Notice of Opportunity to Comment on Model Safety Evaluation on Technical Specification Improvement to Modify Requirements Regarding the Addition of LCO 3.0.9 on the Unavailability of Barriers Using the Consolidated Line Item Improvement Process, 32145-32153 [06-5044]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 106 / Friday, June 2, 2006 / Notices
consistent with the common defense
and security.
The details of the NRC staff’s safety
evaluation will be provided in the
exemption that will be issued as part of
the letter to the licensee approving the
exemption to the regulation.
The proposed action will not
significantly increase the probability or
consequences of accidents. No changes
are being made in the types of effluents
that may be released off site. There is no
significant increase in the amount of
any effluent released off site. There is no
significant increase in occupational or
public radiation exposure. Therefore,
there are no significant radiological
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not have a potential to affect
any historic sites. It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no
other environmental impact. Therefore,
there are no significant non-radiological
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that
there are no significant environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
action.
Environmental Impacts of the
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed
action, the NRC staff considered denial
of the proposed action (i.e., the ‘‘noaction’’ alternative). Denial of the
application would result in no change
in current environmental impacts. The
environmental impacts of the proposed
action and the alternative action are
similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
The action does not involve the use of
any different resources than those
previously considered in the Final
Environmental Statement for Byron
Station, Units 1 and 2, NUREG–0848,
dated April 1982.
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Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy,
on April 7, 2006, the NRC staff
consulted with the Illinois State official,
Mr. Frank Niziolek of the Illinois
Emergency Management Agency,
regarding the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The State official
had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of the environmental
assessment, the NRC concludes that the
proposed action will not have a
significant effect on the quality of the
human environment. Accordingly, the
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NRC has determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the
proposed action.
For further details with respect to the
proposed action, see the licensee’s letter
dated September 23, 2005. Documents
may be examined, and/or copied for a
fee, at the NRC’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 (ADAMS) Public
Electronic Reading Room on the Internet
at the NRC Web site, https://
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.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 or 301–415–4737, or send an
e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day
of May 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert F. Kuntz,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III–
2, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E6–8580 Filed 6–1–06; 8:45 am]
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Dated: May 30, 2006.
R. Michelle Schroll,
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[FR Doc. 06–5083 Filed 5–31–06; 10:25 am]
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Additional Information
By a vote of 5–0 on May 30, 2006, the
Commission determined pursuant to
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
Notice of Opportunity to Comment on
Model Safety Evaluation on Technical
Specification Improvement to Modify
Requirements Regarding the Addition
of LCO 3.0.9 on the Unavailability of
Barriers Using the Consolidated Line
Item Improvement Process
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Request for comment.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) has prepared a
model safety evaluation (SE) and model
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application relating to the modification
of requirements regarding the impact of
unavailable hazard barriers, not
explicitly addressed in technical
specifications, but required for
operability of supported systems in
technical specifications (TS). The NRC
staff has also prepared a model nosignificant-hazards-consideration
(NSHC) determination relating to this
matter. The purpose of these models is
to permit the NRC to efficiently process
amendments that propose to add an
LCO 3.0.9 that provides a delay time for
entering a supported system TS when
the inoperability is due solely to an
unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is
assessed and managed. Licensees of
nuclear power reactors to which the
models apply could then request
amendments, confirming the
applicability of the SE and NSHC
determination to their reactors. The
NRC staff is requesting comment on the
model SE and model NSHC
determination prior to announcing their
availability for referencing in license
amendment applications.
DATES: The comment period expires July
3, 2006. Comments received after this
date will be considered if it is practical
to do so, but the Commission is able to
ensure consideration only for comments
received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be
submitted either electronically or via
U.S. mail. Submit written comments to
Chief, Rules and Directives Branch,
Division of Administrative Services,
Office of Administration, Mail Stop: T–
6 D59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001. Hand deliver comments to: 11545
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland,
between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on
Federal workdays. Copies of comments
received may be examined at the NRC’s
Public Document Room, 11555
Rockville Pike (Room O–1F21),
Rockville, Maryland. Comments may be
submitted by electronic mail to
CLIIP@nrc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: T.R.
Tjader, Mail Stop: O–12H4, Division of
Inspection and Regulation Support,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001, telephone
301–415–1187.
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 consolidated line item
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improvement process (CLIIP) is
intended to improve the efficiency of
NRC licensing processes 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 a proposed
change to the STS after a preliminary
assessment by the NRC staff and a
finding that the change will likely be
offered for adoption by licensees. This
notice solicits comments on a proposed
change that allows a delay time for
entering a supported system TS when
the inoperability is due solely to an
unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is
assessed and managed. 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 announce the
availability of the change for adoption
by licensees. Licensees opting to apply
for this TS change 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 addition of
LCO 3.0.9 to the TS which provides a
delay time for entering a supported
system TS when the inoperability is due
solely to an unavailable hazard barrier,
if risk is assessed and managed. This
change was proposed for incorporation
into the standard technical
specifications by the owners groups
participants in the Technical
Specification Task Force (TSTF) and is
designated TSTF–427, Revision 1 (Rev
1). TSTF–427, Rev 1, can be viewed on
the NRC’s Web page at https://
www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/
licensing/techspecs.html.
Applicability
This proposal to modify technical
specification requirements by the
addition of LCO 3.0.9, as proposed in
TSTF–427, Rev 1, is applicable to all
licensees.
To efficiently process the incoming
license amendment applications, the
staff requests that each licensee
applying for the changes proposed in
TSTF–427, Rev 1, to use the CLIIP. The
CLIIP does not prevent licensees from
requesting an alternative approach or
proposing the changes without the
requested Bases and Bases control
program. Variations from the approach
recommended in this notice may require
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additional review by the NRC staff, and
may increase the time and resources
needed for the review. Significant
variations from the approach, or
inclusion of additional changes to the
license, will result in staff rejection of
the submittal. Instead, licensees desiring
significant variations and/or additional
changes should submit a LAR that does
not claim to adopt TSTF–427, Rev 1.
