ML17263A977
| ML17263A977 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Ginna  |
| Issue date: | 03/13/1995 |
| From: | MECREDY R C ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17263A976 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9503160208 | |
| Download: ML17263A977 (10) | |
Text
UNITEDSTATESOFAMERICANUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONIntheMatterof))RochesterGasandElectricCorporation)(R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlant)DocketNo.50-244APPLICATIONFORAMENDMENTTOOPERATINGLICENSEANDUALITYASSURANCEPROGRAMPursuanttoSection50.90oftheregulationsoftheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC),RochesterGasandElectricCorporation(RGEE),holderofFacilityOperatingLicenseNo.DPR-18,herebyrequeststhattheTechnicalSpecificationssetforthinAppendixAtothatlicensebeamended.Thisrequestforchangeistoreplacespecificleakagetestingfrequenciesforcontainmentisolationvalveswithareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJ,asmodifiedbyapprovedexemptions.Adescriptionoftheamendmentrequest,necessarybackgroundinformation,justificationoftherequestedchange,safetyevaluationandnosignificanthazardsandenvironmentalconsiderationsareprovidedinAttachmentA.Thisevaluationdemonstratesthattheproposedchangedoesnotinvolveasignificantchangeinthetypesorasignificantincreaseintheamountsofeffluentsoranychangeintheauthorizedpowerlevelofthefacility.TheproposedchangealsoTdoesnotinvolveasignificanthazardsconsideration.AmarkedupcopyofthecurrentGinnaStationTechnicalSpecificationswhichshowstherequestedchangeissetforthinAttachmentB.TheproposedrevisedTechnicalSpecificationsareprovidedinAttachmentC.9503ih02089503l3PDRADOCK05000244PPDR WHEREFORE,ApplicantrespectfullyrequeststhatAppendixAtoFacilityOperatingLicenseNo.DPR-18beamendedintheformattachedheretoasAttachmentC.RochesterGasandElectricCorporationByRobertC.HecredyVicePresidentNuclearProductionSubscribedandsworntobeforemeonthis13dayofNarch1995./j~dgNotaryPublic'ikr~.'.~">Lt'Navvy3FATttoa'yt'ublr'c;stateouseCovaotNe>yYo"ionXIExpiresg<t>~+~~
AttachmentAR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantLicenseAmendmentRequestContainmentIsolationValveTestingFrequencyThisattachmentprovidesadescriptionoftheamendmentrequestandnecessaryjustificationfortheproposedchange.Theattachmentisdividedintosevensectionsasfollows.SectionAidentifiesallchangestothecurrentGinnaStationTechnicalSpecificationswhileSectionBprovidesthebackgroundandhistoryassociatedwiththechangebeingrequested.SectionCprovidesdetailedjustificationfortheproposedchangeincludingacomparisontoImprovedTechnicalSpecificationsasapplicable.Asafetyevaluation,significanthazardsconsiderationevaluation,andenvironmentalconsiderationoftherequestedchangeareprovidedinSectionsD,E,andF,respectively.SectionGlistsallreferencesusedinthisattachment.A.DESCRIPTIONOFAMENDMENTREQUESTThisLicenseAmendmentRequest(LAR)proposestoreviseGinnaStationTechnicalSpecifications(TS)assummarizedbelow.AttachmentBcontainsamarkedupcopyofthecurrentGinnaStationTechnicalSpecificationsshowingtherequestedchange.TheTechnicalSpecificationsfollowingtheproposedchangeisprovidedinAttachmentC.TechnicalSpecification4.4.2.4.ai.Replacespecificleakagetestingfrequenciesforcontainmentisolationvalveswithareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJ,asmodifiedbyapprovedexemptions.B.BACKGROUND1.HistoryOnFebruary21,1995,theNRCpublishedaproposedrevisionto10CFR50,AppendixJforpubliccomment(Ref.1).Theproposedrevisedrulewouldprovideanoptionforcontainmentleakagetestingwhichispredicatedonusingperformancebasedacceptancecriteria.Assuch,containmentleakagetestingfrequencieswouldbedevelopedbasedontheresultsofprevioustestsinsteadofthecurrentprescriptivefrequencieswhicharenowprovidedin10CFR50,AppendixJ.ThischangeisbeingproposedasaresultofextensiveindustryandNRCevaluationsoftheactualcontainmentleakagetestingresultsinthenuclearpowerindustrywhichdemonstratesthatthecurrentprescriptivetestingfrequenciesaremarginaltosafetyandthataperformancebasedleakagetestprogramisacceptable,andinmanyways,preferable.Thisruleisanticipatedtobeissuedinthefallof1995.
