ML20247J680
| ML20247J680 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 05/19/1989 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247J306 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8906010103 | |
| Download: ML20247J680 (4) | |
Text
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.f UNITED STATES y
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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j WASHING TON, D. C. 20555
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e ENCLOSURE 4 S,JETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTC.'t REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENT N0.167 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-33 AMENDMENT NO.166 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-52 AMENDMENT NO.138 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-68 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2 AND 3 DOCKET NOS. 50-259, 50-260 AND 50-296
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By application for license amendments dated October 24, 1988, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA or the licensee) requested a change in the expiration dates for Operating License DPR-33 Unit 1 from May 10, 2007 to. December 20, 2013, for Operating License DPR-52 Unit 2 from May 10, 2007 to June 28, 2014, and for Operating License DPR-68 Unit 3) from July 31, 2008 to July 2, 2016.
2.0 DISCUSSION Section 103.c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 states that a license is to be issued for a specified period not to exceed 40 years.
Title 10 CFR 50.51 specifies that each license will be issued for a fixed period of time not to exceed 40 year-from the date of issuance.
The currently licensed terms for the 8rous Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN), Units 1, 2 and 3, are 40 years commencing with the issuance of the construction permits which was May 10, 1967 for Units 1 and 2, and July 31, 1968 for Unit 3.
Accounting for the time required for plant construction, this represents effective operating license terms of 33 years and 5 months for Unit 1, and 31 years and 11 months for Unit 2 and 3.
Consistent with Section 103.c of the Atomic Energy Act and Section 50.51 of the Commission's regulations. TVA, by the October 24, 1988 application, seeks an extension of the operating license terms for BFN, Units 1, 2 and 3 so the fixed period of the licenses will be 40 years from the operating license issuance date.
By letter dated March 24, 1989 TVA provided supplemental information to its application which supported the population estimates in the application.
This information did not change the substance of the proposed action which TVA submitted in its October 24, 1988 application and which was noticed on January 11, 1989 (54 FR 1024).
This information did not affect the staff's initial determination of no significant hazards consideration in that notice.
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. 3.0 EVALUATION The NRC staff has evaluated the safety issues associated with issuance of the proposed license amendment which will allow approximately seven years for Units 1 and 2, and eight years for Unit 3 of additional operation. The issues addressed consist of additional radiation exposure to the licensee's operating staff, impacts on the offsite population, and the general aging of the plant structures and equipment. The impact of additional radiation exposure to the facility operating staff and the impact on the general population in the vicinity of BFN, Units 1, 2 and 3 are addressed in the NRC staff's Environmental Assessment dated 3.1 Plant Structures and Systems, The licensee's request for extension of the operating license is based, in part, on the determination that a 40-year service life was considered during the design and construction of the plant. This does not mean that some components will not wear out during the plant lifetime.
Rather, design features were incorporated which provide for inspectability of structures, systems and equipment.
In addition, structures, systems and components are required by the Technical Specifications (TS) to undergo routine surveillance to assure that there is a high degree of confidence that they will perform their safety functions when required.
The environmental qualification (EQ) program for electricai equipment operating in a harsh environment is described in Section III.1 of the BFN Nuclear Performance Plan (NPP). The program ensures that EQ is maintained for electrical equipment necessary to ensure reactor coolant pressure boundary integrity, to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a safe shutdown condition, and to prevent or mitigate the consequences of accidents that could result in offsite exposures comparable to the 10 CFR 100 guidelines.
Non-safety-related electrical equipment whose failure under postulated harsh environmental conditions could prevent satisfactory accomplishment of safety functions by safety-related equipment was also included in the program.
The licensee has performed aging analyses for all safety-related electrical equipment within the scope of 10 CFR 50.49. The qualified life of the equipment or component is incorporated with BFN's maintenance and replacement practices to ensure that this safety-related electrical equipment remains qualified and available to perform its safety function regardless of the overall age of the plant. The NRC staff evaluated the program and found it acceptable.
The evaluation is documented in the Safety Eva'.uation by the Office of Special Projects dated October 21, 1988.
BFN Technical Specifications 1.MM requires that the licensee maintain an and an inservice test (IST) program for ASME Code Class 1, 2 and 3 components inservice inspection (ISI) valves.
These programs are necessary to assure the continued operability and integrity of systems important to plant safety.
TS 1.MM requirements further specify that the above programs comply wich the applicable Code and addenda as written relief per 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)g) except where the NRC staff provides required by 10 CFR 50, Section 50.55a(
(1).
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.- In' addition to the ISI and IST programs, the following BFN TS also provide additional requirements for monitoring component aging and the cumulative effects of power operation over the life of the plant.
a.
TS 3/4.6.A - Reactor Coolant System Pressure / Temperature Limits Temperature and pressure changes during heatup, cooldown, and normal operation of the reactor coolant system are limited to protect against non-ductile failure of the reactor coolant system. These limits are calculated using the methods derived from Appendix G in Section III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code as required in 10 CFR 50, Appendix G.
The above specification also includes a reactor vessel material surveillance program that monitors reactor vessel embrittlement over the 40-year design life in accordance with 10 CFR 50, Appendix H.
Reactor vessel irradiation specimens are removed and examined at specific intervals to determine changes in material properties. The results of the examinations are used to update the pressure and temperature limits, b.
TS 3/4.6.G - Reactor Coolant System Structures and Components The ISI and IST programs for ASME Code Class 1, 2 and 3 components ensure that the structural integrity and operational readiness of these components will be maintained at an acceptable level throughout the life of the plant.
In addition to the ISI and IST programs, additional Limiting Conditions for Operation (LCO) are specified for reactor vessel head bolting stud tensioning and starting of recirculation pumps with excessive temperature differentials between loops and between dome and bottom head drain.
c.
TS 6.10.1.g Component Cyclic or Transient Limit This requirement ensures that certain components within the reactor coolant and secondary systems are maintained within their cyclic or transient limits over the life of the plant.
These limits are monitored, recorded, and evaluated for component fatique to provide confidence that each component will perform its intended function over a 40-year design life.
3.2 Reactor Pressure Vessel The original design of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and associated internals considered the effects of 40 years of operation within the cyclic limits given in tPe BFN Final Safety Analysis Report, Section 4.2.
Those cyclic limits equate to 40 years of operation at full power with a plant capacity factor of 80% (i.e., 32 effective full power years), included expected operational and thermal transients.
To date, the largest capacity factor has been approximately 70% and should not exceed that for the remainder of plant life.
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. 3.3 Sumary of Findings Based on the above, we find that extensions of the operating licenses for BFN, Units 1, 2 and 3 to allow a 40-year service life are consistent with the safety analysis for 8FN, Units 1, 2 and 3, and that the Comission's previous safety findings are not changed. All issues associated with plant systems and equipment, including aging and changes in RPY fracture toughness properties, have been addressed and are acceptable for 40-years of operation.
4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERAT*0N A Notice of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact relating to the proposed extension of the Facility Operating License termination date for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 and 3 was published in the Federal Register (54 FR 21587) on May 19, 1989.
No public comments were received and the State of Alabama did not have comments.
5.0 CONCLUSION
We have concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:
will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and-(2) public (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Comission's regulations, and the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the comon defense and security nor to the health and safety of the public.
Principal. Contributor:
T. Daniels Dated:
May 19, 1989 i
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