Public Notices
This notice requests comments from
interested members of the public within
30 days of the date of publication in the
Federal Register. After evaluating the
comments received as a result of this
notice, the staff will either reconsider
the proposed change or announce the
availability of the change in a
subsequent notice (perhaps with some
changes to the safety evaluation or the
proposed no significant hazards
consideration determination as a result
of public comments). If the staff
announces the availability of the
change, licensees wishing to adopt the
change must submit an application in
accordance with applicable rules and
other regulatory requirements. For each
application the staff will publish a
notice of consideration of issuance of
amendment to facility operating
licenses, a proposed no significant
hazards consideration determination,
and a notice of opportunity for a
hearing. The staff will also publish a
notice of issuance of an amendment to
an operating license to announce the
modification of requirements related to
systems in TS, due to unavailable nontechnical specification barriers, for each
plant that receives the requested change.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day
of May 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy J. Kobetz,
Chief, Technical Specifications Branch,
Division of Inspection and Regional Support,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Specification Task Force
(TSTF) Change TSTF–427
1.0 Introduction
On February 6, 2006, the Nuclear
Energy Institute (NEI) Risk Informed
Technical Specifications Task Force
(RITSTF) submitted a proposed change,
TSTF–427, Revision 1, to the standard
technical specifications (STS) (NUREGs
1430–1434) on behalf of the industry
(TSTF–427, Revision 0 was a prior draft
iteration). TSTF–427, Revision 1, is a
proposal to add an STS Limiting
Condition for Operation (LCO) 3.0.9,
allowing a delay time for entering a
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supported system technical
specification (TS), when the
inoperability is due solely to an
unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is
assessed and managed. The postulated
initiating events which may require a
functional barrier are limited to those
with low frequencies of occurence, and
the overall TS system safety function
would still be available for the majority
of anticipated challenges.
This proposal is one of the industry’s
initiatives being developed under the
risk-informed TS program. These
initiatives are intended to maintain or
improve safety through the
incorporation of risk assessment and
management techniques in TS, while
reducing unnecessary burden and
making TS requirements consistent with
the Commission’s other risk-informed
regulatory requirements.
The proposed change adds a new
limiting condition of operation, LCO
3.0.9, to the TS. LCO 3.0.9 allows
licensees to delay declaring an LCO not
met for equipment supported by barriers
unable to perform their associated
support function, when risk is assessed
and managed. This new LCO 3.0.9
states:
‘‘When one or more required barriers are
unable to perform their related support
function(s), any affected supported system
LCO(s) are not required to be declared not
met solely for this reason for up to 30 days
provided that at least one train or subsystem
of the supported system is OPERABLE and
supported by barriers capable of providing
their related support function(s), and risk is
assessed and managed. This specification
may be concurrently applied to more than
one train or subsystem of a multiple train or
subsystem supported system provided at
least one train or subsystem of the supported
system is OPERABLE and the barriers
supporting each of these trains or subsystems
provide their related support function(s) for
different categories of initiating events. [BWR
only: For the purposes of this specification,
the [High Pressure Coolant Injection/High
Pressure Core Spray] system, the [Reactor
Core Isolation Cooling] system, and the
[Automatic Depressurization System] are
considered independent subsystems of a
single system.]
If the required OPERABLE train or
subsystem becomes inoperable while this
specification is in use, it must be restored to
OPERABLE status within 24 hours or the
provisions of this specification cannot be
applied to the trains or subsystems supported
by the barriers that cannot perform their
related support function(s). At the end of the
specified period, the required barriers must
be able to perform their related support
function(s), or the affected supported system
LCO(s) shall be declared not met.’’
2.0 Regulatory Evaluation
In 10 CFR 50.36, the Commission
established its regulatory requirements
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related to the content of TX. Pursuant to
10 CFR 50.36, TS are required to
include items in the following five
specific categories related to station
operation: (1) Safety limits, limiting
safety system settings, and limiting
control settings; (2) limiting conditions
for operation (LCOs); (3) surveillance
requirements (SRs); (4) design features;
and (5) administrative controls. The rule
does not specify the particular
requirements to be included in a plant’s
TS. As stated in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(I),
the ‘‘Limiting conditions for operation
are the lowest functional capability or
performance levels of equipment
required for safe operation of the
facility. When a limiting condition for
operation of a nuclear reactor is not met,
the licensee shall shut down the reactor
or follow any remedial action permitted
by the technical specification * * *.’’
TS Section 3.0, on ‘‘LCO and SR
Applicability,’’ provides details or
ground rules for complying with the
LCOs.
Barriers are doors, walls, floor plugs,
curbs, hatches, mechanical devices, or
other devices, not explicitly described
in TS, that support the performance of
the functions of systems described in
the TS. For purposes of this TS, the term
‘‘barrier’’ refers to one or more devices
which protect one train of a safety
system from a given initiating event. A
‘‘degraded barrier’’ refers to a barrier
that has been found to be degraded and
must be repaired, or to a barrier that is
purposefully removed or reconfigured to
facilitate maintenance activities. As
stated on NEI 04–08, LCO 3.0.9
specifically does not apply to fire
barriers, snubbers, barriers which
support ventilation systems or non-TS
systems, or barriers which support TS
systems where the unavailability of the
barrier does not render the supported
system inoperable.
Some TS required systems may
require one or more functional barriers
in order to perform their intended
function(s) for certain initiating events
for which the barriers provide some
protective support function. For
example, there are barriers to protect
systems from the effects of internal
flooding, such as floor plugs and
retaining walls, and barriers are used to
protect equipment from steam
impingement in case of high energy line
breaks. Barriers are also used to protect
systems against missiles, either
internally generated, or generated by
external events.
Barriers are not explicitly described in
the TS, but are required to be capable
of performing their required support
function by the definition of
OPERABILITY for the supported system
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32147
which is described in the TS. Therefore,
under the current STS, the supported
system must be declared inoperable
when the related barrier(s) are
unavailable. However, the magnitude of
plant risk associated with the barrier
which cannot perform its related
support function is much less than the
risk associated with direct
unavailability of the supported system,
since barriers are only required for
specific, low frequency initiating events.
Some potential undesirable
consequences of the current TS
requirements include:
1. When maintenance activities on the
supported TS system require removal
and restoration of barriers, the time
available to complete maintenance and
perform system restoration and testing
is reduced by the time spent
maneuvering the barriers within the
time constraints of the supported system
LCO;
2. Restoration of barriers following
maintenance may be given a high
priority due to time restraints of the
existing supported system LCO, when
other activities may have a greater risk
impact and should therefore be given
priority; and
3. Unnecessary plant shutdowns may
occur due to discovery of degraded
barriers which require more time than
provided by the existing supported
system LCO to complete repairs and
restoration of the barrier.
