ML20211D950
| ML20211D950 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Byron, Braidwood, 05000000 |
| Issue date: | 10/14/1986 |
| From: | Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20211D955 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8610220314 | |
| Download: ML20211D950 (5) | |
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7590-01 T
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH EDIS0N COMPANY BYRON STATION,, UNIT 2-BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNIT 1 DOCKET NOS. STN 50-455 AND STN 50-456 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of a partial exemption from the requirements of Appendices A and J to 10 CFR Part 50 to Commonwealth Edison Company (the applicant) for Byron Station, Unit 2, located in Ogle County, Illinois, and Braidwood Station, Unit.1, located in Will County, Illinois.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
Identification of Proposed Action: One exemption would eliminate the full pressure test required by Paragraph III.D.2(b)(ii) of Appendix J following normal air locking opening and substitute a seal leakage test to be conducted at a pressure specified in the Technical Specifications. The proposed exemption is in accordance with the applicant's request in the Final Safety Analysis Report in~the response to Question 022.78. The proposed exemption was found acceptable in Section 6.2.6 of both " Safety Evaluation Report Related to the Operation of Byron Station, Unit 2," dated February 1982, and " Safety Evaluation Report Related to the Operation of Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2,"
datedNovember1983(NUREG-0876andNUREG-1002,respectively).
8610220314 861014 PDR ADOCK 05000455 F
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The other exemption is from the requirements of General Design Criteria (GDC) 13 and 17 of Appendix A that instrumentation be provided to monitor variables and systems over their anticipated ranges and that provisions be included to minimize the probability of losing electric power. The proposed exemption is in accordance with the applicant's request dated October 9 1986, and was found acceptable in Section 9.5.4.1 of both Supplement No. 5 to NUREG-0876 and Supplement No. I to NUREG-1002.-
Need for Proposed Action: The proposed exemption to Appendix J is required to provide the applicant with greater plant availability over the lifetime of the plant. The proposed exemption to Appendix A is required to provide the applicant with additional time to qualify the emergency diesel generator controls and instrumentation.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action: The proposed exemption to Appendix J grants the substitution of an air lock seal test for an air lock pressure test while the reactor is in a,hutdown or refueling mode. When no maintenance has been performed on the air lock that could affect its sealing capability, the air lock doors have been properly closed, and the periodic 6-month test at Pa r.eguired by Paragraph IJI.D.2(b)(i) of Appendix J has been performed on schedule, there is no reason to expect the air lock to leak excessively just because it has been opened while the reactor is in a shutdown i
or refueling mode.
Performing the door seal leak test of Paragraph III.D.2(b)(iii) of Appendix J is sufficient, in this case, to demonstrate the continuing integrity of the air lock.
1 i
O P With respect to this exemption from Appendix J, the increment of environmental impact is related solely to the potential increased probability of co,ntainment leakage during an accident. This could lead to higher offsite and control room doses. However, this potential increase is very small, due to the added seal leakage test and the protection against excessive leakage afforded by the other tests required by Appendix J.
The proposed exemption to Appendix A allows additional time to meet the requirements of GDC 13 and GDC 17. The proposed exemption allows the a
applicant until startup from ~the first refueling outage of Byron Station, Unit 2 and Braidwood Station,' Unit I to dynamically _ qualify the diesel generator controls and monitoring instrumentation for their present location, or install them on a free-standing floor mounted panel in such a manner (including the use of vibration isolation mounts if necessary) that any induced vibrations will not result in a cyclic fatigue failure for the expected life of the instrument. The staff does not expect that there will be enough induced vibrations prior to startup from the first refueling outage to cause cycle fatigue of the instruments. Thus, the staff concludes that granting this exemption will not prevent the diesel generators from functioning as required during the first cycle of plant operation, and that there is no environmental impact with respect to this exemption.
Alternative to the Proposed Action: Because the staff has concluded that there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed exemption, any alternative to these exemptions will have either no environmental impact or greater environmental impact.
I J
s The principal alternative would be to deny the requested exemption. This would not reduce environmental impacts of plant operations and would. result in reduced operational flexibility and unwarranted delays in power ascension.
Alternative Use of Resources: This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to operation of both Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, and Braidwood Station, Ur.its 1 and 2.
Agencies and Persons Contacted: The NRC staff reviewed the applicant's d
request that supports the proposed exemption.
The NRC staff did not consult other agencies or persons.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The Commission has determined nct to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, we conclude that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
For further details with respect to this action, see the (1) request for the exemption dated October 9, 1986, (2) NUREG-0876, dated February 1982, (3)
NUREG-1002, dated November 1983, (4) Supplement No. 5 to NUREG-0876, dated October 1984, and (5) Supplement No. I to NUREG-1002, dated September 1986 which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
r 2
Room, 1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC and at the Local Public Document Rooms located in the Rockford Public Library, 215 N. Wyman Street, Rockford, s
Illinois 61103 and in the Wilmington Township Public Library, 201 S. Kankakee Street, Wilmington, Illinois 66~481.
Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this (
day of October, 1986.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 9Hataal siamed tra Steven A. Varga, Director Project Directorate #3 Division of PWR Licensing-A s
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