ML15286A091

Issuance of Amendment Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler-522

ML15286A091
Person / Time
Site:	Hope Creek
Issue date:	11/30/2015
From:	Carleen Parker Plant Licensing Branch 1
To:	Braun R Public Service Enterprise Group
Wengert T, NRR/DORL/LPLI-2
References
CAC MF5331
Download: ML15286A091 (14)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 November 30, 2015 Mr. Robert Braun President and Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC P.O. Box 236, N09 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ADOPTION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TASK FORCE TRAVELER-522 (CAC NO. MF5331)

Dear Mr. Braun:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 199 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station. This amendment consists of changes to the technical specifications in response to your application dated November 25, 2014. The amendment modifies Technical Specification Surveillance Requirement 4.7.2.1.1.b to reduce the run time of the emergency filtration subsystems with heaters on from a minimum of 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> to a minimum of 15 minutes, consistent with Technical Specification Task Force Traveler-522, Revision 0, "Revise Ventilation System Surveillance Requirements to Operate for 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> per Month," with minor variations.

A copy of our safety evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely, Carleen J. Parker, Proje t Manager Plant Licensing Branch 1-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 199 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-57

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/enclosures: Distribution via Listserv

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 PSEG NUCLEAR LLC DOCKET NO. 50-354 HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 199 Renewed License No. NPF-57

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

A. The application for amendment filed by PSEG Nuclear LLC dated November 25, 2014, complies 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, 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 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 Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 is hereby amended to read as follows:

Enclosure 1

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 199, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated into the renewed license. PSEG Nuclear LLC 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 60 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 0r4fUL Douglas A. Broaddus, Chief Plant Licensing Branch 1-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Renewed Facility Operating License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: November 30, 2015

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 199 RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-57 DOCKET NO. 50-354 Replace the following page of the Renewed Facility Operating License with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains a marginal line indicating the area of change.

Remove Insert Page 3 Page 3 Replace the following page of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains a marginal line indicating the area of change.

Remove Insert 314 7-6a 314 7-6a

reactor operation, as described in the Final Safety Analysis Report, as supplemented and amended; (4) PSEG Nuclear LLC, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use at any time any byproduct, source and special nuclear material as sealed neutron sources for reactor startup, sealed sources for reactor instrumentation and radiation monitoring equipment calibration, and as fission detectors in amounts as required; (5) PSEG Nuclear LLC, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to receive, possess, and use in amounts as required any byproduct, source or special nuclear material without restriction to chemical or physical form, for sample analysis or instrument calibration or associated with radioactive apparatus or components; and (6) PSEG Nuclear LLC, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30, 40 and 70, to possess, but not separate, such byproduct and special nuclear materials as may be produced by the operation of the facility. Mechanical disassembly of the GE14i isotope test assemblies containing Cobalt-60 is not considered separation.

(7) PSEG Nuclear LLC, pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 30, to intentionally produce, possess, receive, transfer, and use Cobalt-60.

C. This renewed license shall be deemed to contain and is subject to the conditions specified in the Commission's regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I and is subject to all applicable provisions of the Act and to the rules, regulations and orders of the Commission now or hereafter in effect; and is subject to the additional conditions specified or incorporated below:

(1) Maximum Power Level PSEG Nuclear LLC is authorized to operate the facility at reactor core power levels not in excess of 3840 megawatts thermal (100 percent rated power) in accordance with the conditions specified herein.

(2) Technical Specifications and Environmental Protection Plan The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 199, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B, are hereby incorporated in the renewed license. PSEG Nuclear LLC shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

Renewed License f:'Jo. NPF-57 Amendment No. 199

PLANT SYSTEMS CONTROL ROOM EMERGENCY FILTRATION SYSTEM LIMITING CONDITION FOR OPERATION (continued)

2. With both control room emergency filtration subsystems inoperable for reasons other than Condition b.3, suspend handling of recently irradiated fuel in the secondary containment and operations with a potential for draining the reactor vessel.

3. With one or more control room emergency filtration subsystems inoperable due to an inoperable CRE boundary##, immediately suspend handling of recently irradiated fuel and operations with a potential for draining the vessel.

c. The provisions of Specification 3.0.3 are not applicable in OPERATIONAL CONDITION*.

SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 4.7.2.1.1 Each control room emergency filtration subsystem shall be demonstrated OPERABLE:

a. DELETED

b. In accordance with the Surveillance Frequency Control Program by verifying that the subsystem operates for at least 15 continuous minutes with the heaters on.

• When recently irradiated fuel is being handled in the secondary containment and during operations with a potential for draining the reactor vessel.

The main control room envelope (CRE) boundary may be opened intermittently under administrative control.

HOPE CREEK 3/4 7-6a Amendment No. 199

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 199 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-57 PSEG NUCLEAR LLC HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-354

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated November 25, 2014 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML14329B244), PSEG Nuclear LLC (the licensee) requested changes to the technical specifications (TSs) for Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS). Specifically, the licensee requested to adopt U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-approved Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) Standard Technical Specifications (STS) Change Traveler TSTF-522, "Revise Ventilation System Surveillance Requirements to Operate for 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> per Month," dated March 30, 2010 (ADAMS Accession No. ML100890316).

The proposed change would revise Surveillance Requirement (SR) 4.7.2.1.1.b from TS 3.7.2.1, "Control Room Emergency Filtration System, which currently requires operating the ventilation system for at least 1O hours with the heaters on at a frequency controlled in accordance with the Surveillance Frequency Control Program (SFCP). The SR would be changed to require at least 15 continuous minutes of system operation with the heaters on at a frequency controlled in accordance with the SFCP.

The licensee stated that the license amendment request is consistent with NRG-approved TSTF-522. TSTF-522 revises the SRs that currently require operating the ventilation system for at least 10 continuous hours with the heaters operating every 31 days or at a frequency controlled in accordance with the SFCP. The SRs would be changed to require at least 15 continuous minutes of ventilation system operation with heaters operating every 31 days or at a frequency control in accordance with the SFCP. The availability of this TS improvement was announced in the Federal Register on September 20, 2012 (77 FR 58421) as part of the consolidated line item improvement process.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

One of the reasons air filtration and adsorption systems are required at nuclear power plants is to lower the concentration of airborne radioactive material that may be released from the site to Enclosure 2

the environment due to a design-basis event. Lowering the concentration of airborne radioactive materials can mitigate doses to plant operators and members of the public in the event of a design-basis event. A typical system consists of ventilation ductwork, fans, dampers, valves, instrumentation, prefilters or demisters, high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, heaters, and activated charcoal adsorbers. These systems are tested by operating the systems and monitoring the response of the overall system, as well as individual components.

Laboratory tests of charcoal adsorbers are also performed to ensure the charcoal adsorbs an acceptable amount of radioactive gases.

The licensee has proposed revising SR 4.7.2.1.1.b. Current SR 4.7.2.1.1.b states:

In accordance with the Surveillance Frequency Control Program by verifying that the subsystem operates for at least 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> with the heaters on.

Revised SR 4. 7 .2.1.1. b would state:

In accordance with the Surveillance Frequency Control Program by verifying that the subsystem operates for at least 15 continuous minutes with the heaters on.

The regulatory requirements for design and testing of these systems are contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.67 and Part 100, as well as Part 50, Appendix A, "General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants," General Design Criteria 19, 41, 42, 43, and 61. Additional guidance for licensee implementation of these regulatory requirements is provided in Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.52, "Design, Inspection, and Testing Criteria for Air Filtration and Adsorption Units of Post-Accident Engineered-Safety-Feature Atmosphere Cleanup Systems in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants," and Generic Letter (GL) 99-02, "Laboratory Testing of Nuclear-Grade Activated Charcoal" (ADAMS Accession No. ML082350935 and Errata Sheet at Accession No. ML031110094).

RG 1.52, Revision 2 (ADAMS Accession No. ML003740139), was published in March 1978 to provide guidance and criteria acceptable to the NRC staff for licensees to implement the regulations in 10 CFR related to air filtration and adsorption systems. Regulatory Position 4.d of Revision 2 of RG 1.52 states:

Each ESF [engineered safety feature] atmosphere cleanup train should be operated at least 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> per month, with the heaters on (if so equipped), in order to reduce the buildup of moisture on the adsorbers and HEPA filters.

The purpose of this position was to minimize the effects of moisture on the ability of the adsorbers to capture gaseous activity and thereby enhance efficiency in the event the system is called upon to perform its design-basis function.