To improve the treatment of
unavailable barriers and enhance safety,
the TSTF proposed a risk-informed TS
change that introduces a delay time
before entering the actions for the
supported equipment, when one or
more barriers are found to be degraded,
or are removed or reconfigured to
support maintenance activities, if risk is
assessed and managed. Such a delay
time will provide needed flexibility in
the performance of maintenance and at
the same time will enhance overall
plant safety by:
1. Performing system maintenance
and restoration activities, including
post-maintenance testing, within the
existing TS LCO time, and allowing
barrier removal and restoration to be
performed outside of the TS LCO,
providing more time for the safe
conduct of maintenance and testing
activities on the supported TS system;
2. Requiring barrier removal and
restoration activities to be assessed and
prioritized based on actual plant risk
impacts; and
3. Avoiding unnecessary unscheduled
plant shutdowns and thus minimizing
plant transition and realignment risks.
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Technical Evaluation
The industry submitted TSTF–427,
Revision 1 (Reference 1), ‘‘Allowance
for Non Technical Specification Barrier
Degradation on Supported System
OPERABILITY’’ in support of the
proposed TS change. This submittal
documents a risk-informed analysis of
the proposed TS change. Probabilistic
risk assessment (PRA) methods are
used, in combination with deterministic
and defense-in-depth arguments, to
identify and justify delay times for
entering the actions for the supported
equipment associated with unavailable
barriers at nuclear power plants. The
industry also submitted implementation
guidance NEI 04–08, November 2005
(Reference 2). This submittal provides
detailed guidance on assessing and
managing risk associated with
unavailable barriers. This is in
accordance with guidance provided in
Regulatory Guides (RGs) 1.174
(Reference 3) and 1.177 (Reference 4).
The risk impact associated with the
proposed delay times for entering the
TS actions for the supported equipment
can be assessed during the same
approach as for allowed completion
time (CT) extensions. Therefore, the risk
assessment was performed following the
three-tiered approach recommended in
RG 1.177 for evaluating proposed
extensions in currently allowed CTs:
1. The first tier involves the
assessment of the change in plant risk
due to the proposed TS change. Such
risk change is expressed (1) by the
change in the average yearly core
damage frequency (>CDF) and the
average yearly large early release
frequency (>LERF) and (2) by the
incremental conditional core damage
probability (ICCDP) and the incremental
conditional large early release
probability (ICLERP). The assessed
>CDF and >LERF values are
compared to acceptance guidelines,
consistent with the Commission’s Safety
Goal Policy Statement as documented in
RG 1.174, so that the plant’s average
baseline risk is maintained within a
minimal range. The assessed ICCDP and
ICLERP values are compared to
acceptance guidelines provided in RG
1.177, which aim at ensuring that the
plant risk does not increase
unacceptably during the period the
equipment is taken out of service.
2. The second tier involves the
identification of potentially high-risk
configurations that could exist if
equipment in addition to that associated
with the change were to be taken out of
service simultaneously, or other risksignificant operational factors such as
concurrent equipment testing were also
involved. The objective to ensure that
appropriate restrictions are in place to
avoid any potential high-risk
configurations.
3. The third tier involves the
establishment of an overall
configuration risk management program
(CRMP) to ensure that potentially risksignificant configurations resulting from
maintenance and other operational
activities are identified. The objective of
the CRMP is to manage configurationspecific risk by appropriate scheduling
of plant activities and/or appropriate
compensatory measures.
A simplified risk assessment was
performed to justify the proposed
addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS. This
approach was necessitated by (1) the
general nature of the proposed TS
change (i.e., it applies to all plants and
is associated with an undetermined
number of barriers that are n not able to
perform their function), and (2) the lack
of detailed modeling in most plantspecific PRAs which do not include
passive structures as barriers.
The simplified risk assessment
considers three different parameters:
1. The length of time the affected
barrier is unavailable,
2. The initiating event frequency for
which the affected barrier is designed to
mitigate, and
3. The importance to CDF (or LERF)
of the TS equipment (train, subsystem,
or component) for which the affected
barrier is designed to protect, measured
by the risk achievement worth of the
equipment.
Where:
—Tc is the time the barrier is
unavailable (hours)
—Tc/8766 is therefore the fraction of the
year during which the barrier is
unavailable,
—IEi/IET is the ratio of the initiating
event frequency for which the affected
barrier is designed to mitigate, IEi, and
the total initiating event frequency,
IET,
—RAWj is the risk achievement worth
of the component(s) for which the
barrier provides protection, and
—CDFbase is the baseline core damage
frequency (per year).
ICLERP also may be similarly
determined, using baseline LERF and
RAW values with respect to LERF. It is
assumed that the magnitude of the LERF
risk resulting from the barrier unable to
perform its related support function
would be generally at least one order of
magnitude less than the corresponding
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CDF risk. Containment bypass
scenarios, which are typically the
significant contributors to LERF, would
not be uniquely affected by application
of LCO 3.0.9, and initiating events
which would be significant LERF
contributors, such as steam generator
tube rupture and interfacing systems
LOCA, are not typically associated with
barriers within the scope of LCO 3.0.9.
Therefore, the assumption regarding
LERF risk is reasonable and acceptable
for the generic risk evaluation, provided
that LERF risk impacts are considered
on a plant-specific basis for unavailable
barriers, as described in section 3.3.
The relevant initiating events (i.e.,
events for which barriers subject to LCO
3.0.9 provide protection) are:
—Internal and external floods
—High energy line breaks
—Feedwater line breaks
—Loss of coolant accident (small,
medium, and large)
—Tornados and high winds
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—Turbine missiles.
Generic frequencies for most of these
initiating events were obtained from
NUREG/CR–5750 (Reference 5). For
external floods, turbine missiles, and
tornados, other industry source
documents were referenced. The most
limiting (highest frequency) initiating
event was obtained for a high energy
line break from NUREG/CR–5750, with
a frequency of 9.1E–3 per year. The risk
assessment is therefore based on this
limiting frequency, and the proposed
methodology to apply LCO 3.0.9 is
similarly restricted to barriers protecting
against initiating events whose total
frequency is no more than 9.1E–3 per
year.
3.1 Risk Assessment Results and
Insights
The results and insights from the
implementation of the three-tiered
approach of RG 1.177 to support the
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T
IE
ICCDP = C × i × ( RAWj × CDFbase ) − CDFbase
8766 IE T
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and orientations relative to the
protected equipment, and only for large
size breaks.) No credit is taken for
avoided risk identified in Section 2.
