ML052130135

RAI, Regarding Channel Calibration Test Interval (TS-447) (Tac Nos. MC4070, MC4071, MC4072)

ML052130135
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	08/15/2005
From:	Ellen Brown NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority
Brown E, NRR/DLPM, 415-2315
References
TAC MC4070, TAC MC4071, TAC MC4072
Download: ML052130135 (4)

Text

August 15, 2005 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 UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING CHANNEL CALIBRATION TEST INTERVAL (TAC NOS. MC4070, MC4071, AND MC4072) (TS-447)

Dear Mr. Singer:

On August 16, 2004, as supplemented by a letter dated March 11, 2005, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the licensee) submitted a request to extend the channel calibration frequency requirements for instrumentation in the high pressure coolant injection, reactor core isolation cooling, and reactor water core isolation cooling systems.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has reviewed your submittal and finds that a response to the enclosed Request for Additional Information is needed before we can complete the review. The NRC staff requests a response within 30 days from the date of issuance of this letter.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Eva A. Brown, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260 and 50-296 cc w/encl: Request for Additional Information

ML052130135 NRR-088 OFFICE PDII-2/PM PDII-2/PM PDII-2/LA EEIB/SC PDII-2/SC NAME EBrown MChernoff BClayton EMarinos by Memo dated MMarshall DATE 08/08/05 08/08/05 08/08/05 4/11/05 08/15/05

Enclosure REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CHANNEL CALIBRATION TEST INTERVAL TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY BROWNS FERRY PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 DOCKET NOS. 50-259, 50-260, AND 50-296 1.

Generic Letter (GL) 91-04, Changes in Technical Specification Surveillance Intervals to Accommodate a 24-Month Fuel Cycle, provides guidance for extending the calibration surveillance interval from 92 and 122 days to 24 months. It should be noted that GL 91-04 was developed to be used when the plant fuel cycle was increased from 18 to 24 months. Since this request increases the test interval 6 to 8 times the original test interval, there may be failure modes which may not be detected because of an increased test interval. This may pose a greater hazard caused by common mode failure creating an increase in risk. Therefore:

provide an explicit description of the analyses, analyses results, and acceptance criteria used, including a discussion on the acceptability of using the methodology described in the GL, used in your evaluation; and demonstrate that extended surveillance test intervals will not significantly increase the probability that the instruments will be unable to perform their safety function including providing the capability for safe shutdown.

2.

Pages E-3 and E-4 of your application state that necessary modifications will be completed to make the Unit 1 hardware configuration essentially identical to that on Units 2 and 3. For the affected instruments, explain what is meant by essentially identical. Identify any physical differences among the three units equipment, which could affect the instrument drift analyses and provide justification for continued acceptability assuming a 24-month (+ 25 percent) test interval.

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

Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President Nuclear Operations Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Larry S. Bryant, General Manager Nuclear Engineering Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Brian OGrady, Site Vice President Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Robert J. Beecken, Vice President Nuclear Operations Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority ET 11A 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902 Mr. John C. Fornicola, Manager Nuclear Assurance and Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Bruce Aukland, Plant Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Jon R. Rupert, Vice President Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Robert G. Jones Browns Ferry Unit 1 Plant Restart Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Scott M. Shaeffer Browns Ferry Unit 1 Project Engineer Division of Reactor Projects, Branch 6 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 61 Forsyth Street, SW.

Suite 23T85 Atlanta, GA 30303-8931 Mr. Glenn W. Morris, Manager Corporate Nuclear Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. William D. Crouch, Manager Licensing and Industry Affairs Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 10833 Shaw Road Athens, AL 35611-6970 State Health Officer Alabama Dept. of Public Health RSA Tower - Administration Suite 1552 P.O. Box 303017 Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Chairman Limestone County Commission 310 West Washington Street Athens, AL 35611