ML20133A678
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March 7, 1984 Docket No. 50-416 MEMORANDUM FOR:
W. V. ilohnston, Assistant Director for Materials, Chemical & Environmental Technology, DE J. P. Knight, Assistant Director for Components & Structures Engineering, DE D. Muller, Assistant Director for Radiation Protection, DSI R. W. Houston, Assistant Director Reactor Safety, DSI L. S. Rubenstein, Assistant Director for Core and Plant Systems, DSI W. Russell, Deputy Director, DHFS FRDM:
Thomas M. Novak, Assistant Director for Licensing Division of Licensing
SUBJECT:
REVIEW OF PROPOSEn CHANGES TO THE GRAND GULF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS The licensee has submitted proposed changes to its Technical Specifications which have not yet been reviewed by the staff. These proposed changes were submitted by letters dated August 9, September 9, Octnber 7,1983, and January 18 and February 27, 1984 I am placing a high priority on getting these proposed changes reviewed.
L. L. Kintner has been assigned pro,iect manager responsibility for matters concerning Grand Gulf Technical Specifications.
In the next few days, he will be contacting appropriate branches to reach agreement on scope and schedule for preparing SE input on those proposed changes which need technical review.
He will also provide the reviewers with TAC numbers as appropriate.
I have targeted March 12 as the date for a firm schedule for completion of review of these proposed changes, including assignment of reviewers.
Please provide assistance to L. Kintner as needed to prepare the schedule.
/S/
Thomas M. Novak, Assistant Director for Licensina Division of Licensing cc:
D. G. Eisenhut DISTRIBUTION:
R. H. Vollmer Docket No. 50 416 R. Mattson LR #4 r/f f1Duncan H. Thompson N
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N-plant's manual reviewed by panel
- 11) LYNN CUNNINGilAM Power & Light Co, New Orleans Pub.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commis. lic Service Inc. and Mississippi Power sion, concerned about numerous dis. & l.ight Co., all subsidiaries of Middle crepancies between the Grand Gulf I South Utilities Inc.
nuclear plant's operating manual and MP&L is building the plant the way the p', ant is built, has begun a Another Middle South compan,.y,-
top-to-bottom review of the lengthy Arkansas Power & Light Co., may bet, and complex document.
required by federal officials to p b
The manual is a 500.page list of pale in the plant's cost and energ, ens 4 specifications that define the proper tribution.
way to operate and monitor the elec-j trical generating plant's intricate Grand Gulf 1 is awaiting the NRC's '
safety equipment.
final review of its application for com' The commission's fault finding could mercial startup. The commission result in another delay of Grand Gulf decides whether nuclear plants are,
'j I's commercial operation, since thou-safe and furnishes utility companies sands of parts are involved, according general guidelines on building them.
to an NRC spokesman.
Neither NRC officials nor a spokes '
The $3 billion nuclear plant, near man for MP&L could define specific.
Port Gibson, Miss., is scheduled to problems concerning the Grand Gulf 17 begin operations in the third quarter of operating manual.
t 1980 The dectricity it generates is to "At this point, we don't know exactly l, be shared by customers of Louisiana e
Turn to next pagel Watchdog commission reviews X-plant manual Continued from Page 15 The manual and Grand Gulf's opera-what we need to do to satisfy them,'
tional testing were reviewed last week equipment during testing.
Mississippi Power & Light said MP&L spokesman Jim Moore. "I by the NRC's Atlanta office, whose Mississippi Power & Light resolved announced Tuesday that it expec can't say if it (the review) will or won't findings were introduced at a routine the problems nearly a yearlater.
have a delay impact.a commission meeting Tuesday in Wash-
- The NRC had been lead to believe resume construction in July of Grand Gulf 2, the site's second generating Ilowever, Dean Houston, the NRC ington.
that changes were made during that unit, which is 33 percent completed engineer overseeing Grand Gulf I's N
period,"said flouston.
construction, estimated that Missis.
, RC spokesman Rick Hasselberg sippi Power & Light will need at least said the reviewers ' checked the appro-
,,Now we find out that there are vi usfy sa
..ptfo three months to respond to the com. Priateness of the technical specifica-additional problems, and the NRC is t t the res o
mission's report af ter it is issued tions, and found problems in certam backing off and taking a harder look," Grand Guli 2's March 9.
areas, some things that need correct-he said.
begin until Grand Gulf I is oP ratin8 iDE "
, comsgercially, g Also, Houston said, nuclear plants in 1982, the NRC found similar dif-begin operating about six months after ferences between guidelines and opera-the NRC issues its necessary full. tions at Grand Gulf, specifically in the powerlicenses.
way employees monitored safety i
D Mississippi Power not sures a
a u review will d la}v sta tu e
E
-r n
o9 NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Officials of kn Mississippi Power & Light Co. say they Thursday that the reviewers " checked the.
H don't yet know whether a Nuclear U
appropriateness of the technic {ll
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Regulatory Commission review of the specifications and found problems fg operating manual for the Grand Gulf I certain areas, some things. that need nuclear plant will delay the plant's correcting."
startup.
in 1982, the com,nission found similar o
"At this point, we don't know exactly differences between guidelines and 4
what we need to do to satisfy them,"said
[
operations at Grand Gulf MP&L spokesman Jim Moore. "I can't say the way employees mon,specificallyin 1,
equipment during testing. ' itored safety if it (the review) will or won't have a delay
-(
impact."
Mississippi Power & Light resolved the The commission is concerned about problems nearly a yearlater.
numerous discrepancies between the Port "The NRC had been led to believe that y
Gibson. Miss.. plant's operating manual changes were made during that period,"
and the way the plant is built, said Houston. "Now we find out that there So. the commission has begun a thorough
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backing off and taking a harder look."are addition review of the 500-page list of I2 specifications that define the proper way Mississippi Power & Light has to operate and monitor the electrical announced that it expects to resume-generating equipment. plant's intricate safety construction in July of Grand Gulf 2, the An NRCspokesmsn, Dean Houston,also site's second generating unit, which is 33 percent comp!eted.
said Thursday that the commission's fault.
finding could result.n another delay ofHowever, company officials previously Grand Gulf l's commercial operation,said that the resumption of Grand Gulf 2's since thousands of parts are mvolved.
construction will not begin until Grand The $3 billion nuclear plant is scheduled Guli1is operating commercially.
to begin operations in the third quarter of
~
1980 The electricity it generates is to be shared by customers of Louisiana Power &
Ligut Co., New Orleans Public Service Inc.
and Mississippi Pour & Light Co., all subsidiaries of Middle South Utilities Inc.
MP&L is building the plant.
Another Middle South Arkansas Power & Light Co., r ay be
- company, intheplant's ostandenergydistribution. required by federal officials to partic i
h Grand Gulf 1 is a waiting the NRC's final I U i
review of its application for commercial t
startup.
The commission decides whether nuclear plants are safe and furnishes utility companies with general guidelines on building them.
Neither NRC officials nor Moore could define specific problems concerning the Grand Guli1 operating manual.
However, Houston, the NRC engineer overseeing Grand Gull l's construction, estimated that Mississippi Power & Light will need at least three months to respcnd to the commissicn's reret Wer it is issued
' N. ch 9 Also Houston said, nucient plants begin operating about six months atter the NRC issues its necessary full-power licenses.
The manual and Grand Gulf's g
operational testing were reviewed last
' week by the NRC's Atlanta office, whose lcommissionfindings were introduced at a routine -
meeting Tuesday -inl m
N
, NRCspokesman Rick Hasselberg said
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