ML070710224

Issuance of Amendment Technical Specifications 5.5.6 and 5.5.12 (TAC Nos. MD2994 and MD2995)

ML070710224
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	03/19/2007
From:	Richard Guzman NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLI-1
To:	Mckinney B Susquehanna
Guzman R, NRR/DORL, 415-1030
References
TAC MD2994, TAC MD2995
Download: ML070710224 (13)

Text

March 19, 2007 Mr. Britt T. McKinney Sr. Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SUBJECT:

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TASK FORCE 343 AND 479 (TAC NOS. MD2994 AND MD2995)

Dear Mr. McKinney:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 241 to Facility Operating License No.

NPF-14 and Amendment No. 219 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-22 for the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (SSES 1 and 2). These amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated September 7, 2006.

These amendments revise the SSES 1 and 2 TSs Section 5.5.6, Inservice Testing Program, and TS 5.5.12, Primary Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program, to be consistent with the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.55a(f)(4) and 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4), respectively. The amendments implement TS Task Force (TSTF)-343, Revision 1 and TSTF-479, Revision 0.

A copy of our safety evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next regular Biweekly Federal Register Notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard V. Guzman, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 241 to License No. NPF-14

2. Amendment No. 219 to License No. NPF-22

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 cc:

Robert A. Saccone Bryan A. Snapp, Esq General Manager - Nuclear Operations Assoc. General Counsel PPL Susquehanna, LLC PPL Services Corporation 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Two North Ninth Street, GENTW3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Terry L. Harpster Supervisor - Document Control Services General Manager - Plant Support PPL Susquehanna, LLC PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Richard W. Osborne Rocco R. Sgarro Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Affairs 212 Locust Street PPL Susquehanna, LLC P.O. Box 1266 Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Director - Bureau of Radiation Protection Walter E. Morrissey Pennsylvania Department of Supervising Engineer Environmental Protection Nuclear Regulatory Affairs P.O. Box 8469 PPL Susquehanna, LLC Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Michael H. Crowthers P.O. Box 35, NUCSA4 Supervising Engineer Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC Regional Administrator, Region 1 Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Allentown, PA 18101-1179 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Steven M. Cook Manager - Quality Assurance Board of Supervisors PPL Susquehanna, LLC Salem Township 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB2 P.O. Box 405 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Luis A. Ramos Dr. Judith Johnsrud Community Relations Manager, National Energy Committee Susquehanna Sierra Club PPL Susquehanna, LLC 443 Orlando Avenue 634 Salem Blvd., SSO State College, PA 16803 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

March 19, 2007 Mr. Britt T. McKinney Sr. Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SUBJECT:

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TASK FORCE 343 AND 479 (TAC NOS. MD2994 AND MD2995)

Dear Mr. McKinney:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 241 to Facility Operating License No.

NPF-14 and Amendment No. 219 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-22 for the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (SSES 1 and 2). These amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application dated September 7, 2006.

These amendments revise the SSES 1 and 2 TSs Section 5.5.6, Inservice Testing Program, and TS 5.5.12, Primary Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program, to be consistent with the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.55a(f)(4) and 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4), respectively. The amendments implement TS Task Force (TSTF)-343, Revision 1 and TSTF-479, Revision 0.

A copy of our safety evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next regular Biweekly Federal Register Notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard V. Guzman, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 241 to License No. NPF-14

2. Amendment No. 219 to License No. NPF-22

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrDorlLpl1-1 RidsNrrPMRGuzman RidsNrrDssEgca LPLI-1/R/F RidsNrrDirsltsb RidsNrrLASLittle RidsOGCRp BLee HAshar GHill (4) RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter PHearn RidsNrrDssScvb RJackson ADAMS Accession Number: ML070710224

• SE inputs provided by memo. No substantive changes made.

OFFICE LPLI-1/PM LPLI-1/LA EGCA/BC SCVB/BC ITSB/BC OGC LPLI-1/BC(A)

NAME RGuzman SLittle SSamaddar* BDennig TKobetz JMartin DPickett DATE 3/12/07 3/12/07 2/21/07 SE DTD 3/14/07 3/16/07 3/14/07 3/19/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC ALLEGHENY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-387 SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 241 License No. NPF-14

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or the NRC) having found that:

A. The application for the amendment filed by PPL Susquehanna, LLC, dated September 7, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's 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 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 set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; 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 the Facility Operating License No. NPF-14 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 241 and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. PPL Susquehanna, LLC shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

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

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Douglas V. Pickett, Acting Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 19, 2007

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 241 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-14 DOCKET NO. 50-387 Replace the following page of the License with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

REMOVE INSERT 3 3 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

REMOVE INSERT TS/5.0-11 TS/5.0-11 TS/5.0-18 TS/5.0-18

- TS/5.0-18a

PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC ALLEGHENY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-388 SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 2 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 219 License No. NPF-22

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or the NRC) having found that:

A. The application for the amendment filed by PPL Susquehanna, LLC, dated September 7, 2006, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's 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 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 set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; 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 the Facility Operating License No. NPF-22 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 219 and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. PPL Susquehanna, LLC shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

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

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Douglas V. Pickett, Acting Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 19, 2007

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 219 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-22 DOCKET NO. 50-388 Replace the following page of the License with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

REMOVE INSERT 3 3 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

REMOVE INSERT TS/5.0-11 TS/5.0-11 TS/5.0-18 TS/5.0-18

- TS/5.0-18a

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 241 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-14 AND AMENDMENT NO. 219 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-22 PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC ALLEGHENY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-387 AND 388

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated September 7, 2006, Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML062620136, PPL Susquehanna, LLC (PPL, the licensee), requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (SSES 1 and 2).