3.1.1 Risk Impact
RAW
ICCDP
ICLERP
The risk assessment results of Table 1
The bounding risk assessment
were compared to guidance provided in
approach, described in Section 3.0, was 10 ..............................
6.7E–07
6.7E–08
the revised Section 11 of NUMARC 93–
developed for a range of plant baseline
50 ..............................
3.7E–06
3.7E–07
100 ............................
7.4E–06
7.4E–07 01, Revision 2 (Reference 6), endorsed
CDF values and for a range of protected
by RG 1.182 (Reference 7), for
component RAW values. The maximum
implementing the requirements of
The above results represent a
allowable 30-day outage time was used.
paragraph (a)(4) of the Maintenance
sensitivity analysis covering the
The results are summarized in Table 1.
Rule, 10 CFR 50.65. Such guidance is
expected range of plant baseline CDF
values and component RAW values. The summarized in Table 2. Guidance
TABLE 1.—RISK ASSESSMENT REregarding the acceptability of
SULTS FOR A POSTULATED 30-DAY most limiting configurations involving
conditional risk increase in terms of
very high risk components (RAW > 10)
BARRIER OUTAGE
CDF for a planned configuration is
would not be anticipated to occur for
provided. This guidance states that a
most planned maintenance activities.
RAW
ICCDP
ICLERP
The calculations conservatively
specific configuration that is associated
assume the most limiting (highest
with a CDF higher than 1E–3 per year
Baseline CDF = 1E–6 Per Year
frequency) initiating event and the
should not be entered voluntarily. The
2 ................................
7.5E–10
7.5E–11 longest allowable outage time (30 days).
staff notes that the higher risk
10 ..............................
6.7E–09
6.7E–10 Occurrence of the initiating event
configurations documented in Table 1
50 ..............................
3.7E–08
3.7E–09
during unavailability of the barrier is
would exceed this guidance, and would
100 ............................
7.4E–08
7.4E–09
conservatively assumed to directly fail
therefore not be permitted to be entered
the protected equipment; no credit is
voluntarily. For example, with a
Baseline CDF = 1E–5 Per Year
taken for event-specific circumstances
baseline CDF of 1E–4 per year, a
2 ................................
7.5E–09
7.5E–10 which may result in the equipment
component with a RAW greater than 10
10 ..............................
6.7E–08
6.7E–09 remaining functional even with the
would exceed the 1E–3 per year criteria.
50 ..............................
3.7E–07
3.7E–08 barrier unavailable. (For example, a
Therefore, the sensitivity analyses
100 ............................
7.4E–07
7.4E–08
barrier required to protect equipment
presented in Table 1 are understood to
from steam impingement for high
include higher risk configurations
Baseline CDF = 1E–4 Per Year
energy line breaks may only be required which would not be permitted under
2 ................................
7.5E–08
7.5E–09 for breaks occurring in specific locations the guidance of Reference 6.
proposed addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the
TS are summarized and evaluated in the
following Sections 3.1.1 to 3.1.3.
TABLE 1.—RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS FOR A POSTULATED 30-DAY
BARRIER OUTAGE—Continued
TABLE 2.—GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTING 10 CFR 50.65(A)(4)
DRCDF ........................................................................................................
Greater than 1E–3/year ............................................................................
Guidance.
Configuration should not normally be entered voluntarily.
ICCDP
Guidance
Greater than 1E–5 ..........................
1E–6 to 1E–5 ..................................
Configuration should not normally be entered voluntarily .....................
Assess non-quantifiable factors .............................................................
Establish risk management actions
Normal work controls .............................................................................
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Less than 1E–6 ...............................
Guidance regarding the acceptability
of ICCDP and ICLERP values for a
specific planned configuration and the
establishment of risk management
actions is also provided in NUMARC
93–01. This guidance, as shown in
Table 2, states that a specific plant
configuration that is associated with
ICCDP and ICLERP values below 1E–6
and 1E–7, respectively, is considered to
require ‘‘normal work controls.’’ Table 1
shows that for the majority of barrier
outage configurations the conservatively
assessed ICCDP and ICLERP values are
within the limits for what is
recommended as the threshold for the
‘‘normal work controls’’ region.
As stated in the implementation
guidance for LCO 3.0.9 (Reference 2),
plants are required to commit to the
guidance of NUMARC 93–01 Section 11,
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ICLERP
and therefore the above limits would be
applicable. Plant configurations
including out of service barriers may
therefore be entered voluntarily if
supported by the results of the risk
assessment required by 10 CFR
50.65(a)(4), and by LCO 3.0.9.
RG 1.177 (Ref. 4) provides guidance of
5E–7 ICDP and 5E–8 ILERP as the limit
for a TS allowed outage time. As shown
in Table 1, the guidance is met for the
typically anticipated configurations,
unless either the baseline CDF for the
plant approaches 1E–4 per year or the
RAW of the protected components is
well above 10. Such configurations may
exceed the criteria described in Ref. 6
(Table 2) and would not be voluntarily
entered. Such configurations are not
expected to be frequently encountered,
and may be addressed on a case-by-case
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Greater than 1E–6.
1E–7 to 1E–6.
Less than 1E–7.
plant-specific basis by limiting the
allowed outage time and by
implementing plant-specific risk
management actions, as per the
implementing guidance (Reference 2).
RG 1.174 (Ref. 3) provides guidance of
1E–5 per year DCDF and 1E–6 per year
DLERF. The ICCDP calculations
demonstrated that each individual 30–
day barrier outage is anticiapted to be
low risk. Although there is no explicit
limit on the number of times per year
that LCO 3.0.9 may be applied, even
assuming barrier outages occurred
continuously over the entire year, the
risk incurred would still be anticipated
to be below the limits of the guidance.
The staff finds that the risk
assessment results support the proposed
addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS. The risk
increases associated with this TS change
will be insignificant based on guidance
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provided in RGs 1.174 and 1.177 and
within the range of risks associated with
normal maintenance activities.
3.1.2 Identification of High-Risk
Configurations
The second tier of the three-tiered
approach recommended in RG 1.177
involves the identification of potentially
high-risk configurations that could exist
if equipment, in addition to that
associated with the TS change, were to
be taken out of service simultaneously.
Insights from the risk assessments, in
conjunction with important
assumptions made in the analysis and
defense-in-depth considerations, were
used to identify such configurations. To
avoid these potentially high-risk
configurations, specific restrictions to
the implementation of the proposed TS
changes were identified.
