ML20024E164
| ML20024E164 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 07/19/1983 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20024E149 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8308090338 | |
| Download: ML20024E164 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES' y
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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING Af4ENDftE!1T NO. 65 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-72 FLORIDA POWER CORPORATION, ET AL CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT NO. 3 NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT DOCKET NO. 50-302 Introduction By letter dated June 24, 1983, Florida Power Corporation (FPC or the ifcensee) proposed a change to the Crystal River Unit 3 (CR-3) Technical Specifications (TSs). This TS change provides the option of using a roving fire watch patrol in lieu of a continuous fire watch when required by a non-functional fire barrier penetration.
Use of this option requires verification that fire detectors are operational.
Background
On June 14, 1983, Florida Power Corporation discovered that a large number of fire dampers in various building ventilation systems have not been certified by the manufacturer to be able to sustain a fire for a 3-hour period. The devices are only certified for a 1 1/2-hour rating.
NRC regulations require such devices to be certified with a 3-hour rating.
Consequently, Florida Power Corporation has considered the subject dampers to be non-functional and, as required by the current Crystal River Unit 3 Technical Specifications, is required to maintain a continuous fire watch at each damper.
Evaluation-The current CR-3 Technical Specification addressing Penetration Fire Barriers (3.7.12) requires establishment of a continuous fire watch when any barrier is non-functional. ~0ther courses of action exist that can be taken to mitigate the consequences of a fire and that will require less expenditure of manpower costs.
The availability of another approved course of action also allows more operational. flexibility to determine the most effective action to take.
In the case particular to CR-3, the discovery that installed fire dampers are certified as one and a half hour fire barriers (rather than the required three hours) has lead to the establishment of a large number of fire watches. This is requiring considerably more manpower than wayld be necessary to maintain a roving fire watch and to verify the operability of the fire detection systems.
8308090338 830719 PDR ADOCK 05000302 P
,The option to establish.a roving fire watch and verify the operability of the fire detection system or establish a continuous fire watch assures.
that a fire in the affected area is detected early enough.to initiate protective actions. This requirement is consistent with NUREG-0103, Revision.4, Standard Technical Specifications for Babcock and Wilcox Pressurized Water Reactors.
Thus, issuance of a license amendment
- including this requirement will not:
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(1)
Involve a significant increase in the probability or 1
consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2)
Create the probability of a new or different kind of accident from any. accident previously evaluated; or (3)
Involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
The licenseec is taking action to correct the deficiencies which presently require a fire watch and will restore the fire dampers to
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functional status on an expedited basis and a schedule agreeable to the staff.
Final Determination of No Significan't Hazards Consideration (NSHC)
On July 8,1983,. a press release was issued to the local media by the Commission seeking public comment on its proposed determination that this amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. No public comments were received. The State of Florida was consulted
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on this matter and had no comments on the proposed determination.
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l The-Commission has provided guidance concerning decision as to whether an amendment involves NSHC by providing certain examples.
One 1
of the examples of actions considered not likely to involve significant hazards considerations is a change which either may result in some-increase to the probability or'~ consequences of a previously-analyzed
-l accident or may reduce in some way a safety margin, but where the results of the change are clearly within all acceptable criteria with
. respect-to the system or component specified in the Standard Review Plan, or equivalent. Th'e amendment is only a minor change from the' present Technical Specifications to the Standard Technical Specifications.
The chang'chnical Specifications'to agree with the correspondent section e discussed herein constitutes a change of the Crystal River Unit 3 Te of the Standard Technical Specifications approved by the NRC for reactor plants designed by Babcock and Wilcox.(published as NUREG-0103, Revision 4 dated Fall 1980). The -Crystal River reactor plant is of-Babcock and Wilcox design. The current Technical Specifications for the Crystal River facility were approved in February 1978'and were based upon a previous revision of the Standard -Technical. Specifications. At that time,'no. consideration was given for the~ existence of installed fire -
detection systems for-those plants which had them, and the only mitigative
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Igi action approved for non-functional fire barrier components was a
establishment of a continuous fire watch.
Subsequently, the NRC revised the Standard Technical Specifications to allow the option of a rov.ing fire watch in lieu of a continuous fire watch provided a fire detection system on at least one side of the affected fire barrier is installed a id operable.
The nature of this change is to allow reliance upon installed fire detection devices, which are a part of the NRC-approved fire protection system, for continuous fire protection, and to provide backup fire detection capabilities by use of visual observation in each space on a once-per-hour. basis by a fire watch. Since the fire dampers in question have been certified to be able to withstand a fire for at least 1-1/2 hours, allowance of this option is considered by the NRC as providing adequate fire protection.
On the basis discussed above,
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a the Commission has determined that this amendment does not involve.
a significant hazards consideration.
Environmental Consideration We have determined that the amendment does not authorize a change in effluent types or total amounts nor an increase in power level and will not result in any significant envirorsnental' impact. Having made this determination, we have further concluded that the amendment involves an action which is insignificant from the standpoint of environmental impact and, pursuant to 10 CFR 551.5(d)(4), that an.
environmental impact statement,*or negative declaration and environ-mental impact appraisal need not be prepared in connection with the issuance of this amendment.
Concl usion
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We have concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:
(1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and (2) such activities will be' conducted in c'ompliance 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.
Dated: ' July 19,1963 Principal Contributors:
R. Hernan.
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