ML20034F523

Summary of Meeting with Tennessee Valley Authority Regarding Planned License Amendment Request for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2

ML20034F523
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	02/12/2020
From:	Kimberly Green NRC/NRR/DORL/LPL2-2
To:	Jim Barstow Tennessee Valley Authority
Green K
Shared Package
ML20009C701	List: ML20034F523
References
EPID L-2019-LRM-0002
Download: ML20034F523 (4)

Text

February 12, 2020 LICENSEE: Tennessee Valley Authority FACILITY: Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF JANUARY 8, 2020, MEETING WITH TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY REGARDING PLANNED LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (EPID L-2019-LRM-0002)

On January 8, 2020, a Category 1 public teleconference call was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss TVAs planned license amendment request (LAR) for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Units 1 and 2. The LAR would seek to revise WBN Technical Specification (TS) 3.3.5, Loss of Power (LOP) Diesel Generator (DG) Start Instrumentation. The meeting notice and agenda, dated January 2, 2020, are available at ADAMS Accession No. ML20002A063. TVAs slides for the meeting are available at ADAMS Accession No. ML20009C396. A list of participants is provided as an enclosure to this summary. No regulatory decisions were made at this meeting.

TVA began its presentation by providing background information and the basis for the proposed request. In August 2019, the NRC issued amendments for the TVA fleet that added a new level of protection, Unbalanced Voltage, to the TSs for the LOP instrumentation for all three TVA plants (ADAMS Accession No. ML18277A110). The amendments included changes to WBN TS Table 3.3.5-1, LOP DG Start Instrumentation, Function 5, 6.9 kV Emergency Bus Undervoltage (Unbalanced Voltage), which requires that three channels of detection scheme per bus be operable. Following the implementation of the amendment, TVA identified that the WBN Units 1 and 2, TS 3.3.5, Condition C, Function 5 in Table 3.3.5-1 for the 6.9 kV Emergency Bus Undervoltage relays, addresses the required action when only one channel per bus is inoperable. Therefore, if more than one channel per bus in Function 5 is inoperable, TVA would be required to enter TS Limiting Condition for Operation 3.0.3, which requires power reduction and plant shutdown within the TS-specified time. TVA explained that both the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and Sequoyah Nuclear Plant TSs address actions for conditions when more than one unbalanced voltage relays (or channels) are inoperable. According to TVA, the lack of a similar provision for WBN units was an oversight.

TVA plans to submit a LAR to request that TS 3.3.5, Condition C be reworded to state, One or more channels per bus inoperable. Required Action C.1 would be reworded to state, Restore channels to OPERABLE status. The completion time will remain the same. TVA also stated that the request may include addition of the word Relay, to Function 5 in TS Table 3.3.5-1 to clarify the specific element associated with the function and deemed this to be an editorial change because the terms channel and relay are considered analogous for Function 5.

The NRC staff questioned the addition of the word Relay, to Function 5. The staff explained that the intent of TS 3.3.5 was to verify the operability of the channel which includes the sensing elements, detection and actuation relays up to the contacts associated with protective action such as opening the associated breaker. The addition of the word Relay could be

misconstrued to imply that the operability of the relay alone is required to be validated. The staff encouraged TVA to consider language that would be consistent with the intent of the TS and is used in similar context in other TSs. TVA staff indicated that it would reconsider the proposed addition of the word Relay.

TVA stated that it plans to submit the LAR on January 17, 2020 and will request an expedited review. TVA explained its basis for the expedited review request. In the spring, TVA will perform maintenance on the WBN Unit 1, 6.9 kilovolt Shutdown Board 1A-A. During this time, all three unbalanced voltage relays will be removed from service resulting in more than one LOP channel associated with TS 3.3.5 being inoperable for Unit 1. Because the WBN units share the electrical systems, actions resulting from inoperability of more than one channel in Unit 1 LOP relays also impact operability requirements for AC power systems of Unit 2. Because there are no TS prescribed actions for more than one channel being inoperable, Unit 2 would have to enter TS 3.0.3 and shutdown within the prescribed times. TVA plans to begin the outage for WBN, Unit 1 in late April.

The NRC staff stated that it could not commit to the expedited review until it receives the LAR and determines the acceptability of the LAR and a review schedule.

No comments or public meeting feedback forms were received.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-1627, or Kimberly.Green@nrc.gov.

/RA/

Kimberly J. Green, Sr. Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-390, and 50-391

Enclosure:

List of Participants cc w/enclosure: Listserv

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS JANUARY 8, 2020, PUBLIC TELECONFERENCE CALL TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY REGARDING PLANNED LICENSE AMDNEMENT REQUEST WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 Name Organization Kim Green U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Adakou Foli NRC Singh Matharu NRC Hang Vu NRC Gush Singh NRC Pete Snyder NRC Undine Shoop NRC Perry Buckberg NRC Russell Wells Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Larry Cross TVA Sue Watson TVA Dean Baker TVA Kim Hulvey TVA Tamatha Womack TVA Joniel Cha S&P Global Platts Enclosure

ML20034F523 *via e-mail OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL2-2/PM NRR/DORL/LPL2-2/LA NRR/DORL/LPL2-2/BC NRR/DORL/LPL2-2/PM NAME KGreen BAbeywickrama UShoop (MWentzel for) KGreen DATE 02/10/2020 02/06/2020 02/12/2020 02/12/2020