ML20155A249

Application for Amend to License DPR-3,changing Defueled TS 1.6,page 1-2 & 3/4.4,page 3/4-6 to Revise Title of Radioactive Effluent Release Rept from Semiannual to Annual

ML20155A249
Person / Time
Site:	Yankee Rowe
Issue date:	10/15/1998
From:	Desiree Davis YANKEE ATOMIC ELECTRIC CO.
To:	Fairtile M NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned), NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML20155A254	List: ML20155A249 ML20155A256
References
BYR-98-040, BYR-98-40, NUDOCS 9810280232
Download: ML20155A249 (4)

Text

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= e T:lephone(508) 568-2233 YANKEEATOMICELECTRIC COMPANY  ???* L'lE'%m tgA . 580 Main Street, Bolton, Massachusetts 017401398 YANKEE ..

DON K. DAVIS October 15,1998 canum . BYR 98-040 car execume omce" P.C. No. 262

United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Attention: Mr. Morton B. Fairtile Senior Project Manager Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Reference:

(a) License No. DPR-3 (Docket No. 50-29)

(b) Letter BYR 98-054, J. A. Kay, Yankee Atomic Electric Company to M. B. Fairtile, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, dated August 27,1998

Subject:

Request for Modification of Yankee Nuclear Power Station's Defueled Technical Specifications Regarding the Required Frequency of Submittal of the Radioactive Effluent Release Report

Dear Mr. Fairtile:

Pursuant to 10 CFR 5R90 of the Commission's Rules and Regulations, Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC) requests Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) review and approval of the following changes to the Defueled Technical Specifications of Yankee Nuclear Power Station (YNPS) License No. DPR-3 (Reference (a)) regarding the required frequency of submittal of the Radioactive Effluent Release Report.

PROPOSED CHANGES I l L (1) Modify Specification 1.6, page 1-2, to revise the title of the Radioactive Effluent Release Report from " Semiannual" to " Annual."

& 0k (2) Modify Specification 3/4.4, page 3/4-6, to revise the title of the Radioactive Effluent Release Report from " Semiannual" to " Annual."

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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission October 15,1998 Attentidn

Mr. Morton Fairtile Page 2

(3) Modify Specification 6.8.2.b, page 6-17, to eliminate the requirement for semiannual submittal of the Radioactive Efnuent Release Report and in its place require an annual submittal; revise the scope of the report from a six month period to a twelve month period; eliminate the semiannual submittal deadlines and i1 their place require one annual report to be submitted by May 1 of each year.

(4) Modify Specification 6.13, page 6-22, to revise the title of the Radioactive Effluent Release Report from " Semiannual" to " Annual."

An annotated version of the present Technical Specifications pages showing the proposed changes

, is provided in Attachment A to this letter. The proposed new pages of the Technical Specifications are provided in Attachment B.

REASON AND BASIS FOR CHANGE J

Section 6.8.2.b of the YNPS Defueled Technical Specifications currently requires the submittal of

a Semiannual Radioactive Effluent Release Report within 60 days after January 1 and July 1 of i 2

each year. YAEC's most recent submittal of this report was filed with the Commission on August 27,1998 (Reference (b)).

On August 31,1992 (57 FR 39358), the Commission revised 10 CFR 50.36a to change the requirement for submission of reports concerning the quantity of principal radionuclides released to unrestricted areas in liquid and gaseous effluents from semiannually to annually. The revised 10 CFR 50.36a(a)(2) states the following:

"Each licensee shall submit a report to the Commission annually that specifies the quantity j'

of each of the principal radionuclides released to the unrestricted areas in liquid and in gaseous ef0uents during the previous twelve months of operation, including any other information as may be required by the Commission to estimate maximum potential annual radiation doses to the public resulting from efnuent releases. The report must be submitted as specified in s 50.4, and the time between submission of the reports must be no longer than 12 months.. "

The proposed changes to the YNPS Defueled Technical Specifications would have the effect of assuring that the Specifications are consistent with the present regulations. As stated in the Federal Register notice (57 FR 39353), the NRC concluded that the subject change to 10 CFR 50.36a would result in a reduction in burden to liceasees without reducing protectio'1 for the public health and safety and common defense and security. Furthermore, the NRC encouraged licensees to take advantage of the 10 CFR 50.36a rule change by stating that administrative changes may be requested for the affected technical specifications.

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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission October 15,1998 Attentidn: Mr. Morton Fairtile Page 3 The proposal that the subject report be submitted by May 1 of each year is intended to be consistent with the present submittal deadline for the Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report speciRed in YNPS Technical Specification Section 6.8.2 a.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS l

l l The changes to the YNPS Defueled Technical SpedHcations proposed above are administrative in nature. The proposed changes are consistent with the revised 10 CFR 50.36a, " Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors," which require the submittal of one Radioactive Effluent Release Report per year. Furthermore, the NRC has already concluded in

issuing the 10 CFR 50.36a rule change that implementation of the proposed technical l specifications changes would not result in a reduction to the public health and safety or common j defense and security. As such, the changes

l (1) Will not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an j accident previously evaluated.

i The administrative nature of the changes do not affect the operation of YNPS in l the permanently defueled condition. Furthermore, the changes do not result in a change to the plant design, configuration, or operating procedures. Because the physical plant is not affected, and the only change is the frequency with which reports are submitted to the NRC, the probability of an accident previously

, evaluated is not increased and the radiological consequences of an accident l previously evaluated are not increased.

l (2) Will not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any l accident previously evaluated.

The changes described do not modify the design, configuration, or operating procedures for any plant systems or components. The accident analyses for the facility are not affected by the proposed changes. The changes do not introduce any new failure mechanisms. Therefore, the changes do not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any previously evaluated.

(3) Will not involve a significant reduction in the margin of safety.

The changes described are administrative in nature. The changes do not modify l the design, connguration, or operating procedures for any plant systems or components. The changes do not affect the facility's accident analyses.

.. Radioactive effluent release limits remain unchanged. The submittal of reports to 3

the NRC is an administrative function and is not includcd in the bases of any l Technical Specifications to define or establish a margin of safety. Therefore, the P

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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission October 15,1998

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l Attenti6n: Mr. Morton Fairtile Page 4 l

l proposed changes do not reduce the margin of safety as defined in the baz,es of any Technical Specifications.

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l Based on the above considerations, it is concluded that there is reasonable assurance that L implementation of the proposed changes will not endanger the health or the safety of the public.

l l The proposed changes have been reviewed by the Plant Operational Review Committee and the Nuclear Safety Audit and Review Committee.

( i l SCHFI)UI R OF CHANGE l

The changes will be implemented upon r;pproval by the Commission. YAEC will submit the first Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report by May 1,1999.

1 Very truly yours, YANKEE ATOMIC ELECTRIC COMPANY t

i Don K. Davis, Chairman President and CEO Attachments l cc: USNRC, Region I COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS WORCESTER COUNTY Then personally appeared before me, Don K. Davis, who, being duly sworn, did state that he is Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Yankee Atomic Electric Company, that he is duly authorized to execute and file the foregoing document in the name and on behalf of Yankee Atomic Electric Company and that the statements therein are true to the best of his knowledge and belief.

{ Kathryn Gatef Notary Public My Commission Expires January 1,2004

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