[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 242 (Monday, December 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64996-64998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30972]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-272]
PSEG Nuclear LLC; 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.
DPR-70, issued to PSEG Nuclear LLC (the licensee), for operation of the
Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit No. 1 (Salem Unit 1), located in
Salem County, New Jersey.
The proposed amendment would allow a one-time change to the
Technical Specification (TS) Action Statement for the Service Water
System (SWS). The proposed change would revise TS 3/4.7.4, ``Service
Water System,'' by increasing the allowed outage time for one nuclear
header out of service from 72 hours to 10 days. The proposed amendment
would modify the present Action Statement for TS 3.7.4.1, to include a
note that would allow operation with only the 11 SWS loop for up to 10
days. This note would be applicable for one-time use during Salem Unit
1, Cycle 15.
The licensee has requested that this amendment be approved under
exigent circumstances. On November 30, 2001, PSEG operations personnel
noted water rising up through the gravel in front of the Service Water
intake structure. The water was located approximately 5 feet from the
building. The 12 SWS nuclear header is located below the location where
the water was observed, and was considered to be a likely source of the
leak.
The licensee subsequently determined that the leak is associated
with the 12 SWS nuclear supply header. PSEG is currently postulating
that the leak is coming from an underground mechanical joint or
mechanical connection associated with the buried portion of the 12 SWS
nuclear supply header located near the service water structure. In the
area where the leak is suspected, the service water nuclear supply
header is 24'' nominal diameter buried piping. This piping design is
pre-stressed concrete cylindrical water pipe, which uses either
standard flanged fittings, or flexible tied extensible bell bolt type
joints for the major connections.
While the 12 SWS nuclear supply header is currently considered
operable, PSEG believes that repairs will be required before the next
scheduled refueling outage. Approval of this license amendment request
under exigent circumstances would allow the licensee to repair the
leaking header during more advantageous weather and river water
temperature conditions. This, in turn, would likely minimize the
duration that the 12 SWS header would be inoperable.
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?
Response: No.
The Service Water System (SWS) will remain capable of performing
its required safety function. The proposed change results in an
insignificant increase in the incremental conditional core damage
probability and so does not involve a significant increase in the
probability of an accident. The proposed change to extend the
allowed outage time from 72 hours to 10 days does not significantly
increase consequences of an accident previously evaluated, since the
capability of SWS is maintained.
Therefore, the proposed change will not significantly increase
the probability or consequences of any accident previously
evaluated.
2. Does the proposed change create the possibility of a new or
different kind of accident from any accident previously analyzed?
Response: No.
The completion of the maintenance activity, the post maintenance
testing, and the surveillance testing associated with demonstrating
OPERABILITY of 12 service water nuclear header will not result in
the plant being operated in a manner that will create the
possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any
previously evaluated. While repair to the buried portion of the 12
service water nuclear header is in progress, the service water
system will be operated as described in the Updated Final Safety
Analysis Report. This configuration does not create a new failure
mechanism, malfunction or accident initiator.
Therefore, the proposed change will not create the possibility
of a new or different kind of accident from any previously
evaluated.
3. Does the proposed change involve a significant reduction in a
margin of safety?
Response: No.
The 11 service water nuclear header will remain operational and
capable of performing its required safety functions. Sufficient
safety-related equipment and systems will remain available to ensure
that the consequences of design basis transients and accidents are
mitigated as assumed in the Salem UFSAR. Preventive maintenance
activities that could adversely affect the reliability of the Unit 1
service water system, Emergency Diesel Generators, 4kv vital buses
or offsite A.C. electrical power sources will be controlled during
the extended allowed outage time.
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
[[Page 64997]]
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.
By January 16, 2002, 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 2.714, which is
available at the Commission's Public Document Room, located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland, or electronically on the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr. If there are problems in accessing the
document, contact the Public Document Room Reference staff at 1-800-
397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by email to [email protected]. If a request for a
hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date,
the Commission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, designated by
the Commission or by the Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing
Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the
Secretary or the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will
issue a notice of hearing or an appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.714, 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 factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the
Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of
the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be
entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition
should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of
the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person
who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been
admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of
the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy
the specificity requirements described above.
Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference
scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to
the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions
which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must
consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be
raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a
brief explanation of the bases of 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 must also provide references
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner 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 to relief. A
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies 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, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-
examine witnesses.
If the amendment is issued before the expiration of the 30-day
hearing period, the Commission will make a final determination on the
issue of no significant hazards consideration. If a hearing is
requested, 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.
A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public
Document Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland, by the above date. A copy of the
petition should also be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and to
Jeffrie J. Keenan, Esquire, PSEG Nuclear--N21, P.O. Box 236, Hancocks
Bridge, NJ 08038, attorney for the licensee.
Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended
petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not
be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding
officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the
petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the
factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1)(i)-(v) and 2.714(d).
Further details with respect to this action, see the application
for amendment dated December 10, 2001, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
[[Page 64998]]
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible
electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management
Systems (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 Public Document Room
Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by
email to [email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of December 2001.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Richard B. Ennis,
Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate I, Division of
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-30972 Filed 12-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P