[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70073-70076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32492]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-410]


Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation; Nine Mile Point Nuclear 
Station, Unit No. 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering the issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License 
No. NPF-69 issued to Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (the licensee), 
for operation of the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (NMP2), 
located in Oswego County, New York.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed amendment will revise the existing, or current, 
Technical Specifications (CTS) for NMP2 in their entirety based on the 
guidance provided in NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434, ``Standard Technical 
Specifications for General Electric Plants, BWR/4 and BWR/6,'' Revision 
1, dated April 1995, and in the Commission's ``Final Policy Statement 
on Technical Specifications Improvements for Nuclear Power Reactors,'' 
published on July 22, 1993 (58 FR 39132). The proposed amendment is in 
accordance with the licensee's amendment request dated October 16, 
1998, as supplemented by letters dated December 30, 1998; and May 10, 
June 15, July 30, August 11, 16, 19, 27, and September 10, 1999.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    It has been recognized that nuclear safety in all nuclear power 
plants would benefit from an improvement and standardization of plant 
Technical Specifications (TS). The ``NRC Interim Policy Statement on 
Technical Specification Improvements for Nuclear Power Plants,'' (52 FR 
3788) contained proposed criteria for defining the scope of TS. Later, 
the Commission's ``Final Policy Statement on Technical Specifications 
Improvements for Nuclear Power Reactors,'' published on July 22, 1993 
(58 FR 39132), incorporated lessons learned since publication of the 
interim policy statement and formed the basis for revisions to 10 CFR 
50.36, ``Technical Specifications.'' The ``Final Rule'' (60 FR 36953) 
codified criteria for determining the content of TS. To facilitate the 
development of standard TS for nuclear power reactors, each power 
reactor vendor owners' group (OG) and the NRC staff developed standard 
TS. For NMP2, the Improved Standard Technical Specifications (ISTS) are 
in NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434, Revision 1. These documents formed part 
of the basis for the NMP2 Improved Technical Specifications (ITS) 
conversion. The NRC Committee to Review Generic Requirements (CRGR) 
reviewed the ISTS, made note of its safety merits, and indicated its 
support of the conversion by operating plants to the ISTS.

Description of the Proposed Change

    The proposed changes to the CTS are based on NUREG-1433 and NUREG-
1434, Revision 1, and on guidance provided by the Commission in its 
Final Policy Statement. The objective of the changes is to completely 
rewrite, reformat, and streamline the CTS (i.e., to convert the CTS to 
the ITS). Emphasis is placed on human factors principles to improve 
clarity and understanding of the TS. The Bases section of the ITS has 
been significantly expanded to clarify and better explain the purpose 
and foundation of each specification. In addition to NUREG-1433 and 
NUREG-1434, Revision 1, portions of the CTS were also used as the basis 
for the development of the NMP2 ITS. Plant-specific issues (e.g., 
unique design features, requirements, and operating practices) were 
discussed with the licensee, and generic matters were discussed with 
General Electric and other OGs.

[[Page 70074]]

    The proposed changes from the CTS can be grouped into the following 
four categories: relocated requirements, administrative changes, less 
restrictive changes involving deletion of requirements, and more 
restrictive changes. These categories are as follows:
    1. Relocated requirements (i.e., the licensee's LG or R changes) 
are items which are in the CTS but do not meet the criteria set forth 
in 10 CFR 50.36. This regulation establishes a specific set of 
objective criteria for determining which regulatory requirements and 
operating restrictions should be included in the TS. Relocation of 
requirements to documents with an established control program, 
controlled by the regulations or the TS, allows the TS to be reserved 
only for those conditions or limitations upon reactor operation which 
are necessary to obviate the possibility of an abnormal situation or 
event giving rise to an immediate threat to public health and safety, 
thereby focusing the scope of the TS. In general, the proposed 
relocation of items from the CTS to the Updated Safety Analysis Report 
(USAR), appropriate plant-specific programs, plant procedures, or ITS 
Bases follows the guidance of NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434, Revision 1. 
Once these items have been relocated to other licensee-controlled 
documents, the licensee may revise them under the provisions of 10 CFR 
50.59 or other NRC-approved control mechanisms, which provide 
appropriate procedural means to control changes by the licensee.
    2. Administrative changes (i.e., the licensee's A changes) involve 
the reformatting and rewording of requirements, consistent with the 
style of the ISTS in NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434, Revision 1, to make the 
TS more readily understandable to plant operators and other users. 
These changes are purely editorial in nature, or involve the movement 
or reformatting of requirements without affecting the technical 
content. Application of a standardized format and style will also help 
ensure consistency is achieved among specifications in the TS. These 
changes involve reformatting and rewording; no technical changes 
(either actual or interpretational) to the TS will be made with respect 
to these changes.
    3. Less restrictive changes and the deletion of requirements 
involve portions of the CTS (i.e., the licensee's LS and TR changes) 
which (1) provide information that is descriptive in nature regarding 
the equipment, systems, actions, or surveillances, (2) provide little 
or no safety benefit, and (3) place an unnecessary burden on the 
licensee. This information is proposed to be deleted from the CTS and, 
in some instances, moved to the proposed Bases, USAR, or procedures. 
The removal of descriptive information to the Bases of the TS, USAR, or 
procedures is permissible because these documents will be controlled 
through a process that utilizes 10 CFR 50.59 and other NRC-approved 
control mechanisms. The relaxations of requirements were the result of 
generic NRC actions or other analyses. They will be justified on a 
case-by-case basis for NMP2 and described in the safety evaluation to 
be issued with the license amendment.
    4. More restrictive requirements (i.e., the licensee's M changes) 
are proposed to be implemented in some areas to impose more stringent 
requirements than are in the CTS. In some cases, these more restrictive 
requirements are being imposed to be consistent with the ISTS. Such 
changes have been made after ensuring the previously evaluated safety 
analysis for NMP2 was not affected. Also, other more restrictive 
technical changes have been made to achieve consistency, correct 
discrepancies, and remove ambiguities from the TS. Examples of more 
restrictive requirements include: placing a limiting condition for 
operation (LCO) on plant equipment which is not required by the CTS to 
be operable; more restrictive requirements to restore inoperable 
equipment; and more restrictive surveillance requirements.
    There are other proposed changes to the CTS that may be included in 
the proposed amendment to convert the CTS to the ITS. These are beyond-
scope changes (changes that are not consistent with the CTS and/or 
NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434, Revision 1) in that they are changes to both 
the CTS and the ISTS. For the NMP2, these are the following:
    1. ITS 3.1.8, changing the Scram Discharge Volume Vent and Drain 
Valve ACTIONS to allow continued operation with one valve in a line 
inoperable by isolating the penetration within 7 days (ACTION A) and to 
allow continued operation with two valves in a line inoperable by 
isolating the penetration within 8 hours (ACTION B). The ISTS requires 
the valves(s) to be restored to Operable status within 7 days.
    2. ITS 3.3.1.1, ITS 3.3.6.1, ITS 3.5.1, and ITS 3.5.2, adding a 
Note to the Reactor Protection System (RPS) (Functions 3 and 4) and 
Isolation (Main Steam Line Isolation Valve (MSIV) Functions) 
Instrumentation Specifications exempting the sensors from response time 
testing and a Note to the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS)--
Operating and--Shutdown Specifications exempting the instrumentation 
from response time testing.
    3. ITS 3.3.2.2, allowing the feedwater pump to be removed from 
service in lieu of shutting down the unit to <25 percent Rated Thermal 
Power (RTP) when the feedwater and main turbine high water level 
channels are inoperable and untripped.
    4. ITS 3.3.3.1, ITS 3.3.3.2, ITS 3.3.8.2, ITS 3.3.8.3 and ITS 
3.4.7, adding a Note to allow 6 hours to do Surveillance testing of the 
Post Accident Monitoring, Remote Shutdown System, RPS logic bus 
Electrical Power Monitoring Assemblies (EPAs), RPS scram solenoid bus 
EPAs and Leak Detection System, instrumentation channels prior to 
entering ACTIONS.
    5. ITS 3.3.4.2, adding an allowance to only remove the associated 
Anticipated Transient Without Scram (ATWS)-recirculation pump trip 
(RPT) breaker (fast speed or slow speed, as applicable) from service, 
in lieu of removing the entire pump from service.
    6. ITS 3.3.5.1, ITS 3.3.8.1, ITS 3.3.8.2 and ITS 3.3.8.3, changing 
the Allowable Values for (a) the Low-Pressure Cooling Injection (LPCI) 
and High-Pressure Core Spray (HPCS) minimum flow valves 
instrumentation; (b) the HPCS suppression pool water level swap over 
instrumentation; (c) the Loss of Voltage and Degraded Voltage 
Functions, including time delays; (d) the Undervoltage, Overvoltage, 
and Underfrequency Functions for the RPS Logic Bus EPAs; and (e) the 
Undervoltage, Overvoltage, and Underfrequency Functions for the RPS 
Scram Solonoid Bus EPAs.
    7. ITS 3.3.6.1, deleting the MODE 1 and 2 requirements for certain 
Shutdown Cooling Isolation Functions (residual heat removal (RHR) 
Equipment Area temperature, Reactor Building Pipe Chase Temperature, 
Reactor Building Temperature, and Reactor Vessel Water Level--Low, 
Level 3.)
    8. ITS 3.3.8.1 and ITS 3.3.5.1, deleting the Group 4 valves from 
isolation instrumentation requirements.
    9. ITS 3.3.8.1, changing the requirement to only requiring 2 
channels of degraded voltage and loss of voltage in lieu of three 
channels.
    10. ITS SR 3.4.1.1 requiring verification every 12 hours that 
operation is in the ``Unrestricted Zone'' of ITS Figure 3.4.1-1.
    11. ITS 3.4.1, changing from 2 hours to 8 hours, the frequency for 
determining the Average Power Range Monitors (APRM) and Low Power Range 
Monitors (LPRM) baseline noise level the first time the unit is in the 
Restricted Zone.

[[Page 70075]]

    12. ITS 3.4.5, changing the frequency for monitoring the floor 
drain leakage rate from 8 hours to 12 hours, and changing the airborne 
radioactivity monitoring Surveillance to be every 8 hours.
    13. ITS 3.5.1, changing the current number of Automatic Depression 
System (ADS) valves required to operate from seven to six.
    14. ITS 3.5.1, modifying the current requirement of manually 
opening the ADS valves to only require the ADS actuators to be cycled.
    15. ITS 3.6.1.3, changing the current requirement that each excess 
flow check valve (EFCV) must ``check flow'' to requiring each EFCV to 
actuate to its isolation position on an actual or simulated instrument 
line break signal.
    16. ITS 3.6.1.3, changing the evolution to suspend the purging and 
venting LCO ACTIONS to within 1 hour, when Standby Gas Treatment (SGT) 
subsystem(s) are inoperable.
    17. ITS 3.6.1.6, ITS 3.6.2.3 and ITS 3.5.2.4, deleting the current 
requirements to verify position of ``automatic'' valves in the RHR 
Drywell Spray, RHR Suppression Cooling, and RHR Suppression Pool Spray 
Systems.
    18. ITS 3.6.1.6 and ITS 3.6.2.4, deleting the current requirement 
that drywell spray and suppression pool spray flows be through the heat 
exchanger.
    19. ITS 3.7.2 and ITS 3.7.3, allowing a 7-day restoration time when 
both Control Room Envelope Filtration (CREF) subsystems are inoperable 
and a 30-day restoration time when both control room envelope 
alternating current (AC) subsystems are inoperable, provided the 
remaining components of the CREF System or Control Room Envelope AC 
System maintains the CREF System or Control Room Envelope AC System 
safety function, as applicable.
    20. ITS 3.8.1, ITS 3.8.2, and ITS 3.8.3, changing AC Sources--
Operating, AC Sources--Shutdown and Diesel Fuel Oil, Lube Oil, and 
Starting Air Specifications to include: (a) more restrictive upper and 
lower voltage limits for various diesel generator (DG) Surveillances; 
(b) increasing the killowatt (kW) value for the single largest load 
surveillance requirement (SR) for the Division 3 DG; (c) relaxing the 
load range values for the 24-hour DG run to be consistent with 
Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.9 Revision 3 (ISTS Bases says 100 percent for 
22 hours and 110 percent for 2 hours is consistent with RG 1.9 
Reference 3, which is not accurate); (d) increasing the DG start time 
in the event of a Loss of Voltage signal from 13 seconds to 13.12 
seconds; (e) adding a Note which exempts Surveillances pertaining to a 
DG starting on a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) signal and a LOCA/loss 
of offsite power (LOOP) signal while in Modes 4 and 5 and during 
handling of irradiated fuel in the Secondary Containment when the ECCS 
subsystems are not required to be Operable; and (f) increasing the fuel 
oil storage tank limits for the Division 1 and 2 DGs as well as the 6-
day limits for all three DGs.
    21. ITS 3.8.4, changing the DC Sources--Operating Specification by: 
(a) revising the battery load profile to be consistent with the load 
profile specified in the USAR; and (b) adding an allowance to perform a 
modified performance discharge test every cycle in lieu of a service 
test.
    22. ITS 3.8.7, requiring that the inverters be capable of being 
powered from an uninterruptible power supply (direct current (DC) 
source). Currently, this is not required; this is a more restrictive 
change.
    23. ITS 3.3.8.3, specifying an allowable value in the ITS for the 
time delay setting of the RPS EPA--solenoid instrumentation.
    24. ITS 3.3.8.1, deleting a requirement in the ISTS for performing 
a channel check on undervoltage relays; the status of relays are 
continuously monitored.
    25. ITS 3.3.8.2, specifying allowances in allowable values for the 
time delay settings of the RPS EPA logic instrumentation.
    26. ITS 3.3.4.2, adding additional verification of ATWS trip 
function bypass and time delays.
    27. ITS 3.3.8.1, The STS allows a 2-hour delay from entering into 
the associated Conditions and Required Actions for a channel placed in 
an inoperable status solely for the performance of required 
surveillances, provided the associated function maintains DG initiation 
capability. This is changed in the ITS ``provided the Associated 
Function maintains ``LOP'' [loss of power] initiation capability.''
    28. ITS 5.5.9.1.a, adding ``specific gravity'' to the acceptability 
of new fuel oil before adding to the DG fuel tanks.
    29. ITS SR 3.6.3.1.2, adding a description of an additional 
requirement in the Bases SR 3.6.3.1.2 regarding when to perform the 
surveillance (``within 30 minutes following heatup of the system to 
normal operating temperature.'')
    30. ITS SR 3.3.1.1.16, modifying the Response Time Testing 
requirement for Function 9, Turbine Control Valve Fast Closure, Trip 
Oil Pressure--Low by stating that the response time is measured from 
the start of the control valve fast closure, not when the sensor (oil 
pressure sensor) exceeds its setpoint.
    31. ITS 3.3.5.1, specifying an ADS pressure setpoint of 150 psig, 
implementing Topical Report NEDC-32291, and making other changes 
associated with moving Group 4 isolation valves into the ECCS TS in the 
ITS.
    32. ITS 3.3.5.1, Table 3.3.5.1-1, specifying an ADS pressure 
setpoint for low-pressure core spray (LPCS) pump discharge pressure--
high to be 150 psig based on implementation of Topical Report NEDC-
32291.
    33. ITS 3.3.2.1, deleting operational details in CTS Table 3.3.6-2 
(Control Rod Block Instrumentation Set Points) not required to be TS, 
and providing allowable values based on NEDO-2411 which is not 
referenced in the ISTS.
    34. ITS 3.3.6.1, deleting the reactor core isolation cooling (RCIC) 
drywell pressure high isolation functions, providing new RCIC/RHR Steam 
Flow Timer and SGT Exhaust Radiation High isolation functional 
allowable values, and deleting the main steam line (MSL) radiation high 
isolation function.
    35. ITS 3.6.1.2, changing the requirement to verify that the air 
lock door seal leakage rate is within limit from ``once per 7 days'' to 
``once in 30 days.''
    36. ITS 3.6.1.7, adding a note to allow a separate condition entry 
for each suppression chamber-to-drywell vacuum breaker.
    37. ITS 3.6.1.7, changing the ACTION statement into two ACTION 
statements: ITS 3.6.1.7 ACTION B addresses the closing of the open 
vacuum breaker within 72 hours, while ITS 3.6.1.7 ACTION C addresses 
the verification/closing of the other vacuum breaker in the line within 
2 hours. However, both ITS 3.6.1.7 Conditions B and C have been 
modified such that the words ``One or more lines with'' have been 
added.
    38. ITS 3.4.4, increasing the lift setpoint tolerance for the 
safety/relief valves to 3 percent.
    39. ITS 3.3.1.1, deleting the MSL radiation monitor reactor trip 
requirement and surveillance requirement based on the application of 
NEDO-31400A.
    40. ITS 3.7.2, SR 3.7.2.1, deleting the staggered testing 
requirement for the CREF subsystem.
    41. ITS 3.3.1.2, adding a note to ITS SR 3.3.1.2.5 that defers 
determination of the signal-to-noise ratio in Mode 5 if less than or 
equal to four fuel assemblies are adjacent to the source range monitors 
(SRM) and no fuel is in the quadrant.
    42. ITS 3.3.1.2, changing the STS Action to ``initiate action to 
insert all

[[Page 70076]]

insertable control rods * * *'' to ``Initiate action to ``fully'' 
insert all insertable control rods * * *''
    43. ITS 3.3.5.1, ITS Table 3.3.5.1-1, changing footnote (a) from 
the STS to include a citation of LCO 3.5.2 which amplifies the ECCS 
equipment instrumentation requirements.
    44. ITS 5.5.2.b, adding a note that the provisions of SR 3.0.2 
apply to integrated leak tests at 24 months.
    45. ITS 3.8.8, incorporating changes to Condition A, B and C of the 
STS applicable to ``one or more'' Divisions and to ``one or both.''
    46. ITS 3.6.4.1, incorporating wording changes that alter the 
meaning of containment operability with respect to meeting surveillance 
requirements which relates to whether the inoperability of the standby 
gas treatment system constitutes a failure of the surveillance of the 
secondary containment integrity test.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
conversion of the CTS to the ITS for NMP2, including the beyond-scope 
issues discussed above. Changes which are administrative in nature have 
been found to have no effect on the technical content of the TS. The 
increased clarity and understanding these changes bring to the TS are 
expected to improve the operators' control of NMP2 in normal and 
accident conditions.
    Relocation of requirements from the CTS to other licensee-
controlled documents does not change the requirements themselves. 
Future changes to these requirements may then be made by the licensee 
under 10 CFR 50.59 and other NRC-approved control mechanisms which will 
ensure continued maintenance of adequate requirements. All such 
relocations have been found to be consistent with the guidelines of 
NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434 and 10 CFR 50.36 does not require that the 
requirements be included in the TS.
    Changes involving more restrictive requirements have been found to 
enhance plant safety.
    Changes involving less restrictive requirements have also been 
reviewed. When requirements have been shown to provide little or no 
safety benefit, or to place an unnecessary burden on the licensee, 
their removal from the TS was justified. In most cases, relaxations 
previously granted to individual plants on a plant-specific basis were 
the result of a generic action, or of agreements reached during 
discussions with the OG, and found to be acceptable for the plant. 
Generic relaxations contained in NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434, Revision 1, 
have been reviewed by the NRC staff and found to be acceptable.
    In summary, the proposed revisions to the TS were found to provide 
control of plant operations such that reasonable assurance will be 
provided that the health and safety of the public will be adequately 
protected.
    The proposed amendment will not increase the probability or 
consequences of accidents, will not change the quantity or types of any 
effluent that may be released offsite, and will not significantly 
increase the occupational or public radiological exposure. Also, these 
changes do not increase the licensed power and allowable effluents for 
the plant. The changes will not create any new or unreviewed 
environmental impacts that were not considered in the Final 
Environmental Statement (FES) related to the operation of NMP2, (NUREG-
1085, dated May 1985). Therefore, there are no significant radiological 
impacts associated with the proposed amendment.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
amendment involves features located entirely within the restricted area 
for the plant defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and does not involve any 
historical sites. They do not affect non-radiological plant effluents 
and have no other environmental impact. They do not increase any 
discharge limit for the plant. Therefore, there are no significant non-
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed 
amendment.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed amendment.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). 
Denial of the application would result in no change in current 
environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action 
and the alternative action are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for NMP2, 
dated May 1985.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the staff consulted with the 
New York State official, Jack Spath, of the New York Energy and 
Research Authority on November 4, 1999, regarding the environmental 
impact of the proposed amendment. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed amendment will not have a significant 
adverse effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, 
the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact 
statement for the proposed action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's application dated October 16, 1998, as supplemented by 
letters dated December 30, 1998; and May 10, June 15, July 30, August 
11, 16, 19, 27, and September 10, 1999, which are available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. Publically available 
records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library 
component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic 
Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of December 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Alexander W. Dromerick,
Acting Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate I, Division of Licensing 
Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-32492 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am]
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