Press Release-93-146, NRC Received from Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Attached Report That Provides Comments on Proposed NRC Generic Letter Regarding Removal from Nuclear Power Plant Technical Specifications Accelerated Testing

Press Release-93-146, NRC Received from Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Attached Report That Provides Comments on Proposed NRC Generic Letter Regarding Removal from Nuclear Power Plant Technical Specifications Accelerated Testing

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Issue date:	10/05/1993
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Press Release-93-146
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No.93-146October5,1993NOTETOEDITORS:TheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionhasreceivedfromitsAdvisoryCommitteeonReactorSafeguardstheattachedletter-typereportthatprovidescommentsonaproposedNRCgenericletterregardingremoval fromnuclearpowerplanttechnicalspecificationsacceleratedtestingandspecialreportingrequirements foremergencydieselgenerators.Inaddition,theACRShassenttwoletterreportstotheNRC'sExecutiveDirectorforOperations.Theyprovidecommentsonproposedpriorityrankingsofgenericissuesrelatedtonuclearfacilitiesand proposedrulesandadraftregulatoryguidethatdealwithlight-waterreactorpressurevesselissues.September22,1993TheHonorableIvanSelin,ChairmanU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission Washington,D.C.20555

SUBJECT:

PROPOSEDGENERICLETTERREGARDINGREMOVALOFACCELERATEDTESTINGANDSPECIALREPORTINGREQUIREMENTSFOREMERGENCYDIESELGENERATORSFROMPLANTTECHNICALSPECIFICATIONSDuringthe401stmeetingoftheAdvisoryCommitteeonReactorSafeguards,September9-10,1993,wereviewedthesubjectgenericletter(GL).Duringthismeeting,wehadthebenefitofdiscussionswithrepresentatives oftheNRCstaffandNUMARC.Wealsohadthebenefitofthedocumentsreferenced.ThestaffhasinformedusthatthisversionoftheproposedGLreflectsconsiderationofthecommentsmadebytheCommitteetoReviewGenericRequirements(CRGR).TheproposedGLhasbeenissuedforpubliccomment inaccordancewithouragreementthatthiscouldbedonepriortoourreview.TheproposedGLwouldallowlicenseestorequestremovaloftheTechnicalSpecification(TS)provisionsforacceleratedtestingandspecialreportingrequirementsfortheemergencydieselgenerators(EDGs).When requestingthislicenseamendment,licenseesmust,however,committoimplementamaintenanceprogramfor monitoringandmaintainingEDGperformanceconsistentwith10CFR50.65,"RequirementsforMonitoringthe EffectivenessofMaintenanceatNuclearPowerPlants,"andofRegulatoryGuide(RG)1.160,"Monitoringthe EffectivenessofMaintenanceatNuclearPowerPlants,"thatwasdevelopedbythestafftoprovideguidance forcomplyingwiththeprovisionsoftheMaintenanceRule,10CFR50.65.InourApril26,1993(revisedJune24,1993)reportonthedraftversionofRG1.160,wenotedthat:Onmanyoccasions,wehaveprovidedcommentsonthetrigger-valueapproachproposedbythestafftoresolveGenericIssueB-56,"DieselGeneratorReliability."Theproposedregulatoryguidefor implementingtheMaintenanceRuleexplicitlyendorsesthetrigger-valueprocedurefor"monitoring emergencydieselgenerator(EDG)performanceagainstEDGtargetreliabilitylevels."Itis categoricallyimpossibletodemonstratethereliabilityofEDGsusingthismethod.Weremain stronglyopposedtoitsuseforthispurposeandcontinuetorecommendthatthestaff's implementationguidancefortheStationBlackoutRule,10CFR50.63,berevisedtodealwiththis issue.Whenthisisdone,theregulatoryguideshouldbeappropriatelyrevised.Thestaff'sresponsewastoincludeafootnoteinRG1.160whichstates:Thetriggersareintendedtoindicatewhenemergencydieselgeneratorperformanceproblemsexistsuchthatadditionalmonitoringorcorrectiveactionisnecessary.Itisrecognizedthatitisnot practicaltodemonstratebystatisticalanalysisthatconformancetothetriggervalueswillensure theattainmentofhighreliability,withareasonabledegreeofconfidence,ofindividualEDGunits.Wedonotbelievethatthisfootnotesatisfactorilyresolvesourconcern.RegulatoryGuide1.160endorsesSection12.2.4ofNUMARC93-01,"IndustryGuidelinesforMonitoringtheEffectivenessofMaintenanceatNuclearPowerPlants,"which,inturn,referencesAppendixDofNUMARC87-00, Revision1,"GuidelinesandTechnicalBasesforNUMARCInitiativesAddressingStationBlackoutatLWRs."

