ML073230158

Unit No.3 - Denial of Extension Request for Corrective Actions Required by Generic Letter 2004-02

ML073230158
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	11/20/2007
From:	Mark Kowal NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLI-1
To:	Balduzzi M Entergy Nuclear Operations
reeves, R NRR/DORL/LPL1-1 301-415-5239
References
GL-04-002, TAC MC4690
Download: ML073230158 (5)

Text

November 20, 2007 Mr. Michael A. Balduzzi Sr. Vice President & COO Regional Operations, NE Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

SUBJECT:

INDIAN POINT NUCLEAR GENERATING UNIT NO. 3 - DENIAL OF EXTENSION REQUEST FOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS REQUIRED BY GENERIC LETTER 2004-02 (TAC NO. MC4690)

Dear Mr. Balduzzi:

In a letter dated October 24, 2007, [Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS) accession number ML073040291] Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy) requested an extension to the December 31, 2007, completion deadline for the corrective actions required by Generic Letter (GL) 2004-02, Potential Impact of Debris Blockage on Emergency Recirculation During Design Basis Accidents at Pressurized Water Reactors for the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit No. 3 (IP3). The proposed extension would allow Entergy approximately 14 additional months to complete the modifications and licensing activities necessary to achieve full compliance with GL 2004-02, with completion of this effort to coincide with the completion of the IP3 spring 2009 refueling outage.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has evaluated the information provided in Entergys letter and has determined that the arguments presented in the letter are not adequate to grant a 14-month extension. The NRC views the scope of the additional modifications required to demonstrate compliance with GL 2004-02 as achievable before the next refueling outage and, therefore, the extension request is denied.

In its letter, Entergy stated that the installation of significantly larger sump strainers and other modifications designed to reduce debris transport to the sumps has been completed. However, the planned modification to change the buffering agent from sodium hydroxide to sodium tetraborate has not been implemented. Further, the letter stated that the planned operating-license amendments to reflect a change to the low-low level set-point of the refueling water storage tank, the change of buffering agent, and the implementation of the exemption from the single failure criterion for large-break loss-of-coolant accidents (LBLOCAs) have not been initiated. Entergy proposed to complete these activities by the close of the IP3 spring 2009 refueling outage, scheduled to begin on March 10, 2009.

The NRCs criteria for granting extensions are contained in SECY-06-0078. The SECY requires that the licensee have a plant-specific technical/experimental plan with milestones and schedules to address outstanding technical issues, and have in place mitigative measures that minimize the risk of degraded emergency core cooling system (ECCS) and containment spray system (CSS) functions during the extension period. The SECY also recommends that for proposed extensions beyond several months, the mitigative measures include temporary physical improvements to the ECCS sump or materials inside containment to better ensure a high level of ECCS sump performance.

M. Balduzzi After reviewing Entergys submittal, the NRC staff concludes that Entergy has a plan to complete the remaining corrective actions and has compensatory measures in place. However, NRC finds that Entergy has not made a convincing case why the proposed modifications and other changes cannot be accomplished before the next refueling outage. Further, the importance of completing the corrective actions required to prevent sump strainer clogging was expressed in the Directors Decision Under 10 CFR 2.206 (ML041700619), which specifically addressed the petition regarding the operability of the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3 sumps. For these reasons, a 14-month extension beyond December 31, 2007, is not acceptable. Therefore, as previously stated, the NRC denies Entergys request, dated October 24, 2007, for an extension of the GL 2004-02 corrective actions completion date of December 31, 2007. Entergy may submit another extension request for NRC consideration, proposing a shorter extension consistent with the time needed to prepare for and implement remaining corrective actions in an expeditious manner.

Please contact the Indian Point Project Manager, John Boska, at (301) 415-2901 if you have any questions on this issue.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Mark G. Kowal, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-286 cc: See next page

ML OFFICE LPL1-1/PM LPL1-1/LA SSIB/BC LPL1-1/BC NAME JBoska SLittle MScott MKowal DATE 11/20/07 11/19/07 11/19/07 11/20/07 Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit No. 3 cc:

Mr. Michael R. Kansler President & CEO / CNO Mr. John A. Ventosa Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. GM, Engineering 1340 Echelon Parkway Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Jackson, MS 39213 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John T. Herron Sr. Vice President Mr. John F. McCann Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Director, Nuclear Safety & Licensing 1340 Echelon Parkway Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Jackson, MS 39213 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Sr. Vice President Engineering & Technical Services Ms. Charlene D. Faison Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Manager, Licensing 1340 Echelon Parkway Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Jackson, MS 39213 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Fred R. Dacimo Site Vice President Mr. Ernest J. Harkness Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Director, Oversight Indian Point Energy Center Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

450 Broadway, GSB 1340 Echelon Parkway P.O. Box 249 Jackson, MS 39213 Buchanan, NY 10511-0249 Mr. Patric W. Conroy Mr. Anthony Vitale - Acting Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance General Manager, Plant Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Indian Point Energy Center Indian Point Energy Center 450 Broadway, GSB 450 Broadway P.O. Box 249 P.O. Box 249 Buchanan, NY 10511-0249 Buchanan, NY 10511-0249 Mr. Robert Walpole Mr. Oscar Limpias Manager, Licensing Vice President Engineering Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Indian Point Energy Center 1340 Echelon Parkway 450 Broadway, GSB Jackson, MS 39213 P. O. Box 249 Buchanan, NY 10511-0249 Mr. Joseph P. DeRoy Vice President, Operations Support Mr. William C. Dennis Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Assistant General Counsel 1340 Echelon Parkway Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Jackson, MS 39213 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit No. 3 cc:

Mr. Paul Tonko President and CEO Mayor, Village of Buchanan New York State Energy, Research, and 236 Tate Avenue Development Authority Buchanan, NY 10511 17 Columbia Circle Albany, NY 12203-6399 Mr. William DiProfio PWR SRC Consultant Mr. John P. Spath 48 Bear Hill Road New York State Energy, Research, and Newton, NH 03858 Development Authority 17 Columbia Circle Mr. Garry Randolph Albany, NY 12203-6399 PWR SRC Consultant 1750 Ben Franklin Drive, 7E Mr. Paul Eddy Sarasota, FL 34236 New York State Department of Public Service Mr. William T. Russell 3 Empire State Plaza PWR SRC Consultant Albany, NY 12223-1350 400 Plantation Lane Stevensville, MD 21666-3232 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. Jim Riccio 475 Allendale Road Greenpeace King of Prussia, PA 19406 702 H Street, NW Suite 300 Senior Resident Inspector=s Office Washington, DC 20001 Indian Point 2 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. Phillip Musegaas P.O. Box 59 Riverkeeper, Inc.

Buchanan, NY 10511 828 South Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591 Senior Resident Inspector=s Office Indian Point 3 Mr. Mark Jacobs U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission IPSEC P.O. Box 59 46 Highland Drive Buchanan, NY 10511 Garrison, NY 10524 Mr. Charles Donaldson, Esquire Ms. Susan Shapiro Assistant Attorney General via email New York Department of Law 120 Broadway Mr. Sherwood Martinelli New York, NY 10271 FUSE USA via email Mr. Raymond L. Albanese Four County Coordinator 200 Bradhurst Avenue Unit 4 Westchester County Hawthorne, NY 10532