~~Cp"Ck1gI Thecurrent(andproposed)10CFR50,AppendixJisorganizedbasedonthreetypesoftests:TypeA,TypeB,andTypeC.TypeAtestsrefertotheoverallcontainmentintegratedleakagerate.TypeBtestsrefertothosecontainmentpenetrationswhichuseisolationbarriersthatincorporateresilientseals,gaskets,sealantcompounds,bellows,orflexiblemetalsealassemblies.TypeCtestsrefertocontainmentisolationvalves.ThisLARproposestorevisethetechnicalspecificationsrelatedtoTypeCpenetrations(i.e.,containmentisolationvalves)toremovetheprescriptivetestingfrequencyinTS4.4.2.4.aof"onceeveryreactorshutdownforrefueling,orotherconvenientintervals,butinnocaseatintervalsgreaterthantwoyears."Thiswillbereplacedwithatestingfrequency"inaccordancewith10CFR50,AppendixJ,asmodifiedbyapprovedexemptions."GinnaStationiscurrentlyon12monthrefuelingcyclessuchthatallcontainmentisolationvalvesaretestedevery12months,whereasplantswithlongeroperatingcycleshavelongertestingintervalsasallowedby10CFR50,AppendixJ.ReplacingthecurrentprescriptivewordingofTS4.4.2.4.aenablesRG&Etorevisethetestingfrequenciesofcontainmentisolationvalvesasallowedby10CFR50.12withoutalsohavingtorequestchangestotechnicalspecifications,since10CFR50,AppendixJmuststillbemet.ThiseliminatesunnecessaryduplicationbetweenthetechnicalspecificationsandtheCodeofFederalRegulationsandprovidesmoreefficientfutureuseofRG&EandNRCresources.RG&Eispursuingtherequestedexemptionsto10CFR50,AppendixJ,SectionIII,D.3concurrentwiththisLARsuchthatcontainmentisolationvalveleakagetestingwouldbeexemptedduringthe1995refuelingoutage.RG&EanticipatesthatGinnaStationwillleaveColdShutdownonApril27,1995atwhichtimecontainmentintegrityisrequiredbyLCO3.6.1.SinceTypeCtestingisrequiredtoensurecontainmentintegrityisavailable,thisLARandthenecessaryexemptionsmustbeapprovedpriortogoingaboveColdShutdownconditions.Assuch,RG&ErequeststhatthisLARbeapprovedpriorto,oron,April27,1995.2.HardwareModificationsTherearenoplantmodificationswhicharerequiredtoimplementthechangesrequestedinthisLAR.This,LARonlyreplacesspecificleakagetestingfrequenciesforcontainmentisolationvalveswithareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJ,whichprovidesequivalenttestingrequirements.
~~h'II/ ~C.JUSTIFICATIONThisLARproposestoreplacethecurrentspecifictestingfrequenciesforcontainmentisolationvalvesinTS4.4.2.4.awithareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJ,asmodifiedbyapprovedexemptions.SectionIII,D.3ofAppendixJprovidesequivalenttestingfrequenciesofcontainmentisolationvalveswiththeexceptionthat"orotherconvenientintervals"isnotspecified.Sincealloperatinglicensesforwater-cooledpowerreactorsarerequiredtomeettherequirementsof10CFR50,AppendixJ,referencingtheactualrequirementinsteadofreiteratingtherequirementswithintechnicalspecificationsprovidesequivalenttestingfrequencies.Inaddition,removingtheactualrequirementsfromtechnicalspecificationspreventstheneedtorevisetechnicalspecificationsastherulechanges,orasexemptionstotherulearegrantedbytheNRC.Removingthereferenceto"orotherconvenientintervals"alsoeliminatespotentialconflictwith10CFR50,AppendixJsincethisisnotanallowedoptionforTypeCtests.TheproposedchangeisalsoconsistentwithLCO3.6.1,"Containment,"ofNUREG-1431(Ref.2)inthatSurveillanceSR3.6.l.1requirestestingofcontainmentisolationvalves"inaccordancewith10CFR50,AppendixJ,asmodifiedbyapprovedexemptions."D.SAFETYEVALUATIONThechangerequestedinthisLARinvolvesreplacingspecificleakagetestingfrequenciesforcontainmentisolationvalveswithareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJ,asmodifiedbyapprovedexemptions.ThischangeisconsistentwiththeNRCapprovedImprovedStandardTechnicalSpecificationsforWestinghouseplants(Ref.2).Therefore,thesafetyimpactofmakingthischangehasbeenpreviouslyconsideredandfoundgenericallyacceptablebytheNRC.Theplantspecificevaluationofthischangeisprovidedbelow.ThereisnoincreaseintheprobabilityorconsequencesofanaccidentormalfunctionofequipmentimportanttosafetypreviouslyevaluatedintheUFSARrelatedtothischange.10CFR50,AppendixJprovidesequivalenttestingfrequenciesasthecurrentGinnaStationtechnicalspecificationssuchthatcontainmentintegrityrequirementswillstillbemaintained.AnychangetothesetestingfrequenciesstillrequirespriorNRCapprovalsuchthatthereisnoincreaseintheprobabilityorconsequencesofanaccidentormalfunctionofequipment.ThepossibilityofanewordifferentkindofaccidentoramalfunctionofadifferenttypethanpreviouslyevaluatedintheUFSARisnotcreatedbytheproposedchange.ThecontainmentisolationvalvesarestillrequiredtobetestedtoensurecontainmentintegritycanbemetaboveColdShutdown;onlythetestingfrequencyisbeingreplacedwithareferencetotheCodeofFederalRegulations.Assuch,anewordifferentkindofaccidentormalfunctionisnotcreatedbyreferencinginsteadofreiteratingthetestingfrequencywithintechnicalspecifications.
