ML043010449

Issuance of License Amendments 167 & 156 Regarding Atmospheric Steam Relief Valves

ML043010449
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	12/28/2004
From:	Jaffe D NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4
To:	Sheppard J South Texas
Jaffe D, NRR/DLPM, 415-1439
References
TAC MC0822, TAC MC0823, TAC MC4596, TAC MC4597
Download: ML043010449 (12)

Text

December 28, 2004 Mr. James J. Sheppard President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P. O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: ATMOSPHERIC STEAM RELIEF VALVES (TAC NOS. MC0822, MC0823, MC4596, AND MC4597)

Dear Mr. Sheppard:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 167 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-76 and Amendment No. 156 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-80 for the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your applications dated September 22, 2003, and September 27, 2004.

The amendments change TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.7.1.6, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valves to provide consistency with TS SR 3.3.5.1, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valve Instrumentation, regarding atmospheric steam relief valve automatic controls. The amendments would also correct typographical errors in TSs 3.7.1.6 and 3.2.4. The remaining proposed changes associated with the September 22, 2003, application were withdrawn as noted in our letter to you dated October 19, 2004.

A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

David H. Jaffe, Senior Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 167 to NPF-76

2. Amendment No. 156 to NPF-80

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

Mr. James J. Sheppard December 28, 2004 President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P. O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: ATMOSPHERIC STEAM RELIEF VALVES (TAC NOS. MC0822, MC0823, MC4596, AND MC4597)

Dear Mr. Sheppard:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 167 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-76 and Amendment No. 156 to Facility Operating License No. NPF-80 for the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, respectively. The amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your applications dated September 22, 2003, and September 27, 2004.

The amendments change TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.7.1.6, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valves to provide consistency with TS SR 3.3.5.1, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valve Instrumentation, regarding atmospheric steam relief valve automatic controls. The amendments would also correct typographical errors in TSs 3.7.1.6 and 3.2.4. The remaining proposed changes associated with the September 22, 2003, application were withdrawn as noted in our letter to you dated October 19, 2004.

A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's next biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

David H. Jaffe, Senior Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 167 to NPF-76

2. Amendment No. 156 to NPF-80

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

PUBLIC RidsNrrPMDJaffe RidsRgn4MailCenter PDIV-1 r/f RidsNrrLADBaxley RidsNrrDlpmDpr(SWall)

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RidsNrrDlpmLpdiv (HBerkow) RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsNrrDlpmLpdiv1 (MWebb) RidsOgcRp ACCESSION NO: ML043010449 OFFICE PDIV-1/PM PDIV-1/LA IROB/SC OGC PDIV-1/SC SRXB/SC NAME DJaffe DBaxley TBoyce SZipkin(NLO) MWebb JUhle DATE 11/9/04 11/5/04 11/22/04 11/24/04 12/6/04 11/9/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

STP NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-498 SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNIT 1 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 167 License No. NPF-76

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The applications for amendment by STP Nuclear Operating Company* acting on behalf of itself and for Texas Genco, LP, the City Public Service Board of San Antonio (CPS), AEP Texas Central Company, and the City of Austin, Texas (COA) (the licensees), dated September 22, 2003, and September 27, 2004, comply 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, as amended, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and 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; D. The issuance of this license 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.

• STP Nuclear Operating Company is authorized to act for Texas Genco, LP, the City Public Service Board of San Antonio, AEP Texas Central Company, and the City of Austin, Texas, and has exclusive responsibility and control over the physical construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility.

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 Facility Operating License No. NPF-76 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 167, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. The STP Nuclear Operating Company shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

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

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Michael K. Webb, Acting Chief, Section 1 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: December 28, 2004

STP NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-499 SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNIT 2 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 156 License No. NPF-80

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The applications for amendment by STP Nuclear Operating Company* acting on behalf of itself and for Texas Genco, LP, the City Public Service Board of San Antonio (CPS), AEP Texas Central Company, and the City of Austin, Texas (COA) (the licensees), dated September 22, 2003, and September 27, 2004, comply 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, as amended, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and 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; D. The issuance of this license 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.

• STP Nuclear Operating Company is authorized to act for Texas Genco, LP, the City Public Service Board of San Antonio, AEP Texas Central Company, and the City of Austin, Texas, and has exclusive responsibility and control over the physical construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility.

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 Facility Operating License No. NPF-80 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 156, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the license. The STP Nuclear Operating Company shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

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

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Michael K. Webb, Acting Chief, Section 1 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: December 28, 2004

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NOS. 167 AND 156 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. NPF-76 AND NPF-80 DOCKET NOS. 50-498 AND 50-499 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 3/4 2-10 3/4 2-10 3/4 7-10 3/4 7-10

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NOS. 167 AND 156 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NOS. NPF-76 AND NPF-80 STP NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY, ET AL.

