ML20091C821
| ML20091C821 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Farley  |
| Issue date: | 03/31/1992 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20091C819 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9204060232 | |
| Download: ML20091C821 (4) | |
Text
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f$p 5"y UNITED STATES EIC I
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1 t,/.j;;*ff WA$m0 TON. o C 20t46 f
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lpETYEVALUATIONBYTHEOFFICEOFNUCLEARRFACTORREGULATION T h ED TO AMENDMENT NO. 93 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE N0. NPF-2 AND AMENDMENT NO. 86 TO FAClllTY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-8 SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING C0ftAkY, ikC.
JOSEPH H. FARLEY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-348 AND 50-364 1.0 INTRODUCTIO_N By letter dated December 11, 1991, the Alabama Power Company submitted a request for changes to the Joseph M. f arley Nuclear Plant (farley), Units 1 and 2, Technical Specifications (TS).
The requested changes would remove the provision of TS 4.0.2 that limits the combined time interval for three consecutive surveillences to less than 3.25 times the specified interval.
Guidance on this proposed change to the TS was provided to all power reactor licensees and applicants by Generic Letter 89-14 "Line-Item improvements in Technical Specifications - Removal of the 3.25 Limit on Extending Surveillance intervals,' dated August 21, 1989.
2.0 EVALUATION Technical Specification 4.0 includes the provision that al' lows a surveillance interval to be extended by 25 percent of the specified ti.ne interval.
This extension provides flexibility for scheduling the performance of surveillances and permits consideration of plant operating conditions that may not be suitable for conducting a surveillance at the specified time interval.
Such operating conditions include transient plant eperating or ongoing surveillance or maintenance activi:ies.
Specification 4.0.2 further limits the allowance for extending surveillance intervals by requiring the combined time interval for any three consecutive surveillances not exceed 3.25 times the specified time interval.
The purpose of this provision is to assure surveillances are not extended repeatedly as an operational convenience to provide an overall increase in the surveillance interval.
Experience has shown that the 18-tronth surveillance interval with the provision to extend it by 25 percent is usually-suf ficient to accomodate normal variations in the length of a fuel cycle.
However, the NRC staff has routinely granted requests for one-time exceptions to the 3.25 limit on extending refueling l
surveillances because the risk to safety is low in contrast to the alternative of a forced shutdown to perform these surveillances.
T:.erefore, the 3.25 limitation on extending surycillances has not been a practical limit on the use Q40 boy 3292033, p
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2 of the 25-percent allowhnce for extending surveillances that are perforined on a refueling outage basis.
Extending surveillance intervals during plant operation can also result in a benefit to safety when a scheduled surveillance is cue at a tine that is not suitable for conducting the surve111ance. This may occur when transient plant operating conditions exist or when safety systerns are out of service f or maintenance or other surveillance activities.
In such cases, the benefit to safety of extending a surveillance interv61 would exceed any safety benefit derived by limiting the use of the 25-percent allowance to extend a surveillance.
Furthermore, there is the acministrative burden associated with tracking the use of the 25-percent allowance to ensure complier.ce with the 3.25 limit.
In view of these considerations, the staff concluded that Specification 4.0.2 should be changed to remove the 3.25 limit for all surveillances because its removal will have an overall positive effect on safety. This conclusion is consistent with the guidance provided in Generic letter 69-14 In addition, the Bases of this specification were upd6ted to reflect this change and noted that it it, not the intent of the allowance for extending surveillance intervals that it be used repeatedly merely as an operational convenience _to extend surveillance intervals beyond that specified.
3.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Comission's regulations, the State of Alabama official Wds notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. The Stato official had no colnments.
4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendnents change a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility corponent located within th. restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes Surveillance Requirer:ents. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve 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 Comission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public corsnent on such finding (57 FR 2600 cite). Accordingly, the amendments meet 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 environrental assessinent need be prepared in connection with tho' issuance of the amendments.
5.0 CONCLUSION
The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:
(1) there is reason 6ble assurance ther the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such
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3 actwities will be conducte.; in cornoliance with the Corrnission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the araendnents will not be inimical to the coninon defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor: Thonas G. Dunning I;dt 16 L. Bristow Date: fla..h 31, 1992
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t AMEN 0HENT NO. 9310 FACILITY OPERATittG LICENSE NO. NPF FARLEY, UNIT 1 AMENDMENT NO. 86 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF FARLEY, UNIT 2 Docket File f.'RC PDR Local PDR PDil-1 Reading
- 5. Varga (14E4)
E. Adensam P. Anderson i
S.Hoffman(2)
K. Bristow H. Silver OGC D. Hagan (MNBB 3302)
E. Jordan (MNBB3302)
G. Hill (8) (P1-37)
Handa Jones (P-130A)
C. Grimes (1103)
ACRS (10)g (11E22)
T. Dunnin GPA/PA OC/LFMB L. Reyes, Ri!
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