ThereisnoreductioninthemarginofsafetyasdefinedinthebasisforanyTechnicalSpecificationsincethecontainmentisolationvalveleakagetestingrequirementsareonlybeingreplacedwithareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJwhichprovidesequivalentcontrols.Basedontheabove,theproposedamendmentdoesnotinvolveanunreviewedsafetyquestionandwillnotadverselyaffectorendangerthehealthandsafetyofthegeneralpublic.SIGNIFICANTHAZARDSCONSIDERATIONEVALUATIONTheproposedchangestotheGinnaStationTechnicalSpecificationsdonotinvolveasignificanthazardsconsiderationasdiscussedbelow:OperationofGinnaStationinaccordancewiththeproposedchangedoesnotinvolveasignificantincreaseintheprobabilityorconsequencesofanaccidentpreviouslyevaluated.ThechangeisconsistentwithNUREG-1431andhastherefore,beenpreviouslyevaluatedandacceptedbytheNRC.ThechangeinvolvesnotechnicalchangetotheexistingTechnicalSpecificationsince10CFRAppendixJprovidesequivalenttestingfrequenciesasthosecurrentlyspecifiedinTS4.4.2.4.a.Thereisnoimpacttoinitiatorsofanalyzedeventsorassumedmitigationofaccidentontransientevents.ImplementationofthischangeisexpectedtoresultinmoreefficientuseofRG&EandtheNRCresourceswithoutanyreductioninsafety.2.OperationofGinnaStationinaccordancewiththeproposedchangedoesnotcreatethe.possibilityofanewordifferentkindofaccidentfromanyaccidentpreviouslyevaluated.ThechangeisconsistentwithNUREG-1431andhastherefore,beenpreviouslyevaluatedandacceptedbytheNRC.Thechangedoesnotinvolvephysicalalterationsoftheplant(nonewordifferenttypeofequipmentwillbeinstalled)orchangesinmethodsgoverningnormalplantoperation.Thechangedoesnotimposeoreliminateanynewordifferentrequirementssince10CFR50,AppendixJprovidesequivalenttestingfrequenciesasthosecurrentlyspecifiedinTS4.4.2.4.a.3.OperationofGinnaStationinaccordancewiththeproposedchangesdoesnotinvolveasignificantreductioninamarginofsafety.Allrequirementsinthetechnicalspecificationsrelatedtocontainmentisolationvalvesremainthesamewiththeexceptionthatareferenceto10CFR50,AppendixJisbeingprovidedinplaceofspecificleakagetesting'equirements.Thechangehasnoimpactonanysafetyanalysisassumptions.
P Basedupontheaboveinformation,ithasbeendeterminedthattheproposedchangetotheGinnaStationTechnicalSpecificationsdoesnotinvolveasignificantincreaseintheprobabilityorconsequencesofanaccidentpreviouslyevaluated,doesnotcreatethepossibilityofanewordifferentkindofaccidentpreviouslyevaluated,anddoesnotinvolveasignificantreductioninamarginofsafety.Therefore,itisconcludedthattheproposedchangesmeettherequirementsof10CFR50.92(c)anddonotinvolveasignificanthazardsconsideration.ENVIRONMENTALCONSIDERATIONRGLEhasevaluatedtheproposedchangesanddeterminedthat:1.ThechangedoesnotinvolveasignificanthazardsconsiderationasdocumentedinSectionEabove;2.3.Thechangedoesnotinvolveasignificantchangeinthetypesorsignificantincreaseintheamountsofanyeffluentsthatmaybereleasedoffsitesincetheproposedchangedoesnotmodifyanycontainmentintegrityrequirements;andThechangedoesnotinvolveasignificantincreaseinindividualorcumulativeoccupationalradiationexposuresincecontainmentisolationvalvetestingfrequenciesascontainedin10CFR50,Appendix0areequivalenttothoseinthecurrenttechnicalspecifications.Accordingly,theproposedchangesmeettheeligibilitycriteriaforcategoricalexclusionsetforthin10CFR51.22(c)(9).Therefore,pursuantto10CFR51.22(b),anenvironmentalassessmentoftheproposedchangesisnotrequired.REFERENCES1.FederalRegister,Volume60,page9634,February21,1995.2.NUREG-1431,StandardTechnicalSpecifications,westinghousePlants,September1992.