When LCO 3.0.9 is applied, at least
one train or subsystem is required to be
operable with required barriers in place,
such that this train or subsystem would
be available to provide mitigation of the
initiating event. LCO 3.0.9 may be
applied to multiple trains of the same
system only for barriers which provide
protection for different initiating events,
such that at least one train or subsystem
is available to provide mitigation of the
initiating event. The use of LCO 3.0.9
for barriers which protect all trains or
subsystems from a particular initiating
event is not permitted. Therefore,
potentially high-risk configurations
involving a loss of function required for
mitigation of a particular initiating
event are avoided by the restrictions
imposed on applicability of LCO 3.0.9.
LCO 3.0.9 also addresses potential
emergent conditions where unplanned
failures or discovered conditions may
result in the unavailability of at least
one train or subsystem for a particular
initiating event. Such conditions may
result during application of LCO 3.0.9
from equipment failure on the operable
train, or discovery of degraded barriers.
In such cases, a 24-hour allowed time is
provided to restore the conditions to
permit continued operation with
unavailable barriers, after which the
applicability of LCO 3.0.9 ends, and the
supported system LCO becomes
effective. This allowed time is provided
so that emergent conditions with low
risk consequences may be effectively
managed, rather than requiring
immediate exit of LCO 3.0.9 and the
potential for an unplanned plant
shutdown.
A limit of 30 days is applied to the
LCO 3.0.9 allowed outage time for each
barrier, after which the barrier must be
restored to an available status, or the
supported system TS must be applied.
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This 30-day backstop applies regardless
of the risk level calculated, and provides
assurance that installed plant barriers
will be maintained available over long
periods of time, and that the application
of LCO 3.0.9 will not result in long term
degradation of plant barriers.
The staff finds that the restrictions on
the applicability of LCO 3.0.9 assuring
that one safety train remains available to
mitigate the initiating event, along with
the 30-day limit applicable to each
barrier, assure that potentially high-risk
configurations are avoided in
accordance with the guidance provided
in RGs 1.174 and 1.177.
3.1.3
Configuration Risk Management
The third tier of the three-tiered
approach recommended in RG 1.177
involves the establishment of an overall
configuration risk management program
(CRMP) to ensure that potentially risksignificant configurations resulting from
maintenance and other operational
activities are identified. The objective of
the CRMP is to manage configurationspecific risk by appropriate scheduling
of plant activities and/or appropriate
compensatory measures. This objective
is met by licensee programs to comply
with the requirements of paragraph
(a)(4) of the Maintenance Rule (10 CFR
50.65) to assess and manage risk
resulting from maintenance activities,
and by LCO 3.0.9 requiring risk
assessments and management using
(a)(4) processes if no maintenance is in
progress. These programs can support
licensee decision making regarding the
appropriate actions to manage risk
whenever a risk-informed TS is entered.
The implementation guidance for
LCO 3.0.9 (Reference 2) requires that the
risk determination for an unavailable
barrier be performed per the ICCDP
calculation as described in Section 3.1
using the plant-specific configuration as
the basis for determining the protected
component RAW value. Further, the
calculations are to be updated whenever
emergent conditions occur. These
requirements assure that the
configuration-specific risk associated
with unavailable barriers is assessed
and managed prior to entry into LCO
3.0.9 and during its applicability as
conditions change.
These evaluations for the unavailable
barrier are performed as part of the
assessment of plant risk required by 10
CFR 50.65(a)(4). The numerical
guidance identified in Table 2 are
applicable to implementation of LCO
3.0.9, using the results of the
configuration-specific risk assessment
which addresses the risk impact of the
unavailable barrier along with all other
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out of service components and plant
alignments.
Risk management actions are required
to be considered when the calculated
risk exceeds specific thresholds per
NUMARC 93–01 Section 11, as
identified in Table 2. Additional
guidance on risk management actions
are provided in the implementation
guidance for LCO 3.0.9.
The allowed outage time for a barrier
is calculated based on an ICCDP limit of
1E–6. This is the NUMARC 93–01
Section 11 guidance for applicability of
normal work controls, and is
conservatively lower than the guidance
of 1E–5 for voluntary maintenance
activities. The use of 1E–6 will result in
conservatively short allowed outage
times for barriers compared to allowed
times for other maintenance activities.
If the scope of the PRA model used to
support the plant-specific CRMP does
not include the initiating event for
which a barrier provides protection,
then LCO 3.0.9 applicability is limited
to one barrier on a single train. Multiple
barriers for such initiating events may
not be unavailable under LCO 3.0.9, and
in such situations the LCO(s) associated
with the protected components would
be applicable. Applicability of LCO
3.0.9 to the single barrier for an
initiating event that is not modeled in
the plant PRA is acceptable based on the
generic risk analysis provided by TSTF–
427, as described in Section 3.1.
Assessment of the LERF risk impact
on an unavailable barrier is required to
be performed in accordance with
NUMARC 93–01 Section 11. If an
unavailable barrier provides protection
to equipment which is relevant to the
containment function, or which protects
equipment from the effects of an
initiating event which is a contributor to
LERF, then the methodology requires a
calculation for ICLERP similar to the
calculations performed for ICCDP,
described in Section 3.1, or the
applicability of LCO 3.0.9 must be
limited to that one barrier.
The staff finds that the risk
evaluations required to support the
applicability of LCO 3.0.9 appropriately
consider the risk from unavailable
barriers in an integrated manner based
on the overall plant configuration.
Therefore potentially high-risk
configurations can be identified and
managed in accordance with the
guidance provided in RGs 1.174 and
1.177.
3.2 Summary and Conclusions
The unavailability of barriers which
protect TS required components from
the effects of specific initiating events is
typically a low risk configuration which
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should not require that the protected
components be immediately declared
inoperable. The current TS require that
when such barriers are unavailable, the
protected component LCO is
immediately entered. Some potential
undesirable consequences of the current
TS requirements include:
1. When maintenance activities on the
supported TS system requires removal
and restoration of barriers, the time
available to complete maintenance and
perform system restoration and testing
is reduced by the time spent
maneuvering the barriers within the
time constraints of the supported system
LCO;
2. Restoration of barriers following
maintenance must be given a high
priority due to time restraints of the
existing supported system LCO, when
other more risk important activities may
have a greater risk impact and should
therefore be given priority; and
3. Unnecessary plant shutdowns due
to discovery of degraded barriers which
may require more than the existing
supported system LCO time to complete
repairs and restoration.
