NRC Generic Letter 84-13, Technical Specification for Snubbers

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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

May 3, 1984

To All Power Reactor Licensees (Except SEP Licensees) And All Applicants For Licenses To Operate Power Reactors

Subject: Technical Specification For Snubbers (Generic Letter 84-13)

For several years a technical specification for snubbers has been included in the technical specifications for new facility operating licenses. A model specification was transmitted to power reactor licensees as Revision 1 of the Surveillance Requirements for snubbers by an enclosure to my Generic Letter of November 20, 1980.

During the last several years, a large number of license amendments have been required to add, delete or modify the snubber listing within the technical specifications. We have reassessed the inclusion of snubber listings within the technical specifications and conclude that such listings are not necessary provided the snubber technical specification is modified to specify which snubbers are required to be operable. You should also note that the recordkeeping requirements of paragraph 4.9.7.f. of the snubber technical specification are not altered by this revision. Paragraph 4.9.7.f. requires that the plant records contain a record of the service life, installation date, etc. of each snubber. Since any changes in snubber quantities, types, or locations would be a chance to the facility, such changes would be subject to the provisions of 10 CFR Part 50.59 and, of course, these changes would have to be reflected in the records required by paragraph 4.7.9.f.

Enclosed is a revision to Revision 1 of the Surveillance Requirements which was attached to my Generic Letter of November 20, 1980. This revision is limited to a modification to Specification 3.7.9 to specify which snubbers are subject to the requirements of this technical specification and to the elimination of Tables 3.7-4a and 3.7-4b. Specification 3.7.9 now includes as part of the Limiting Condition for Operation the same criterion as was in the bases section of rr,y November 20, 1980 Generic Letter. This criterion states that all snubbers other than specified exceptions are required to be operable. The requirement in Specification 3.7.9 of Revision 1, that snubbers be listed in Tables 3.7-4a and 3.7-4b is no longer necessary and is eliminated by this revision.No change in existing technical specifications that include a list of snubbers is required. However, a licensee may choose to request a license amendment to delete the tabular listing of snubbers from its technical specifications. Unless and until deleted, the list of snubbers shall be maintained in accordance with the requirements of Revision 1 of the Surveillance Requirements for snubbers that was enclosed with my Generic Letter of November 20, 1980.

A few recently issued licenses have included technical specifications without tabular listings of snubbers. This revision will be applied to future operating licenses and the technical specifications will not include lists of snubbers.

Sincerely,

Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director Division of Licensing

Enclosure:

Revised Model Technical Specification for Snubbers

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