ML20134M808

Responds to Requesting Written Interpretation of TS 3.0.2 for Unit 2.NRC Encourages Licensees to Request Amends to Convert Improved STS to Ensure Common Understanding of TS Requirements

ML20134M808
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	11/21/1996
From:	Bajwa S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Sylvia R NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP.
References
TAC-M96908, NUDOCS 9611260047
Download: ML20134M808 (7)

Text

^^ ~~ ~ ^ - - -

. yx i

p k UNITED STATES

~

g jf NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20066-0001 o

November 21, 1996

%,*****f Mr. B. Ralph Sylvia Executive Vice President Generation Business Group ,

4 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d

_ Nuclear Learning Center 450 Lake Road Oswego, NY 13126

SUBJECT:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3.0.2, NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR-STATION,

UNIT 2 (TAC NO. M96908)

Dear Mr. Sylvia:

By letter dated October 21, 1996, you requested a written interpretation of

Technical Specification (TS) 3.0.2 for Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, i

Unit 2. Specifically, you express concern that TS 3.0.2 could be interpreted in a manner inconsistent with your present practice regarding the return of safety systems and components to operable status.

You' note that TSs for a number of safety-related components require that they be placed in a tripped condition if inoperable. In order to implement surveillance requirements after repair or replacement of an inoperable component, it is your practice to restore the component to its untripped condition (or condition required by the Action Statements) and then test it to confirm or establish operability. You are concerned for an interpretation that would prevent the repaired or replaced component from being restored from its tripped condition without first confirming or establishing that the component is operable.

It is not the intent of TS 3.0.2 to preclude the return to service of a component that has been replaced or repaired when it can reasonably be considered operable except for the completion of surveillance testing to confirm its operability. The NRC staff has addressed this existing ambiguity in TS 3.0.2 by adding TS 3.0.5 to the Standard Technical Specifications (STS) l for BWR/4, Revision 1. TS 3.0.5 states, in relevant part: " Equipment removed l from service or declared inoperable to comply with ACTIONS may be returned to l service under administrative control solely to perform testing required to demonstrate its OPERABILITY or the OPERABILITY of other equipment...." In addition to providing this clarification, the Bases for TS 3.0.5 also notes that the administrative controls are to ensure that the time during which the component is under manual control of the operator before operability is demonstrated is to be limited to the minimum time necessary to perform the allowed surveillance (i.e., this is not to include time for other preventive or corrective maintenance). We trust this is also your present practice.

I en g # ama \

t a na n 9611260047 961121 PDR ADOCK 05000410 p PM h i

. _. __ _ ._ . _. . .._ _ ~~ . - - - _ . - - _ - - . . - - - - . - . - - - - - -

4 y .

1 B.' Sylvia - November 21, 1996 Consistent with our discussions with Industry leading to TS 3.0.5 and other improvements, the NRC encourages licensees to request amendments to convert to

, the improved Standard Technical Specifications. This action will help to ensure that licensees and the NRC have a common understanding of the TS '

- requirements. In this respect, we recognize your intent to, apply in March 3 1997 to convert Unit 2 accordingly.

4 This letter completes-our efforts under TAC' No. M96908 which is now closed.

S'incerely, .-

i

/S/.

l S. Singh Bajwa, Acting Director 1 Project Directorate I-1 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II  ;

Office of Nuclear Reactor-Regulation .l Docket No. 50-410 cc: See next page l

1 l

DISTRIBUTION:

See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\NMP2\TSINTERP;LTR

-To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" - Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" - No copy 0FFICE PM POI-1 lE LA:PO! 1.% I J l OGC l DIPDI 1 //fl l TSS Q (, - {"1l l NAME DMood/rst h (N SLittleAV b F YL 4/\ ( O SBajwa /D D'A CGrimes M. ,

O F CE l mAME sfe w aziwr n DATE 11 6 / % 11/t/ /h 11/ /96 11/ /% 11/ /% _

d Official Record Copy

B. Sylvia Consistent with our discussions with Industry leading to TS 3.0.5 and other improvements, the NRC encourages licensees to request amendments to convert to the improved Standard Technical Specifications. This action will help to ensure that licensees and the NRC have a common understanding of the TS requirements. In this respect, we recognize your intent to apply in March 1997 to convert Unit 2 accordingly.

This letter completes our efforts under TAC No. M96908 which is now closed.

Sincerely, j hA S. Singh Bajwa, Acting Director Project Directorate I-1 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-410 cc: See next page l

l l

l l

l

.o

I.'

1 i B. Ralph Sylvia Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station j

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Unit 2

cc:

l Mr. Richard B. Abbott Charles Donaldson, Esquire l Vice President and General Manager - Assistant Attorney General Nuclear New York Department of Law

! Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation 120 Broadway l Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station New York, NY 10271

, P.O. Box 63 i Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. Richard M. Kessel f

Chair and Executive Director

Mr. Martin J. McCormick, Jr. State Consumer Protection Board i Vice President 99 Washington Avenue

i. Nuclear Safety Assessment Albany, NY 12210 i and Support i Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Mark J. Wetterhahn, Esquire i

~

Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Winston & Strawn P.O. Box 63 1400 L Street, NW.

i Lycoming, NY 13093 Washington, DC 20005-3502 >

4 j Ms. Denise J. Wolniak Gary D. Wilson, Esquire i Manager Licensing Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation i Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation 300 Erie Boulevard West Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Syracuse, NY 13202 P.O. Box 63 Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. F. William Valentino, President l New York State Energy, Research, '

Mr. Kim A. Dahlberg and Development Authority l General Manager - Projects Corporate Plaza West Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation 286 Washington Avenue Extension ,

Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Albany, NY 12203-6399 l P.O. Box 63  :

Lycoming, NY 13093 Supervisor l Town of Scriba Mr. John T. Conway Route 8, Box 382 Plant Manager, Unit 2 Oswego, NY 13126 ,

Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station '

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Mr. Richard Goldsmith P.O. Box 63 Syracuse University Lycoming, NY 13093 College of Law E. I. White Hall Campus '

Regional Administrator, Region I Syracuse, NY 12223 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Mr. John V. Vinquist, MATS Inc.

King of Prussia, PA 19406 P.O. Box 63 Lycoming, NY 13093 Resident Inspector l Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station 4 P.O. Box 126 Lycoming, NY 13093

! B. Ralph Sylvia Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Unit 2 i

cc: ,

i Mr. Jim Rettberg l New York State Electric & Gas Corporation '

Corporate Drive

! Kirkwood Industrial Park P.O. Box 5224 Binghamton, NY- 13902-5224 l 1 l l

l i

l l

1 l l

l l

7

~.

r.

DISTRIBUTION:

Docket File PUBLIC PDI-1 Reading -

FMiraglia RZimmerman SVarga JZwolinski i l SBajwa Slittle DHood 1 OGC l ACRS I W. Dean, 017G-21 l C. Cowgill, Region I l P. Costes, 013H15.(TSB Background Books)  !

H. Killer, Region I i

. S. Ebneter, Region II

, A. B. Beach, Region III L. -J. Callan, Region IV

\

1 i

i l

l l

l l

I

.._