[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 92 (Friday, May 13, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11786]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 13, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-397]

 

Washington Public Power Supply System; Consideration of Issuance 
of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed No Significant 
Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuing an amendment to Facility Operating License No. NFP-
21 issued to Washington Public Power Supply System (the licensee) for 
operation of the Nuclear Project No. 2 (WNP-2) plant, located in Benton 
County, Washington.
    The proposed amendment would (1) revise TS 3/4.4.2 and 3/4.5.1 to 
require main stream system and automatic depressurization system 
safety/relief valve (SRV) surveillance testing within 12 hours after 
steam pressure and flow are adequate to do the testing; and (2) revise 
TS Table 4.3.7.5-1 to require SRV position indicator surveillance 
testing within 12 hours after steam pressure and flow are adequate to 
do the testing.
    The intent of the change is to clarify when the 12-hour time period 
begins. The licensee is also making a change to the TS SRV basis to 
clarify that testing SRVs at low power means testing them when there is 
adequate steam pressure and flow.
    Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission 
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended (the Act), and the Commission's regulations.
    The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment 
request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the 
Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of 
the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) 
involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an 
accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new 
or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; 
or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As 
required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of 
the issue of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented 
below:

    The Supply System has evaluated the proposed changes against the 
above standards as required by 10 CFR 50.91(a) and concluded that 
the change does not:
    (1) Involve a significant increase in the probability or 
consequences of any accident previously evaluated.
    The potential delay in confirming safety relief valve (SRV), SRV 
position indication (acoustic monitor, valve stem position 
indicators, and tailpipe temperature instruments), and ADS 
operability during plant startup should not result in any change to 
the expected satisfactory completion of the required surveillance 
tests. Surveillance testing that is conducted during the plant 
shutdown sequence, and during shutdown, provides reasonable 
assurance that the SRVs will function when required. Under the 
proposed change, plant test conditions would not be different than 
in the past since testing was not begun until adequate pressure for 
the duration of the test was achieved.
    Therefore, this change does not involve a significant increase 
in the probability or consequences of any accident previously 
evaluated.
    (2) Create the possibility of a new or different kind of 
accident from any accident previously evaluated.
    The proposed changes do not involve a design change nor do they 
involve changes outside the scope of the existing test requirements. 
No new failure modes are introduced as a result of the proposed 
changes. The acoustic monitors merely provide indication that an SRV 
is open. They do not provide an actuation signal. Alternate 
mechanisms of SRV position indication exist, i.e., reactor water 
level changes, reactor pressure changes, main turbine bypass valve 
position, SRV tail pipe temperature, suppression pool level, and 
suppression pool temperature. The time delay prior to operability 
verification will not affect Technical Specification requirements.
    Therefore, the proposed changes do not create the possibility of 
a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously 
evaluated.
    (3) Involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
    The proposed changes have no impact on the operability or 
performance requirements of the SRVs, including the ADS function, as 
they do not change the lift setpoints or minimum number of valves 
required to be operable. The effect of delaying the starting point 
of the time clock is not expected to affect completion of the 
required tests. ADS/SRV position indication availability will not be 
significantly affected by the proposed change since the additional 
48 hours per refueling cycle of not verifying SRV, SRV position 
indication, and ADS SRV operability occurs at low power with the 
High Pressure Core Spray and Reactor Core Isolation Cooling systems 
available. Additionally, there is a high probability that the SRVs 
would perform their intended function if required even though they 
have not been declared operable.
    Therefore, the proposed changes do not involve a significant 
reduction in a margin of safety.

    The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on this 
review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are 
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the 
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
    The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed 
determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final 
determination. Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment 
until the 30-day notice period expires. However, should circumstances 
change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely 
way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility, 
the Commission may issue the license amendment before the expiration of 
the 30-day notice period, provided that its final determination is that 
the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. The final 
determination will consider all public and State comments received. 
Should the Commission take this action, it will publish a notice of 
issuance in the Federal Register and provide for opportunity for a 
hearing after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take 
this action will occur very infrequently.
    Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Rules Review and 
Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and Publications 
Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555, and should cite the publication date and page 
number of this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be 
delivered to Room 6D22, Two White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays. 
Copies of written comments received may be examined at the NRC Public 
Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC 
20555.
    The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to 
intervene is discussed below.
    By June 13, 1994, the licensee may file a request for a hearing 
with respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility 
operating license, and any person whose interest may be affected by 
this proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the 
proceeding must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for 
leave to intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to 
intervene shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of 
Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR Part 2. 
Interested persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which 
is available at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC 20555 and at the local 
public document room located at the Richland Public Library, 955 
Northgate Street, Richland, Washington 99352. If a request for a 
hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date, 
the Commission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, designated by 
the Commission or by the Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing 
Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the 
Secretary or the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will 
issue a notice of hearing or an appropriate order.
    As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene 
shall set forth with particularly the interest of the petitioner in the 
proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of the 
proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons why 
intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the 
following factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the 
Act to be made party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of 
the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the 
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be 
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition 
should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of 
the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person 
who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been 
admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of 
the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference 
scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy 
the specificity requirements described above.
    Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference 
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to 
the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions 
which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must 
consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be 
raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a 
brief explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise 
statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the 
contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the 
contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references 
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is 
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those 
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information 
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material 
issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within 
the scope of the amendment under consideration. The contention must be 
one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A 
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these 
requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be 
permitted to participate as a party.
    Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, 
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the 
hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-
examine witnesses.
    If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final 
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The 
final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
    If the final determination is that the amendment request involves 
no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the 
amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the 
request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance 
of the amendment.
    If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a 
significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place 
before the issuance of any amendment.
    A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must 
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and Services 
Branch, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public Document Room, 
the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC 20555, by the 
above date. Where petitions are filed during the last 10 days of the 
notice period, it is requested that the petitioner promptly so inform 
the Commission by a toll-free telephone call to Western Union at 1-800-
248-5100 (in Missouri 1-800-342-6700). The Western Union operator 
should be given Datagram Identification Number N1023 and the following 
message addressed to Theodore R. Quay, Director, Project Directorate 
IV-3: petitioner's name and telephone number, date petition was mailed, 
plant name, and publication date and page number of this Federal 
Register notice. A copy of the petition should also be sent to the 
Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555, and to M. H. Phillips, Jr., Esq., Winston & 
Strawn, 1400 L Street NW., Washington, DC 20005-3502, the licensee's 
attorney.
    Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended 
petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not 
be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding 
officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the 
petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the 
factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1) (i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
    For further details with respect to this action, see the 
application for amendment dated May 5, 1994, which is available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC 20555 and at the local 
public document room located at the Richland Public Library, 955 
Northgate Street, Richland, Washington 99352.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 10th day of May 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
L. Mark Padovan,
Acting Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-3, Division of Reactor 
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 94-11786 Filed 5-12-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M