ML060580147

Issuance of Amendment Regarding Temperature Limit for Dissolved Oxygen in Reactor Coolant System

ML060580147
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	03/08/2006
From:	Patel C P Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Gannon C J Carolina Power & Light Co
Patel Chandu, NRR/DORL 301-415-3025
Shared Package
ML060580174	List: ML060580147 ML060680312
References
TAC MC7399
Download: ML060580147 (11)

Text

March 8, 2006Mr. Cornelius J. Gannon, Vice President Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Carolina Power & Light Company Post Office Box 165, Mail Code: Zone 1 New Hill, North Carolina 27562-0165

SUBJECT:

SHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OFAMENDMENT REGARDING TEMPERATURE LIMIT FOR DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM (TAC NO. MC7399)

Dear Mr. Gannon:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued Amendment No.120 to Facility OperatingLicense No. NPF-63 for the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1. This amendment changes the Technical Specifications (TS) in response to your application dated June 20, 2005, as supplemented by letter dated November 2, 2005.The amendment revises the footnotes in Tables 3.4-2 and 4.4-3 of TS 3/4.4.7 by increasing thetemperature limit above which (1) reactor coolant sampling and analysis for dissolved oxygen is required, and (2) when limit for dissolved oxygen, specified in TS 4.4.7, applies. This temperature limit is increased from 180 F to 250 F.A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in theCommission's regular biweekly Federal Register notice.Sincerely,/RA/Chandu P. Patel, Project ManagerPlant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-400

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 120 to NPF-63

2. Safety Evaluationcc w/encl: See next page

ML060580147NRR-058OFFICELPLII-2/PMLPLII-2/LADCI/CSGBOGCLPLII-2/BC NAMECPatel:jxh14RSolaAHiser (by memo)MWoodsMMarshallDATE03/02/0603/01/0602/02/0603/06/0603/08/06 CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY, et al.

DOCKET NO.50-400SHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT 1AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSEAmendment No.120License No. NPF-631.The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:A.The application for amendment by Carolina Power & Light Company,(the licensee), dated June 20, 2005, as supplemented by letter dated November 2, 2005, 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 theAct, and the rules and regulations of the Commission;C.There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by thisamendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with theCommission's regulations;D.The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defenseand security or to the health and safety of the public; andE.The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of theCommission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied. 2.Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications, asindicated in the attachment to this license amendment; and paragraph 2.C.(2) of FacilityOperating License No. NPF-63 is hereby amended to read as follows:(2)Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, and the EnvironmentalProtection Plan contained in Appendix B, both of which are attached hereto, asrevised through Amendment No.120, are hereby incorporated into this license.

Carolina Power & Light Company shall operate the facility in accordance withthe Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.3.This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance and shall beimplemented within 60 days of issuance.FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION/RA/Michael L. Marshall, Jr., Branch ChiefPlant Licensing Branch II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical SpecificationsDate of Issuance: March 8, 2006 ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO.120FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-63DOCKET NO. 50-400Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attachedrevised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.Remove PagesInsert Pages3/4 4-273/4 4-273/4 4-283/4 4-28 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATIONRELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 120 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-63CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT COMPANYSHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT 1DOCKET NO. 50-40

01.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated June 20, 2005, as supplemented by letter dated November 2, 2005, the CarolinaPower & Light Company (the licensee) submitted a request for changes to the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1(HNP), Technical Specifications (TS). The amendment would revise the footnotes in Tables 3.4-2 and 4.4-3 of TS 3/4.4.7 by increasing the temperature limitabove which (1) reactor coolant sampling and analysis for dissolved oxygen is required, and (2) when limit for dissolved oxygen, specified in TS 4.4.7, applies. This temperature limit will beincreased from 180 F to 250 F. The November 2, 2005, letter provided clarifying information that was within the scope of theinitial notice and did not change the initial proposed no significant hazards consideration determination.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

In evaluating the licensee's request, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff usedprevious precedent amendment requests and the guidance provided in the Standard Technical Specifications for Westinghouse Pressurized Water Reactors (NUREG-0452, Revision 4). TheNRC staff also considered the industry guidelines for primary water chemistry in PressurizedWater Reactors.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

