[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 91 (Thursday, May 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25122-25124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2339]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-387 and 50-388]
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2; Notice of
Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License,
Proposed No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and
Opportunity for a Hearing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No.
NPF-14 and NPF-22, issued to PPL Susquehanna, LLC (PPL, the licensee),
for operation of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2,
located in Berwick, Pennsylvania.
The proposed amendment would revise the Technical Specification
(TS) 3.8.4, ``DC Sources--Operating,'' to address new required actions
for the condition in which a 125 volt direct current (VDC) charger is
taken out of service for the purposes of a special inspection and
related activities. The proposed changes would be in effect
[[Page 25123]]
until the special inspection and related activities are completed on
each of the 125 VDC Class 1E battery chargers but no later than 60 days
following the issuance of the Unit 1 and 2 amendments. Specifically,
required Action A.2.1 would require that surveillance requirement
3.8.6.1 will be performed within 2 hours and once-per-12 hours
thereafter; required Action A.2.2 would restrict the restoration time
for the inoperable electrical power subsystem to 36 hours.
The exigent amendment request is being made because of the desire
to verify, on an expedited basis, that the Unit 1 125 VDC battery
chargers are not degraded such that a failure could occur as was
experienced on Unit 2 on April 10, 2005. The current TS requirements do
not afford enough time to maintain 100% power operation and perform the
desired inspections and related activities. The Unit 2 TSs are being
requested as a contingency should it be necessary to perform further
work on the Unit 2 125 VDC battery chargers as a result of the ongoing
Unit 2 125 VDC cause evaluation.
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.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.91(a)(6) for amendments to be granted under
exigent circumstances, the NRC staff must determine 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. Does the proposed change involve a significant increase in
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
No. The proposed changes affect Technical Specification (TS)
3.8.4 for ``DC Sources--Operating.'' The proposed changes add new
Required Actions for Unit 1 and Unit 2 to specifically address a
Class 1E 125 VDC electrical power subsystem that has been taken out
of service to perform special inspection and related activities.
These changes rely upon the capability of providing the battery
charger function by an alternate means (e.g., a 125 [volt direct
current] VDC portable battery charger) to justify the proposed
completion times. The DC electrical power systems, including
associated battery chargers, are not initiators to any accident
sequence analyzed in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR).
Operation in accordance with the proposed TS ensures that the DC
electrical power systems are capable of performing their functions
as described in the FSAR. Therefore, the mitigative functions
supported by the DC Power Systems will continue to provide the
protection assumed by the analysis.
Based on the above, the proposed changes do not involve a
significant increase in the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated.
2. Does the proposed change create the possibility of a new or
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated?
No. The proposed changes involve revising TS 3.8.4 ``DC
Sources--Operating,'' for the DC electrical power systems. These
changes rely upon the capability of providing the battery charger
function by an alternate means to justify the proposed completion
times when a normal battery charger is taken out of service to
perform special inspections and related activities. The DC
electrical power systems, which include the associated battery
chargers, are not initiators to any accident sequence. Rather, the
DC electrical power systems are used to supply equipment used to
mitigate an accident. These mitigative functions, supported by the
DC electrical power systems, provide the protection assumed by the
safety analysis described in the FSAR. The portable battery charger
will be connected to the Class 1E 125 VDC subsystem using a double
isolation method. Therefore, there are no new types of failures or
new or different kinds of accidents or transients that could be
created by these changes.
Based on the above, the proposed changes do not create the
possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident
previously evaluated.
3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a
margin of safety?
No. The margin of safety is established through equipment
design, operating parameters, and the setpoints at which automatic
actions are initiated. The proposed changes do not adversely affect
operation of any plant equipment. These changes do not result in a
change to the setpoints at which protective actions are initiated.
Sufficient DC electrical system capacity is ensured to support
operation of mitigation equipment. The equipment fed by the DC
electrical sources will continue to be provided adequate power to
safety-related loads in accordance with the safety analysis.
Therefore, the proposed changes do not involve a significant
reduction in a 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 14 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 14-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 14-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. 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 and
Directives Branch, Division of Administrative 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 6D59, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays. Documents 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.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to
intervene is discussed below.
Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, 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 2.309,
[[Page 25124]]
which is available at the Commission's PDR, located at One White Flint
North, Public File Area 01F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible from
the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System's (ADAMS) Public
Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. If a request for a hearing
or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date, the
Commission or a presiding officer designated by the Commission or by
the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or
the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
will issue a notice of a hearing or an appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.309, 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
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the
following general requirements: (1) The name, address and telephone
number of the requestor or petitioner; (2) the nature of the
requestor's/petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party to the
proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the requestor's/petitioner's
property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and (4) the
possible effect of any decision or order which may be entered in the
proceeding on the requestor's/petitioner's interest. The petition must
also identify the specific contentions which the petitioner/requestor
seeks to have litigated at the proceeding.
Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue
of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In addition, the
petitioner/requestor shall provide a brief explanation of the bases for
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/requestor must also provide references to those specific
sources and documents of which the petitioner/requestor is aware and on
which the petitioner/requestor intends to rely to establish those facts
or expert opinion. The petitioner/requestor 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/
requestor to relief. A petitioner/requestor who fails to satisfy 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.
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.
Nontimely requests and/or petitions and contentions will not be
entertained absent a determination by the Commission or the presiding
officer of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the petition,
request and/or the contentions should be granted based on a balancing
of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(I)-(viii).
A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must
be filed by: (1) First class mail addressed to the Office of the
Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications
Staff; (2) courier, express mail, and expedited delivery services:
Office of the Secretary, Sixteenth Floor, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, Attention: Rulemaking and
Adjudications Staff; (3) e-mail addressed to the Office of the
Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, [email protected];
or (4) facsimile transmission addressed to the Office of the Secretary,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC, Attention:
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff at (301) 415-1101, verification
number is (301) 415-1966. A copy of the request for hearing and
petition for leave to intervene should also be sent to the Office of
the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001, and it is requested that copies be transmitted either by
means of facsimile transmission to 301-415-3725 or by e-mail to
[email protected]. A copy of the request for hearing and petition
for leave to intervene should also be sent to Bryan A. Snapp, Esquire,
Assoc. General Counsel, PPL Services Corporation, 2 North Ninth St.,
GENTW3, Allentown, PA 18101-1179, attorney for the licensee.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for amendment dated April 27, 2005, as supplemented by
letter dated May 4, 2005, which are available for public inspection at
the Commission's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint
North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible
electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management
System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the
NRC Web site http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html. Persons who do not
have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff
by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to
[email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of May 2005.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Richard V. Guzman,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate I, Division of
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-2339 Filed 5-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P