[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38229-38231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18665]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]
Public Service Electric and Gas Company Salem Nuclear Generating
Station, Units 1 and 2; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of
Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses, Proposed No Significant
Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos.
DPR-70 and DPR-75 issued to Public Service Electric and Gas Company
(the licensee) for operation of the Salem Nuclear Generating Station,
Units 1 and 2, located in Salem County, New Jersey.
The proposed amendment would revise Technical Specification (TS)
3.3.2.1, ``Engineered Safety Feature Actuation System Instrumentation''
to reflect a revised setpoint for the interlock designated P-12.
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:
1. The proposed change does not involve a significant increase
in the probability or consequences of an accident previously
evaluated.
This change to the Technical Specifications does not involve any
physical changes to the plant or any procedures changes.
There is no safety consequence to the [safety injection] SI
function being enabled at 543 deg.F. The Tavg no-load
temperature is at 547 deg.F with increasing Tavg for higher
power operation. The allowable value of 545 deg.F as the upper
limit assures the availability of the SI function, therefore, the
protective function will perform within its analyzed range. On
increasing temperature, P-12 automatically
[[Page 38230]]
enables SI in both High Streamline Flow coincident with Low-Low
Tavg and High Steamline Flow coincident with Low Steamline
Pressure. It also provides an arming signal to the Steam Dump
System.
On decreasing temperature, P-12 permits manual block of SI in
both High Steamline Flow coincident with Low-Low Tavg and High
Steamline Flow coincident with Low Steamline Pressure. This permits
blocking of the SI below the minimum temperature for criticality
during a controlled shutdown. With a 2 deg.F allowable deviation
from the nominal setpoint, the setpoint of 543 deg.F is adequate to
enable the operator to block SI.
Hardware design of the [engineered safety feature actuation
system] ESFAS provides that actuation of the SI block, enable, and
ESFAS protection system operations are all provided by the same
bistables. The analyses were performed supporting the design of the
ESFAS system.
Revision of the P-12 setpoint to enable manual block of SI from
541 deg.F to 543 deg.F does not impact the safety analyses. SI is
available at or above the Tavg no-load value of 547 deg.F,
which is consistent with the setpoint for Low-Low Tavg in TS
Table 3.3-4. Retaining the allowable value of 541 deg.F is also
consistent with Table 3.3-4. The proposed revisions do not affect
the integrity of the fuel assembly or reactor internals such that
their function in the control of radiological consequences is
affected. In addition, the proposed revisions do not affect any
fission product barrier. The proposed revision does not change,
degrade, or prevent the response of safety related mitigation
systems to accident scenarios, as described in the [Final Safety
Analysis Report] FSAR.
Therefore the proposed change does not involve a significant
increase in the probability or consequences of an accident
previously evaluated.
2. The proposed change does not create the possibility of a new
or different kind of accident from any accident previously
evaluated.
The proposed changes to the TS setpoints for P-12 do not create
failure modes that could adversely impact safety-related equipment
or cause the initiation of any accident. The P-12 interlock circuit
pertains to accident mitigation systems and not accident initiation.
Functions of safety related systems and components, which are
related to accident mitigation, have not been altered.
The proposed TS setpoint change does not cause the initiation of
any accident or create any new credible failure in the system. The
proposed revisions do not result in any malfunction of equipment
previously evaluated. The proposed revisions do not result in
increased probability of equipment failure scenarios previously
deemed improbable.
Therefore, the proposed change does not create the possibility
of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously
evaluated, the revisions will not create the possibility of a
malfunction of equipment important to safety different than
previously evaluated in the FSAR.
3. The proposed change does not involve a significant reduction
in a margin of safety.
Several different steamline break analyses are performed to
support operation of the Salem units. Analyses are performed to
determine the core response to postulated steamline breaks and to
calculate mass and energy releases both inside and outside
containment.
In the current licensing basis core response steamline break
analysis, the High Steamline Flow coincident with Low-Low Tavg
or Low Steamline Pressure protective functions are not modeled. As
such, a change to the SI permissive has no impact on the analysis.
Other SI signals generated from a postulated steamline break are
credited in the analysis. Interlock P-12 is independent of these
credited SI signals. Therefore, this change has no impact on the
safety analysis.
The licensing basis steamline break mass and energy release
safety analyses, inside and outside containment, for Salem Units 1
and 2 assumes the availability of the High Steamline Flow coincident
with Low-Low Tavg or Low Steamline Pressure for actuation of SI
and steamline isolation. However, no credit is taken for these trip
functions. The noted Technical Specification change is resolving a
discrepancy between the permissive P-12 setpoint and the Low-Low
Tavg setpoint. Even though this Low-Low Tavg function is
available in the steamline break mass and energy release analyses,
operation is not credited in the analyses.
There are no new safety analyses or revision[s] to any existing
safety analyses as a result of these changes. In addition, the
proposed change does not impact any input assumptions or results of
any current licensing basis analyses for the design basis events.
Therefore, there is no significant reduction in the margin of
safety.
The NRC staff has 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
expiration of the 30-day notice period. 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 in the Federal
Register a notice of issuance 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 Chief, Rules
Review and Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and
Publications Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, 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, 11545 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.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to
intervene is discussed below.
By August 22, 1996 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, and at the local public
document room located at the Salem Free Public Library, 112 West
Broadway, Salem, New Jersey. 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 particularity 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
[[Page 38231]]
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 20555-0001, 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,
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 John F. Stolz: 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 20555-0001, and to Mark
J. Wetterhahn, Esquire, Winston and Strawn, 1400 L Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20005-3502, attorney for the licensee.
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 July 12, 1996, which is available for
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located at the Salem Free Public Library, 112 West
Broadway, Salem, New Jersey.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of July 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Donald S. Brinkman,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-18665 Filed 7-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P