Following subsequent industry experience and testing, the NRC staff determined that 10 continuous hours of system operation would dry out the charcoal adsorbers for a brief period of time but, following heater de-energization, the level of moisture accumulation in adsorbers would rapidly return to the pre-test level. The NRC staff subsequently issued GL 99-02, which requested that licensees confirm that their testing protocols accurately demonstrate the

capability of the charcoal to adsorb gaseous activity. In GL 99-02, the NRC staff also requested that licensees account for the effects of moisture accumulation in adsorbers.

The NRC staff addressed the new information in RG 1.52, Revision 3, issued June 2001 (ADAMS Accession No. ML011710176). RG 1.52, Revision 3, Regulatory Position 6.1 states:

Each ESF atmosphere cleanup train should be operated continuously for at least 15 minutes each month, with the heaters on (if so equipped), to justify the operability of the system and all its components.

As noted above, one of the reasons for the 10-hour requirement for ventilation system operation with heaters operating was to minimize the effects of humidity on the adsorbers' ability to capture gaseous activity. These effects can be accounted for in the Ventilation Filter Testing Programs of U.S. nuclear plants by performing testing at a relative humidity of 95 percent in accordance with ASTM 03803-1989. Although HCGS does not have a specific Ventilation Filter Testing Program, the effects of moisture on the charcoal adsorbers are accounted for in HCGS SR 4.7.2.1.1.c.2, SR 4.7.2.1.1.d, and SR 4.7.2.1.1.e.4 of TS 3.7.2.1. SR 4.7.2.1.1.c.2 and SR 4. 7 .2.1.1.d require testing charcoal adsorbers, " ... in accordance with ASTM 03803-1989 at a temperature of 30°C [degrees Celsius) and a relative humidity 70%." With respect to performing the testing at a relative humidity of 70 percent rather than 95 percent, RG 1.5.2, Revision 3, Regulatory Position 4.9 states:

Systems with humidity control can perform laboratory testing of representative samples of activated carbon at a relative humidity of 70%, and systems without humidity control should perform laboratory testing of representative samples of activated carbon at a relative humidity of 95%.

SR 4. 7 .2.1.1.e.4 is intended to verify the capability of the ventilation system heaters to control humidity to the charcoal adsorbers at s 70 percent humidity. Therefore, the licensee does not propose to remove the requirement to operate heaters from SR 4.7.2.1.1.b.

The NRC's regulatory requirements related to the content of the TSs are contained in 10 CFR 50.36. The regulations at 10 CFR 50.36 require that the TSs include items in the following categories:

(1) safety limits, limiting safety systems settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for operation (LCOs);

(3) SRs; (4) design features; and (5) administrative controls.

SRs are requirements relating to test, calibration, or inspection, to assure that the necessary quality of systems and components is maintained, facility operation will be within safety limits, and the LCOs will be met.

HCGS is a General Electric (GE) BWR (boiling-water reactor)/4 plant design. The NRC's guidance for the format and content of GE BWR/4 Improved Standard TSs can be found in

NUREG-1433, Revision 4, Volume 1, "Standard Technical Specifications, General Electric BWR/4 Plants" (ADAMS Accession No. ML12104A192).

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

The NRC staff evaluated the licensee's proposed change against the applicable regulatory guidance in RG 1.52, Revision 3; the guidance in NUREG-1433, as modified by TSTF-522; and the regulatory requirements of 10 CFR 50.36.

The proposed change would require at least 15 minutes of continuous system operation with the heaters on. The NRC staff found that this proposed change is consistent with Regulatory Position 6.1 in RG 1.52, Revision 3.

The NRC staff evaluated the licensee's proposed change against the applicable regulatory guidance in NUREG-1433, as modified by TSTF-522. The proposed change adopts the TS format and content, to the extent practicable, contained in the changes made to NUREG-1433 by TSTF-522. The NRC staff found the following excerpts from the "Reviewers Note" in NUREG-1433, Section 5.5.8, "Ventilation Filter Testing Program," as being applicable and supportive of the proposed change to SR 4.7.2.1.1.b:

ASTM 03803-1989 is a more stringent testing standard because it does not differentiate between used and new charcoal, it has a longer equilibration period performed at a temperature of 30°C (86°F [degrees Fahrenheit]) and a relative humidity (RH) of 95% (or 70% RH [relative humidity] with humidity control), and it has more stringent tolerances that improve repeatability of the test.

and Humidity control can be provided by heaters or an NRG-approved analysis that demonstrates that the air entering the charcoal will be maintained less than or equal to 70 percent RH under worst-case design-basis conditions.

