
Any multiple purposes should be identified.
2.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION Information to support the quantitative values of the limits established by the specification should be provided in this part.
The limiting value(s) of the specification should be supported in terms of the most restrictive plant variables or conditions used to establish the limit.
In addition, pertinent 4
information-associated with tne specification that relates to plant features or operating considerations should be provided.
The manner in which the surveillance requirements ensure that the limits are maintained should be stated for surveillance whose intent.15 not obvious.
The assumptions relating to the establishment of the limiting value or condition should be stated in terms of each of the factors applicable to the specification.
These factors should, where possible. include:
1/This program includes upgrading the bases for only Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the STS.
Sections 5 and 6 are not included.
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Assumptions of initial operating conditions.
b.
Assumed allowances for instrument bias factors including
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error, drift and calibration considerations.
c.
Assumed uncertainties associated with measurement of physics F^0 related parameters such as void and moderator temperature coefficient, rod worth and boron concentration.
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Assumed allowances related to uncertainties in tank volumes including considerations of unusable fluid volumes resulting from tank physical characteristics (vortexing, suction pipe elevation). Assumed minimum pump flow and discharge pressure characteristics including allowance for expected degradation.
3.
MARGIN OF SAFETY The resultant margin of safety obtained from consideration of the above factors should be provided in a definitive manner such that the relationship between specification limiting values
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and any related safety analyses assumptions is clearly establisned.
Methodology such as probabalistic or statistical analyses techniques or the use of cumulative addition of factors in a
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non-conservative manner should be stated.
Confermance with applicable provisions of Regulatory Guides, Gent..ral Design Criteria or the Code of Federal Regulations shcald also be stated where applicable.
Much of the infomation for part (1) and to a lesser extent, part (3) of the standardized bases fomat is currently provided for a number of specifications in the STS. A reorganization and expansion a
of this infomation is what is sought.
On the other hand, the T
information relating to assumptions which is to be provided in Part(2)wouldbenewformostofthespecifications.
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ENCLOSURE NO. 2
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LIST OF FACILITIES REQUESTED TO PARTICIPATE IN UPGRADED STS BASES PROGRAM
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. :.. 3 NSSS VENDOR BABC0CK & WILCOX Arkansas Unit 1
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Three Mile Island Unit 1
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Midland Units 1 and 2 Washington Nuclear 1 Crystal River Unit 3 Davis-Besse Unit 1 i
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