NRC Generic Letter 1983-02
| ML031210012 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/10/1983 |
| From: | Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUREG-0737 GL-83-002, NUDOCS 8301110134 | |
| Download: ML031210012 (6) | |
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eRUNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 January 10, 1983 TO ALL BOILING WATER REACTOR LICENSEES
Gentlemen:
Subject: NUREG-0737 Technical Specifications ( Generic Letter No.83-02 )
NUREG-0737, "Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements," identifies those items for which Technical Specifications are required. Technical Specifications are required to provide assurance that facility operation is maintained within the limits determined acceptable following implemen- tation at each facility. The scope and type of specification should include appropriate actions if limiting conditions for operation cannot be met. Relevant surveillance requirements for installed equipment should also be included.
A number of NUREG-0737 items which require Technical Specifications were scheduled for implementation by December 31, 1981.. Each of those items is present in Enclosure 1. Included in the enclosure is guidance on the scope of a specification which the staff would find acceptable.
Enclosure 2 are samples in Standard Technical Specification format with blanks or parentheses appearing where the information is plant specific.
It includes appropriate pages as background information for facilities that do not have Standard Technical Specifications. These samples are for your information only.
We solicited comments on proposed Technical Specifications from the boiling water reactor owners group and Atomic Industrial Forum. Appropriate comments have been incorporated. We request that you review your facility's Technical, Specifications to determine if they are consistent with the guidance provided in Enclosure 1. For those items where you identify deviations or absence of a specification, we request that you submit an application for a license amendment. The Bases Section should be revised, as appropriate, to reflect the changes made in Technical Specifications.
If some of the items are not yet implemented at your facility, you should submit an amendment request at the time they are implemented. Please respond within 90 days of receipt of this letter.
This request for information was approved by the Office of Management and Budget under clearance number 3150-0065 which expires May 31, 1983 incerely, t Dar G. Ei fi or Jf Division of Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation C-
Enclosures:
As stated cc: See next page
8301110134
TO ALL EOILING LJATER REACTOR LICENSEES
Gentletien:
SIIP.JECT: NUREG-0737 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
NUREG-n737, "Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirenents," identifies those ite,1s for which Technical Specifications are required. Technical Specifications are required to provide assurance that facility operation is maintained within the limits determined acceptable following implemen- tation at each facility. The scope and type of specification should include appropriate actions if a limitinq conditions for operation cannot be net, and for installed equipment, relevant surveillance requirertents.
A nunher of NI'REG-0737 items which require Technical Specifications were scheduled for implenentation by December 31, 1981. Each of those items Is nresentpd in Enclosure 1. Included in the enclosure is guidance on the scope of a specification which the staff would find acceptable. Enclo- sure 2 are sariples in Standard Technical Specification format with blanks or parentheses anpearing where the infornation is plant specific. It includes ap!uropriate paqes as background information for facilities that do not have Standard Technical Specifications. These samples are for your infornation only.
We solicited corents on proposed Technical Specifications from the boiling water reactor owners group and Atomic Industrial Forum. Appropriate conriients have been incorporated. Wle request that you review your facility's Tech- nical Specifications to determine if they are consistent with the guidance provided in Enclosure 1. For those items where you identify deviations or absence of a specification, we request that you suhnit an application for a license amendnent. The Bases Sections should be revised, as appropriate, to reflect the chanqes nade in Technical Specifications. If some of the items are not yet implemented at your facility, you should subnit an anendrient request at the tine they are inplenented. Please respond within 90 days of receipt of this letter.
This request for infonmation was approved by the Office of Managenent and Budget under clearance number 3150-0065 which expires May 31, 1983. Coiuinents on burden and duplication nay be directed to the Office of Management and Budnet, Reports Management Rool 3208, New Executive Office Building, IVashingtofn, n.C. 20503.
Sincerely, DS 6 U)arrell G. Eisenhi't. ctor RM /;/8 Dvision of Licensing
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NRC FORM 318 (10-80) NRCM 0240
ENCLOSURE 1 STAFF GUIDANCE OF NUREG-0737 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
(ITEMS SCHEDULED TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY DECEMBER 31, 1981)
(1) STA Training (I.A.1.1.3)
Our July 2, 1980, letter provided model Technical Specifications were (TSs) for TMI lessons learned Category "A" items. Included require- TSs that specified the qualifications, training and on-duty require- ments for the Shift Technical Advisors (STA). STA trainingguidance ments are under Consideration by the Commission. Furtherexpertise on will be provided pending decision regarding engineering shift by the Commission.
(2) Limit Overtime (I.A.1.3)
version of On June 15, 1982 we transmitted to licensees a revised plant staff work- the Commission's Policy Statement on nuclear power we also transmitted revised pages to ing hours. In the same letter of the technical NUREG-0737 (Item 1.A.1.3). The administrative section to require procedures that follow specifications should be revised would the policy statement guidelines. An acceptable specification performing be "the amount of overtime worked by plant staff members with the NRC
safety-related functions must be limited in accordance 82-12)," or Policy Statement on working hours (Generic Letter No.
following the model TSs in Enclosure 2.