Accordingly, the NRC staff found that the proposed change is consistent with guidance in NUREG-1433, as modified by TSTF-522.

The NRC staff compared the proposed change to the existing SR and the regulatory requirements of 10 CFR 50.36. The existing SR provides assurance that the necessary quality of ventilation systems and components will be maintained and that the LCOs will be met. The proposed change reduces the amount of required system operational time with the heaters on from 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> to 15 minutes. The 10-hour operational requirement with heaters on was based on ensuring the charcoal adsorbers were dry and thus at peak capability.

As discussed in Section 2.0 of this safety evaluation (SE), the effects of humidity on the adsorber's ability to capture gaseous activity will remain accounted for in the TS 3.7.2.1 revised SR. Collectively, the SRs of 4. 7.2.1.1 ensure the operability of the Control Room Emergency Filtration System (CREFS) by:

1. Demonstrating, via the proposed revision to SR 4. 7.2.1.1.b, the operability of the system and all its components by operating CREFS continuously with the heaters on for at least 15 minutes, at a frequency consistent with the SFCP. Periodic operation ensures that heater failure, blockage, fan or motor failure, or excessive vibration can be detected for corrective action;

2. Verifying the ability of the CREFS filter train charcoal adsorbers to capture gaseous activity at humidity levels of less than or equal to 70 percent. In particular, SR 4.7.2.1.1.c.2 and SR 4.7.2.1.1.d verify that the filter train charcoal adsorbers exhibit a methyl iodide penetration of less than 0.5 percent when tested in accordance with ASTM 03803-1989 at a temperature of 30 °C and a relative humidity of 70 percent; and

3. Verifying, via SR 4. 7.2.1.1.e.4, that the CREFS filter train heaters are capable of maintaining humidity level of the air entering the charcoal adsorbers, at less than or equal to 70 percent.

Since the SR 4.7.2.1.1.b is no longer relied upon to ensure that the effects of moisture on the adsorber's ability to capture gaseous activity are accounted for, the 10-hour operational requirement is unnecessary. The NRG staff finds that reducing the required minimum system operation time with heaters on to 15 minutes is consistent with RG 1.52, Revision 3, and is sufficient to demonstrate the operability of the system and all its components. The NRG staff finds that the proposed change to SR 4.7.2.1.1.b meets the regulatory requirements of 10 CFR 50.36 because it, in combination with the existing requirements of SR 4.7.2.1.1.c.2, SR 4.7.2.1.1.d, and SR 4.7.2.1.1.e.4, provide assurance that the necessary quality of CREFS and its components will be maintained and that the LCO will be met. Therefore, the NRG staff finds the proposed change acceptable.

The regulation at 10 CFR 50.36 states, in part, that, "A summary statement of the bases or reasons for such specifications ... shall also be included in the application, but shall not become part of the technical specifications." The licensee may make changes to the TS Bases without prior NRG staff review and approval in accordance with the TS Bases Control Program, TS 6.15. Accordingly, along with the proposed TS change, the licensee also submitted TS Bases changes corresponding to the proposed TS change. The NRG staff determined that the TS Bases changes are consistent with the proposed TS change and provide the purpose for each requirement in the specification, consistent with the Commission's Final Policy Statement on Technical Specifications Improvements for Nuclear Power Reactors, dated July 2, 1993 (58 FR 39132).

4.0 VARIATIONS FROM TSTF-522 The licensee is proposing the following variations from the TS changes described in TSTF-522, Revision 0, or the applicable parts of the NRG staff's model SE, dated September 13, 2012:

1. The title, "Control Room Emergency Filtration System," is used for TS 3. 7.2.1 instead of the title, "Main Control Room Environmental Control (MCREC) System," as contained in TSTF-522, Revision 0, and the GE BWR/4 STS in NUREG-1433, which it modifies.

Evaluation: HCGS has not adopted the STS format in NUREG-1433. The CREFS provides the functionality addressed in TSTF-522. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the difference in titles is an administrative variation and does not affect the applicability of TSTF-522 to the HCGS TSs.

