ML20137W426
| ML20137W426 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Arkansas Nuclear  |
| Issue date: | 04/16/1997 |
| From: | NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20137W420 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9704180101 | |
| Download: ML20137W426 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 2006MMioi
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j SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO.181 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-6 ENTERGY OPERATIONS. INC.
ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE. UNIT NO. 2 DOCKET NO. 50-368
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By [[letter::05000313/LER-1996-010-02, :on 961119,failed to Test Reactor Protection Sys (RPS) High Temp Trip Function.Caused by Inadequate Procedure Rev.Declared RPS Inoperable,Revised RPS Test Procedures & Tested All Four Channels|letter dated December 19, 1996]], Entorgy Operations, Inc. (the licenseg submitted a request for changes to the Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 (ANO-2)
Technical Specifications (TSs). The requested changes would delete the specific value for the total reactor coolant system (RCS) volume from the Design Features section in the TSs, Section 5.4.2.
The RCS volume information is also currently contained in the ANO-2 Safety Analysis Report (SAR) and would continue to be subject to 10 CFR 50.59, " Changes, tests, and experiments." Further, the proposed change to the technical specifications is consistent with NUREG-1432,-Revision 1, improved " Standard Technical Specifications for Combustion Engineering Plants" in that the improved standard technical specifications (ISTS) do not contain a value for RCS volume in the new, design features section.
2.0 EVALUATION Section 182a of the Atomic Energy Act (the 'Act") requires applicants for nuclear power plant operating licenses to include TSs as part of the license.
The Commission's regulatory requirements related to the content of TSs are set forth in 10 CFR 50.36. That regulation requires that the TSs include items in five specific categories, including (1) safety limits, limiting safety system settings and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation; (3) surveillance requirements; (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls.
However, the regulation does not specify the particular requirements to be included in a plant's TSs.
-The Commission has provided guidance for the contents of TSs in its " Final Policy Statement on Technical Specifications Improvements for Nuclear Power Reactors" (" Final Policy Statement"), 58 FR 39132 (July 22,1993), in which the Commission indicated that compliance with the Final Policy Statement satisfies Section 182a of the Act.
In particular, the Commission indicated that certain items could be relocated from the TSs to licensee-controlled documents, consistent with the standard enunciated in Portland General 9704180101 970416 PDR ADOCK 05000368 p
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Electric Co. (Trojan Nuclear Plant), ALAB-531, 9 NRC 263, 273 (1979).
In that
. case, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board indicated that " technical specifications are to be reserved for those matters as to which the imposition of rigid conditions or limitations upon reactor operation is deemed necessary to obviate the possibility of an abnormal situation or event giving rise to an i
j immediate threat to the public health and safety."
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The four criteria defined by 10 CFR 50.36 for determining whether particular limiting conditions for operation are required to be included in the TSs, are 1
1 as follows:
(1) installed instrumentation that is used to detect, and j.
indicate in the control room, a significant abnormal degradation of the reactor coolant pressure boundary; (2) a process variable, design feature, or operating restriction that is an initial condition of a design basis accident 4
i or transient analysis that either assumes the failure of or presents a i
challenge to the integrity of a fission product barrier; (3) a structure, l
system, or component that is part of the primary tuccess path and which functions or actuates to mitigate a design basis accident or transient that t
either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of a fission product barrier; (4) a structure, system, or component which operating experience or probabilistic safety assessment has shown to be significant to public health and safety.
I While the content of the TSs design features and administrative controls are j
specified in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(4) and 10 CFR 50.36(c)(5), respectively, particular details of the design features and administrative controls may be l
relocated to licensee-controlled documents where 10 CFR 50.59 or comparable regulatory controls exist. With respect to design features, 10 CFR 50.36(c)(4) requires that design features to be included in TSs are those 9
features of the facility such as materials of constructior, and geometric 1
arrangements, which, if altered or modified, would have a significant effect 4
on safety and are not covered as TS safety limits, limiting safety system l
settings, limiting conditions for operation, or surveillance requirements, j
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The current. Design Features, Section 5.4.2 lists the total water and steam i
volume of the reactor coolant system as 10,295 i 400 cubic feet at a nominal T avg of 545 degrees fahrenheit.
For facilities licensed during the time of the i
ANO-2 license, the RCS volume was thought to be significant and controlling i
and therefore, was included in the TSs. While the value is significant, it is i
an input parameter to the accident analyses for ANO-2 and it is these analyses and their results which are controlling. Therefore, including the volume l
value in the design features section has little additional safety benefit.
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The licensee is changing the facility RCS because of the need to plug leaking i-or faulted steam generator tubes. The RCS volume value in the ANO-2 TSs minus the uncertainties allows for approximately 13% average length steam generator tubes plugged.
If the steam generator tv5e plugging exceeds 13%, ANO would fall outside of the design value requirewts although the acceptable accident l
analysis may include provision for a greater cumber of tubes plugged.
i Therefore, in order to accommodate greater th u 13% steam generator tube i
plugging, a change in the TS RCS volume would be needed.
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1
i For operating licenses issued subsequently to ANO-2, RCS volume figures were relegated to the SAR.
In the case of the ANO-2 SAR, RCS volume information 4
appears in SAR Tables 5.1-1, 5.1-2, 5.5-2, 5.5-6, and 6.2-8.
Any plant conditions that could cause the RCS volume to fall outside of the design values as described in the SAR, would require evaluation of the proposed change to facility in accordance with 10 CFR 50.59 provisions.
The accident analyses are also detailed in the SAR and are subject to 10 CFR 50.59 provisions.
If any change involves an unreviewed safety question, the licensee must submit an application in accordance with 10 CFR 50.90 and obtain prior NRC approval for the change.
i Therefore, on the basis that the RCS volume is not specifically required to be included in TSs pursuant to 10 CFR 50.36(c) and any change to the SAR would be subject to 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation, the proposed change to remove the RCS j
volume from the Design Features section of the TSs is acceptable.
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3.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Comission's regulations, the Arkansas State official i
was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment.
The State official had no comments.
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4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
f The amendment deletes a reference to the reactor coolant system volume in the i
Design Features of the TSs. The NRC staff determined that the amendment does not increase the amounts or changes the types of any offsite effluent, and i
that there is no increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission previously issued a proposed finding that the j
amendment involved no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no i
public comment on such finding (62 FR 4348). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9).
P.irsuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.
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5.0 CONCLUSION
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The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, i
l that:
(1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor:
G. Kalman -
Date:
April 16, 1997
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