ML20211B581
| ML20211B581 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Arkansas Nuclear  |
| Issue date: | 06/04/1986 |
| From: | Knighton G Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20211B585 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8606110744 | |
| Download: ML20211B581 (7) | |
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7590-01 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ARKANSAS POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-368 NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE AND PROPOSED NO SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION DETERMINATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR HEARING The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of amendment to Facility Operating License No. NPF-6 issued to Arkansas Power and Light Company (the licensee), for operation of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2, located in Pope County, Arkansas.
The proposed amendment would revise Surveillance Requirement 4,8.2.3.1.a.2 of the AN0-2 Technical Specifications to allow replacement of a bank of the station batteries with a new battery bank during the upcoming 5th refueling outage in accordance with the licensee's application for amendment dated April 1, 1986. The existing battery bank, which is rated at 1350 A-hr for an 8-hour discharge rate with the discharge voltage of 105 volts, has 60 cells while the new battery bank, which is rated at a higher electrical storage capacity of 2045 A-hr for an 8-hour discharge rate with the discharge voltage of 105 volts, will have 58 cells. As a result of the replacement, the required total battery terminal voltage for the new 58 cell battery bank on float charge will be 124.7 volts while the required float voltage for the remaining 60 cell battery bank will be maintained at 129 volts.
Float charge is a method of maintaining a battery in a charged condition by continuous long-term constant voltage charging at a level sufficient to balance self-discharge.
In addition, an equalizing charge is given periodically to a battery to restore all cells to h@.ll8 Xb
. a fully charged condition using a charging voltage higher than the normal float voltage since a cell in prolonged under-charge condition will lose its electrical storage capacity permanently. The high charging voltage associated with an equalizing charge operation is known to cause premature failures of nonnally energized D.C. equipment.
The proposed change would yield a lower equalizing voltage for the new 58 cell battery bank at which there would be no adverse effect on the D.C. equip-ment while maintaining the required discharge voltage of 105 volts. The remaining 60 cell battery bank would be replaced with a 58 cell battery bank during the 6th refueling outage based on the fact that the high voltage problem is not severe enough to require both battery banks to be replaced during the upcoming 5th refueling outage and that there is limited time and resources available to effect the replacement of both battery banks during the upcoming outage.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations.
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the Coninission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed 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.
m
. A discussion of these standards as they relate to this amendment follows:
Criterion 1 The proposed change would not increase the probability or consequences of any accident previously evaluated since the proposed change would not affect the ability of the station batteries to perform their design function based on the fact that there would be no reduction in their electrical storage capacity and discharge voltages. The proposed change is intended to reduce premature failures of normally energized D.C. equipment by reducing the voltages associated battery charging operations for a bank of the station batteries.
Criterion 2 The proposed change would not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any previously analyzed since it would not introduce new systems, modes of operation, failure modes or other plant perturbations.
It would only replace a bank of the station batteries without affecting its ability to perform its design function.
Criterion 3 The proposed change would not involve a significant reduction in the margin of safety since the ability of the station batteries to perform their design function would be maintained.
In fact, the proposed change would increase the electrical storage capacity of a bank of the station batteries and reduce adverse effects of high voltages on normally energized 0.C. equipment.
Therefore, since the application for amendment appears to satisfy the criteria specified in 10 CFR 50.92, the NRC staff proposed to determine that the l
requested change does not involve a significant hazards consideration.
i
The Commission is seeking public coments on this proposed detemination.
Any coments received within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice will be considered in making any final determination. The Comission will not normally make a final detemination unless it receives a request for a hearing, i
Comments should be addressed to the Rules and Procedures Branch, Division of Rules and Records. Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, D.C.
20555.
By July 9,1986, the licensee may file a request for a hearing with respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating license and any person whose interest nay be affected by this proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding must file a written petition for leave to intervene. Request for a hearing and petitions for leave to intervene shall be filed in accordance with the Comission's " Rules of Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings" in 10 CFR Part 2.
If a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date, the Comission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition and the Secretary or the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of hearing or an appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 52.714, a petition for leave to intervene shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in the proceeding, J
and how that interest may be affected by the results of the proceeding.
e The petition should specifically explain the reasons why intervention should be
i pennitted with particular reference to the following factors:
(1) the nature of the petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding;
' (2) the nature and extent of the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition should also identify the specific aspect (s) of the subject matter of the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been admitt'ed as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of the Board up to fifteen (15) days prior to the first perhearing conference scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy the specificity requirements described above.
Not later than fifteen (15) days prior to the first perhearing conference I
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions which are sought to be litigated in the matter, and the bases for each contention set forth with reasonable specificity.
Contentions shall be limited to matters within the scope of the amendment under consideration. A petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be permitted to participate as a party.
Those pennitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses, i
~
s-,
. If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make final determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the amendment and make it effective, notwithstanding the request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance of the amendment.
Nonnally, the Comission will not issue the amendment until the expiration of the 30-day notice period. However, should circumstances change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility, the Commission may issue the license amendment before the expiration of the 30-day notice period, provided that its final determination is that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. The final determination will consider all public and State comments received. Should the Commission take this action, it will publish a notice of issuance and provide for opportunity for a hearing after issuance.
The Commission expects that the need to take this action will occur very infrequently.
A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must be filed with the Secretary of the Comission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, D.C.
20555, Attention: Docketing and Service Branch, or may be delivered to the Comission's Public Document Room,1717 H Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C., by the above date. Where petitions are filed during the last ten (10) days of the notice period, it is requested that the petitioner
, promptly so infonn the Comission by a toll-free telephone call to Western Union at (800) 325-6000 (in Missouri (800) 342-6700). The Western Union operator should be given Datagram Identification Number 3737 and the following message addressed to George W. Knighton:
petitioner's name and telephone number; date petition was mailed; plant name; and publication date and page number of this FEDERAL REGISTER notice. A copy of the petition should also be sent to the Executive Legal Director, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, D.C.
20555, and to Nicholas S. Reynolds, Esq., Bishop, Liberman, Cook, Purcell and Reynolds, 1200 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20036.
Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, that the petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714 (a)(1)(1)-(v)and2.714(d).
For further details with respect to this action, see the application for amendment which is available for public inspection at the Comission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., and at the Tomlinson Library, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, Arkansas 72801.
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland, this 4th day of June 1986.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 62aff[$s l.//
Au eorge W #Knighton,p) f V M G tector PWR Profect Directorate No. 7 Division of PWR Licensing-B l