ML20205D343
| ML20205D343 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | River Bend  |
| Issue date: | 03/26/1999 |
| From: | NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20205D335 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC-M96367, NUDOCS 9904020170 | |
| Download: ML20205D343 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES p
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D.C. 300eHOO1 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO.104 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-47 ENTERGY OPERATIONS. INC.
RIVER BEND STATION. UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-458
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application dated May 31,1996, Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee) proposed changes to Technical Specifications (TSs), Section 3.9.1,." Refueling Equipment interlocks," for the River j
Bend Station (RBS) (Appendix A to Facility Operating License No NPF-47.) Additional information was prov;ded on September 30,1996. In a letter dated January 12,1999, the licensee submitted a proposed amendment that supersedes, in its entirety, the original May 31, 1996, application.-
The proposed changes would revise TS Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) 3.9.1, l
" Refueling Equipment Interlocks," by adding an altemative to the current action for one or more
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inoperable refueling equipment interlocks. The current action is to " suspend in-vessel fuel movement with equipment associated with the inoperable interlock (s.)" The alternative action will be to'(1) insert a control rod withdrawal block, and (2) verify all control rods are fully inserted in core cells containing one or more fuel assemblies. The amendment would also revise the Bases for LCO 3.9.1 actions to describe the alternative actions.
2.0 BACKGROUND
i Refueling equipment interlocks restrict the operation of the refueling equipment or the withdrawal of control rods to reinforce procpitres which prevent the reactor from achieving criticality during refueling operations. Thei robe'ing interlock circuitry senses the conditions of the refueling equipment and control rods. Depending on the sensed conditions, interlocks are actuated to prevent the operation of the refueling equipment or the withdrawal of control rods.
General Design Criteria (GDC) 26 of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, requires that one of the two required independent reactivity control systems be capable of holding the reactor core subcritical under cold conditions. Therefore, two channeis of instrumentation are provided.
One or both channels receive input from (1) the position of the refueling platform, (2) the loading of the refueling platform main hoist, (3) the full insertion of all control rods, and'(4) the reactor mode switch. With the mode switch in the shutdown or refueling position, the indicated conditions are combined in the logic circuits to determine if all restrictions on refueling equipment operations and control rod insertion are satisfied.
9904020170 990326 PDR ADOCK 05000458 P-PDR
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e f To prevent criticality during refueling, the refueling interlocks ensure that fuel assomblies are not loaded with any control rod withdrawn. To preclude these conditions from developing, the all-rods-in, the refueling platform position, and the refueling platform main hoist fuelloaded inputs are required to be operable. These inputs are combined in logic circuits that provide refueling equipment or control rod blocks to prevent operations that could result in criticality during refueling operations.
Tha purpose of the proposed amendment is to provide an additional alternative action to permit the licensee to continue core alterations in the event the refueling equipment interlocks become inoperable.
3.0 EVALUATION The original TS amendment request dated May 31,1996, and the additional information provided by the licensee on September 30,1996, was evaluated under the joint Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) - Nuclear Energy Institute Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) process. The TSTF process enables plants that have adopted the improved Standard Technical Specifications (STS or ITS) to propose, and have approved, generic changes to the ITS. This process also ensures that the ITS remain, in fact, a true standard for plants of similar design. The proposed license amendment to TS Section 3.9.1," Refueling Equipment Interlocks," submitted by EOl was identified as "TSTF-225." The changes proposed under this TSTF affected NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434. These NUREGs serve as the bases for the General Electric BWR/4 and BWR/6 ITS respectively. On April 20,1908, TSTF-225 was approved by the Technical Specifications Branch (TSB).
On July 20,1995, License Amendment No. 81 to NPF-47 approved RBS's conversion to the BWR/6 ITS based upon NUREG-1434. River Bend has been operating under the ITS since October 1,1995. Therefore, TSTF-225 applies to the RBS TSs.
The proposed changes to the Required Actions for LCO 3.9.1 will improve consistency within the TS with respect to the Required Actions for LCO 3.9.4, " Control Rod Position Indication."
LCO 3.9.4 controls the operability of the control rod position indicators, which is a support system for the refueling interlocks controlled by LCO 3.9.1 since the position indicators provide information to the all-rods-in interlock. LCO 3.9.4 requires that, when one or more control rods do not have the required position indication operable, all insertable control rods be inserted and fuel movement and control rod withdrawal be suspended (Required Actions A.1.1, A.1.2 and A.1.3), or that the associated control rod (s) be inserted and disarmed (Required Actions A.2.1 and A.2.2.) If Required Actions A 2.1 and A.2.2 are complied-with, then refueling activities can continue. The proposed Required Actions for LCO 3.9.1 are consistent with the current Required Actions for LCO 3.9.4 in that they require either fuel movement be susoended or j
control rod withdrawal be blocked, and that all control rods required to be inserted be verified to be inserted.
The January 12,1999, amendment request incorporated changes to the Required Actions paragraph in order to be consistent with changes to the BWR ITS NUREGs 1433 and 1434 approved under TSTF-225. Since the licensee has based this TS amendment request on TSTF-225, which applies to RBS, the staff considers this change acceptable.
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4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
in accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Louisiana State Official was notified of i
I the proposed is::uance of the amendment. Tne State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendment changes a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility -
component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC staff has i
determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (64 FR 6695). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental l
impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.
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6.0 CONCLUSION
The Commission has concluded, based on. the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there j
is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by i
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: R. J. Fretz Date:
March 26, 1999 i
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