ML081400647

Request for Additional Information, License Amendment Request, Revise TS 3.3.1, Reactor Trip Instrumentation, to Establish Required Action for Inoperable Extended Range Neutron Flux Instrumentation

ML081400647
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	05/27/2008
From:	Thadani M NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIV
To:	Sheppard J South Texas
Thadani, M C, NRR/DORL/LP4, 415-1476
References
TAC MD8003, TAC MD8004
Download: ML081400647 (10)

Text

May 27, 2008 Mr. James J. Sheppard President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RE: LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST RELATED TO INOPERABLE EXTENDED RANGE NEUTRON FLUX INSTRUMENTATION (TAC NOS. MD8003 AND MD8004)

Dear Mr. Sheppard:

By application dated January 28, 2008. STP Nuclear Operating Company (the licensee) requested the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff approval of amendments to the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, to revise the Action 5 in Technical Specifications (TS)

Table 3.3-1, Reactor Trip Instrumentation, to add an Action for two inoperable channels of extended range neutron flux instrumentation, and to make an editorial change to TS 3.4.1.4.2, Reactor Coolant System Cold Shutdown-Loops not Filled, Action c.

The NRC staff has reviewed the information provided in your submittal and determined that additional information is required in order to complete its review. Please provide a response to the enclosed questions by June 30, 2008.

The NRC staff considers that timely responses to requests for additional information help ensure sufficient time is available for the NRC staff review and contribute toward the NRCs goal of efficient and effective use of the NRC staff resources. If circumstances result in the need to revise the requested response date, please contact me at (301) 415-1476.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Mohan C. Thadani, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: See next page

ML081400647 (*) memo dated OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA DE/EICB/BC NRR/LPL4/BC NAME MThadani JBurkhardt WKemper (*) THiltz DATE 5/27/08 5/21/08 5/15/08 5/27/08 South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 12/5/2007 cc:

Senior Resident Inspector S. M. Head, Manager, Licensing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289 P.O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 Wadsworth, TX 77483 Wadsworth, TX 77483 C. M. Canady C. T. Bowman, General Manager, Oversight City of Austin STP Nuclear Operating Company Electric Utility Department P.O Box 289 721 Barton Springs Road Wadsworth, TX 77483 Austin, TX 78704 Ms. Marilyn Kistler J. J. Nesrsta/R. K. Temple Senior Staff Specialist, Licensing E. Alercon/Kevin Pollo STP Nuclear Operating Company CPS Energy P.O. Box 289, Mail Code 5014 P.O. Box 1771 Wadsworth, TX 77483 San Antonio, TX 78296 Environmental and Natural Resources INPO Policy Director Records Center P.O. Box 12428 700 Galleria Parkway Austin, TX 78711-3189 Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Mr. Jon C. Wood Regional Administrator, Region IV Cox, Smith, & Matthews U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 112 East Pecan, Suite 1800 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 San Antonio, TX 78205 Arlington, TX 76011 Director, Division of Compliance & Inspection Steve Winn/Christie Jacobs Bureau of Radiation Control Eddy Daniels/Marty Ryan Texas Department of State Health Services NRC Energy, Inc. 1100 West 49th Street 211 Carnegie Center Austin, TX 78756 Princeton, NJ 08540 Mr. Ted Enos Mr. Nate McDonald 4200 South Hulen County Judge for Matagorda County Suite 422 1700 7th Street, Room 301 Ft. Worth, TX 76109 Bay City, TX 77414 Mr. Brian Almon A. H. Gutterman, Esq. Public Utility Commission of Texas Morgan, Lewis & Bockius P.O. Box 13326 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Austin, TX 78711-3326 Washington, DC 20004 E. D. Halpin, Site Vice President STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 12/5/2007 Ms. Susan M. Jablonski Mr. Anthony P. Jones, Chief Boiler Inspector Office of Permitting, Remediation Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and Registration Boiler Division Texas Commission on Environmental Quality E.O. Thompson State Office Building MC-122 P.O. Box 12157 P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711 Austin, TX 78711-3087 Mr. Ken Coates, Plant General Manager STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST STP NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-498 AND 50-499 The current Action 5 for Extended Range Neutron Flux, Functional Unit 7, in Technical Specifications (TS) Table 3.3-1, Reactor Trip Instrumentation, specifies an Action when the number of OPERABLE channels is one less than the Minimum Channels OPERABLE specified in TS Table 3.3-1. Current TS Table 3.3-1, Action 5 reads:

With the number of OPERABLE channels one less than the Minimum Channels OPERABLE requirement, suspend all operations involving positive reactivity changes.

Plant temperature changes or boron dilution is allowed provided the change is accounted for in the calculated SHUTDOWN MARGIN.

The proposed license amendment request will revise the current Action 5 to make it applicable for one and two inoperable channels. The proposed Action 5 reads:

ACTION 5-

a. With the number of OPERABLE channels one less than the Minimum Channels OPERABLE requirement, restore the inoperable channel to OPERABLE status within 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br />, or suspend all operations involving positive reactivity changes.

Note: Plant temperature changes or boron dilution is allowed provided the change is accounted for in the calculated SHUTDOWN MARGIN.

b. With the number of OPERABLE channels two less than the Minimum Channels OPERABLE requirement, restore at least one channel to OPERABLE status within 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br />, or

1. Suspend all operations involving positive reactivity changes, and Note: Operations involving plant temperature changes may proceed provided the change is accounted for in the calculated SHUTDOWN MARGIN when ACTION 5.b.2 is completed and reactor coolant system boron concentration has been verified to be within required limits,

2. Immediately initiate action to secure each valve or mechanical joint used to isolate unborated water sources from the reactor coolant system, and

3. Within 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> and once per 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> thereafter, verify SHUTDOWN MARGIN is within limits specified in the COLR.

The licensee stated that the proposed TS changes are based on NUREG-1431, Standard Technical Specifications - Westinghouse Plants. The staff observed that the proposed Actions 5.a and 5.b differ from TS 3.3.9 in NUREG-1431, and specifically, as shown below, not all of the required actions in the proposed Action 5.a and 5.b are consistent with similar required actions in NUREG-1431.

1. The statement, OR Required Action and Associated Completion Time of Condition A not met specified under Condition B in NUREG-1431 is not addressed in the proposed Action 5.a and 5.b.

2. In the proposed Action 5b or is specified at the end of the statement, With number of OPERABLE channels two less than the Minimum Channels OPERABLE requirement, restore at least one channel to OPERABLE status within 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br />, or while AND is specified in the Required Action B.1 in NUREG-1431 for the same Action.

3. Condition B.1, Suspend operations involving positive reactivity additions in NUREG-1431 requires Immediate suspension of operations involving positive reactivity additions while the corresponding proposed Condition 5.b.1, does not specify any time requirement.

4. The proposed Action 5.b.1 has and at the end of the statement, Suspend all operations involving positive reactivity changes, and while the NUREG-1431 has OR for the same required actions in B.1 and B.2.1.

5. The proposed Action 5.b.3 states, Within 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> and once per 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> thereafter while NUREG-1431, Required Action B.2.2.2 states, 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> AND Once per 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> thereafter for this Action.

Please explain why the above proposed TS changes are different from the corresponding statements in the NUREG-1431.