ML20217M751

Informs of Completed Review of Proposed License Amend to TS 2.2-1 & 3/4.2.5 & Concludes That Due to Magnitude & Complexity of Issues Involved,Nrc Will Not Be Able to Meet Util 970913 Scheduled Refueling Outage

ML20217M751
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	08/21/1997
From:	Clifford J NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Cottle W HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
References
TAC-M99245, TAC-M99246, NUDOCS 9708250271
Download: ML20217M751 (4)

Text

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• t j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION UNITED STATES

_, f WA$HINGTON, D.C. 20066-4001 Q* *4***} August 21, 1997 '

Mr. William T. Cottle Executive Vice-President &

General Manager, Nuclear Houston Lighting & Power Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P. O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

PROPOSED LICENSE AMENDMENT TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TABLE 2.2-1 AND 3/4.2.5 FOR REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM (RCS) FLOW MONITORING, SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (TAC NOS. M99245 AND M99246)

Dear Mr. Cottle:

By letter dated July 16, 1997, as superseded by letter dated August 6, 1997, Houston Lighting & Power Company (HL&P) submitted the subject proposed license amendment. The proposed amendment would revise Technical Specification (TS)

Table 2.2-1 and 3/4.2.5 to allow the RCS total flow to be determined using cold leg elbow tap differential pressure measurements in lieu of precision heat balance measurements. The letter requested Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval prior to the next refueling outage for Unit 1, which is currently scheduled to begin September 13, 1997.

We have completed a preliminary review of the proposed license amendment. Due to the magnitude and complexity of the issues involved, we will most likely not be able to meet HLaP's September 13, 1997, date. Our estimate of the earliest target schedule the NRC staff could possibly meet for issuance of the

~1icense amendment would be the end of September 1997, which should be in time r

for Unit I restart. This schedule assumes that the staff doesn't identify any problems with the submittal that can't be resolved in time for Unit I restart.

The NRC has also determined that the submittal was not timely. In previous discussions between NRC and HL&P on this subject, we estimated that an application similar to what we had previously approved for Catawba would take about 3 months to review. We also stated that an application similar to what we are still reviewing for Farley would take at least 6 months to review. We have determined that HL&P's submittal has elements similar to both the Catawba-and Farley submittals, and thus would require its own unique review. Since a your proposal contains elements of the Farley submittal that have not yet been resolved, our estimated completion by the end of September 1997 could be -

affected by these issues. Since HL&P's letter states that a low margin to required RCS flow was first identified in early March 1997, and the NRC had previously informed HL&P on necessary lead times for staff review, we consider i O' that the submittal was not timely to ellow adequate staff review to support ,

your requested schedule. We will make every effort to complete our review to support Unit I restart, subject to the acceptability of your proposal.

9708250271 PDR 970821 ADOCK 05000498 P pop

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e William T. Cottle Also, we consider that your proposed TS 4.2.5.3 does not specify the l

- methodology for measuring RCS total flow rate. We consider that the

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methodology-approved by the staff needs to be specified in the TS to ensure

' staff-approved assumptions remain valid. l 4

l As a final note, in the event that HL&P's RCS flow monitoring a) plication is not approved in time for Unit I restart, the staff recommends t1at HL&P consider submitting a separate application, as a contingency, that will allow Unit I to restart with a reduced RCS flow rate, as determined by the 18-month precision heat balance measurements.

If you have any questions, please contact Thomas-Alexion at (301) 415-1326.

Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

James W. Clifford, Acting Director Project Directorate IV-1 Division of Reactor Projects III/IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

Docket File PUBLIC PD4-1 r/f JRoe EAdensam (EGA1) JClifford CHawes TAlexion OGC ACRS TGwynn, RIV JLyons Document Name: STP99245.LTR *See previous concurrence r 0FC PM/PD4-l.-l LA/PD4-1 (A)BC/SRXB* (A)D/PQ4-1 D/DRPW [

NAME TAlexk)DMh~CHawes C/?)N JLyons JClkford JRoe[

DATE [/h9f 8/N/97 08/01/97 (/d/97 [/97

' COPY fYE)/NO YES/NO YES/NO YES/N0 IES/NO V-0FFICIAL RECORD COPY fy nd JIzt/ W

William T. Cottle Also, we consider that your proposed-TS 4.2.5.3 does not specify the methodology for measuring RCS total flow rate. We consider that the methodology approved by the staff needs to be specified in the TS to ensure staff-approved assumptions remain valid.

As a final note, in the event that HL&P's RCS flow monitoring a> plication is not approved in time for Unit 1 restart, the staff recomends t1at HL&P consider submitting a separate application, as a contingency, that will allow Unit 1 to restart with a reduced RCS flow rate, as determined by the 18-month precision heat balance measurements.

If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Alexion at (301) 415-1326.

Sincerely, AsN/4h. Y J mes W. Cliffo , Acting Director Project Directorate IV-1 Division of Reactor Projects III/IV I

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499 cc: See next nage

Mr. William T. Cottle Houston Lighting & Power Company South Texas, Units 1 & 2 cc:

iMr. David P. Lovele'ss_ Jack R. Newman, Esq.

Senior Resident inspector . -

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius U.S. Nuclear Regulatory-Comission 1800 M Street, N.W.

P. O. Box 910 Washington, DC 20036-5869

Bay City, TX: 77414 Mr. Lawrence E. Martin Mr. J.-C. Lanier/M. B. Lee . General Manager, Nuclear Assurance Licensing City of Austin Houston _ Lighting and Power Company Electric Utility Department P. O._ Box 289 721 Bartoi Springs Road- Wadsworth, TX 77483 Austin, TX 78704 Rufus S.-Scott Mr. M. T. Hardt Associate General Counsel Mr. W. C. Gunst Houston Lighting and Power Company City- Public Service Board P. O. Box 61867 P. O. Box-1771.- Houston, TX 77208 San Antonio, TX 78296 Joseph R. Egan, Esq.-

. Mr. G. E. Vaughn/C. A. Johnson Egan & Associates, P.C..

E Central Power and Light Company 2300 N Street, N.W.

P. O. Box 289 Washington, DC 20037 Mail-Code: -N5012 Wadsworth, TX 74483 Office of the Governor ATTN: Andy Barrett, Director

.INPO .

Environmental- Policy Records Center- P. O. Box 12428 700 Galleria Parkway Austin, TX 78711 Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Arthur C. Tate, Director Regional Administrator, Region IV Division of Compliance & Inspection U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Bureau of Radiation Control 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400- Texas Department of Health Arlington,- TX --76011 1100 West 49th Street Austin, TX 78756 Dr. Bertram Wolfe 15453 Via Vaquero Texas Public Utility Commission Monte'Sereno, CA 95030 ATTN: Mr. Glenn W. Dishong 7800 Shoal-Creek-Blvd.

-Judge, Matagorda. County ~ Suite 400N Matagorda County Courthouse Austin,-TX 78757-1024 1700 Seventh Street-

-Bay City, TX 77414-t

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