[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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