ML20096G881
| ML20096G881 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Catawba  |
| Issue date: | 01/23/1996 |
| From: | NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20096G871 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9601260129 | |
| Download: ML20096G881 (3) | |
Text
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p ut UNITED STATES p:
j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2
WASHINGTON. D.C. ensas nnni
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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMEMMENT NO.142 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NPF-M AE AMENDMENT NO.136 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NPF-52 DUKE Polder COMPANY. ET AL.
CATAldBA NUCLEAR STATION. UNITS 1 A M 2 DOCKET N05. 50-413 AND 50-414
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated August 17, 1995, Duke Power Company, et al. (the licensee or DPC), submitted a request for changes to the Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, Technical Specifications (TS). The requested changes would revise TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.2.5.2 to delete the requirement to calibrate the reactor coolant system (RCS) flowrate measurement instrumention within 7; days prior to the performance of the flow measurement. Catawba Units 1 and 2 now utilize an RCS flowrate measurement method based on a one-time calibration of the cold leg elbow differential pressure taps as requested in the licensee's January 10, 1994, application and as approved in License Amendments 128 and 122 for Units 1 and 2, respectively. The January 10, 1994, application did not include a proposal to delete that portion of SR 4.2.5.2 which specifies that the measurement instrumentation shall be calibrated within 7 days prior to the performance of the flowrate measurement. This portion of the SR is now deleted since it applies only to the precision calorimetric heat balance method of RCS flowrate measurement.
2.0 EVALUATION The requested change itvises SR 4.2.5.2 to delete the second sentence, "The measurement instrumenta*. ion shall be calibrated within 7 days prior to the i
performance of the flow masurement." Amendment Nos. 128 and 122 for Units 1 7
and 2, respectively, issud on February 17, 1995, deleted the modifier
" calorimetric" from the term "... the calorimetric flow measurement." As noted above, these amendments reflected the changeover in the method of determining RCS flowrate for TS 4.2.5 from the prior precision heat balance method to a method based on use of the RCS cold leg elbow differential pressure taps. The elbow tap indication was and continues to be used to on low RCS flow. The TS requirements for its use provide reactor trip (RTS)d in TS Table 2.2-1, RTS Instrumentation Trip in this manner are include i
Setpoints, Table 3.3-1, RTS Instrumentation, and Table 3.3-2, RTS Instrumentation Response Times. The SRs, including channel check and calibration and analog channel operational test, are included in TS Table 4.3-1, RTS Instrumentation Surveillance Requirements.
9601260129 960123 PDR ADOCK 05000413 P
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The licensee states that the only instrumentation being calibrated pursuant to the subject requirement, while perfoming the calorimetric flow measurement, is the data logger for RCS temperatures. This instrumentation is no longer used with the cold leg elbow tap measurement method. As noted above, the RCS loop flowrate transmitters (the cold leg elbow tap differential pressure transmitters) calibration requirements are already included in TS 4.3.1.1 (Table 4.3-1), wherein they are required to be calibrated at refueling outages. The licensee therefore concludes that the subject requiremant was never intended to apply to the RCS flowrate transmitters and should have been proposed for deletion in the licensee's application in support of Amendments 128 and 122 for Units 1 and 2, respectively.
1 The staff has reviewed the licensee's submittal and agrees with their conclusion that the subject requirements applied only to the prior method of determining RCS flowrate and not to the currently approved method based on use of the RCS cold leg elbow tap differential pressures. Therefore, the proposed TS change to delete the subject statement, "The measurement instrumentation shall be calibrated within 7 days prior to the performance of the flow measurement" is acceptable.
The staff also notes that deletion of the subject statement is consistent with the " Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Plants," NUREG-1431 (SR3.4.1.4).
3.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the South Carolina State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments.
The State official had no comments.
4.0 ENVIRDl#1 ENTAL CONSIDERATION The amendments change surveillance requirements. 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 Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has betn no public comment on such finding (60 FR 65676 dated December 20,1995). Accordingly, the amendments meet the i
eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR j
51.22(c)(9).
Pursuant to 10 r/R 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment reed be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendments.
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 amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Ccatributor: R. Martin Date: January 23, 1996
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