ML20136D572

Informs That Proposed Change to Bases Would Add Option to Test Snubbers on-line Rather than Just During Each Refueling Shutdown

ML20136D572
Person / Time
Site:	Arkansas Nuclear
Issue date:	03/07/1997
From:	Kalman G NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Hutchinson C ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.
References
TAC-M97535, NUDOCS 9703120406
Download: ML20136D572 (3)

Text

_ . . _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ __ __, ,- _ _ _ _ _ . _ . - _ . _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ _ _ .

' ' N i Mr. C. Randy Hutchinson 4 Vice President, Operations AN0 March 7, 1997 j Entergy Operations, Inc. '

1448 S. R. 333 '

.Russellville, AR 72801

SUBJECT:

PROPOSED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION BASES CHANGE RELATED TO SHOCK g SUPPRESSOR TESTING REQUIREMENTS (TAC NO. M97535)

Dear Mr. Hutchinson:

I By letters dated December 23, 1996, and February 11, 1997, Entergy Operations, Inc. proposed changes.to the Bases section of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit-2 l (ANC-2) Technical Specification (TS) 3/4.7.8. This specification describes

requirements for. shock suppressors (snubbers). The proposed change to the Bases would add the option to test snubbers on-line rather than just during each refueling shutdown. The concept of on-line testing of snubbers may be acceptable. However, your existing TSs are developed around snubber testing j, during refueling shutdowns. A bases change is not an appropriate means to 4 change the existing snubber testing program that. is described in considerable l detail'under the surveillance-requirements section of the TSs.

1 j The TS surveillance-requirements section states that snubbers will be tested i each " refueling shutdown" using a prescribed sampling plan. Your proposed i bases change to test snubbers on-line appears to stretch the meaning of

" refueling shutdown" beyond reasonable bounds. Aside from the wording  !

! conflict, it is clear that the random selection criteria and the sample l

! expansion requirements as described in the TSs were developed for a plant that '

i is shutdown. If snubbers are tested on-line, issues such as accessibility to the randomly selected test samples and timeliness of sample expansion requirements are not adequately addressed by the TSs.

1 ,

Based on the above, we will not issue the proposed Bases change. If you i

choose to pursue this matter, a TS amendment would be the appropriate J i mechanism to achieve your goal for testing snubbers on-line.

! Sincerely,

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY

George Kalman, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate IV-1 l

gg( h N Division of Reactor Projects III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i

Docket No. 50-368 i

i cc: See next page

)ISTRIBUTION:

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~ ~ ~ ~7 PUBLIC A. Howell, RIV J. Roe- C. Hawes G. Kalman 0GC ACRS i

E. Adensam (EGAl) W. Beckner Document Name: AR297535.LTR 0FC PM/PD4-1 LA/PD4-1 D/PD4-1_ 6 NAME GKallInn4yw CHawes~(/td 'WBecker

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DATE 1-/)/97 8/1/97 b/1/97 COPY YES/N0 YES/N0 YES/N0

-0FFILIAL RECORD COPY

! 7 9703120406 970307 PDR ADOCK 05000368 P PDR i

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

! , s, gn utoq g *, UNITED STATES

< A NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION E WASHINGTON, D.C. 30666-0001

,  % ,. . . . . ,o

March 7, 1997

Mr. C. Randy Hutchinson i

Vice President, Operations ANO Entergy Operations, Inc.

i 1448 S. R. 333

Russellville, AR 72801

SUBJECT:

PROPOSED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION BASES CHANGE RELATED TO SH0CK

! SUPPRESSOR TESTING REQUIREMENTS (TAC NO. M97535) 3 i

Dear Mr. Hutchinson:

l By letters dated December 23, 1996, and February 11, 1997, Entergy Operations, j Inc. proposed changes to the Bases section of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit-2 (ANO-2) Technical Specification i requirements for shock suppressor(TS) 3/4.7.8.

s (snubbers). TheThis proposed specification change describes to the ,

l Bases would add the option to test snubbers on-line rather than just during

. each refueling shutdown. The concept of on-line testing of snubbers may be

{ acceptable. However, your existing TSs are developed around snubber testing 4

during refueling shutdowns. A bases change is not an appropriate means to j change the existing snubber testing program that is described in considerable detail under the surveillance-requirements section of the TSs.

The TS surveillance-requirements section states that snubbers will be tested j each " refueling shutdown" using a prescribed sampling plan. Your proposed i j

bases change to test snubbers on-line appears to stretch the meaning of

" refueling shutdown" beyond reasonable bounds. Aside from the wording conflict, it is clear that the random selection criteria and the sample i expansion requirements as described in the TSs were developed for a plant that

, is shutdown. If snubbers are tested on-line, issues such as accessibility to i the randomly selected test samples and timeliness of sample expansion l requirements are not adequately addressed by the TSs.

Based on the above, we will not issue the proposed Bases change. If you

! choose to pursue this matter, a TS amendment would be the appropriate mechanism to achieve your goal for testing snubbers on-line, i

Sincerely, I

yk^-

George Kalman, Senior Project Manager

/A ~

Project Directorate IV-1 d

Division of Reactor Projects III/IV i Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-368 i cc: See next page

Mr. C. Randy Hutchinson Entergy Operations, Inc. Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 cc:

1 Executive Vice President Vice President, Operations Support

& Chief Operating Officer Entergy Operations, Inc.

Entergy Operations, Inc. P. O. Box 31995 P. O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Jackson, MS 39286-199 Wise, Carter, Child & Caraway Director, Division of Radiation P. O. Box 651 Control and Emergency Management Jackson, MS 39205 Arkansas Department of Health 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 30 Little Rock, AR 72205-3867 Winston & Strawn 1400 L Street,-N.W.

Washington, DC 20005-3502 Manager, Rockville Nuclear Licensing Framatone Technologies 1700 Rockville Pike, Suite 525 Rockville, MD 20852 Senior Resident Inspector '

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission P. O. Box 310 London, AR 72847 Regional Administrator, Region IV l U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 ,

Arlington, TX 76011-8064 County Judge of Pope County Pope County Courthouse Russellville, AR 72801