ML20078K161
| ML20078K161 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Summer  |
| Issue date: | 11/07/1994 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20078K160 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9411220387 | |
| Download: ML20078K161 (3) | |
Text
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. 4 UNITED STATES ye NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 40555-0001
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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION BELATED TO AMENDMENT N0. 118TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-12 SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY VIRGIL C. SUMMER NUCLEAR STATION. UNIT NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 50-395
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated December 17, 1993, as supplemented July 22, 1994, South Carolina Electric & Gas Company _ (the licensee) submitted a request for changes to the Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit No.1, Technical Specifications (TS). The proposed changes would:
(1)
Delete TS 3.6.5.1, " Hydrogen Monitors," and its associated Surveillance Requirement and move the hydrogen monitor requirements to the Accident Monitoring Instrumentation TS, (2)
Extend mode applicability for the hydrogen monitors to_ include mode 3, I
(3)
Modify TS Table 3.3-10, " Accident Monitoring Instrumentation," to include Type A variables and Category 1 instrumentation in this table and to delete variables that are not Type A and instrumentation that is not Category I from the table, (4)
Delete Table 4.3-7, " Accident Monitoring Instrumentation Surveillance Requirements," and move the requirements imposed by this table to Surveillance Requirement 4.3.3.6, (5)
Increase the allowable time for which the number of channels of available accident monitoring instrumentation (with the exception of the reactor building hydrogen concentration monitor) can be less than the minimum channels operable requirement of Table 3.3-10 from 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> to 7 days and increase indefinitely the allowable time for which the number of available channels of accident monitoring instrumentation can be less than the Required Number of Channels requirement of Table 3.3-10, (6)
Remove the TS and associated Surveillance Requirement for reactor building area high range monitors RM-G7 and RM-G18 in mode 4.
The July 22, 1994, submittal contained a correction and did not change the staff's finding of no significant hazards considerations.
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- 2.0 EVALUATION Regulatory Guide 1.97 defines Type A variables as "...those variables that provide primary information needed to permit the control room operating personnel to take the specified manually controlled actions for which no automatic control is provided and that are required for safety systems to accomplish their safety functions for design basis accident events." The Regulatory Guide does not identify specific variables as being Type A as these may vary from plant to plant. Regulatory Guide 1.97 goes on to provide design and qualification criteria for the instrumentation used to measure various variables; Category 1 provides the most stringent requirements.
Category 1 instrumentation is usually reserved for monitoring key variables, hereinafter referred to as Category 1 variables.
On April 15, 1985, South Carolina Electric & Gas Company provided its " Summary Report on Regulatory Guide 1.97."
This report listed the specific Type A Category 1 accident monitoring variables for Summer Station.
In letters dated November 13, 1987, and July 27, 1988, the staff responded to and approved the licensee's list of Type A and Category 1 variables.
The bases for the NUREG-1431 Standard Technical Specifications (STS) state that it is appropriate to have TS for all Type A and Category 1 variable instrumentation. The licensee's amendment request would ensure that the instrumentation for all variables identified as either Type A or Category I are listed in Table 3.3-10 of the TS. The amendment would remove variables that are neither Type A nor Category I from the TS. The proposed TS differ i
from the STS in that neither Condensate Storage Tank level nor Containment Isolation Valve position are considered either Type A or Category 1 for Summer Station.
The proposed changes are, however, consistent with the bases of the STS and are acceptable.
The requested amendment would move the TS for hydrogen monitors to the accident monitoring TS and expand mode applicability to include mode 3.
The amendment would also remove Table 4.3-7 from the TS and move the associated requirements to Surveillance Requirement 4.3.3.6.
Table 4.3-7 lists the specific surveillances that are to be conducted on each accident monitoring instrument. Surveillance Requirement 4.3.3.6 would change neither the type nor reduce the frequency of any surveillance. These changes do not relax l
current requirements and are, therefore, acceptable.
The requested amendment would extend from 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> to 7 days the time that plant operation is allowed with the number of channels of instrumentation j
listed in Table 3.3-10 (with the exception of hydrogen monitors) less than the
" Minimum Channels Operable" requirement. The outage time of 7 days is based on the relatively low probability of an event requiring accident monitoring instrument operation and the availability of alternate means to obtain the 1
required information.
This change is consistent with the STS and is acceptable.
The requested amendment would extend indefinitely the time that plant operation is allowed with the number of channels of instrumentation less than the " Required No. of Channels" condition of Table 3.3-10.
It would require
. the licensee to submit a special report outlining the actions that have been taken to measure the variable in question and to provide a plan for a long-term solution. This action is appropriate since alternative actions are identified before loss of functional capability and since the likelihood that the instrumentation will be required is small.
This request is consistent with the STS and is, therefore, acceptable.
The proposed amendment would remove the TS associated with Reactor Building Area High Radiation Monitors RM-G7 and RM-G18 in mode 4.
These monitors do not initiate any automatic mitigation system and are required only to provide indication that will help operators in mitigating design basis accidents that severely degrade the reactor coolant pressure boundary.
Since design basis accidents that severely degrade the reactor coolant pressure boundary are not postulated during mode 4, the staff finds this change acceptable.
3.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the State of South Carolina official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment.
The State official had no comments.
4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendment changes a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes the Surveillance Requirements. The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (59 FR 7699 cite). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9).
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.
5.0 CONCLUSION
The Commission has 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, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor:
G. Wunder l
Date: November 7, 1994