ML20205B712
| ML20205B712 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 03/23/1999 |
| From: | NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20205B706 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9903310340 | |
| Download: ML20205B712 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. SneeH001
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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 122 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-42 WOLF CREEK NUCLEAR OPERATING CORPORATION WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-482 1.0 l!iTRODUCTION By letter dated May 15,1997, as supplemented by letters dated June 30, August 5 August 28, September 24, October 16, October 23, November 24, December 2, December 17, and December 21,1998 and January 15,1999 Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (WCNOC, the licensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TS) (Appendix A to Facility Operating License No. NPF-42) for the Wolf Creek Generating Station (WCGS). The proposed changes _would revise TS 4.7.3b, " Plant Systems - Component Cooling Water System - Surveillance Requirements," by deleting the requirement to perform the specified surveillances during shutdown. The corresponding Bases would also be changed.
2.0 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION As described in the Wo4 Creek Updated Safety Analysis Report (USAR), Section 9.2.2,
" Cooling System for Reactor Auxiliaries," the component cooling water system (CC S) provides cool;ng water to several auxiliary components during normal plant oport n and shutdown, and also provides cooling water to several engineered safety features systems
'during a loss-of-coolant or main steam line break accident. The CCWS is closed loop and provides an intermediate barrier between service water systems and potentially radioactive systems to reduce the possibility of an uncontrolled release of radioactivity. The CCWS consists of two separate 100-percent-capacity trains, and includes an isolable loop, common to -
both trains, that serves non-essential equipment. Each of the two trains includes a heat exchanger, two 100-percent-capacity CCW pumps, a surge tank and a chemical addition tank.
The installation of two full capacity pumps per train is provided to avoid shutdown which could otherwise be required by the TSs due to prolonged maintenance or repair of a CCW pump.
Only one pump per train is required for train operability, f
3.0 EVALUATION TS 4.7.3b currently reads:
At least two component cooling water loops shall be demonstrated OPERABLE:
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. At least once per 18 months durina shutdown. by verifying that:
1)
Each automatic velve servicing safety-related equipment or isolating the non-nuclear safety-related portion of the system actuates to its correct position on a Safety injection and on a simulated High Flow and Low Surge Tank Level test signal, and 2)
Each OPERABLE Component Cooling Water System purr,a starts automatically on a Safety injection and Loss-of-Power test signal.
By letter dated May 15,1997, the licensee proposed a conversion of the current TSs for Wolf Creek Generating Station to the improved Technical Specifications (ITSs). The requested change in the January 15,1999, application was also included in the ITS submittal. When TS 4.7.3b testing was last conducted, a portion of the required testing was not completed for one pump in each train of the CCWS. Since only one CCW pump per train is required for the CCW system to be operable, the Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) of TS 3.7.3 regarding CCW operability is currently satisfied. However, if there is a problem with one of the two operable CCW pumps, the licensee would have to enter the LCO, which allows 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> to restore the system to operable status. If the LCO could not be sac 4fied in 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br />, the plant would have to initiate a shutdown.
To avoid this potential shutdown, the licensee proposes to remove the words "during shutdown" from TS 4.7.3b. In addition, the licensee proposes to add the following text to TS Bases 3/4.7.3:
Surveillance Requirement [SR) 4.7.3b verifies proper operation of the CCW valves and pumps on an actuation signal. The CCW system is a normally operating system that cannot be fully actuated as part of routine testing during normal operation. The 18 month frequency is based on the need to perform this surveillance under the conditions that apply during a unit outage and the potential for an unplanned transient if the surveillance were performed with the reactor at power.
Details for performing SRs are more appropriately specified in the TS Bases, the USAR, station procedures, the technical requirements manual, or other controlled programmatic documents.
The goveming procedures ensure proper implementation of SRs. As indicated in Generic Letter (GL) 91-04, " Changes in Technical Specification Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-Month Fuel Cycle," allowing this procedural control is consistent with the vast majority of other SRs that do not dictate station conditions for surveillances. Prescriptive procedural information in a TS is unlikely to conta!n all procedural considerations necessary for station operators to complete the requirements, and referral to station procedures is required in any event.
The staff has determined that removal of the words "during shutdown" from TS 4.7.3b is i
acceptable because this requirement will be added to TS Bases 3/4.7.3, which will maintain an i
effective level of regulatory control. The proposed Bases text allows the licensee to perform a j
portion of the test at power if the licensee determines that this can be accomplished without
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s compromising the goal of the requirement, which is to avoid an unnecessary plant shutdown.
This change will allow the licensee to satisfy SR 4.7.3b (for the two inoperable pumps) without shutting dowrithe plant.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Kansas State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIQN Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.21,51.32 and 51.35, an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER on Marcle 23,1999 (64 FR 14018).
Accordingly, based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission has determined that issuance of this amendment will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
0.0 CONCLUSION
The staff has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) thers is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will riot 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 this amendrrant will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor: A. Hansen Date: March 23, 1999 i
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