Eachofthesedocumentsclearlyimpliesthatuseofthe"triggervaluesandmonitoringmethods"(asdescribed inAppendixDofNUMARC87-00,Revision1)providesanacceptablemeansofmonitoringEDGtarget reliabilitiesof0.95or0.975inaccordancewiththeintentof10CFR50.63forcopingwithstation blackouts.(See,forexample,thelanguageofthefirstparagraphoftheintroductiontoAppendixDof NUMARC87-00,Revision1.)Itcan'tbebothways!WestronglyrecommendthatthestaffandNUMARC collaborateinresolvingthismatterbyappropriaterevisionofthesedocuments.

WehavehadalongstandingconcernthattheEDGsatmanynuclearpowerplantsarebeingsubjectedtoexcessiveandunnecessarysurveillancetestingandothertestingasrequiredbyTSlimitingconditionsfor operation,andthatsuchtestingmayactuallybedegradingthereliabilityofthesemachines.Dataforthe years1988to1991,providedtousbyNUMARC,showthatsomeEDGsaresubjectedtostarttestingonly12to 15timeseachyear,whileotherEDGsaretestedover100timeseachyear.Thisdisparityintestingfrequenciesresults,inpart,fromthewidevariationinrelevantTSrequirementsthatwerenegotiatedwithlicenseesovertheyears.Thefactthatthissituationhasexistedforsomany yearsreflectsbadlyonboththestaffandlicenseeswithrespecttotheireffectivenessindealingwithan acknowledgedproblemhavingsafetyimplications.WebelievethatthisproposedGLisanimportantstepin achievingamorerationaltestingprogram.InadditiontoourrecommendationthatRG1.160andtheNUMARCdocumentsonwhichthisproposedGLisbasedberevisedtoreflectstatisticalreality,webelievethatthelanguageoftheproposedGLneedsimprovement.

TheproposedGLquotesastatementfromRG1

.160thattriggersandtestingof"problemdiesels"willbeaddressedseparatelybytheNRC.InthenextparagraphoftheGL,licenseecommitmentsrequiredforapproval oftheremovalofacceleratedtestingandspecialreportingrequirementsfromtheTSaredescribed,including theneedforacommitmenttoRG1.160.Astatementisthenmadethattheseactionsareintendedtoclose theissuesoftriggersandtestingfor"problemdiesels."Thestaffshouldclarifythisapparent contradictionandstateclearlythattheformerprescriptiverequirementforacceleratedtestinghasbeen eliminatedbythisproposedgenericletter.

Sincerely,J.ErnestWilkins,Jr.,ChairmanAdvisoryCommitteeonReactor Safeguards References

1.MemorandumdatedAugust13,1993,fromJ.Larkins,ACRS,toB.Grimes,OfficeofNuclearReactorRegulation,

Subject:

ProposedNRCGenericLetter"RemovalofAcceleratedTestingandSpecial ReportingRequirementsforEmergencyDieselGeneratorsfromPlantTechnicalSpecifications"2.MemorandumdatedAugust12,1993,fromG.Marcus,OfficeofNuclearReactorRegulation,forJ.Larkins,ACRS,forwardingproposedNRCGenericLetterRegardingRemovalofAcceleratedTestingand SpecialReportingRequirementsforEmergencyDieselGeneratorsfromPlantTechnicalSpecifications3.U.S.NRCRegulatoryGuide1.160,"MonitoringtheEffectivenessofMaintenanceatNuclearPowerPlants,"June19934.NUMARC93-01,"IndustryGuidelineforMonitoringtheEffectivenessofMaintenanceatNuclearPowerPlants,"May19935.AppendixD."EDGReliabilityProgram"toNUMARCReport,"GuidelinesandTechnicalBasesforNUMARCInitiativesAddressingStationBlackoutatLWRs,"NUMARC87-00,Revision1,August19916.SECY-93-044datedFebruary22,1993,fortheCommissionfromJamesM.Taylor,NRCExecutiveDirectorforOperations,

Subject:

ResolutionofGenericSafetyIssueB-56,"DieselGeneratorReliability"7.LetterdatedApril26,1993(RevisedJune24,1993),fromPaulShewmon,ACRSChairman,toBrianK.Grimes,OfficeofuclearReactorRegulation,

Subject:

ImplementationGuidancefortheMaintenance

Rule8.LetterdatedAugust7,1992,fromAlexMarion,NUMARC,toPaulBoehnert,ACRS,providingIndustrywideEmergencyDieselGeneratorReliabilityData9.LetterdatedDecember18,1992,fromRaymondFraley,ACRS,toAlexMarion,NUMARC,

Subject:

IndustrywideEmergencyDieselGeneratorReliabilityPerformanceData10.LetterdatedMarch1,1993,fromAlexMarion,NUMARC,toRaymondFraley,ACRS,respondingtoquestionsregardingIndustrywideEmergencyDieselGeneratorReliabilityPerformanceDataSeptember16,1993MEMORANDUMTO:JamesM.TaylorExecutiveDirectorforOperationsFROM:J.ErnestWilkins,Jr.Chairman,ACRS

SUBJECT:

PROPOSEDPRIORITYRANKINGSOFGENERICISSUES:EIGHTHGROUP Duringthe401stmeetingoftheAdvisoryCommitteeonReactorSafeguards,September9-10,1993,wereviewedthepriorityrankingsproposedbytheNRCstaffforthegenericissueslistedintheattachedtable.During thismeeting,wehadthebenefitofdiscussionswithrepresentativesoftheNRCstaff.Weagreewithalloftheproposedpriorityrankings.Wenote,however,thatthesafetyconcernsofseveralgenericissuesaretobeevaluatedandresolvedthroughtheIndividualPlantExamination(IPE)andIndividual PlantExaminationofExternalEvents(IPEEE)processes,oraretobetreatedaslicensingissues,ortobe handledinsomeothermanner.Wearenotsurewhetherthelargenumberoflicenseeswhohavealready completedtheirIPEshaveevaluatedtheseissues.Webelievethatthestaff,whilereviewingtheIPEand IPEEEsubmittals,shouldensurethatthesegenericissueshavebeenevaluatedandresolvedbythelicensees inanadequatemanner.IntheeventsomeofthelicenseeshadnotconsideredtheseissuesintheirIPEsor IPEEEs,thestaffshouldestablishamechanismtorequirethemtoevaluatetheseissues.Thestaffshould alsoestablishasystemtokeeptrackoftheresolutionofalloftheissuesthathavebeenincludedinother programsforresolution.Wewouldliketohearareportfromthestaff,atanappropriatetime,ontheadequacyofresolutionofallthesegenericissues.

J.ErnestWilkins,Jr.,ChairmanAdvisoryCommitteeonReactor Safeguards

Attachment:

Asstated September20,1993Mr.JamesM.TaylorExecutiveDirectorforOperations U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission Washington,D.C.20555

SUBJECT:

PROPOSEDRULEAMENDINGFRACTURETOUGHNESSREQUIREMENTSFORLIGHTWATERREACTORPRESSUREVESSELS,PROPOSEDRULEREGARDINGREQUIREMENTSFORTHERMALANNEALINGOFREACTORPRESSUREVESSELS,ANDDRAFTREGULATORY GUIDEONFORMATANDCONTENTOFAPPLICATIONFORAPPROVALFORTHERMALANNEALINGOFREACTORPRESSUREVESSELSDuringthe401stmeetingoftheAdvisoryCommitteeonReactorSafeguards,September9-10,1993,wediscussedthesubjectproposedrulesanddraftregulatoryguide.OurSubcommitteeonMaterialsandMetallurgyreviewed thesemattersindetailatameetingonAugust16,1993.Duringthesemeetings,wehadthebenefitof discussionswithrepresentativesoftheNRCstaff.Wealsohadthebenefitofthedocumentreferenced.Theneedfortheseproposedrulesandthedraftguidewas,inpart,highlightedduringtheevaluationoftheintegrityoftheYankeeNuclearPowerStation'sreactorpressurevessel.Webelievetheserulesandthis guideshouldproveusefultothelicenseesandtheNRCstaffandrecommendthattheybeissuedforpublic comment.Wewouldlikeanopportunitytoreviewtheproposedfinalversionoftheserulesandguideafter thepubliccommentshavebeenreconciledandbeforepublication.AdditionalcommentsbyACRSMembersIvanCattonandWilliamJ.Lindbladarepresentedbelow.

Sincerely,J.ErnestWilkins,Jr.,ChairmanAdvisoryCommitteeonReactorSafeguardsAdditionalCommentsByACRSMembersIvanCattonandWilliamJ.LindbladAlthoughweagreewiththeessenceoftheaboveletter,weopposetheeliminationoftheprovisioninAppendixHwhichcurrentlypermitsareductionoftestinginIntegratedSurveillanceProgramswhere"initial resultsagreewithpredictions."Thelicensee'sprogramis,afterall,subjecttostaffapprovalona"case-by-casebasis."Licenseesshouldhavesomeflexibilityinschedulingwhentheyactuallytestspecimens.

Thisdoesnotmeanthatspecimenswouldnotbeirradiated.

Reference:

MemorandumdatedAugust20,1993,fromAllenL.Hiser,Jr.,OfficeofNuclearRegulatoryResearch,forElpidioG.Igne,ACRS,

Subject:

ResponsetoRequestatACRSSubcommitteeMeeting,withthefollowing:a.FederalRegisterNoticeforProposedRule,10CFRPart50,"FractureToughnessRequirementsforLightWaterReactorPressureVessels"b.Aproposedrule(10CFR50.66)onthermalannealingofthereactorpressurevessel,"RequirementsforThermalAnnealingoftheReactorPressureVessel"c.Amendmentsto10CFRPart50AppendixG,"FractureToughnessRequirements" d.Amendmentsto10CFRPart50AppendixH,"ReactorVesselMaterialSurveillanceProgramRequirements" e.Adraftregulatoryguide(DG-1027),"FormatandContentofApplicationforApprovalforThermalAnnealingofReactorPressureVessels"