TS 3/4.4.7 requires maintaining the reactor coolant chemistry as specified in Table 3.4-2 and itssurveillance requirement as specified in Table 4.4-3. Currently, Surveillance Requirement 4.4.7requires sampling and analysis of reactor coolant for dissolved oxygen whenever average temperature (Tavg) is greater than 180 F. The licensee has proposed to revise thesesurveillance requirements by raising this temperature limit to 250 F. The licensee indicatedthat this change is consistent with current industry guidelines and practices for control of reactor coolant dissolved oxygen and that the change will enhance operational flexibility when returningthe plant to service from cold shutdown conditions.The purpose of the temperature limit for Reactor Coolant System (RCS) oxygen control is tominimize the corrosion effect at high temperatures on the RCS components. At elevatedtemperatures, dissolved oxygen can lead to stress corrosion cracking and general corrosion of RCS components. The licensee notes that industry guidance and practice indicate that thesemechanisms do not prevail at temperatures below 250 F thus, these effects are reduced to apoint of little concern at temperatures less than 250 F and operating controls need not beimplemented until the coolant exceeds this temperature. In addition, the licensee indicated thatthe proposed changes are consistent with Standard Westinghouse Technical Specificationsand are consistent with other plants of similar size and vintage. In order to comply with TS 3/4.4.7 the current practice at HNP requires during plant heatup,after initial removal of oxygen by venting, the introduction of hydrazine into the RCS below

180 F to scavenge oxygen from coolant. However, because of the slow reaction rate ofhydrazine with oxygen below 180 F and because hydrazine simultaneously is decomposingrapidly, the effective removal rate of oxygen is low. Thus, it is necessary to suspend heatup above 180 F until the concentration of dissolved oxygen is lowered to within the limit specifiedin Table 3.4-2.The reaction rate of hydrazine with dissolved oxygen increases rapidly with increasingtemperature. Thus, as temperature increases, the rate of oxygen scavenging relative to the hydrazine decomposition rate becomes greater and the removal of dissolved oxygen by hydrazine becomes more effective. The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the coolant could be brought into compliance with the specified limit faster if heatup could proceed above 180 F. The licensee's proposal to increase the temperature limit to 250 F would decrease the timeneeded to achieve compliance with the dissolved oxygen limit and decrease the overall time to start the unit from cold shutdown without affecting safety of the plant. After evaluating the licensee's justifications for modification of TS 3/4.4.7, the NRC staff agreesthat it will improve the operational procedure for the plant without degrading plant safety. TheNRC staff also agrees that other similar Westinghouse plants have adopted similar changes.Therefore, the NRC staff finds the proposed modification of TS 3/4.4.7 acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the State of North Carolina official wasnotified 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 facilitycomponent located within the restricted area as defined in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 20 and changes the Surveillance Requirements. The NRC staff hasdetermined that the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and nosignificant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there isno 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(70 FR 59084). Accordingly, the amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categoricalexclusion 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) thereis reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered byoperation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with theCommission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to thecommon defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.Principal Contributor: K. Parczewski Date: March 8, 2006 Mr. C. J. Gannon, Jr.Shearon Harris Nuclear Power PlantCarolina Power & Light CompanyUnit 1 cc:David T. Conley Associate General Counsel II -

Legal Department Progress Energy Service Company, LLC Post Office Box 1551 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-1551Resident Inspector/ Harris NPSc/o U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5421 Shearon Harris Road New Hill, North Carolina 27562-9998Ms. Margaret A. ForceAssistant Attorney General State of North Carolina Post Office Box 629 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602Public Service CommissionState of South Carolina Post Office Drawer 11649 Columbia, South Carolina 29211Ms. Beverly Hall, Section ChiefDivision of Radiation Protection N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources 3825 Barrett Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27609-7721Mr. Chris L. BurtonManager Performance Evaluation and Regulatory Affairs PEB 7 Progress Energy Post Office Box 1551 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-1551Mr. Eric McCartneyPlant General Manager Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Carolina Power & Light Company P. O. Box 165, Mail Zone 3 New Hill, North Carolina 27562-0165Mr. Robert J. Duncan IIDirector of Site Operations Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Carolina Power & Light Company Post Office Box 165, Mail Zone 1 New Hill, North Carolina 27562-0165Mr. Robert P. GruberExecutive Director Public Staff NCUC 4326 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4326Chairman of the North Carolina Utilities Commission Post Office Box 29510 Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0510Mr. Herb Council, ChairBoard of County Commissioners of Wake County

P. O. Box 550 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602Mr. Tommy Emerson, ChairBoard of County Commissioners of Chatham County

P. O. Box 87 Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312Mr. Christos Kamilaris, ManagerSupport Services Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Carolina Power & Light Company P. O. Box 165, Mail Zone 1 New Hill, North Carolina 27562-0165Mr. David H. Corlett, SupervisorLicensing/Regulatory Programs Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Carolina Power & Light Company P. O. Box 165, Mail Zone 1 New Hill, NC 27562-0165Mr. John H. O'Neill, Jr.Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge 2300 N Street, NW.

Washington, DC 20037-1128