ML20070K904
| ML20070K904 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Cooper  |
| Issue date: | 07/22/1994 |
| From: | Adensam E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20070K907 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9407280049 | |
| Download: ML20070K904 (4) | |
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7590-01 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
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NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT
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Docket No. 50-298 (Cooper Nuclear Station)
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EXEMPTION 1.
Nebraska Public Power District (the licensee) is the holder of Operating License No. DPR-46, which authorizes operation of Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS). The operating license provides, among other things, that CNS is subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the Commission now or hereaf ter in effect.
The facility consists of a boiling water reactor at the licensee's site in Nemaha County, Nebraska.
II.
One of-the conditions of all operating licenses for. water-cooled power reactors, as specified in 10 CFR 50.54(o), is that the primary containment shall meet the leakage test requirements set forth in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph Ill.C.I. Type C tests require:
" Type C tests shall be performed by local pressurization.
The pressure shall be applied in the same direction as that when the valve would be required to perform its safety function, unless it can be determined that the results from.the 940720iCgy49 940722 PDR ADOCK 050002 8 P
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. tests for a pressure applied in a different direction will provide equivalent or more conservative results."
By letter dated June 29, 1994, the licensee requested an exemption from Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 to allow Type C (local leak rate) testing of four containment isolation valves in the reverse direction.
As stated above, Paragraph Ill.C.1 of Appendix J requires that for Type C testing the test pressure must generally be applied to the valve from the same side as that when the valve would be required to perform its safety function (i.e.,
the inside-containment side, also called the accident direction or the forward direction).
However, the regulation allows an exception if it can be determined that testing with the pressure applied in the reverse direction provides equivalent or more conservative results.
In its letter dated June 29, 1994, the licensee stated that four containment isolation valves cannot now be shown to satisfy the equivalent-or-more-conservative requirement that permits reverse-direction testing.
The licensee did, however, provide justification that reverse pressure testing, along with additional measures to ensure the leaktightness of valve packing and body-to-bonnet flanges, provide adequate assurance that the overall objectives of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, will be met.
The NRC staff has performed an evaluation of the exemption request and has determined that the licensee has provided adequate justification for the requested exemption, 111.
According to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2), the Commission will not consider j
granting the exemption unless specia~l circumstances are present. Pursuant i
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. to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), special circumstances exist where application of the regulation is not necessary to echieve the underlying purpose of the rule.
Based on our evaluation, the NRC staff has concluded that the licensee has taken prudent steps to ensure that containment integrity is preserved in the absence of forward-direction local leakrate testing for the subject valves.
Hence, application of the regulation with respect to forward-direction testing is not necessary.
Therefore, the Commission has determined that the requested exemption from the Appendix J forward-direction testing requirements for the subject valves should be granted.
IV.
Accordingly, the Commission has determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a), that this exemption is authorized by law and will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the public interest.
Therefore, the Commission hereby approves the following exemption request.
An exemption is granted from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph Ill.C.1 that requires the conduct of a local leak rate test in the forward direction for containment isolation valves RHR-MOV-M167A, RHR-MOV-M167B, RCIC-V-37, and HPCI-V-44.
For good cause shown, this exemption will permit testing of the subject valves in the reverse direction, in lieu of forward-direction testing, provided that the additional measures described in the licensee's June 29, 1994, letter are implemented.
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Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the granting of this exemption will have no significant impact of the quality of the human environment (59 FR 35952).
Dated at Rockville Maryland this 22nd day of July 1994.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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l Elinor G. Adensam, Acting Director Division of Reactor Projects - III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation I
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