[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 87 (Friday, May 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24126-24127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2208]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Notice of Availability of Model Application Concerning Technical 
Specification; Improvement To Modify Requirements Regarding Steam 
Generator Tube Integrity; 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 application related to 
the revision of technical specifications (TS) on steam generator tube 
integrity for pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The purpose of this 
model is to permit the NRC to efficiently process amendments that 
propose to revise TS for steam generator tube integrity. Licensees of 
nuclear power reactors to which the model applies may request 
amendments utilizing the model application.

DATES: The NRC staff issued a Federal Register notice (70 FR 10298, 
March 2, 2005) that provided a model safety evaluation (SE) and a model 
no significant hazards consideration (NSHC) determination relating to 
changing TS on steam generator tube integrity for PWRs. The NRC staff 
hereby announces that the model SE and NSHC determination may be 
referenced in plant-specific applications to adopt the changes. 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 revise the TS on steam generator tube integrity. The NRC

[[Page 24127]]

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: O7D1, 
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 TS (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 revision of limiting conditions for 
operation and related administrative controls in TS addressing steam 
generator tube integrity at PWRs. This proposed change was proposed for 
incorporation into the STS by participants in the Technical 
Specification Task Force (TSTF) and is designated TSTF-449, Revision 4. 
TSTF-449 can be viewed on the NRC Web site (http://www.nrc.gov).

Applicability

    This proposed change to revise the TS on steam generator tube 
integrity is applicable to licensees for PWRs who have adopted or will 
adopt, in conjunction with the proposed change, technical specification 
requirements for a Bases control program consistent with the TS Bases 
Control Program described in Section 5.5 of the applicable vendor's 
STS.
    To efficiently process the incoming license amendment applications, 
the staff requests each licensee applying for the changes addressed by 
TSTF-449 using the CLIIP to provide the information identified in the 
model application posted on the NRC Web site.

Public Notices

    In a notice in the Federal Register dated March 2, 2005 (70 FR 
10298), the staff requested comment on the use of the CLIIP to process 
requests to revise the TS regarding steam generator tube integrity. In 
addition, there have been several plant-specific amendment requests to 
adopt changes similar to those described in TSTF-449 and notices have 
been published for these applications.
    TSTF-449, as well as the NRC staff's safety evaluation 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 one response with comments following the notice 
published March 2, 2005 (70 FR 10298), soliciting comments on the model 
SE and NSHC determination related to TSTF-449, Revision 3. The comments 
were offered by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) in a letter dated 
April 1, 2005. The NEI comments suggested clarifications and minor 
corrections to Revision 3 of TSTF-449 and related changes to the 
staff's model SE. In response to comments, the TSTF submitted Revision 
4 to TSTF-449 in its letter dated April 14, 2005. The NRC staff has 
made only minor changes to the model SE to address editorial issues and 
to reflect the revision of TSTF-449. The staff finds that the 
previously published models remain appropriate references (as modified 
slightly to reflect Revision 4 of TSTF-449) and has chosen not to 
republish the model SE and model NSHC determination in this notice. As 
described in the model application prepared by the staff, licensees may 
reference in their plant-specific applications to adopt TSTF-449, the 
SE (as revised above), NSHC determination, and environmental assessment 
previously published in the Federal Register (70 FR 10298; March 2, 
2005).

    Dated in Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of May 2005.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Section Chief, Technical Specifications Section, Operating Improvements 
Branch, Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-2208 Filed 5-5-05; 8:45 am]
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