To remove the overly restrictive
requirements in the treatment of
barriers, licensees are proposing a riskinformed TS change which introduces a
delay time before entering the actions
for the supported equipment when one
or more barriers are found degraded or
removed to facilitate planned
maintenance activities. Such a delay
time will provide needed flexibility in
the performance of maintenance during
power operation and at the same time
will enhance overall plant safety by (1)
performing system maintenance and
restoration activities, including postmaintenance testing, within the existing
TS LCO time, and allowing barrier
removal and restoration to be performed
outside of the TS LCO, providing more
time for the safe conduct of
maintenance and testing activities on
the supported system; (2) requiring
barrier removal and restoration
activities to be assessed and prioritized
based on actual plant risk impacts; and
(3) avoiding unnecessary unscheduled
plant shutdowns, thus minimizing plant
transition and realignment risks.
The risk impact of the proposed TS
changes was assessed following the
three-tiered approach recommended in
RG 1.177. A simplified bounding risk
assessment was performed to justify the
proposed TS changes. This bounding
assessment was selected due to the lack
of detailed plant-specific risk models for
most plants which do not include
failure modes of passive structures such
as barriers. The impact from the
addition of the proposed LCO 3.0.9 to
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the TS on defense-in-depth was also
evaluated in conjunction with the risk
assessment results.
Based on this integrated evaluation,
the staff concludes that the proposed
addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS would
lead to insignificant risk increases.
Indeed, this conclusion is true without
taking any credit for the removal of
potential undesirable consequences
associated with the current conservative
treatment of barriers.
Consistent with the staff’s approval
and inherent in the implementation of
TSTF–427, licensees interested in
implementing LCO 3.0.9 must, as
applicable, operate in accordance with
the following stipulations:
1. The licensee must commit to the
guidance of NUMARC 93–01, Section 11
(Reference 6) and to NEI 04–08
(Reference 2).
2. Licensee procedures must be
revised to ensure that the risk
assessment and management process
described in NEI 04–08 is used
whenever a barrier is considered
unavailable and the requirements of
LCO 3.0.9 are to be applied. This must
be done in accordance with an overall
CRMP to ensure that potentially risksignificant configurations resulting from
maintenance and other operational
activities are identified and avoided.
4.0 State Consultation
In accordance with the Commission’s
regulations, the [] State official was
notified of the proposed issuance of the
amendment. The State official had [(1)
no comments or (2) the following
comments—with subsequent
disposition by the staff].
5.0 Environmental Consideration
The amendments change a
requirement with respect to the
installation or use of a facility
component located within the restricted
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and
change surveillance requirements. The
NRC staff has determined that the
amendments involve no significant
increase in the amounts and no
significant change in the types of any
effluents that may be released offsite,
and that there is no significant increase
in individual or cumulative
occupational radiation exposure. The
Commission has previously issued a
proposed finding that the amendments
involve no-significant-hazards
considerations, and there has been no
public comment on the finding [FR ].
Accordingly, the amendments meet the
eligibility criteria for categorical
exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9)
[and (c)(10)]. Pursuant to 10 CFR
51.22(b), no environmental impact
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32151
statement or environmental assessment
need be prepared in connection with the
issuance of the amendments.
6.0 Conclusion
The Commission has concluded, on
the basis of the considerations discussed
above, that (1) there is reasonable
assurance that the health and safety of
the public will not be endangered by
operation in the proposed manner, (2)
such activities will be conducted in
compliance with the Commission’s
regulations, and (3) the issuance of the
amendments will not be inimical to the
common defense and security or to the
health and safety of the public.
7.0
References
1. TSTF–427, Revision 1, ‘‘Allowance for
Non Technical Specification Barrier
Degradation on Supported System
OPERABILITY,’’ February 3, 2006.
2. NEI 04–08, ‘‘Allowance for Non
Technical Specification Barrier Degradation
on Supported System OPERABILITY (TSTF–
427) Industry Implementation Guidance’’,
March 2006.
3. Regulatory Guide 1.174, ‘‘An Approach
for Using Probabilistic Risk Assessment in
Risk-Informed Decisions on Plant-Specific
Changes to the Licensing Basis,’’ USNRC,
August 1998.
4. Regulatory Guide 1.177, ‘‘An Approach
for Plant-Specific, Risk-Informed
Decisionmaking: Technical Specifications,’’
USNRC, August 1998.
5. ‘‘Rates of Initiating Events at U.S.
Nuclear Power Plants,’’ NUREG/CR–5750,
Idaho National Engineering and
Environmental Laboratory, February 1999.
6. Nuclear Energy Institute, ‘‘Industry
Guideline for Monitoring the Effectiveness of
Maintenance at Nuclear Power Plants’’,
NUMARC 93–01, Revision 2, Section 11.
7. ‘‘Assessing and Managing Risk Before
Maintenance Activities at Nuclear Power
Plants’’, Regulatory Guide 1.182.
Proposed No-Significant-HazardsConsideration Determination
Description of Amendment Request: A
change is proposed to the standard
technical specifications (STS)(NUREGs
1430 through 1434) and plant specific
technical specifications (TS), to allow a
delay time for entering a supported
system technical specification (TS)
when the inoperability is due solely to
an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is
assessed and managed consistent with
the program in place for complying with
the requirements of 10 CFR 50.65(a)(4).
LCO 3.0.9 will be added to individual
TS providing this allowance.
Basis for proposed no significant
hazards consideration determination:
As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), an
analysis of the issue of no significant
hazards consideration is presented
below:
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Criterion 1—The Proposed Change Does
Not Involve a Significant Increase in the
Probability of Consequences of an
Accident Previously Evaluated
The proposed change allows a delay
time for entering a supported system
technical specification (TS) when the
inoperability is due solely to an
unavailable hazard barrier if risk is
assessed and managed. The postulated
initiating events which may require a
functional barrier are limited to those
with low frequencies of occurrence, and
the overall TS system safety function
would still be available for the majority
of anticipated challenges. Therefore, the
probability of an accident previously
evaluated is not significantly increased,
if at all. The consequences of an
accident while relying on the allowance
provided by proposed LCO 3.0.9 are no
different than the consequences of an
accident while relying on the TS
required actions in effect without the
allowance provided by proposed LCO
3.0.9. Therefore, the consequences of an
accident previously evaluated are not
significantly affected by this change.
