ML20100Q449

Safety Evaluation Supporting Amends 110 & 109 to Licenses DPR-80 & DPR-82,respectively

ML20100Q449
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	03/01/1996
From:	NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
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ML20100Q448	List: ML20100Q449
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NUDOCS 9603110644
Download: ML20100Q449 (3)

Text

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y NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20566 0001

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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 110 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-80 AND AMENDMENT NO. 109 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-82 PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-275 AND 50-323

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated December 27, 1995, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (or the licensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (Appendix A to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-80 and DPR-82) for the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2.

The proposed changes would revise the Technical Specifications to reflect the approval for the licensee to use 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B for the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 containment leakage rate test program.

2.0 MCKGROUND Compliance with 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J provides assurance that the primary containment, including those systems and components which penetrate the primary containment, do not exceed the allowable leakage rate values specified in the Technical Specifications and Bases. The allowable leakage rate is determined so that the leakage assumed in the safety analyses is not exceeded.

On February 4,1992, the NRC published a notice in the Federal Reaister (57 FR 4166) discussing a planned initiative to begin eliminating requirements marginal to safety which impose a significant regulatory burden. Appendix J,

" Primary Containment Leakage Testing for Water-Cooled Power Reactors" to 10 CFR Part 50, was considered for this initiative and the staff undertook a study of possible changes to this regulation. The study examined the previous perfomance history of domestic containments and examined the effect on risk of a revision to the requirements of Appendix J.

The results.of this study are reported in NUREG-1493, " Performance-Based Leak-Test Program".

Based on the results of this study, the staff developed a performance based approach to containment leakage rate testing. On September 12, 1995, the NRC approved issuance of this revision to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, which was subsequently published in the Federal Beaister on September 26,-1995, and became effective on October 26, 1995. The revision added Option B j

" Performance-Based Requirements" to Appendix J to allow licensees to voluntarily replace the prescriptive testing requirements of Appendix J with testing requirements based on both overall and individual component leakage rate performance.

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' Regulatory Guide 1.163, " Performance-Based Containment Leak Test Program," was developed.as a method acceptable to the staff for implementing Option B.

This Regulatory Guide states that the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) document NEI 94-01, " Industry Guideline for Implementing Performance-Based Option of-10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J" provides methods acceptable to the staff for complying with Option B with four exceptions, which are described therein.

Option B requires that Regulatory Guide 1.163 or another implementation document used by a licensee to develop a performance based leakage rate i

testing program must be included, by general reference, in the plant technical specifications. The licensee has referenced Regulatory Guide 1.163 in the Diablo Canyon combined technical specifications.

Regulatory Guide 1.163 specifies an extension in Type A test frequency to at least one test in 10 years based upon two consecutive successful tests.

Type B tests may be extended up to a maximum of 10 years based upon completion of two coasecutive successful tests and Type C tests may be extended up to 5 years based on two consecutive successful tests.

By letter dated October 20, 1995, NEI proposed technical specifications for implementing Option B.

After some discussion, the staff and NEI agreed on a set of model technical specifications which were transmitted to NEI in =

letter datcd November 2,1995. These technical specifications are to serve as a model for licensees to develop plant specific technical specifications in preparing amendment requests to implement Option B.

For a licensee to determine the performance of each component factors that are indicative of or affect performance such as an administrative leakage limit must be established. The administrative limit is selected to be indicative of the potential onset of component degradation. Although these limits are subject to NRC inspection to enstre that they are selected in a reasonable manner, they are not technical specifications requirements.

Failure to meet an administrative limit requires the licensee to return to the minimum value of the test interval.

Option B requires that the licensee maintain records to show that the criteria j

for Type A, B and C tests have been met.

In addition, the licensee must maintain comparisons of the performance of the overall containment system and the individual components to show that the test intervals are adequate. These records are subject to NRC inspection.

3.0 EVALUATION The licensee's December 27, 1995, letter to the NRC proposes to establish a

" Primary Containment Leakage Rate Program" and proposes to add this program to i

the technical specifications. The program references Regulatory Guide 1.163,

" Performance-Based Containment Leak Test Program" which specifies methods acceptable to the staff for complying with Option B.

This requires a change to existing Technical Specifications. 3.6.1.2, 3.6.1.3, 4.6.1.1, 4.6.1.2, 4.6.1.3, 4.6.1.6.1 and 4.6.3.4 and the addition of the program to section 6.8.4.j of the technical specifications. The changes to the existing TS add a

. references to the, Containment Leak Test Program, delete criteria no longer applicable with option B, and delete specific criteria for surveillance and frequency that are to be controlled by the TS containing the program.

Option B permits a licensee to choose Type A; or Type B and C; or Type A, B and C; testing to be done on a performance basis. The licensee has elected to perform Type A, B and C testing on a performance basis.

The staff finds that the technical specifications changes proposed by the licensee meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B and, are consistent with the model technical specifications included in the staff's NL. ember 2,1995, letter to NEI and are therefore acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the California State official was notified of the preposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

These 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 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 (61 FR 3502). 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.

6.0 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 iritmical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributors: R. Lobel, NRR/DSSA/SCSB J. Pulsipher, NRR/DSSA/SCSB S. Bloom, NRR/DRPW/PD42 Date:

March 1, 1996 O

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