(3) Dedicated Hydrogen Penetrations (II.E.4.1)
systems Plants that use external recombiners or purge/repressurizationatmos- for post-accident combustible gas control of the containment to that service.
phere should provide containment penetrations dedicated by either The acceptable alternative is a combined design for use other external recombiners or purge/repressurization systems and 10 CFR Part systems which meet the requirements of Section 50.44 of plants may have to add some addi-
50. In satisfying this item, some to tional piping and valves. If so, these valves should be subjected the TSs should be modified accord- the requirements of Appendix J, and ingly.
(4) Containment Pressure Setpoint (II.E.4.2.5)
isolation The containment pressure setpoint that initiates containment condi- must be reduced to the minimum compatible with normal operating their tions. Most plants provided justification for not changingcorrespondence.
setpoint and we approved their justifications by separate the lower The remaining plants have submitted a change to the TSs with containment pressure setpoint. No further actions are required.
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(5) Containment Purge Valves (II.E.4.2.6)
Model TSs are being sent separately to each plant overall' containment purge and vent system review. asTechnical part of-the fications will be reviewed separately for each plant. Speci- In general, these TSs include the requirement that:
a. Containment purge or vent valves be locked closed if found not qualified for operation during a LOCA, and be verified locked closed at least every 31 days;
b. Containment purge or vent valves be used only when needed for safety related reasons;
c. Containment purge or vent valves with resilient seals jected to leakage testing and periodic resilient seal be sub-.
replacement.
Allowable time period in each year for purge/vent operation plant will be considered on a case-by-case basis. at each
(6) Radiation Signal on Purge Valves (II.E.4.2.7)
NUREG-0737 requires that containment purge and vent isolation valves must close on a high radiation signal to reduce the amount of radiation released outside containment following a release radioactive materials to containment. The BWR Owners' of Group exception to this requirement and submitted their evaluation has taken NRC is currently reviewing the latest submittal of the to NRC.1 Owners' Group.-
Technical Specifications for this item will be established technical resolution of this issue is completed. after the
(7) Reporting SV and RV Failures and Challenges (II.K.3.3)
NUREG-0660 stated that safety and relief-valve failures be reported promptly and challenges be reported annually. The sections of your TSs that discuss reporting requirements should be accordingly changed;
model TSs are given in Enclosure 2. Note that an acceptable-alter- native would be to report challenges monthly. -
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(8) RCIC Restart and RCIC Suction (II.K.3,13, II.K.3.22)
The design of RCIC should be modified such that:
1) The system will restart on subsequent low water level after it has been terminated by a high water level signal;
2) RCIC system suction will automatically switchover from the condensate storage tank to the suppression pool when the condensate storage tank level is low.
Provide technical specifications for both of the above modifications.It could be included with other technical specifications for the RCIC system.
Typical acceptable limiting conditions for operation (LcO) and surveillance requirements, for instrumentation and system operational capability, are given in Enclosure 2.
(9) Isolation of HPCI and RCIC Modification (III.K.3.15)
The pipe break-detection circuitry should be modified so that pres- sure spikes resulting from HPCI and RCIC system initiation will not cause inadvertent system isolation. The plants using a time delay relay for this modification should change their technical specifica- tion to include the time delay added by the relay in the isolation system instrumentation response time. The minimum and maximum expected response time should be provided as discussed in the sample TSs (in Enclosure 2).
The minimum expected response time is a plant specific value. The maximum expected response time should not be higher than seven seconds unless the licensee provides proper Justification for selecting a higher response time. The plants which don't have isolation system response time in their Technical Specifications, should include the setpoint and the surveillance requirements on the time delay relay in the TSs.
(10) Interlock on Recirculation Pump Loops (II.K.3.19)
Interlocks are required on nonjet pump plants (other than Humboldt Bay) to assure that at least two recirculation loops are open for recirculation flow for modes other than cold shutdown. This is to assure that the level measurements in the downcomer region are repre- sentative of the level in the core region.
Since there are very few plants affected by this modification and the change may be plant specific, we advise these plants to develop the technical specification and submit to the staff. The technical specification should include some surveillance requirements on the instrumentations and the corrective actions to be taken in case of instrumentation malfunction or failure.
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(11) Common'Reference Leveli(II.K.3. 7)
If a.;
All level instruments should be referencedito- the-esametpoint. the Technical figure: defining reactor-vessel water-levels.iszincl'uded-iin reflect the.
Specifications of your-plant, it should be.changedtto Item;. A samplet common reference level established bytthis:Action,:Planfl figureis given in-Enclosure 2.
(12). Manual Depressurization (II.K.3.45)
- been completed.
Technical' resolution of this Action.Plan:LItemi has-.just plant design and The. staff will not require any modifications. in operation Therefore-no changes to: Technical' Speci fications:will bed. requi red.