2. SR 4.7.2.1.1.c.2 and SR 4.7.2.1.1.d of HCGS TS 3.7.2.1 require testing charcoal adsorbers, "... in accordance with ASTM 03803-1989 at a temperature of 30°C and a relative humidity 70%." SR 4.7.2.1.1.e.4 of TS 3.7.2 demonstrates the capability of the CREFS heaters to control humidity of the air entering the charcoal adsorbers at :s; 70 percent relative humidity. Therefore, the licensee does not propose to remove the requirement to operate heaters from SR 4.7.2.1.1.b. Instead, the licensee proposes to shorten the duration of running the ventilation system with the heaters on from "at least 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br />" to "at least 15 continuous minutes." The NRC staff's model SE for TSTF-522, Revision 0, does not discuss this approach to invoking TSTF-522 as an option.

Evaluation: The NRC staff concludes that the licensee's decision to invoke TSTF-522 as the basis for the TS change to SR 4.7.2.1.1.b is acceptable. The excerpts cited above from RG 1.52, Revision 3, and NUREG-1433, Revision 4, support using TSTF-522 as the basis for the change to SR 4.7.2.1.1.b.

The NRC staff has determined that the implementation of TSTF-522 and the licensee's use of the stringent charcoal testing requirements from ASTM 03803-1989, specifically, charcoal sample testing at a temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) and at a relative humidity of 70 percent, the requirement to run CREFS with the heaters on for "at least 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br />" is no longer necessary.

The NRC staff concludes that testing CREFS for "at least 15 continuous minutes" with the heaters on and performing the charcoal testing per ASTM 03803-1989 at 70 percent relative humidity is sufficient to verify that the safety function of CREFS is met and that this change does not reduce the safety of the system.

Therefore, the NRC staff finds that this change is acceptable because it maintains safety and follows the guidance of GL 99-02, dated June 3, 1999; ASTM 03803-1989; and RG 1.52, Revision 3, June 2001.

5.0 PUBLIC COMMENTS On January 20, 2015, the NRC staff published its regular biweekly notice in the Federal Register regarding "Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses Involving No Significant Hazards Considerations" (80 FR 2747). With respect to amendments proposed to be issued, in accordance with the requirements in 10 CFR 50.91 (a)(2)(ii), the notice provided a 30-day period for public comment on the staff's proposed determination that the associated amendments do not involve a significant hazards consideration (NSHC). The notice included the staff's proposed NSHC determinations for several different nuclear power plants, including the proposed amendment for HCGS.

One comment was received in response to the Federal Register notice (ADAMS Accession No. ML15027A337). The comment raised concerns regarding the public availability of the Final Safety Analysis Reports for nuclear power plants in general. However, the comment did not cite

any of the specific proposed amendments included in the notice. In addition, the issues discussed in the public comment do not specifically pertain to the proposed NSHC determination for any of the specific nuclear power plants included in the Federal Register notice. As such, the NRC staff has not provided a response to the comment.

6.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the New Jersey State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

7.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment changes 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 amendment involves 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 amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (80 FR 2751; January 20, 2015). Accordingly, the amendment meets 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 amendment.

8.0 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) there is reasonable assurance that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributors: D. Nold W. Satterfield Date: November 30, 2015

November 30, 2015 Mr. Robert Braun President and Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC P.O. Box 236, N09 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ADOPTION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION TASK FORCE TRAVELER-522 (CAC NO. MF5331)

Dear Mr. Braun:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 199 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-57 for the Hope Creek Generating Station. This amendment consists of changes to the technical specifications in response to your application dated November 25, 2014. The amendment modifies Technical Specification Surveillance Requirement 4.7.2.1.1.b to reduce the run time of the emergency filtration subsystems with heaters on from a minimum of 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> to a minimum of 15 minutes, consistent with Technical Specification Task Force Traveler-522, Revision 0, "Revise Ventilation System Surveillance Requirements to Operate for 10 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> per Month," with minor variations.

A copy of our safety evaluation is also enclosed. Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely, IRA/

Carleen J. Parker, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 1-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-354

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 199 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. NPF-57

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/enclosures: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

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DATE 11/30/15 11/30/15 10/27/15 9/4/15 11 /5/15 11/30/15 11/30/15 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY