ML20214F544
| ML20214F544 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Waterford  |
| Issue date: | 11/13/1986 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20214F538 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8611250344 | |
| Download: ML20214F544 (4) | |
Text
,
k, UNITED STATES
'I 73 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 5
?
\\....+/
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENT N0. 8 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-38 LOUISIANA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY 4
WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3 DOCKET NO. 50-382
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated May 23, 1986, as supplemented by letters dated Auoust 29, 1986andOctober1,1986,LouisianaPowerandLightCompany(thelicensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (Appendix A to Facility Operating License No. NPF-38) for the Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3.
The proposed changes would:
(1) delete a surveillance requirement for trisodium phosphate aggregation; (2) revise a surveillance requirement for the diesel fire pump batteries; and (3) delete the requirement to shut the plant down when coolant activity levels are exceeded for 800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br /> in a 12-month period and reduce the reporting requirements for iodine spiking.
2.0 DISCUSSION The proposed changes to the technical specifications requested by the licensee are in three areas as described below.
2.1 Surveillance for trisodium phosphate aggregation The proposed change would modify surveillance requirement 4.5.2.d.5 by deleting the requirement for a visual inspection of the trisodium phosphate storage baskets for evidence of aggregation every 18 month:; and deleting the require-ment for mechanical dispersal of any aggregates found.
2.2 Diesel fire pump batteries The proposed change would revise Technical Specification (TS) surveillance requirement 4.7.10.1.3.c:1 to remove the requirement for inspection of diesel fire pump battery cell plates. TS 4.7.10.1.3 delineates the surveillance requirements for each fire pump diesel starting (12-volt) battery bank and charger.
In particular, item c.1 stipulates that the batteries, cell plates and battery racks are to be checked at least once per eighteen (18) months to ensure that there is no visual indication of physical damage or abnonnal j
deterioration. The proposed TS change will delete the requirement for a visual inspection of the cell plates.
l 8611250344 861113 PDR ADOCK 05000382 i
P PDR
=
l i 2.3 Primary coolant activity The proposed change would eliminate the requirement to shut the plant down when coolant activity levels are exceeded for 800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br /> in a 12-month period l
and will reduce the reporting requirements for iodine spiking short-term report (Special Report) to an item which is to be submitted annually when the i
limits of TS 3.4.7 are exceeded.
The proposed change would also revise TS Bases Section 3/4.4.7 and Administrative Controls Section 6.9.1.4 to achieve i
consistency throughout the Technical Specifications.
3.0 EVALUATION The proposed changes to the Technical Specifications requested by the licensee and described in three areas above, are evaluated below.
3.1 Surveillance for trisodium phosphate aggregation The licensee has provided information on trisodium phosphate (TSP) aggregation dispersal and dissolution when exposed to the containment spray water.
Referring to the experimental work performed by its staff and by Combustion 4
Engineering, the licensee was able to demonstrate that a TSP aggregate greater than 0.5 cubic feet and weighing 24.5 pounds could be dispersed in stagnant water at ambient temperature in about 10 minutes. Higher water temperatures and the presence of turbulence would increase the dispersal and would decrease the time required for dissolution.
From these experiments, the licensee concluded that even if the TSP salt became agglomerated in the baskets, the i
containment spray water would disperse these agglomerates and dissolve the salt in less than the 3 hours3.472222e-5 days <br />8.333333e-4 hours <br />4.960317e-6 weeks <br />1.1415e-6 months <br /> required by the Technical Specifications for pH control.
Thus, the need for making special inspections and breaking any detected TSP agglomerates found in the baskets is unnecessary.
Also, the racks containing TSP will continue to be periodically inspected for i
their integrity and to assure that they contain the minimum required amount of TSP in accordance with surveillance requirement 4.5.2.d.3.
