ML20116M811
| ML20116M811 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 08/13/1996 |
| From: | Alexion T NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20116M793 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9608210091 | |
| Download: ML20116M811 (4) | |
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I 7590-01 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMISSION i
HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY 4
CITY PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD OF SAN ANTONIO i
CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY CITY OF AUSTIN. TEXAS DOCKET NOS. 50-498 AND 50-499 SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT. UNITS 1 AND 2 ROTICE OF PARTIAL DENIAL OF AMENDMENTS TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSES AND OPPORTUNITY FOR HEARING The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has denied, in part, a request by Houston Lighting & Power Company, an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80, issued to the licensee for operation of the South Texas Project, Unit Nos. I and 2, located in Matagorda County, Texas. Notice of Consideration of Issuance of this amendment was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER on June 5, 1996 (61 FR 28616).
The purpose of the licensee's amendment request was to revise the Technical Specifications (TSs) to implement 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Option B, by referring to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.163, " Performance-Based Containment Leak-Test Program."
Included in this request was a proposed change regarding the frequency of leakage rate testing the normal containment purge valves and the supplementary containment purge valves (TSs 4.6.1.7.2 and 4.6.1.7.3).
The NRC staff has denied the portion of the proposed change regarding the frequency of leakage rate testing the normal containment purge valves and the 9608210091 960813 P
PDR ADOCK 05000498!
P PDR 6
l l supplementary containment purge valves. These valves use resilient seals.
The licensee proposed to extend the present test intervals of 3 months for the supplementary purge valves and 6 months for the normal purge valves following the guidance of RG 1.163. RG 1.163 recommends testing of containment purge and vent valves at intervals not exceeding 30 months. However, the current j
test intervals are not based on Appendix J considerations and the licensee's l
proposal is therefore outside the scope of the proposed change to Option B.
l The current test intervals are based on the findings of Generic Issue B-20,
" Containment Leakage Due to Seal Degradation," that valves with resilient seals should be tested more frequently than required by Appendix J.
The j
background for this conclusion is discussed in IE Circular 77-11, " Leakage of Containment Isolation Valves With Resilient Seats," issued on September 6, 1977.
After some discussions with the staff, the licensee chose not to pursue this issue further. Since additional information would be required to continue this part of the review (for TSs 4.6.1.7.2 and 4.6.1.7.3), the staff i
denies this part of the proposed change.
The licensee was notified of the Commission's denial of the proposed change by a letter transmitting Awndment Nos. 84 and 71 By September 19, 1994 the licensee may demand a hearing with respect to the denial described above. Any person whose interest may be affected by this proceeding may file a written petition for leave to intervene.
A request for hearing or petition for leave to intervene must be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and Services Branch, or may be
. delivered to the Commission's Public' Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, by the above date. A copy of any petitions should also be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, and to Jack R. Newman, Esq.,
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, 1800 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20036-5869, attorney for the licensee.
For further details with respect to this action, see (1) the application for amendment dated May 1, 1996, and (2) the Commission's letter to the licensee dated August 13, 1996
, issued with Amendment Nos.84 and 71 to NPF-76 and NPF-80.
These documents are available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the Wharton County Junior College, J.M. Hodges Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, TX 77488.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of August,1996.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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e Thomas W. Alexion, Proje t Manager Project Directorate IV-1 Division of Reactor Projects III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation f
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