The proposed changes would revise the SSES 1 and 2 TSs Section 5.5.6, Inservice Testing Program, and TS 5.5.12, Primary Containment Leakage Rate Testing Program, to be consistent with the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)

Section 50.55a(f)(4) and 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4), respectively. Specifically, the proposed amendments would implement TS Task Force (TSTF)-343, Revision 1 and TSTF-479, Revision 0.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) finds that PPL Susquehanna, LLC, in its September 7, 2006, submittal, identified the applicable regulatory requirements and guidance as follows:

1. The regulations in 10 CFR Part 50, General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants, Section 50.55a(f)(4) establish the effective Code edition and addenda to be used by licensees for performing inservice testing (IST) requirements of pumps and valves which are classified as American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3.

2. The regulations of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) establish the effective Code edition and addenda to be used by licensees for performing inservice inspection requirements of components (including supports) which are classified as ASME Code Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class MC, and Class CC.

3. Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.163, Performance-Based Containment Leak-Test Progam, Regulatory Position C.3, states, in part, that examinations should be conducted prior to initiating a Type A test, and during two other refueling outages before the next Type A test if the interval for the Type A test has been extended to 10 years.

4. NUREG-1482, "Guidelines for Inservice Testing Programs at Nuclear Power Plants,"

provides recommendations that licensees may follow in developing and implementing inservice testing programs and includes the positions from Generic Letter (GL) 89-04, "Guidance on Developing Acceptable Inservice Testing Programs."

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Background SSES 1 and 2 are General Electric Boiling-Water Reactor (BWR) designs, BWR-6 with a Mark II primary containment. The containment vessel consists of a reinforced concrete cylindrical suppression chamber and a cone-shaped drywell structure. The entire structure rests on a concrete foundation mat. The containment vessel is penetrated by access openings, process piping, and electrical penetrations. The integrity of the penetrations is verified through Type B and Type C local leak rate tests (LLRT), and the overall integrity of the containment vessel is verified through an integrated leak rate test (ILRT). These tests are performed to verify the leak-tight characteristics of the containment vessel at the design-basis accident pressure.

3.1 PPLs Proposed Change to TS 5.5.6 The proposed change revises TS 5.5.6.b to indicate that the IST Program will include testing frequencies that are non-standard frequencies utilized in the IST Program in which the provisions of Surveillance Requirement (SR) 3.0.2 are applicable. TS 5.5.6.b is revised to state:

The provisions of SR 3.0.2 are applicable to the above required Frequencies and other normal and accelerated Frequencies specified as 2 years or less in the Inservice Testing Program for performing inservice testing activities.

The IST program provides controls for inservice testing of ASME Code Class 1, 2, and 3 components. The proposed change to TS 5.5.6.b would indicate that the provisions of SR 3.0.2 are applicable to other IST frequencies that are not specified in the program. The NRC staff concludes this change to be consistent with 10 CFR 50.55a(f)(4) and the guidance of NUREG-1482, and therefore, finds it acceptable.

3.2 PPLs Proposed Change to TS 5.5.12 The proposed change revises TS 5.5.12 to add two exceptions to RG 1.163. TS 5.5.12 is revised to state:

a. The visual examination of containment concrete surfaces intended to fulfill the requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix J, Option B testing, will be performed in accordance with the requirements of and frequency specified by the ASME Section XI Code, Subsection IWL, except where relief has been authorized by the NRC.

b. The visual examination of the steel liner plate inside containment intended to fulfill the requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix J, Option B, will be performed in accordance with the requirements of and frequency specified by the ASME Section XI Code, Subsection IWE, except where relief has been authorized by the NRC.

The proposed change would require PPL to perform examinations on the primary containment pursuant to the ASME Code, Subsections IWL and IWE in lieu of the visual examinations required by Regulatory Positions C.3 of RG 1.163. Under the requirement of the ASME Code, Subsections IWL and IWE, PPL will be required to perform one less visual inspection of the containment during the ten-year interval for SSES 1 and 2.

Subsection IWE requires the licensee to perform general visual examinations of the liner and penetrations 3 times in a 10-year interval. Subsection IWL requires the licensee to perform general visual examinations of the accessible concrete surfaces two times in the interval. Prior to performing an ILRT, the licensee will schedule its IWE and IWL examinations so they are counted as pre-ILRT examinations. This process satisfies Regulatory Position C.3 of RG 1.163.

The NRC staff concludes that the proposed change to TS 5.5.12 is consistent with the guidance of RG 1.163 and the requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) for components classified as Code Class CC, and therefore, finds it acceptable.

3.3 NRC Staff Conclusion

Based on the review of PPLs September 7, 2006, submittal, the NRC staff finds the proposed TS amendment to be acceptable. The changes to TS 5.5.6 as proposed by PPL is acceptable because it is consistent with guidance in NUREG-1482 and the requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(f)(4) for pumps and valves which are classified as ASME Code Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. In addition, the NRC staff concludes that the changes to TS 5.5.12 as proposed by PPL are acceptable because it is consistent with RG 1.163 and the requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4).

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commissions regulations, the Pennsylvania State Official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendments change 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 change surveillance requirements. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve 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 amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (71 FR 75997). Accordingly, the amendments meet 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 amendments.

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 Commissions regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributors: R. Jackson H. Ashar Date: March 19, 2007