Based on the considerations discussad above, the staff concludes that the modification of the surveillance requirements for the containment pH control systems for Waterford 3 proposed by the licensee meets the requirements of General Design Criterion 42 for inspection of containment atmosphere cleanup systems. The staff, therefore, finds the licensee's proposed deletion of the requirement for visual inspection of the TSP storage baskets for evidence of aggregation and mechanical dispersion of aggregates present to be acceptable.
However, the licensee will continue to periodically inspect the racks containing TSP for their integrity and to assure that they contain the minimum required amount of TSP in accordance with the existing Technical Specifications.
i 1
i
,,-.-.--e,n.,_
, 3.2 Diesel fire pump batteries The proposed change would remove the surveillance requirement for visual iTispection of the diesel fire pump battery cell plates. The present Technical Specification requires that the cell plates are to be checked
-at least once per 18 months to ensure that there is no visual indication of physical damage or abnonnal deterioration.
Since the diesel fire pump batteries at Waterford 3 are housed in black opaque cases, the only way to visually inspect the cell plates is through the small fill caps at the top of the batteries. This type of inspection does not represent a true indication of the cell plates' condition since bridging of the cell plates would most likely occur at the bottom.
i The licensee has been unable to find a clear case battery of the size and capacity necessary for the diesel fire pumps, and thus is not able to i
effectively carry out the inspection required by the Technical Specifications.
l However, other Technical Specifications exist which provide adequate assurance of the continued operability of the diesel fire pumps in the absence of the requirement for visual inspection of the battery cell plates.
These specifications include checks of battery electrolyte level, voltage and 1
specific gravity and actual starts of the diesel engine fire pumps. Additional assurance of operability is provided by the fact that each diesel engine fire pump has separate and redundant batteries which are replaced on a 40-month interval.
s l
Based on the considerations discussed above, the staff concludes that the licensees' proposal to eliminate the surveillance requirement for visual inspection of the diesel fire pump battery cell plates is acceptable.
3.3 Primary coolant activity i
In order to satisfactorily resolve the concerns in Generic Issue No. B-65 related to reporting requirements on primary coolant iodine spike, the staff issued Generic Letter 85-19, dated September 27, 1985, to all licensees and i
applicants for operating power reactors and holders of construction permits for power reactors.
In Generic Letter 85-19, the staff determined that (1) reporting requirements related to primary coolant activity level, specifically iodine spikes, could be reduced from a short tenn report (Special Report or Licensee Event Report) to an item to be' included in the annual report; and (2) existing shutdown requirements based on exceeding the primary coolant specific activity limits for an accumulated period of over 800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br /> were no longer necessary.
'I
\\
1 l
The staff's decision is based on an improvement in the quality of nuclear fuel over the past 10 years and the fact that approp,riate actions would be initiated long before approaching the limit as currently specified. Generic Cetter 85-19 also included model Technical Specifications which reflect these changes.
The staff has reviewed the proposed changes to TS 3/4.4.7 and TS 6.9.1.4 for Waterford 3, which would delete the short tenn reporting requirements regarding primary coolant activity and no longer require plant shutdown with the primary coolant activity exceeding the TS limit for more than 800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br />.
The staff finds that the proposed changes are consistent with the model TS included in Generic Letter 85-19 and concludes that the proposed changes are, therefore, acceptable.
4.0 CONTACT WITH STATE OFFICIAL The NRC staff has advised the Administrator, Nuclear Energy Division, Department of Environmental Quality, State of Louisiana of the proposed determination of no significant hazards consideration. No comments were received.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
This amendment involves changes in the installation or use of facility components located within the restricted area.
The staff has detennined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite and that there is no significant increase in individual or s
cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
The Commission has previously issued proposed findings that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such findings. Accordingly, the amendment meets the eli forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9)gibility criteria _for categorical exclusion set Pursuant td 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of this amendment.
6.0 CONCLUSION
Based upon our evaluation of the proposed changes to the Waterford 3 Technical Specifications, we have concluded that:
there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations and the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
We, therefore, conclude that the proposed changes are acceptable, and are hereby incorporated into the Waterford 3 Technical Specifications.
Dated: November 13, 1986
-..