ML101600682

Draft Request for Additional Information

ML101600682
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	06/09/2010
From:	Richard Ennis Plant Licensing Branch 1
To:	Chernoff H Plant Licensing Branch 1
Ennis R, NRR/DORL, 415-1420
References
TAC ME3596
Download: ML101600682 (4)

Text

June 9, 2010

MEMORANDUM TO: Harold K. Chernoff, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM: Richard B. Ennis, Senior Project Manager /ra/ Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

SUBJECT:

SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NO. 2, DRAFT REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (TAC NO. ME3596)

The attached draft request for information (RAI) was transmitted on June 9, 2010, to Mr. Jeff Keenan of PSEG Nuclear LLC (the licensee). This information was transmitted to facilitate an upcoming conference call in order to clarify the licensee

=s amendment request for Salem Nuclear Generating Station (Salem), Unit No. 2, dated March 29, 2010. The proposed amendment would revise the Technical Specifications to allow a one-time replacement of the 2C 125-volt direct current battery while Salem Unit 2 is at power.

This memorandum and the attachment do not convey or represent an NRC staff position regarding the licensee's request.

Docket No. 50-311

Attachment:

Draft RAI

June 9, 2010

MEMORANDUM TO: Harold K. Chernoff, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM: Richard B. Ennis, Senior Project Manager /ra/ Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

SUBJECT:

SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NO. 2, DRAFT REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (TAC NO. ME3596)

The attached draft request for information (RAI) was transmitted on June 9, 2010, to Mr. Jeff Keenan of PSEG Nuclear LLC (the licensee). This information was transmitted to facilitate an upcoming conference call in order to clarify the licensee

=s amendment request for Salem Nuclear Generating Station (Salem), Unit No. 2, dated March 29, 2010. The proposed amendment would revise the Technical Specifications to allow a one-time replacement of the 2C 125-volt direct current battery while Salem Unit 2 is at power.

This memorandum and the attachment do not convey or represent an NRC staff position regarding the licensee's request.

Docket No. 50-311

Attachment:

Draft RAI

DISTRIBUTION PUBLIC RidsNrrDorlLpl1-2 MMcConnell, EEEB LPLI-2 Reading RidsNrrPMSalem RidsNrrDorlDpr PSahay, EEEB

ACCESSION NO.: ML101600682 OFFICE LPLI-2/PM NAME REnnis DATE 6/9/10 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY DRAFT REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING PROPOSED LICENSE AMENDMENT ONE-TIME ON-LINE BATTERY REPLACEMENT SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT NO. 2 DOCKET NO. 50-311

By letter dated March 29, 2010 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML100970064), PSEG Nuclear LLC (the licensee) submitted an amendment request for Salem Nuclear Generating Station (Salem), Unit No. 2. The proposed amendment would revise the Technical Specifications (TSs) to allow a one-time replacement of the 2C 125-volt direct current (VDC) battery while Salem Unit 2 is at power.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has reviewed the information the licensee provided that supports the proposed amendment and would like to discuss the following issues to clarify the submittal.

1. Provide the actual service life of the existing 2C battery and the qualified service life of the existing and the new replacement batteries.

2. Discuss, in detail, the failure mechanism of the 2C battery that caused battery degradation. Provide a detailed technical discussion that demonstrates that the same failure mechanism does not apply to the other safety-related batteries, the temporary battery, and the new replacement battery.

3. Confirm that the plant will be in a stable condition with no Required Actions in effect at the start of the battery replacement activity necessitating plant shutdown and no risk significant, planned maintenance or testing activities which could impact AC or DC normal or emergency electrical distribution sources.

4. Provide clarification whether the existing 2C battery will be tested and the results recorded for the "As Found" condition before it is replaced.

5. The 12-month TS surveillance requirement (SR) frequency prescribed by SR 4.8.2.3.2.h is based on the uncertainty of battery operability given a degraded condition. This basis is supported by IEEE Standard 450, which is the industry consensus document for maintenance and testing of stationary lead-acid batteries. Provide a detailed technical basis for proposing to extend the 12-month test frequency prescribed by SR 4.8.2.3.2.h.

6. Provide a summary of the results of the previous capacity tests for the safety-related batteries.

7. Describe the design and capability of the temporary battery charger, including how it will be connected to a Class 1E supply. Furthermore, describe how the temporary battery charger will impact the emergency diesel generat or loading. Also describe how adequate electrical separation and isolation will be maintained and the capability of the temporary battery charger to respond to a seismic event.

Attachment

8. Provide a list of loads associated with Circuit 36 of Panel 2CCDC.

9. Describe how the temporary and the new replacement battery will be preoperational tested in the as-installed configuration consistent with IEEE 308 and Regulatory Guide 1.32.

10. Limiting condition for operation (LCO) 3.8.2.3 requires that the 2C battery be operable in modes 1 through 4. The proposed amendment would credit operability of a temporary battery during on-line replacement of the existing 2C battery.

a. Describe how the temporary DC system (i.e., the temporary battery, associated components, connections, ratings, etc.) is identical to the permanent DC system configuration.

b. Propose additional changes to the TSs to make it clear that the LCO requirements are being satisfied by the temporary battery during the 2C battery replacement activities (e.g., footnote to the LCO).