ML20004A057
| ML20004A057 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/28/1981 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | METROPOLITAN EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20004A053 | List: |
| References | |
| ISSUANCES-OLA, NUDOCS 8105110627 | |
| Download: ML20004A057 (6) | |
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In tne Matter of
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METROPOLITAN EDISON CCMPANY, et al Docket No. 50-320 OLA (Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2)
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AMEN 0i'ENT OF CROER I.
Metrocalitan Edison Ceepany, Jersey Central Pcwer and Light Company and Pennsylvania Electric Ccmcany (collectively, the Licensee) are the holders of Facility Cperating License No. OPR-73, which had authorized oceration of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (TMI-2) at power levels uo to 2772 megawatts themal. The facility, which is located in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, is a pressurized water reactor pre-viously used for the commercial generation of electricty.
By Order for Modification of License, dated July 20, 1979, the Licensee's authority to ocerate the facility was suspended and the Licensea's autsority was limited te maintenance of the facility in the present s:.utdown cooling mode (44 :ed. Reg. 45271).
By further Order of the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, dated February 11, 1980, a new set of formal license recuirements were imposed to reflect the post-accident condition of i
the facil*;y and to assure the continued maintenance of tne current safe, tB10511o&J7
2 stable, long-term cooling condition of the facility (45 Fed. Reg.11282).
These requirements were memo 1311:ed in the form of proposed Technical Scecifications set forth in an attachment to the Order.
II.
Several requests for a hearing have been filed in connecticn with the Order.
An Atomic Safety and Licensing Scard established to rule en such requests and to preside over the pecceeding in the event that a hearing is ordered has, by Memorandum and Order, dated August 2g,1980, acmitted Messrs. Steven Shelly and William Lochstet, and another, as intervenors. Mr. Sholly has scught to introduce as contentiens a number of issues involving the proposed Tecnnical Specifications. These include concerns regarding the reactor ecolant system pressure safety limit (proposed Technical Specification 2.1.3), remote shutdown monitoring instrumentation (proposed Technical Specification 3.3.3.5), reactor coolant system pressure temperature limits (proposed Technical Specification 3.4.9.1), and record retention (proposed Tecnnical Specifications 6.10.1 and 6.10.2). Mr. Lochstet has also sought to introduce a contention regarding proposed Technical Specification 2.1.3.
Consistent with the Commission's pcsition with respect to settlement of matters without resort to a formal adjudicatory process, the Licensee, NRC Staff and Messrs. Sholly and Lochstet have met in an effort to resolve tneir concerns in the abcve areas. As a result, the parties jointly prepose to mccify the proposed Tecnnical Spacifications in a manner agreed upon and described hereafter. The procosed modifications have been reviewed by the Staff and are consistent with the objective of providing reascnacle assurance l
. :nat the activities authorized can be conducted witnout uncue risk to the public heal:n and safety.
First, proposed Technical Specificatien 2.1.3 has been elininated. This provision had established a maximum pressure of 2750 psig as a safety limit for :ne reactor coolant system. This conformed to the design criteria and associated ASME code recuirements which were applicable for the reactor pressure vessel and other canpenents of the reactor coolan system prior to the Maren 23, 1979 accident. However, the accident subjected pcrtions of the reactor coolant system to unknown envircnnental ecnditions and, therefore, the upper limit of the pressure retaining ability of the reactor coolant sys tem is uncertain.
Section 50.36(c)(1)(fi)(A) of the Commission's regulations provides, in part, chat "[w]he-e a limiting safety system setting is specified for a variable en which a safety limit has been placed, the setting shall be so cncsen that autocatic protective action will correct ne abnormal situation before a safety limit is exceeded."
Furtnerncre, access to the reactor coolant systen valves cannot be obtained l
in order to reset the valves to a lower pressure limit.
Sincr. the valves cannot be reset to lower the pressure limit to a point at wnica " automatic crotective action" can be taken under the existing concitions, a safety limi lower than 2750 psig cannct be established without contravening 10 C.F.R.
i 50.36(c)(1)(ii)( A). Therefore, proposed Technical Specification 2.1.3 has l
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4 been eliminated. At the same time, oroposed Technical Specification 3.4.9.1 has been modified to explicitly identify the responsive action wnich must be taken if tne pressure limit established for the reactor coolant system, 500 psig, is exceeded.
- description of this accion as previously found in a secarate proposed Technical Specification whicn had been referen:ed in crocosed Tecnnical Specification 3.4.9.1.
Second, proposed Technical Specification 3.3.3.5 nas been modified to add a recuirement to report the inocerability of a remote shutdown monitoring channel to tne NRC witnin 24 neurs.
The recuirement to restore the inccerable channel to ccerable status within 30 days is unchanged.
Lastly, it was contended that the time periods provided in proposed Technical Soecifications 5.10.1 and 5.10.2 for the retention of certain records by the licensee were inadecuate given the historical value some of these records might possess. As a consequence, procosed Technical Specifications 5.10.1 and 5.10.2 nave been modified to extend the time for which certain records must be retained by the Licensee. Records specified in proposed Technical Scecification 6.10.2 must new be retained as long as the licensee has an NRC license to coerate or possess tne TMI facility.
The Staff's safety assessment of this matter is set forth in the concurrently issued Safety Evaluation.
This evaluation concluded, in material part, that these modifications do not involve a significant hazards censideration and that there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the cuolic will not be endangered thereby.
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. s-It was further determined tna; the acdification does not authorize a change ir. effluent ty;es or total amcunts nor an increase in power level and will n:: result in any significant environrental im:act.
In lign: cf :nis deter-Fination, it was concludec na: tne instant a:: ice is insignifican; fr:m the stanc:oint of environmental ir:act and, pursuant to 10 C..:.R.
i 51.5(d)(A),
- na: an environmental impact staterant or envirenrental it:act a:praisal need not be ;repared herewith.
III.
Acc:rcingly, pursuant :: :ne Atomi Energy Act :f 1954, as arenced, the requirecents i=:csed by the Dire::cr's Orcer of Fe:ruary 11, 1980 are medi-fied by elimina icn of ;rc: sed Tecnni:al 5:ecifica icn 2.1.3 anc revisien of proposed Tecnnical Specifications 2.1.3, 3.3.3.5, 3.4.9.1, 5.10.1, and 5.10.2 atta:Med there:: ir, the manner described in See:icn II of this Orter and as se: forth s:ecifically in A :acn=en: A nere:0.
F r further details with res:ee: :: :nis action, see (1) Recuest f:r nearing from Steven C. Shelly, da:ec March 21, 1980; (2) NRC Staff answer :: recues; for nearing by Steven C. ShcIly, datec A ril 10, 1980; (3) Cententions Of Steven C. ShcIly, dated June 19, 1980; (4) Su::le:en: to Recuest for Hearing anc Petition for Leave to Intervene by William A. Lochste - dated June 17, 1980; and (5) ne Director's Order of February 11, 1980.
All of the above cocuments are availacle for inscection at the Commission's Public Cccument Room,1717 H Street, N.W., Washing cn, D.C., and at the Commission's Local
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Puolic Occument Room at the State Library of Pennsylvania, Government i
Puclications Section, Ecucation Building, Ccmmonwealth and Walnut Streets, Harris::urg, Pennsylvania 17125.
FOR THE NUCLE.2R REGUL3JCRY COMP:55 : J.*:
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f Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulatica Effective date: Aarn ?o tea 1 Dated at Setnesda, Maryland this 28tn day of April 198 1 4
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