ML20134F971

Forwards RAI Re Wide Range Neutron Monitor TS for Plant, Units 2 & 3,after Reviewing 960702 Submittal

ML20134F971
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	10/31/1996
From:	James Shea NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Hunger G PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
References
TAC-M91330, TAC-M91331, NUDOCS 9611080218
Download: ML20134F971 (5)

Text

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'f NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20585-0001 49 4 . , , , ,o October 31, 1996 Mr. George A. Hunger, Jr.

Director-Licensing, MC 62A-1 PECO Energy Company Nuclear Group Headquarters Correspondence Control Desk P.O. Box No. 195 Wayne, PA 19087-0195

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI) RELATED TO WIDE RANGE NEUTRON MONITOR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION, PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION (PBAPS), UNITS 2 AND 3 (TAC NOS. M91330 AND M91331)

Dear Mr. Hunger:

By letter dated January 17, 1995, PECO Energy Company submitted License Change Request (LCR) 93-18 requesting changes to Appendix A of the PBAPS, Units 2 and 3, Facility Operating Licenses. The proposed changes were submitted to support PBAPS Modification P00271, which would replace the Source Range and Intermediate Range Neutron Monitors with the new Wide Range Neutron Monitoring System (WRNMS).

On June 9, 1995, the staff issued a safety evaluation regarding the proposed WRNMS design. The staff found the proposed installation of the WRNMS acceptable. However, the staff deferred its review of the proposed WRNMS Technical Specifications (TSs) pending completion of the then ongoing review of PECO Energy Company's proposal to convert to Improved Technical Specifications (ITS).

On April 4, 1996, the staff issued an RAI regarding proposed TSs for the WRNMS. You provided a response on July 2, 1996. The staff has reviewed your July 2,1996 submittal and finds that it needs some additional information to complete its review. The staff's RAI is enclosed.

You are requested to reply to this RAI in a timely manner, consistent with the review schedule requested in your January 17, 1995 application.

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If you have any questions on the WRNMS review, please do not hesitate to contact me at (301) 415-1428.

Sincerely, l

/s/

Joseph W. Shea,. Project Manager Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-277/50-278

Enclosure:

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G. Hunger, Jr. If you have any questions on the WRNMS review, please do not hesitate to contact me at (301) 415-1428.  ;

Sin erely,

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Jos@J 'l Shea, Project Manager h W.

Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-277/50-278

Enclosure:

RAI cc w/ encl: See next page

Mr. George A. Hunger, Jr. Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, PECO Energy Company Units 2 and 3 l

cc:

J. W. Durham, Sr., Esquire Mr. Rich R. Janati, Chief Sr. V.P. & General Counsel Division of Nuclear Safety PECO Energy Company Pennsylvania Department of 2301 Market Street, S26-1 Environmental Resources Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 P. O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8469 PECO Energy Company ATTN: Mr. T. N. Mitchell, Vice President Board of Supervisors l Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Peach Bottom Township j 1848 Lay Road R. D. #1 '

Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 PECO Energy Company Public Service Commission of Maryland ATTN: Regulatory Engineer, A4-SS Engineering Division Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Chief Engineer

Route 1, Box 208 6 St. Paul Centre l Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 Baltimore, MD 21202-6806 Resident Inspector Mr. Richard McLean U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Power Plant and Environmental Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Review Division P.O. Box 399 Department of Natural Resources Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 B-3, Tawes State Office Building Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Dr. Judith Johnsrud 475 Allendale Road National Energy Committee j l

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Sierra Club '

433 Orlando Avenue Mr. Roland Fletcher State College, PA 16803 Department of Environment 201 West Preston Street Bryan W. Gorman, Manager l Baltimore, Maryland 21201 Joint Owners / External Affairs Interface l Public Service Electric and Gas i A. F. Kirby, III Company External Operations - Nuclear P.O. Box 236 i Delmarva Power & Light Company Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038-0236 P.O. Box 231 Wilmington, DE 19899 l

PECO Energy Company G. D. Edwards, Plant Manager Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Route 1, Box 208 Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 W

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RE00EST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION. UNITS 2 AND 3 WIDE RANGE NEUTRON MONITORING SYSTEM (WRNMS)

The staff has reviewed the licensee's submittals dated January 17, 1995 and July 2, 1996, and finds that it requires additional information to be able to complete its evaluation of the proposed changes to the technical specifications (TSs) for PBAPS Units 2 and 3.

1. The licensee has proposed to increase the surveillance interval for the existing SRs 3.3.1.1.11 and 3.3.1.2.7 from 6 to 24 months. The licensee justifies this, in part, by using the WRNMS estimated drift effects for 24 months in the normal, NRC-approved, setpoint methodology when calculating WRNMS setpoints.

Amendments Nos. 179 and 182 to facility Operating License Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56 (PBAPS Units 2 and 3) result in TS surveillance intervals of 24 months being defined as operating cycle or refueling cycle, and allows a 25-percent grace period beyond the 24 months (i.e., 30 months) unless otherwise specified in the TS. In Generic Letter (GL) 91-04,

" Changes in Technical Specification Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-month fuel Cycle," dated April 2,1991, the staff requires that the licensee account for the maximum of 30 months in considerations regarding a 24-month fuel cycle.

Has the licensee used the estimated drift effects for 30 months when calculating the WRNMS setpoints? If not, please account for the maximum 30-month surveillance interval in associated setpoint calculations and revise the proposed TSs if necessary.

2. In the October 19, 1992, application to revise TS instrument surveillance intervals to 24-months, the licensee committed to establish a program for monitoring and assessing the effects of increased calibration intervals on instrument drift. The purpose of this monitoring program is to provide a means to verify the assumptions made in the setpoint methodology with regard to instrument drift. This monitoring also provides a method to determine the adequacy of a surveillance interval. The licensee's drift trending program commits to evaluate a reduction in surveillance interval for any calibration surveillance that fails to prove satisfactory.

! Has the licensee included the above two surveillance requirements in that monitoring program or has the licensee provided other means for monitoring and assessing the effects of the proposed increased calibration intervals?

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