ML20206H161

Safety Evaluation Supporting Amend 164 to License DPR-36

ML20206H161
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	05/05/1999
From:	NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20206H142	List: ML20206H139 ML20206H152 ML20206H161
References
NUDOCS 9905110074
Download: ML20206H161 (4)

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l SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

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RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO.164TO FACILITY O'PERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-36

- MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY i MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION DOCKET NO. 50-309 l

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated September 30,1997, Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPC or the licensee) submitted a request for a change to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36 for the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station (MYAPS). The requested change would delete paragraphs 2.8.6.c,2.B.6.e, 2.B.6.f,2.B.6.g,2.B.7(a), and 2.B.7(b) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-36. ' Additionally, the amendment would rescind Orders dated May 23,1980,

- August 29,1980,'and September 19,1980.

2.0 DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION On August 6,1997, the MYAPC_ Board of Directors decided to permanently cease further operation of the MYAPS. On August 7,1997, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(1), MYAPC provided to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) certifications of permanent cessation of operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor vessel. These certifications modified the Maine Yankee license such that operation of the reactor and emplacement of fuel into the reactor vessel are no longer authorized. On March 30,1998, the NRC issued

' Permanently Defueled Technical Specifications (PDTS) for MYAPS. The PDTS replaced the L existing technical specifications in their entirety. The PDTS reflect the reduced number of postulated accidents against which the defueled plant must be protected while ensuring the ,

, safe storage of irradiated fuel in the spent fuel pool. I ln' its letter of September 30,1997, the licensee proposed to eliminate those license provisions that it believes are not appropriate for the permanently defueled condition of the MYAPS facility.

MYAPC states that elimination of these provisions will allow plant staff to focus on those cense provisions that are appropriate to the permanently defueled plant conditions. Evaluation of the proposed changes is provided in the following paragraphs.

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J2-License Condition 2.B.6.c License Condition 2.B.S.c, implemented as part of Amendment 156 to the Technical Specifications, allowed changes to the fire protection program without prior NRC approval only if the changes did not adversely affect the ability to achieve and maintain safe shutdown.

MYAPS is in a permanent safe shutdown condition; therefore, this criterion is no longer an

. appropriate measure of the acceptability of fire protection program changes. In addition, this

condition conflicts with 10 CFR 50.48(f)(3), which allows licensees who have submitted the certifications required under 10 CFR 50.82(a) to make changes to the fire protection program without NRC approval if these changes do not reduce the effectiveness of fire protection for . I facilities,' systems, and equipment which could result in a radiological hazard, taking into i account the decommissioning plant conditions and activities. The staff finds that this license

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condition is no longer necessary at MYAPS due to the permanently shutdown condition of the i reactor and that its elimination will not' adversely affect public health and safety. Additionally, )

the staff finds that deletion of license condition 2.B.6.c will eliminate the inconsistency between ;

- the license and 10 CFR 50.48(f)(3). Therefore, the staff finds the propos6d change acceptable. i

License Condition 2.B.6.e License Condition 2.8.6.e, implemented as part of Amendment 52 to the Technical Specifications, required the implementation of a program to reduce leakage to as low as

- practical levels from systems outside containment that would or could contain highly radioactive I fluids during a serious transient or accident. In the permanently defueled plant condition, those accidents discussed in Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) Chapter 14 that would result in highly radioactive fluids in systems outside of containment can no longer occur. The staff finds that because accidents of this type are no longer credible at the MYAPS due to the permanently shutdown condition of the reactor, this license condition is no longer applicable to the facility and deletion of this license condition is acceptable.

License Condition 2.B.6.f License Condition 2.B.6.f, implemented as part of Amendment 52 to the Technical Specifications, required the implementation of a program to ensure the capability to determine accurately the airborne iodine concentration in vital areas under accident conditions. In the permanently defueled plant condition, the licensee has determined that the only design basis accident that could result in the release of radioactive iodine is a fuel handling accident.

However, because the minimum decay time of the spent fuel stored at Maine Yankee is more than 24 months, the potential source term associated with a fuel handling accident has been significantly reduced and the staff finds deletion of the license condition to be acceptable.

' License Condition 2.B.6.a License Condition 2.B.6.g, implemented as part of Amendment 53 to the Technical Specifications, required the licensee to maintain a secondary water chemistry monitoring program to inhibit steam generator tube degradation. This condition is not applicable to the permanently shutdown and defueled condition of the plant and the staff fit deletion of this license condition to be acceptable.

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- License Condition 2.B.7(a)

License Condition 2.B.7(a), contained in the original operating license, required an environmental monitoring program to assess the impact of cooling water dbcharge. Due to the  ;

licensee's establishment of a spent fuel pool nuclear island in which the spent fuel decay heat is '

transferred to the decay heat removal system and then dissipated through air-cooled heat

. exchangers, the plant no longer uses Montsweeg Bay as a thermal discharge path. Therefore, ,

I this license condition is no longer applicable to the facility and the staff finds deletion of this license condition acceptable.

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License Condition 2.B.7(b)  !

License Condition 2.8.7(b), required the licensee to adhere to the mixing zone criteria established by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection order dated August 23,1972, as amended. Due to the licensee's establishment of a spent fuel pool nuclear island in which the spent fuel decay heat is transferred to the decay heat removal system and then dissipated i through air-cooled heat exchangers, the plant no longer uses Montsweag Bay as a thermal ,

discharge path. Therefore, this license condition is no longer applicable to the facility and the I staff finds deletion of this license condition acceptable.

farpmission Orders of May 23. Auaust 29. and Seotember 19.1980 Orders dated May 23, August 29, and September 19,1980, required the qualification of safety-related electrical equipment in accordance with NRC l&E Bulletin 79-01B and NUREG-0588.

The requirements in these orders were superseded by 10 CFR 50.49, Environmental qualification of electric equipment important to safety of nuclear power plants; therefore, the staff finds deletion of these orders to be acceptable.

License' Condition 2.B(6)

The licensee requested License Condition 2.B(6) be modified to reflect an exemption to 10 CFR 50.54 sought by Maine Yankee in a request dated August 15,1997. This license condition, in part, incorporates by reference 10 CFR 50.54. The exemption to 10 CFR 50.54 (i), (j), (k), (1),

and (m) was requested to remove the requirement for Licensed and Senior Licensed Operators in lieu of individuals qualified as certified fuel handlers. On November 26,1997, the Commission issued License Amendment No.160 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36, which revised the MYAPS staffing and training requirements and allowed the licensee to implement its certified fuel handler program. In the forwarding letter to the amendment, the NRC staff informed MYAPC that exemptions to 10 CFR 50.54 were not required to accomplish the change. Because the staff did not issue an exemption to 10 CFR 50.54, it is not necessary to modify License Condition 2.B(6).

. 3.0 ~ STATE CONSULTATION

-In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Maine State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

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4.0 ~ ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION  !

The amendment changes a requirement with respect to the installation or use of a facility

- component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC staff hac

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- determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no j 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 (62

. FR 63978). 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 impact l

statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.

5.0 . CONCLUSION .

1 The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, 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 l

. common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: M. Webb Date: May 5, 1999 I l

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