ML20209C750
| ML20209C750 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hatch  |
| Issue date: | 01/29/1987 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20209C741 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC-64157, TAC-64158, NUDOCS 8702040331 | |
| Download: ML20209C750 (3) | |
Text
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o UNITED STATES g
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
g wasHWGTON, D. C. 20666
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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENTS NOS.134 AND72 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSES NOS. DPR-57 AND NPF-5 GEORGIA POWER COMPANY OGLETHORPE POWER CORPORATION.
MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC AUTHORITY OF GEORGIA CITY OF DALTON, GEORGIA EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS NOS. 1 AND 2 DOCKETS NOS. 50-321 AND 50-366
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated November 20, 1986, supplemented by letter dated January 27, 1987, the Georgia Power Company (licensee) proposed a revision to the Technical Specifications for the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2.
The proposed revision will delete one visual inspection acceptance criterion for safety related snubbers in the TS surveillance requirements for both Hatch units.
2.0 EVALUATION The Georgia Power Company proposed to delete the parenthesized clause from Section 4.6.L.2 (for Unit 1) and Section 4.7.4.b (for Unit 2) of the current Technical Specification:
"However, if a hydraulic snubber is found to contain less than the required minimum volume of reserve fluid (or if visible signs of leakage are present),
the snubber shall be determined inoperable and cannot be determined OPERABLE
~
via functional testing for the purpose of establishing the next visual inspection interval."
f The Standard Technical Specification (STS) permit licensees to determine the operability of snubber with leakage via functional testing, unless the snubber does not have the required minimum amount of hydraulic fluid reserve.
The Hatch Technical Specifications have the additional restriction such that when visible signs of leakage are present, the licensee is not permitted to demonstrate snubber operability by functional testing.
The STS permit operability demonstration via functional testing because it is recognized that after a certain amount of service life, slow leakage will develop in hydraulic snubbers. The STS and the current Technical Specifications both require that the service life of hydraulic snubbers be monitored so that a proper maintenance program, including seal replacement, 8702040331 870127 l
PDR ADOCK 05000321 i
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, can be implemented effectively.
If the leaking snubber can still perform its design function and the leakage is corrected in time, then the leakage does not have safety significance. Correction of leakage to assure continued operability of the snubber would be a function of the maintenance program.
The current Hatch Technical Specifications call for unnecessary inspections and attendant shutdowns.
The proposed Hatch Technical Specifications follow the requirements of the STS, and provide adequate protection for snubbers and systems. The staff recommends its approval.
3.0 EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES The licensee, during. a scheduled snubber inspection that was entered on November 14, 1986 declared 7 snubbers to be inoperable, 6 of them on the basis of a Technical Specification that states that snubbers with " visible.
signs of leakage present" be declared inoperable. The Technical Specifications also require that if 5, 6 or 7 snubbers are found to be inoperable in an inspection period the subsequent visual inspection period shall be 62 days 25%.
Based on declaring 7 snubbers inoperable the Unit 1, snubbers are currently scheduled to be visually reinspected by February 5,1987. The existing Hatch Unit 1 Technical Specification is more restrictive than the current staff criteria and guidelines which do not require that snubbers be declared inoperable based on " visible signs of leakage."
Based on conversations with the licensee as documented by letter dated January 27, 1987, except for this visible signs of leakage" requirement only 4 snubbers would have been declared inoperable and the reinspection interval would be 124 days 25%.
The licensee requested, in a submittal dated November 20, 1986, that the
" visible signs of leakage" requirement be deleted from the Hatch Units 1 and 2 Technical Specifications.
No urgency was noted in this request.
The emergency results from the situation where it was only recently recognized that the inspection, and related shutdown, that would be required by the current Technical Specification provision by February 5,1987 would be an unnecessary shutdown of an operating plant.
4.0 FINAL N0 SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION DETERMINATION The Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92 state that the Commission may make a final determination that a license amendment involves no significant hazards consideration if operation of the facility in accordance with the amendment would not:
(1)
Involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated: or (2) Create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3)
Involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
~
. The requested chanhes delete the requirements that a snubber be declared inoperable if visible signs of leakage are present. As noted above in this Safety Evaluation, we have concluded that this change is acceptable.
The changes do not significantly increase the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated, because they do not involve changes in the design or operation of the plant and the unchanged provisions of the Technical Specifications continue to assure there is sufficient liquid in the snubbers and that the snubbers are shown to be operable by functional testing.
The changes do not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated, because these changes do not affect the plant design or result in any new modes of operation.
The changes do not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety, because the proposed changes continue to assure that there is sufficient liquid in the snubber such that it will perform its snubbing function when needed and that the functional capability of the snubber is assured by functional testing.
Accordingly, the staff has concluded that the amendments to Facility Operating licenses DPR-57 and NPF-5 deleting the requirement to decl e a snubber inoperable if visible signs of leakage are present involves no significant hazards consideration.
The State of Georgia was consulted on this matter and had no comments on the determination.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
S The amendments change 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 staff has determined that the amendments involve 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 made a final no significant hazards consideration finding with l
respect to the amendments. Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 551.22(c)(9).
Pursuant to 10 CFR $51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental i
assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendments.
6.0 CONCLUSION
j We have 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, and (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and the j
issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Principal Contributor:
Dated: January 29, 1987
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