ML20212J035
| ML20212J035 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000131 |
| Issue date: | 06/21/1999 |
| From: | Phillips J DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, OMAHA |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| 636-151, NUDOCS 9906280303 | |
| Download: ML20212J035 (3) | |
Text
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 4101 Woolworth Avenue Omaha NE 68105 June 21,1999 in Reply Refer To:636/151 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Re: Amendment to Technical Specifications; Docket 50-131 Gentlemen:
This letter is written to request amendment to the Technical Specifications at the A. J. Blotcky Reactor Facility in accordance with 10 CFR 50.90 and 10 CFR 50.4. The amendment is in the form of additions and changes to Section 4.0," Surveillance Requirements"; Section 4.2.3,
" Radiation Monitoring System"; and Section 4.4, " Primary Coolant Conditions". Also included is a new Section 4.5, " Analysis of Coolants for Radioactivity."
The intent of these changes is to provide clarity for surveillance requirements when the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval.
Sincerely, f(
JOHN J. PHILLIPS Director Enclosure cc: Alexander Adams, Jr.
Thomas Burdick
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'a 9906280303 990621 PDR ADOCK 05000131 P
Att: chm:nt page i Technical Specification Amendment 4.0 SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS The allowable surveillance intervals shall not exceed the following:
(a) Five-year: interval not to exceed six years (b) Biennial: interval not to exceed two and one-half years (c) Annual: interval not to exceed 15 months (d) Semiannual: interval not to exceed seven and one-half months (e) Quarterly: interval not to exceed four months (f) Monthly: interval not to exceed six weeks (g) Weekly: interval not to exceed ten days (h) Daily: must be done during the calendar day.
1 Established frequencies shall be maintained over the long term. For example, any monthly surveillance shall be performed at least 12 times during a calendar year of normal operation. If the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval, that surveillance task shall be performed before the next operation of the reactor. Any surveillance tasks, which are, missed more than once during such a shutdown interval need be performed only once before operation of the reactor. Surveillance tasks scheduled daily or weekly which cannot be performed while the reactor is operating may be postponed during continuous operation of the reactor over extended times. Such postponed tasks shall be performed following shutdown after j
the extended period of continuous operation before any further operation, where each task shall be performed only once no matter how many times that task has been postponed.
4.2.3 Radiation Monitoring System Apolicability: This specification applies to the surveillance requirements for the area radiation monitoring equipment and the continuous air monitoring system.
Obiective: The objective is to ensure that the radiation monitoring equipment is operating and to verify the appropriate alarm settings.
Specification: The area radiation monitoring system and the continuous air monitoring system shall be calibrated annually but at intervals not to exceed 15 months and shall be verified to be operable at weekly intervals. Section 4.0, of these Technical Specifications is not applicable to the conditions of this specification with respect to when the reactoris not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval.
Bases: Experience has shown that weekly verification of area radiation and air monitoring system setpoints in conjunction with annual calibration is adequate to correct 4
for any variation in the system due to a change of operating characteristics over a long time span.
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L
Attachm:nt pags 2 Technical Specification Am:ndmsnt 4.4 Primary Coolant Conditions Acolicability: This specification applies to the surveillance of primary water quality.
- Obiective:,The objective is to ensure that water quality does not deteriorate over extended periods of time if the reactoris not operated.
Specification:. The conductivity and pH of the primary coolant water shall be measured at least once every 2 weeks, and shall be as follows, on the average:
4 (1) conductivity 5 5 x 10 mhos/cm (2) pH between 5.0 and 7.5 Section 4.0, of these Technical Specifications is not applicable to the conditions of this specification with respect to when the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval.
Bases: Section 3.8 ensures that the water quality is adequate during reactor operation.
Section 4.6 ensures that water quality is not permitted to deteriorate over extended periods of time even if the reactor does not operate.
4.5 Analysis of Coolants for Radioacti"Ity Apolicability: This specification applies to the monitoring of the coolant for radioactivity when the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval as described in Section 4.0 of these Technical Specifications.
Objective: To establish trends to identify corrosion of fuel and control rod cladding during periods when the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any i
required surveillance interval.
i Specifications: The reactor water shall be sampled for gross activity on an average monthly (at intervals not to exceed 6 weeks) and for isotope identification on an average quarterly at (intervals not to exceed four months) when the reactor F not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval.
Basis: Periodic analysis of the reactor water will establish a trend to identify corrosion of fuel and control rod cladding in the event that the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval.
Since 1959, neither the fuel nor the control rod cladding has shown any evidence of loss of integrity due to corrosion. Since, the licensed power limitation of the reactor is only 20 KW and there has been no prior history of corrosion failure; it is concluded that analysis for radioactivity in water will be adequate to ensure surveillance for fuel and control rod cladding corrosion during periods when the reactor is not operated for a period of time exceeding any required surveillance interval.