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-498 AND 50-499

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated September 27, 2004 (Accession No. ML042740577), STP Nuclear Operating Company (the licensee), requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for South Texas Project (STP), Units 1 and 2. The application would change TS Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.7.1.6, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valves to provide consistency with TS SR 3.3.5.1, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valve Instrumentation, regarding atmospheric steam relief valve automatic controls. The amendment would also correct typographical errors in TS 3.7.1.6. In addition, by application dated September 22, 2003 (ML032691396), the licensee proposed a change to TS 3.2.4 to correct a typographical error. The remaining proposed changes associated with the September 22, 2003, application were withdrawn as noted in the NRC staffs letter to the licensee dated October 19, 2004 (ML042930208).

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

On August 19, 1999, the NRC issued Amendment Nos. 114 and 102 to the facility operating licenses for STP, Units 1 and 2, respectively (ML021330677). Amendment Nos. 114 and 102 revised TS 3/4.7.1.6, "Atmospheric Steam Relief Valves," and added a new TS 3/4 3.5, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valve Instrumentation, to ensure that the automatic feature of the steam generator (SG) power-operated relief valves (i.e., the atmospheric steam relief valves) remains operable during Modes 1 (above 5 percent power) and 2 (low power up to 5 percent power). The basis for requiring that the automatic control feature of the SG power-operated relief valve remains operable during Modes 1 and 2 is that this feature allows mitigation of the consequences of a small break loss of coolant accident in accordance with the requirements of 50.46 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems for light-water nuclear power reactors.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

The requirements of TS 3.7.1.6 provides that At least four atmospheric steam relief valves shall be OPERABLE with an applicability of MODES 4, 3, 2 and 1 (hot shutdown through full power operation). With regard to automatic actuation of the atmospheric steam relief valves, TS Table 3.3-14 of TS 3.3.5.1, Atmospheric Steam Relief Valve Instrumentation provides further clarification in that the automatic actuation channels are only required to be operable

during MODES 1 and 2. In order to provide consistency between the surveillance associated with TS 3.7.1.6 (TS 4.7.1.6) and TS 3.3.5.1, the licensee has proposed that the following footnote be added to TS 4.7.1.6: Required to be met for automatic controls only in MODES 1 and 2.

As stated in the TS Bases for TS 3/4.3.5, the automatic mode for atmospheric steam relief valve operation is only required in MODES 1 and 2. As stated in STP, Units 1 and 2, TS 4.0.1, Surveillance requirements shall be met during the OPERATIONAL MODES or other conditions specified for individual Limiting Conditions for Operation unless otherwise stated in an individual Surveillance Requirement. Since no other statement of applicability appears in TS 4.7.1.6 for the automatic mode of atmospheric steam relief valve operation, it is appropriate to add such a statement for consistency with TS 3.3.5.1. Accordingly, the licensees proposed addition of a footnote to TS 4.7.1.6 is acceptable.

The licensee has also proposed editorial changes to the TS to correct typographical errors. In TS 3.7.1.6, ACTION a. and b., the word with should have been within in order to preserve the sense of the context. In addition, in TS 3.2.4, ACTION a. is followed by ACTION c. which should be changed to ACTION b. to maintain an alphabetical order. These corrections do not change any regulatory requirements but should be made to maintain the integrity of the text and are therefore acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Texas State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. 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. 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 published on November 12, 2003 (68 FR 64139) for the September 22, 2003, application and as published on October 26, 2004 (69 FR 62478) for the September 27, 2004, application.

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 Commission's 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 Contributor: D. Jaffe Date: December 28, 2004

South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2 cc:

Senior Resident Inspector A. H. Gutterman, Esq.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Morgan, Lewis & Bockius P. O. Box 910 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Bay City, TX 77414 Washington, DC 20004 C. Kirksey/C. M. Canady Mr. T. J. Jordan, Vice President City of Austin Engineering & Technical Services Electric Utility Department STP Nuclear Operating Company 721 Barton Springs Road P. O. Box 289 Austin, TX 78704 Wadsworth, TX 77483 Mr. J. J. Nesrsta S. M. Head, Manager, Licensing Mr. R. K. Temple STP Nuclear Operating Company City Public Service Board P. O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 P. O. Box 1771 Wadsworth, TX 77483 San Antonio, TX 78296 Environmental and Natural Resources Mr. C. A. Johnson/ R. P. Powers Policy Director AEP Texas Central Company P. O. Box 12428 P. O. Box 289 Austin, TX 78711-3189 Mail Code: N5022 Wadsworth, TX 77483 Jon C. Wood Cox Smith Matthews INPO 112 East Pecan, Suite 1800 Records Center San Antonio, TX 78205 700 Galleria Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Director Division of Compliance & Inspection Regional Administrator, Region IV Bureau of Radiation Control U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Texas Department of State Health Services 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 1100 West 49th Street Arlington, TX 76011 Austin, TX 78756 D. G. Tees/R. L. Balcom Brian Almon Texas Genco, LP Public Utility Commission P. O. Box 1700 William B. Travis Building Houston, TX 77251 P. O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Judge, Matagorda County Austin, TX 78701-3326 Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Bay City, TX 77414 November 2004

Susan M. Jablonski Office of Permitting, Remediation and Registration Texas Commission on Environmental Quality MC-122 P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 Mr. Terry Parks, Chief Inspector Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Boiler Division P. O. Box 12157 Austin, TX 78711 Mr. Ted Enos 4200 South Hulen Suite 630 Ft. Worth, Texas 76109