ML20216C096

Requests NRC Review & Approval of Proposed License Amend Under Exigent Circumstances.Attachment a Provides Determination of No Significant Hazards Consideration.W/O Attachment

ML20216C096
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	04/08/1998
From:	Olivier L BOSTON EDISON CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
LTR.2.98.0043, NUDOCS 9804140292
Download: ML20216C096 (3)

Text

$ 10CRF50.90 Boston Edison 10CRF50.91

,* Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Rocky Hill Road Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360 L.J. Olivier Vice President Nuclear and Station Director April 8,1998 BECo Ltr. 2.98.0043 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk l Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Docket No. 50-293 License No. DPR-35 License Amendment to BECo Technical Specification 3.6.A.1 to Eliminate the 145 F Differential Temperature Limit and Modify 4.6.A.1 Surveillance Requirements and Basis 3/4.6.A Under Exigent Circumstances in accordance with 10CFR 50.90 and 10CFR 50.91, Bosten Edison Company proposed to l amend Operating License No. DPR-35 ;n BECo Ltr. 2.98.023 submitted to the NRC on March 25,1998. The proposed change in BECo Ltr. 2.98.023 would modify the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (PNPS) Technical Specification as it pertains to Primary System Boundary, Thermal and Pressurization Limitations, and Surveillance Requirements and Basis.

BECo requests NRC review and approval of this proposed license amendment under exigent circumstances.

Description of Proposed Chanae:

The proposed change is described in detailin BECo Ltr. 2.98.023. In summary, it would l eliminate the limitation that the reactor vessel flange-to-adjacent-reactor-vessel-shell l temperature differential shall not exceed 145 F during reactor heatup and cooldown conditions. It also would eliminate the associated surveillance requirement to monitor vessel flange and adjacent shell differential temperature during heatup and cooldown conditions. j d I

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Reason for Propose Chanoe:

s described in greater detail in BECo Ltr. 2.98.023, the rationale for the flange-to-adjacent shell differential temperature was determined to be based on stress levels associated with thermal growth. The stress levels are limited by code which effectively limits the stress intensity value associated with fracture toughness.

Any differential temperature gradient between the lower flange and adjacent shell is dependent upon the plant heatup and cooldown rate. Excessive differential temperatures cannot develop between the vessel lower flange and adjacent shell as long as the plant heatup and cooldown events are restricted to rates no greater than 100 F/hr when l averaged over a one hour period. Excessive reactor fluid ramps are precluded by station j procedures that control and restrict plant heatup and cooldown rates to less than i 100 F/hr. Since the plant cannot procedurally exceed the 100* F/hr restriction, the limiting 145 F differential temperature technical specification requirement cannot be reached.

1 Explanation of Exioent Circumstances: i The Code of Federal Regulations [10CFR 50.91(a)(b)) requires licensees to provide an explanation of the exigent circumstances when requesting the issuance of a license 4 amendment without the normal thirty-day public notice.

There is a possibility the plant may enter a limiting condition of operation that could result in a plant shutdown during the NRC review and approval period for the proposed i technical specification change submitted in BECo Ltr. 2.98.023.

A normal plant cooldown under current technical specification requirements would require monitoring reactor vessel shell flange temperature to maintain the vessel flange to adjacent vessel shell differential temperature at less than 145* F. However, the current condition of the vessel shell flange thermocouples prohibits accurate monitoring of the metal surface temperature to meet this technical specification requirement. The thermocouples are considered inoperable due to inconsistencies in their readouts.

Exigent review and approval of the submitted license amendment is needed and requested to facilitate a normal cooldown of the vessel without violating current technical specifications.

Because the need for plant shutdown and cooldown cannot be forecasted in advance, BECo is requesting review of the submitted change under exigent circumstances to evoid a future short notice request and possible violation of current technical specification requirements.

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BECo has made a good faith effort to prepare the license amendment submitted in BECo

. Ltr.'2'.9I3.023 for NRC approval as expeditiously as practicable. BECo Ltr. 2.98.023,

' Attac'hment A, provides our determination of no significant hazards consideration.

Attachment C of BECo Ltr. 2.98.023 provides the proposed technical specification change.

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.J. Olivier I

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CSB/dcg 298043 Distribution:

1 Re0 i onal Administrator, Region 1 Peter LaPorte, Director U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Office of Emergency Preparedness 475 Allendale Road 400 Worcester Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 P.O. Box 1496 Framingham, Ma. 01701-0317 Senior Resident inspector Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Mr. Alan B. Wang Project Manager Project Directorate 1-3 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Mail Stop: OWFN 14B2 1 White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Mr. Robert M. Hallisey, Director Radiation Control Program Center for Communicable Diseases Mass. Dept. of Public Health 305 South Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130