[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 60422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26632]



[[Page 60422]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Notice of Availability of Model Application Concerning Technical 
Specification Improvement Regarding Extension of Reactor Coolant Pump 
Motor Flywheel Examination for Westinghouse Plants Using the 
Consolidated Line Item Improvement Process

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the staff of the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared a model safety evaluation 
(SE), a model no significant hazards consideration (NSHC) 
determination, and a model application relating to a change in the 
technical specification (TS) required inspection interval for reactor 
coolant pump (RCP) flywheels at Westinghouse-designed reactors. The 
purpose of this model is to permit the NRC to efficiently process 
amendments that propose to extend the inspection interval for RCP motor 
flywheels. Licensees of nuclear power reactors to which the model 
applies may request amendments using the model application.

DATES: The NRC staff issued a Federal Register Notice on June 24, 2003 
(68 FR 37590), which provided a model SE and a model NSHC determination 
relating to the extension of RCP flywheel examination frequencies for 
Westinghouse-designed reactors. The NRC staff hereby announces that the 
model SE and NSHC determination may be referenced in plant-specific 
applications to revise TSs. The staff has posted a model application on 
the NRC Web site to assist licensees in using the consolidated line 
item improvement process (CLIIP) to extend the RCP flywheel examination 
frequency. The NRC staff can most efficiently consider applications 
based upon the model application if the application is submitted within 
a year of this Federal Register Notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Reckley, Mail Stop: O-7D1, 
Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, telephone (301) 415-1323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Regulatory Issue Summary 2000-06, ``Consolidated Line Item 
Improvement Process for Adopting Standard Technical Specification 
Changes for Power Reactors,'' was issued on March 20, 2000. The CLIIP 
is intended to improve the efficiency of NRC licensing processes. This 
is accomplished by processing proposed changes to the standard 
technical specifications (STS) in a manner that supports subsequent 
license amendment applications. The CLIIP includes an opportunity for 
the public to comment on proposed changes to the STS following a 
preliminary assessment by the NRC staff and finding that the change 
will likely be offered for adoption by licensees. The CLIIP directs the 
NRC staff to evaluate any comments received for a proposed change to 
the STS and to either reconsider the change or to proceed with 
announcing the availability of the change for proposed adoption by 
licensees. Those licensees opting to apply for the subject change to TS 
are responsible for reviewing the staff's evaluation, referencing the 
applicable technical justifications, and providing any necessary plant-
specific information. Each amendment application made in response to 
the notice of availability will be processed and noticed in accordance 
with applicable rules and NRC procedures.
    This notice involves the extension of the minimum inspection 
intervals for RCP flywheels at Westinghouse-designed plants. This 
proposed change was proposed for incorporation into the STS by the 
Westinghouse Owners Group (WOG) participants in the Technical 
Specification Task Force (TSTF) and is designated TSTF-421, Revision 0. 
Much of the technical support for TSTF-421 was provided in topical 
report WCAP-15666-NP, ``Extension of Reactor Coolant Pump Motor 
Flywheel Examination,'' submitted on August 24, 2001. The NRC staff's 
acceptance of the topical report is documented in an SE dated May 5, 
2003.

Applicability

    This proposed change to the inspection interval for RCP motor 
flywheels is applicable to plants with Westinghouse-designed nuclear 
steam supply systems.

Public Notices

    In a notice in the Federal Register dated June 24, 2003 (68 FR 
37590), the staff requested comment on the use of the CLIIP to process 
requests to change the inspection interval for RCP flywheels at 
Westinghouse plants.
    TSTF-421, as well as the NRC staff's SE and model application, may 
be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document 
Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first 
floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records are accessible 
electronically from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web 
site, (the Electronic Reading Room).
    The staff received two responses to the notice soliciting comments 
about using the CLIIP to facilitate plant-specific adoption of TSTF-
421. Both comments were offered by licensees and suggested that the 
model SE, NSHC determination, and application should be applicable to 
some facilities designed by Babcock and Wilcox (B&W).
    The supporting material for TSTF-421, namely WCAP-15666-NP, did 
include some data for B&W plants. The topical report and related SE 
prepared by the NRC staff did not, however, specifically address the 
applicability of the risk assessments and other evaluations to B&W 
plants. The model SE and application offered as part of the CLIIP will 
remain applicable only to Westinghouse plants. The NRC staff 
acknowledges that some of the supporting material for TSTF-421 may also 
help to support plant-specific applications for the B&W units included 
in portions of WCAP-15666. The NRC staff will work with licensees for 
the applicable B&W units to ensure that our processes work as 
efficiently as possible for those applying for license amendments 
similar to that described in TSTF-421. The affected licensees are 
encouraged to discuss this matter with the NRC staff before submitting 
an application.
    As described in the model application prepared by the staff, 
licensees may reference in their plant-specific applications to adopt 
TSTF-421 the SE and NSHC determination previously published in the 
Federal Register (68 FR 37590, June 24, 2003).


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of October 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Gramm,
Acting Director, Project Directorate IV, Division of Licensing Project 
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 03-26632 Filed 10-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P