ML080880151

Summary of March 18, 2008 Meeting to Discuss the January 31, 2008, License Amendment Request (LAR) for a Digital Upgrade to Oconee Reactor Protective System (RPS) and Engineered Safeguards Protective System (Esps)

ML080880151
Person / Time
Site:	Oconee
Issue date:	04/02/2008
From:	Olshan L NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLII-1
To:	NRC/NRR/ADRO
Olshan L N, NRR/DORL, 415-1419
References
TAC MD7999, TAC MD8000, TAC MD8001
Download: ML080880151 (5)

Text

April 2, 2008 LICENSEE: DUKE POWER COMPANY LLC (DUKE)

FACILITY: OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 (OCONEE)

SUMMARY

OF MARCH 18, 2008, MEETING TO DISCUSS THE JANUARY 31, 2008, LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST (LAR) FOR A DIGITAL UPGRADE TO OCONEE REACTOR PROTECTIVE SYSTEM (RPS) AND ENGINEERED SAFEGUARDS PROTECTIVE SYSTEM (ESPS) (TAC NOS. MD7999, MD8000, AND MD8001)

On March 18, 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) met with Duke (the licensee) to discuss the January 31, 2008, LAR for a digital upgrade to the Oconee RPS/ESPS.

Enclosed is a list of the attendees. The handout provided by the licensee during the meeting is available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under accession number ML080840040. The handout provided by the NRC is available under ADAMS accession number ML080840038. During the meeting, it was discovered that the NRC handout contained several typographical errors. The corrected version of the NRC handout is available under ADAMS accession number ML080840044.

The NRC staff stated that this LAR represents the most extensive use of digital systems on an operating plant in the U.S. and is one of the most significant licensing actions currently under NRC review. The NRC staff stated that the licensee has provided sufficient technical information in both scope and depth to accept the LAR for a detailed technical review.

However, in its handout, the NRC staff identified 6 items that present significant challenges to completing a comprehensive review of the LAR so that the NRC staff can make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the LAR in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of the health and safety of the public.

The NRC staff requested that the licensee provide a schedule by April 1, 2008, for submitting the additional information specified in items 2 through 6 of the NRC handout. The NRC staff stated that no additional information is needed at this time on item 1, but that the NRC staff will be reviewing the defense-in-depth and diversity (D3) analysis in accordance with the Interim Staff Guidance on D3.

The NRC staff stated that, based on timely responses to the information requested in items 2 through 6 and all additional requests for additional information, the safety evaluation of the LAR is scheduled to be completed by June 30, 2009, with the issuance of the amendments probably 1 to 2 months later.

Duke The licensee stated that it intends to implement the digital upgrade to RPS/ESPS on Unit 1 during the refueling outage scheduled to begin in December 2009. In order to accomplish this, the licensee requested that the NRC staff issue the amendments by March 31, 2009. The NRC staff stated, that by March 31, 2009, it would have a good indication as to whether the LAR would be found acceptable or not acceptable, but that it was unlikely that the amendments would be issued by March 31, 2009. Both the NRC staff and the licensee stated that they will re-examine their schedules and have further discussions on these schedules.

/RA/

Leonard N. Olshan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, and 50-287

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc w/encl: See next page

Duke The licensee stated that it intends to implement the digital upgrade to RPS/ESPS on Unit 1 during the refueling outage scheduled to begin in December 2009. In order to accomplish this, the licensee requested that the NRC staff issue the amendments by March 31, 2009. The NRC staff stated, that by March 31, 2009, it would have a good indication as to whether the LAR would be found acceptable or not acceptable, but that it was unlikely that the amendments would be issued by March 31, 2009. Both the NRC staff and the licensee stated that they will re-examine their schedules and have further discussions on these schedules.

/RA/

Leonard N. Olshan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, and 50-287

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc w/encl: See next page Distribution:

PUBLIC S.Arndt, NRR LPL2-1 R/F J. Sharkey, NR RidsNrrDorlLpl2-1 (MWong) P. Loeser, NRR RidsNrrLAMOBrien (hard copy) RidsNrrPMMChernoff RidsNrrPMLOlshan (hard copy) S. Bailey, NRR RidsOgcRp M.Cox, EDO, Rgn II RidsAcrsAcnw&mMailCenter RidsRgn2MailCenter (KWeaver)

C. Tucci, NRR W. Kemper, NRR I. Ahmed, NRR RidsNrrDorl (TMcGinty)

P.Hiland, NRR N. Carte, NRR Accession Number: ML080880151 OFFICE NRR/LPL2-1/PM NRR/LP2-1/LA NRR/LPL2-1/BC NAME LOlshan MOBrien MWong DATE 04/02/08 04/02/08 04/02/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

MEETING ATTENDEES FROM MARCH 18, 2008, MEETING WITH DUKE POWER COMPANY LLC (DUKE)

TO DISCUSS THE JANUARY 31, 2008, LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR A DIGITAL UPGRADE TO THE OCONEE RPS/ESPS NRC DUKE W. Kemper R. Gill I. Ahmed R. Freudenberger M. Wong M. Bailey T. McGinty T. Owusu P. Hiland B. Shingleton L. Olshan G. Davenport N. Carte D. Richardson S. Arndt B. Geddes J. Sharkey P. Loeser M. Chernoff S. Bailey OTHER R. Gardner, AREVA M. Burzynski, AREVA J. Riley, Nuclear Energy Institute G. Clefton, Nuclear Energy Institute J. Weil, McGraw-Hill S. Hanada, Mitsubishi Nuclear Energy Systems D. Raleigh, Scientech Enclosure

Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 cc:

Mr. Bruce H. Hamilton Mr. Leonard G. Green Vice President, Oconee Site Assistant Attorney General Duke Power Company LLC NC Department of Justice 7800 Rochester Highway P.O. Box 629 Seneca, SC 29672 Raleigh, NC 27602 Ms. Lisa F. Vaughn Mr. R. L. Gill, Jr.

Associate General Counsel and Managing Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Attorney Issues and Industry Affairs Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC Duke Power Company LLC 526 South Church Street - EC07H 526 S. Church St.

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 Mail Stop EC05P Charlotte, NC 28202 Manager, LIS NUS Corporation Division of Radiation Protection 2650 McCormick Dr., 3rd Floor NC Dept of Environment, Health, & Natural Clearwater, FL 34619-1035 Resources 3825 Barrett Dr.

Senior Resident Inspector Raleigh, NC 27609-7721 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 7812B Rochester Highway Mr. Peter R. Harden, IV Seneca, SC 29672 VP-Customer Relations and Sales Westinghouse Electric Company Mr. Henry Porter, Director 6000 Fairview Road Division of Radioactive Waste Management 12th Floor Bureau of Land and Waste Management Charlotte, NC 28210 Dept. of Health and Env. Control 2600 Bull St. Mr. Henry Barron Columbia, SC 29201-1708 Group Vice President, Nuclear Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer Mr. Michael A. Schoppman P.O. Box 1006-EC07H Framatome ANP Charlotte, NC 28201-1006 1911 North Ft. Myer Dr.

Suite 705 Mr. Charles Brinkman Rosslyn, VA 22209 Director, Washington Operations Westinghouse Electric Company Mr. B. G. Davenport 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 330 Regulatory Compliance Manager Rockville, MD 20852 Oconee Nuclear Site Duke Energy Corporation Ms. Kathryn B. Nolan ON03RC Senior Counsel 7800 Rochester Highway Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC Seneca, SC 29672 526 South Church Street - EC07H Charlotte, NC 28202