ML20207L250
| ML20207L250 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 10/11/1988 |
| From: | Black S NRC OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20207L253 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8810170257 | |
| Download: ML20207L250 (5) | |
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7590-01 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-259/260/296 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC/the Comission) is considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Appendix R of 10 CFR 50 to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA/the licensee), for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant. Unit 2, located at the licensee's site near Decatur, Alabama.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Proposed Action:
The licensee would be exempted from the technical requirer. ants of Section !!!.L.1.b of Appendix R to 10 CFR 50 to the extent that the reactor coolant level would be permitted to drop below the top of the core during use of alternate safe shutdown procedures following a post'Jiated fire which renders the control room uninhabitable.
The licensee would also be exempted from the technical requirenentt of Section !!!.G 1 of Appendix R which relate to fire protection features for ensuring that systems and associated circuits used to achieve and maintain safe shutdown 4re free of fire damage.
The exemptions are technical since the licensee must demonstrate that fire protection configurations meet the specific requirerents of Section !!!.G or that alternate fire protection ecnfigurations 8810170257 881011 ADOCK0500p{
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can be justified by an acceptable fire hazard analysis. The licensee would be specifically exempted from the requirements of Section !!!.G in the following i
areas:
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l Exemption from fixed suppression in the main control rooms; t
Exemption from an automatic fire suppression system in the residual j
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heat removal (RHR) system pump rooms and RHR heat exchtnger rooms; Exemption from intervening combustibles; and l
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j Exemption for fixed suppression and detection, l
The Need for the Prepared Action:
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4 in evaluating the limiting case fire event, the licensee assumed that the 1
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RHR system, in the low pressure coolant injection system (LPCI) mode of t
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i operation, is to be used to maintain the Peactor Coolant (F.C) inventory after i
achieving manual depressurization of the Reactor Coolant System (RCS) utilizing l
l the main steam relief valves (MSRVs).
The above method has the potential for i
uncovering the upper portion of the core for a short time during the J
depressurization contrary to the requirtments of Section !!!.L.1.b.
The staff I
has evaluated the alternate shutdown methnd and concluded that it is acceptable because the licensee's calculated time of potential core uncovery is short j
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enough to preclude a threat to the fuel cladding integrity.
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The proposed exemptions to Section !!!.G are needed because features I
j described in the licensee's request regarding the existing and proposed fire i
J protection at Browns Ferry for these items are the ecs, oractical method for j
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neeting the intent r* Appendix R, and literal compliance would not significantly j
enhance the fire protection capability at Browns Ferry.
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Envirorfental Impact of the Proposed Action:
The proposed exemption to Section !!!.L would not impact the ability to f
effect safe shutdown of the plant in the event of a fire in the centrol room, would not pose a threat to the fuel cladding integrity, and would provide an f
j acceptable level of safety, equivalent to that attained by compliance with i
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Section !!!.L of Appendix R to 10 CFR 50.
Therefore, the proposed changes do
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j not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are i
being made in the types of any effluents that may be released offsite, and i
j there is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative
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occupational radiation exposure. Accordingly,
'e Comission concludes that I
1 there are no sionificant radiological impacts associated with this proposed i
exemption, j
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The proposed exemption to Section III.G will provide a degree of fire j
j protection such that there is no increase in the risk of fires at Browns Ferry.
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i Consequently, the probability of fires has not been increased and the post-fire 2
radiological releases will not be greater than previously determined nor do the proposed exemptions otherwise affect plant radiological effluents, f
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed exemptien I
j involves features located entirely within the restricted areas as defined in I
It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no otter environmental impact.
Therefore, the Comission concludes that there j
are no significant nonradiological environmec.ts impacts associated with the proposed exemption.
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Alternative Use cf Resources:
This action involves no use of resources not previously considered in the 1,
Final Environmental Statement (construction pemit and operating license) for
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the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
Since the Comission has concluded that there is no measurable environmental j
l impact associated with the proposed exemptions, alternatives to the proposed a
j action need not be evaluated. The principal alternative, however, to the j
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exemptions would be to deny the exemptions requested by the licensee from l
the requirements of Appendix R.
Such action would not enhance the p*otection l
of the environment.
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1 Agencies and Persons Consulted.
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The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and did not consult other l
agencies or persons.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IPPACT 6
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1 The Comission has determined not to picpars an environmental irrpact r
I statement for the prnpesed exemption.
f Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude that the i
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proposed action will not have a signt'icant effect on the quality of the human i
environment.
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C) 5-fo* further details with respect to this action, see the request 'or exemption dated June 14, 1986, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington. 0.C., and at the hRC's local Public Document Roon located at the Athens Public Library, South Street, Athens, Alabama 35611.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this lith day of October,1988.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGU'_ATORY COMMISSION (Jh Y Suzanne C. Black, Assistant Director i
J for Proiects TVA Projects Division Office of Special Projects I
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