ML20236Q467

Discusses Util 870902 Special Rept Re Inoperable Status of Seismic Monitor 1ERS-NBE1B.Util Requested to Review Plant Procedures That Apply in Case of OBE Excedance & Verify That Procedures Consistent w/10CFR100,App a

ML20236Q467
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend
Issue date:	11/09/1987
From:	Paulson W Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Deddens J GULF STATES UTILITIES CO.
References
NUDOCS 8711200068
Download: ML20236Q467 (3)

Text

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I . # #e g UNITED STATES

' r 8 o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g j WASHINGTON, D, C. 20555 g * * * * * ,/ November 9,1987

)

Docket No. 50-458 Mr. James C. Deddens i Senior Vice President, (RBNG)

Gulf States Utilities P. O. Box 220 4

St. Francisville, LA 70775 j ATTN: Nuclear Licensing

Dear Mr. Deddens:

1

SUBJECT:

l SPECIAL REPORT REGARDING SEISMIC MONITORING AT RIVER BEND STATION

! By letter dated September 2,1987, Gulf States Utilities (GSU) submitted a special report providing details regarding the inoperable status of seismic monitor 1ERS-NBElB. As stated in that report, the 18-month calibration of this instrument was not performed within the specified time interval because

' of its inaccessibility during plant power operation. Accordingly, the )

4 instrument was declared inoperable.

I The NRC staff is aware that some locations specified for the seismic instru-

, mentation operation for according various to Regulatory Guide 1.12 can be inaccessible during plant reasons. -

In addressing this matter, we note that the ANSI guide dealing with earthquake instrumentation recognizes this fact in its recommendations for maintenanc3 (Remote, non-accessible instrument group) by giving the option for channel calibration as either at an 18-month interval or at a refueling cycle interval (ANSI /ANS-2.2-1978, Table 1). Hence, if a fuel cycle which generally is expected to last about 18 months, extends for several months, as was the case for River Bend, this action should not have had any adverse effect upon the reliability of the seismic instrumentation.

q Accordingly, we recommend that GSU review the Technical Specifications for seismic instrumentation and propose a change which would allow calibration of

inaccessible seismic instruments to coincide with refueling outages.

1 lj i Your report also stated that the seismic instruments " provide no control

.1 functions and are not required for the safe shutdown of the unit." In the i " Analysis" section of the report, it is stated that "this data [ recorded by

. seismic instrumentation) is needed for post event comparison with the data

, used for the Design Basis Earthquake to determine the seismic response of plant systems important to safety following the seismic event." However, motion exc(ee) ding that of the Operating Basis Earthquake the nuclear power plant will be required." Hence, that portion of the seismic instrumentation which would provide an on-line indication of Operating Basis Earthquate (0BE) exceedance (seismic switch and others) would be relied on to provide information to determine whether a plant shutdown is required. Instru-ment recordings may also be required when justifying restart after shutdown as a result of OBE exceedance.

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_ _ _ _ _ _____m__u--"*"'*--

1 Because the September 2, 1987 report is not clear on this matter, we request l that GSU review the plant procedures that apply in case of an OBE exceedance

and verify that these procedures are consistent with the noted portion of Appendix A of 10 CFR Part 100.

Sincerely, l6j Walter A. Paulson, Project Manager Project Directorate - IV Division of Reactor Projects - III, IV, V and Special Projects cc: See next page D aTRIBUTION (Bocket File NRC PDR Local PDR P. Noonan W. Paulson J. Calvo 0GC-Bethesda E. Jordan J. Partlow ACRS (10)

PD4 Plant File PD4/L ' PD PD4/ DON PNoo)) WP Bdi: sr JCalvo 11/y87 11/ /87 11/c/ /87

1 .)

A Mr. James C. Deddens Gulf States Utilities Company River Bend Nuclear Plant i

ec:

Troy B. Conner, Jr., Esq. Mr. J. E. Booker ,

Conner and Wetterhahn Manager-River Bend Oversight j 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW P. O. Box 2951  :

Washington, D.C. 20006 Beaumont, TX 77704 Mr. Eddie Grant Mr. William H. Spell, Administrator Director - Nuclear Licensing Nuclear Energy Division  !

Gulf States Utilities Company Office of Environmental Affairs I P. O. Box 220 P. O. Box 14690 St. Francisville, LA 70775 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70898 Richard M. Troy, Jr., Esq.

Assistant Attorney General in Charge Mr. J. David McNeill, III l State of Louisiana Department of Justice William G. Davis, Esq. l 234 Loyola Avenue Department of Justice New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 Attorney General's Office l 7434 Perkins Road Resident Inspector Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808 )

P. 0.. Box 1051 1

! St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775 H. Anne Plettinger l 3456 Villa Rose Drive I Gretchen R. Rothschild Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806 Louisianians for Safe Energy, Inc.  !

1659 Glenmore Avenue Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70775 President of West Feliciana i Police Jury Regional Administrator, Region IV P. O. Box 1921  ;

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775 Office of Executive Director for Operations Mr. Frank J. Uddo 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 Uddo & Porter Arlington, Texas 76011 6305 Elysian Fields Avenue Suite 400 Philip G. Harris New Orleans, Louisiana 70122 Cajun Electric Power Coop. Inc. ,,

10719 Airline Highway P. O. Box 15540 Baton Rouge, LA 70895 1

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