The addition of a requirement to assess
and manage the risk introduced by this
change will further minimize possible
concerns. Therefore, this change does
not involve a significant increase in the
probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated.
Criterion 2—The Proposed Change Does
Not Create the Possibility of a New or
Different Kind of Accident From Any
Previously Evaluated
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
The proposed change does not
involve a physical alteration of the plant
(no new or different type of equipment
will be installed). Allowing delay times
for entering supported system TS when
inoperability is due solely to an
unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is
assessed and managed, will not
introduce new failure modes or effects
and will not, in the absence of other
unrelated failures, lead to an accident
whose consequences exceed the
consequences of accidents previously
evaluated. The addition of a
requirement to assess and manage the
risk introduced by this change will
further minimize possible concerns.
Thus, this change does not create the
possibility of a new or different kind of
accident from an accident previously
evaluated.
Criterion 3—The Proposed Change Does
Not Involve a Significant Reduction in
the Margin of Safety
The proposed change allows a delay
time for entering a supported system TS
when the inoperability is due solely to
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an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is
assessed and managed. The postulated
initiating events which may require a
functional barrier are limited to those
with low frequencies of occurrence, and
the overall TS system safety function
would still be available for the majority
of anticipated challenges. The risk
impact of the proposed TS changes was
assessed following the three-tiered
approach recommended in RG 1.177. A
bounding risk assessment was
performed to justify the proposed TS
changes. This application of LCO 3.0.9
is predicated upon the licensee’s
performance of a risk assessment and
the management of plant risk. The net
change to the margin of safety is
insignificant. Therefore, this change
does not involve a significant reduction
in a margin of safety.
Based upon the reasoning presented
above and the previous discussion of
the amendment request, the requested
change does not involve a nosignificant-hazards consideration. Dated
at Rockville, Maryland, this 26 day of
May 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy J. Kobetz,
Branch Chief, Technical Specifications
Branch, Division of Inspection and Regional
Support, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
For Inclusion on the Technical
Specifications Web Page
The following example of an
application was prepared by the NRC
staff to facilitate use of the consolidated
line item improvement process (CLIIP).
The model provides the expected level
of detail and content for an application
to revise technical specifications
regarding the addition of LCO 3.0.9 on
the unavailability of barriers using
CLIIP. Licensees remain responsible for
ensuring that their actual application
fulfills their administrative
requirements as well as nuclear
regulatory commission regulations.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Document Control Desk, Washington, DC
20555
SUBJECT: PLANT NAME
DOCKET NO. 50—APPLICATION FOR
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE
TO ADD LCO 3.0.9 ON THE
UNAVAILABILITY OF BARRIERS
USING THE CONSOLIDATED LINE
ITEM IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
Gentlemen:
In accordance with the provisions of Title
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
50.90, [LICENSEE] is submitting a request for
an amendment to the technical specifications
(TS) for [PLANT NAME, UNIT NOS.].
The proposed amendment would modify
TS requirements for unavailable barriers by
adding LCO 3.0.9.
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Enclosure 1 provides a description of the
proposed change, the requested confirmation
of applicability, and plant-specific
verifications. Enclosure 2 provides the
existing TS pages marked up to show the
proposed change. Enclosure 3 provides
revised (clean) TS pages. Enclosure 4
provides a summary of the regulatory
commitments made in this submittal.
[LICENSEE] requests approval of the
proposed License Amendment by [DATE],
with the amendment being implemented [BY
DATE OR WITHIN X DAYS].
In accordance with 10 CFR 50.91, a copy
of this application, with attachments, is being
provided to the designated [STATE] Official.
I declare under penalty of perjury under
the laws of the United States of America that
I am authorized by [LICENSEE] to make this
request and that the foregoing is true and
correct. (Note that request may be notarized
in lieu of using this oath or affirmation
statement).
If you should have any questions regarding
this submittal, please contact [NAME,
TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Sincerely,
[Name, Title]
Enclosures:
1. Description and Assessment
2. Proposed Technical Specification
Changes
3. Revised Technical Specification Pages
4. Regulatory Commitments
5. Proposed Technical Specification Bases
Changes.
cc: NRC Project Manager
NRC Regional Office
NRC Resident Inspector
State Contact
Enclosure 1—Description and
Assessment
1.0 Description
The proposed amendment would
modify technical specifications (TS)
requirements for unavailable barriers by
adding LCO 3.0.9.
The changes are consistent with
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
approved Industry/Technical
Specification Task Force (TSTF) STS
change TSTF–427 Revision 1. The
availability of this TS improvement was
published in the Federal Register on
[DATE] as part of the consolidated line
item improvement process (CLIIP).
2.0
Assessment
2.1 Applicability of Published Safety
Evaluation
[LICENSEE] has reviewed the safety
evaluation dated [DATE] as part of the
CLIIP. This review included a review of
the NRC staff’s evaluation, as well as the
supporting information provided to
support TSTF–427. [LICENSEE] has
concluded that the justifications
presented in the TSTF proposal and the
safety evaluation prepared by the NRC
staff are applicable to [PLANT, UNIT
NOS.] and justify this amendment for
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the incorporation of the changes to the
[PLANT] TS.
2.2
Optional Changes and Variations
[LICENSEE] is not proposing any
variations or deviations from the TS
changes described in the TSTF–427
Revision 1 or the NRC staff’s model
safety evaluation dated [DATE].
3.0
Regulatory Analysis
3.1 No Significant Hazards
Consideration Determination
[LICENSEE] has reviewed the
proposed no significant hazards
consideration determination (NSHCD)
published in the Federal Register as
part of the CLIIP. [LICENSEE] has
concluded that the proposed NSHCD
presented in the Federal Register notice
is applicable to [PLANT] and is hereby
incorporated by reference to satisfy the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.91(a).
3.2 Verification and Commitments
As discussed in the notice of
availability published in the Federal
Register on [DATE] for this TS
improvement, plant-specific
verifications were performed as follows:
1. [LICENSEE] commits to the
guidance of NUMARC 93–01 Section 11,
which provides guidance and details on
the assessment and management of risk
during maintenance.
2. [LICENSEE] will revise procedures
to ensure that the risk assessment and
management process described in NEI
04–08 is used whenever a barrier is
considered unavailable and the
requirement of LCO 3.0.9 are to be
applied, in accordance with an overall
CRMP to ensure that potentially risksignificant configurations resulting from
maintenance and other operational
activities are identified and avoided.
