ML070300427

Amendment, Low Pressure Coolant Injection Crosstie Valve Surveillance Requirement (TAC No. MD3544) (TS-458)

ML070300427
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	02/06/2007
From:	Chernoff M NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLII-2
To:	Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority
Chernoff M, NRR/DORL, 415-4041
Shared Package
ML070300436	List: ML070300427
References
TAC MD3544, TS-458
Download: ML070300427 (11)

Text

February 6, 2007 Mr. Karl W. Singer Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT REGARDING LOW PRESSURE COOLANT INJECTION CROSSTIE VALVE SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENT (TAC NO. MD3544) (TS-458)

Dear Mr. Singer:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 268 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-33 for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 1. This amendment is in response to your application dated November 9, 2006. This amendment deletes the Technical Specification Surveillance Requirement to verify the position of a low pressure coolant injection crosstie valve.

A copy of the Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Margaret H. Chernoff, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-259

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 268 to DPR-33

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/enclosures: See next page

ML070300427 NRR-058 OFFICE LPL2-2/PM LPL2-2/LA SBWB/BC ITSB/BC OGC LPL2-2/BC NAME MChernoff BClayton GCranston TKobetz MZobler PMilano for by Memo dtd LRaghavan DATE 1/29/07 1/26/07 12/21/06 /21/07 2/5/07 2/6/07 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY DOCKET NO. 50-259 BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 268 Renewed License No. DPR-33

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by Tennessee Valley Authority (the licensee) dated November 9, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment and paragraph 2.C.(2) of Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-33 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendices A and B, as revised through Amendment No. 268, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance and shall be implemented within 30 days from the date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA Patrick D. Milano for/

L. Raghavan, Chief Plant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: February 6, 2007

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 268 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-33 DOCKET NO. 50-259 Replace Page 3 of Renewed Operating License DPR-33 with the attached Page 3.

Revise the Appendix A Technical Specifications by removing the pages identified below and inserting the attached pages. The revised pages are identified by the captioned amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the area of change.

REMOVE INSERT 3.5-4 3.5-4

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 268 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-33 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-259

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), dated November 6, 2006, the Tennessee Valley Authority (the licensee) submitted a request for changes to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, Technical Specifications (TS). The requested change would delete TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.5.1.4, which requires monthly verification that the Low Pressure Coolant Injection (LPCI) Crosstie valve is in the closed position with its motive power removed.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

The LPCI is one of the systems that comprise the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS). It is provided to automatically reflood the reactor core in time to limit cladding temperatures after a nuclear system loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) when the reactor vessel pressure is below the shutoff head of the pumps. The LPCI system provides cooling by flooding, which differs from the Core Spray System that provides cooling by spraying. When the nuclear system pressure decreases to the pumping head of LPCI system, the check valve in the injection line opens and LPCI water is pumped into the reactor vessel to reflood the core.

As stated in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Section 50.46, the purpose of the ECCSs is to remove the residual and decay heat from the reactor core so that fuel clad melting is prevented and fuel clad damage is acceptably minimized. The criterion against which the ECCS System performance is measured is that ECCS systems shall limit cladding peak temperature to 2200 °F.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

Description of Change The change removes an SR that verifies that the LPCI loop discharge crosstie valve is in the closed position with its motive power removed. The LPCI loop discharge crosstie valve has been physically removed and the associated piping has been capped or closed with a blind flange.

The LPCI loop crosstie valve was physically removed and the associated piping capped or closed with a blind flange as part of the Unit 1 restart effort. The removal of the crosstie valve also reduces the maintenance in a high-radiation area and, in turn, reduces ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) concerns. Crosstie capability is not required for the mitigation of design basis events.

Evaluation The LPCI system previously had the ability to crosstie the redundant loops. This configuration provided the LPCI system the flexibility to provide make-up flow into either of the loops. During normal operation the loops were isolated from one another through the use of a normally closed LPCI loop crosstie valve with the motive power removed.

The purpose for the LPCI loop crosstie was for both LPCI loops to be able to provide reactor make-up flow into either of the two reactor recirculation loops under various LOCA pipe break scenarios. Subsequent to plant construction and licensing, analyses determined that the crosstie capability, under certain accident and single-failure scenarios, could result in the loss of injection from both LPCI loops. Additionally, analyses determined that the crosstie capability was not required for the mitigation of any design-basis events.

The existence of the LPCI loop crosstie line was determined to be a liability in plant design and an SR was placed in TS Section 3.5.1, ECCS (Emergency Core Cooling System) - Operating.

SR 3.5.1.4 states, Verify the LPCI cross tie valve is closed and power is removed from the valve operator. The frequency of this requirement is once every 31 days. This SR was intended to ensure the plant was in an analyzed condition.

The LPCI system design has been changed to eliminate the crosstie ability. In this change, the LPCI loop crosstie valve has been physically removed and the associated piping has been capped or closed with a blind flange. This change was made as part of the Unit 1 restart effort.

The crosstie valve was not required for mitigation of design basis accidents. This design change makes it physically impossible for flow to occur between the two LPCI loops.

The proposed change eliminates SR 3.5.1.4. With the removal of the LPCI loop crosstie valve, SR 3.5.1.4 is no longer necessary.

The NRC staff reviewed the information supplied by the applicant and the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, and concludes that the change in the mechanical separation inline from an isolation valve to a capped pipe does not affect adversely any safety function of the LPCI system. Therefore, the proposed TS change associated with this modification is acceptable.

The licensee also provided its marked up changes to the affected TS Bases. The NRC staff has no objection to the proposed TS Bases changes.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Alabama State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment changes a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes SRs.

The NRC staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (71 FR 67166). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendment.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: Diana Woodyatt Date: February 6, 2007

Mr. Karl W. Singer BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT Tennessee Valley Authority cc:

Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President Mr. Robert G. Jones, General Manager Nuclear Operations Browns Ferry Site Operations Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 6A Lookout Place Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street P.O. Box 2000 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Larry S. Bryant, Vice President Mr. Larry S. Mellen Nuclear Engineering & Technical Services Browns Ferry Unit 1 Project Engineer Tennessee Valley Authority Division of Reactor Projects, Branch 6 6A Lookout Place U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1101 Market Street 61 Forsyth Street, SW.

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Suite 23T85 Atlanta, GA 30303-8931 Brian OGrady, Site Vice President Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Ms. Beth A. Wetzel, Manager Tennessee Valley Authority Corporate Nuclear Licensing P.O. Box 2000 and Industry Affairs Decatur, AL 35609 Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge Mr. Preston D. Swafford, Senior Vice President 1101 Market Street Nuclear Support Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place Mr. William D. Crouch, Manager 1101 Market Street Licensing and Industry Affairs Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority General Counsel P.O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Decatur, AL 35609 ET 11A 400 West Summit Hill Drive Senior Resident Inspector Knoxville, TN 37902 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Mr. John C. Fornicola, General Manager 10833 Shaw Road Nuclear Assurance Athens, AL 35611-6970 Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place State Health Officer 1101 Market Street Alabama Dept. of Public Health Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 RSA Tower - Administration Suite 1552 Mr. Bruce Aukland, Plant Manager P.O. Box 303017 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Chairman Decatur, AL 35609 Limestone County Commission 310 West Washington Street Mr. Masoud Bajestani, Vice President Athens, AL 35611 Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Mr. Robert H. Bryan, Jr., General Manager Tennessee Valley Authority Licensing and Industry Affairs P.O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Decatur, AL 35609 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801