ML20211J251

Discusses Proposed TS Change on Replacement SG Water Level Trip Setpoint for Plant,Units 1 & 2

ML20211J251
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	08/26/1999
From:	Alexion T NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Cottle W HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
References
TAC-MA2500, TAC-MA2501, NUDOCS 9909030099
Download: ML20211J251 (3)

Text

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• WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001

%, 8 August 26, 1999 Mr. William T. Cottle President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Prohet Electric Generating Station l P. O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (STP)- PROPOSED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION (TS) CHANGE ON REPLACEMENT STEAM GENERATOR (SG) WATER LEVEL TRIP SETPOINT (TAC NOS. MA2500 AND MA2501)

Dear Mr. Cettle:

On July 22,1999, the NRC met with representatives from STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) to discuss STPNOC's July 22,1998 (as supplemented by letter dated June 16, 1999), proposed TS change for the replacement SG water level low-low trip setpoint. At STP, as well as at other Westinghouse-designed pressurized water reactors, the pressurizer

' programmed water level at full power operation is used as the plant's initial condition assumed in its safety analyses for transients and accidents sensitive to the pressurizer water level. The revised analyses that support the proposed SG TS change also require a revision to the assumption of the initial condition regarding the pressurizer water level to prevent the pressurizer front going solid during the transients that were analyzed. However, neither the current or the revised pressurizer water level assumptions are supported by STP's existing or proposed TSs. Therefore, the meeting focused on whether STPNOC should propose revised TSs to support the revised pressurizer water level assumption used in the new analysis which is used to support the proposed SG TS change.

The NRC has reviewed STPNOC's views expressed at the meeting, which include the position that the NRC should review the subject SG TS without requiring a TS to support the pressurizer '

water level assumption used in the safety analysis, and that the need for a TS to support the O pressurizer water level assumption used in the safety analysis should be addressed generically.

The NRC has concluded that given the relatively low probability of plant operation with pressurizer levels exceeding' safe limits per the analysis assumptions, there is no immediate m /b safety concern, and thus the NRC will not require that STPNOC propose revised TSs to support the revised analysis assumption regarding the pressurizer water level with the proposed SG TS change. Also, the NRC believes that the need for revised TSs to support the analysis assumption regarding the pressurizer water level is being dealt with adequately on a generic basis, as discussed below. By letter dated April 13,1999, from W. Beckner, NRC, to J. Davis, Nuclear Energy institute (NEI), the NRC proposed changes to the Improved Standard Technical Specifications to address the pressurizer water level issue in accordance with the requirements gm gggyggisCF 9909030099 990026 PDR ADOCK 05000498 P PDR

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W. T. Cottle August 26, 1999 l

NEl (which includes the Westinghouse Owners Group) is currently reviewing the NRC's proposal. The NRC will work with NEl to resolve the pressurizer water level program issue ,

! when NEl completes its review. )

l Sincerely,

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY l

Thomas W. Alexien, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499 cc: See next page ,

1 DISTRIBUTION:

Docket File PUBLIC PDIV-1 r/f SRichards (clo)

OGC l ACRS j JTapia, RIV To receive a copy of this document, indicate d" in the box l OFFICE PDIV-1/Py ,C PDIV-D/LA C' ATSB/BC SRfE}/Bp PDIV-1/SC L NAME TAlexion: k(/, CJamerson dp WBecYnE JWfrNel RGrammk DATE O/ f/99 [B /Y /99 8 t-6/ b /99 7 / 2 4 /99 7[ Th/99 DOCUMENT NAME: G:\PDI -1\SouthTexas\LTRA2500.wpd OFFICIAL RECORD COPY W 4(A m %Mf 8 A6,91 1

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South Texas, Units 1 & 2 -

l cc:

Mr. Cornelius F. O'Keefe Mr. J. J. Sheppard, Vice President l Senior Resident inspector . Engineering & Technical Services U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission STP Nuclear Operating Company P. O. Box 910 P. O. Box 289 Bay City, TX 77414 Wadsworth,TX 77483 A. Ramirez/C. M. Canady S. M. Head, Supervisor, Licensing City of Austin Quality & Licensing Department Electric Utility Department STP Nuclear Operating Company 721 Barton Springs Road P. O. Box 289 -

Austin, TX 78704 Wadsworth, TX 77483 Mr. M. T. Hardt Office of the Governor Mr. W. C. Gunst ATTN: John Howard, Director City Public Service Board Environmental and Natural P. O. Box 1771 Resources Policy l San Antonio, TX 78296 P. O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711 Mr. G. E. Vaughn/C. A. Johnson Central Power and Light Company Jon C. Wood P. O. Box 289 Matthews & Branscomb Mail Code: N5012 One Alamo Center Wadsworth, TX 74483 106 S. St. Mary's Street, Suite 700 San Antonio, TX 78205-3692 INPO Records Center Arthur C. Tate, Director 700 Gal'eria Parkway Division of Compliance & Inspection Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Bureau of Radiation Control Texas Department of Health Regional Administrator, Region IV 1100 West 49th Street U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Austin, TX 78756 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011 Jim Calloway Public Utility Commission of Texas D. G. Tees /R. L. Balcom Electric Industry Analysis Houston Lighting & Power Co. P. O. Box 13326 P. O. Box 1700 Austin, TX 78711-3326 Houston, TX 77251 Judge, Matagorda County Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Bay City, TX 77414 Jack R. Newman, Esq.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 1800 M Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20036-5869 May 1999