4.0 Environmental Evaluation
[LICENSEE] has reviewed the
environmental evaluation included in
the model safety evaluation dated
[DATE] as part of the CLIIP. [LICENSEE]
has concluded that the staff’s findings
presented in that evaluation are
applicable to [PLANT] and the
evaluation is hereby incorporated by
reference for this application.
Enclosure 2—Proposed Technical
Specification Changes (Mark-Up)
Enclosure 3—Proposed Technical
Specification Pages
Enclosure 4—List of Regulatory
Commitments
The following table identifies those
actions committed to by [LICENSEE] in
this document. Any other statements in
this submittal are provided for
information purposes and are not
considered to be regulatory
commitments. Please direct questions
regarding these commitments to
[CONTACT NAME].
Regulatory commitments
Due date/event
[LICENSEE] commits to the guidance of NUMARC 93–01, Revision 2, Section 11, which provides guidance and details on the assessment and management of risk during maintenance.
[LICENSEE] commits to the guidance of NEI 04–08, ‘‘Allowance for Non Technical Specification Barrier Degradation on Supported System OPERABILITY (TSTF–427) Industry Implementation Guidance,’’ March 2006.
Enclosure 5—Proposed Changes to
Technical Specification Bases Pages
[FR Doc. 06–5044 Filed 6–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–M
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. IC–27384]
Notice of Applications for
Deregistration Under Section 8(f) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
May 26, 2006.
The following is a notice of
applications for deregistration under
section 8(f) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 for the month of May, 2006.
A copy of each application may be
obtained for a fee at the SEC’s Public
Reference Branch (tel. 202–551–5850).
An order granting each application will
be issued unless the SEC orders a
hearing. Interested persons may request
a hearing on any application by writing
to the SEC’s Secretary at the address
below and serving the relevant
applicant with a copy of the request,
personally or by mail. Hearing requests
should be received by the SEC by 5:30
p.m. on June 20, 2006, and should be
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:05 Jun 01, 2006
Jkt 208001
accompanied by proof of service on the
applicant, in the form of an affidavit or,
for lawyers, a certificate of service.
Hearing requests should state the nature
of the writer’s interest, the reason for the
request, and the issues contested.
Persons who wish to be notified of a
hearing may request notification by
writing to the Secretary, U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549–
1090.
For Further Information Contact:
Diane L. Titus at (202) 551–6810, SEC,
Division of Investment Management,
Office of Investment Company
Regulation, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–4041.
Hyperion 2005 Investment Grade
Opportunity Term Trust, Inc. [File No.
811–7386]
Summary: Applicant, a closed-end
investment company, seeks an order
declaring that it has ceased to be an
investment company. On December 5,
2005, applicant made a liquidating
distribution to its shareholders, based
on net asset value. American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company is holding
funds for shareholders who have not yet
been located. Applicant incurred
PO 00000
Frm 00126
32153
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
[Ongoing or implement with amendment].
[Implement with amendment, when barrier(s)
are unavailable].
$415,495 in expenses in connection
with the reorganization.
Filing Date: The application was filed
on April 25, 2006.
Applicant’s Address: Three World
Financial Center, 200 Vesey St., 10th
Floor, New York, NY 10281–1010.
Oppenheimer Principal Protected Trust
IV [File No. 811–21562]
Summary: Applicant seeks an order
declaring that it has ceased to be an
investment company. On April 13,
2006, applicant made a liquidating
distribution to its shareholders, based
on net asset value. Expenses of $2,500
incurred in connection with the
liquidation were paid by Oppenheimer
Funds, Inc., applicant’s investment
adviser.
Filing Date: The application was filed
on April 21, 2006.
Applicant’s Address: 6803 Tucson
Way, Centennial, CO 80112.
Grand Prix Funds, Inc. [File No. 811–
8461]
Summary: Applicant seeks an order
declaring that it has ceased to be an
investment company. On February 17,
2006, applicant made a liquidating
distribution to its shareholders, based
on net asset value. Applicant incurred
E:\FR\FM\02JNN1.SGM
02JNN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 106 (Friday, June 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32145-32153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-50]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Notice of Opportunity to Comment on Model Safety Evaluation on
Technical Specification Improvement to Modify Requirements Regarding
the Addition of LCO 3.0.9 on the Unavailability of Barriers Using the
Consolidated Line Item Improvement Process
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the staff of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared a model safety evaluation (SE)
and model
[[Page 32146]]
application relating to the modification of requirements regarding the
impact of unavailable hazard barriers, not explicitly addressed in
technical specifications, but required for operability of supported
systems in technical specifications (TS). The NRC staff has also
prepared a model no-significant-hazards-consideration (NSHC)
determination relating to this matter. The purpose of these models is
to permit the NRC to efficiently process amendments that propose to add
an LCO 3.0.9 that provides a delay time for entering a supported system
TS when the inoperability is due solely to an unavailable hazard
barrier, if risk is assessed and managed. Licensees of nuclear power
reactors to which the models apply could then request amendments,
confirming the applicability of the SE and NSHC determination to their
reactors. The NRC staff is requesting comment on the model SE and model
NSHC determination prior to announcing their availability for
referencing in license amendment applications.
DATES: The comment period expires July 3, 2006. Comments received after
this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the
Commission is able to ensure consideration only for comments received
on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted either electronically or via U.S.
mail. Submit written comments to Chief, Rules and Directives Branch,
Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mail
Stop: T-6 D59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001. Hand deliver comments to: 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland, between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Federal workdays. Copies
of comments received may be examined at the NRC's Public Document Room,
11555 Rockville Pike (Room O-1F21), Rockville, Maryland. Comments may
be submitted by electronic mail to CLIIP@nrc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: T.R. Tjader, Mail Stop: O-12H4,
Division of Inspection and Regulation Support, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001, telephone 301-415-1187.
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
consolidated line item improvement process (CLIIP) is intended to
improve the efficiency of NRC licensing processes 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 a proposed
change to the STS after a preliminary assessment by the NRC staff and a
finding that the change will likely be offered for adoption by
licensees. This notice solicits comments on a proposed change that
allows a delay time for entering a supported system TS when the
inoperability is due solely to an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk
is assessed and managed. 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 announce the availability of the change for
adoption by licensees. Licensees opting to apply for this TS change 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 addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS which
provides a delay time for entering a supported system TS when the
inoperability is due solely to an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk
is assessed and managed. This change was proposed for incorporation
into the standard technical specifications by the owners groups
participants in the Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) and is
designated TSTF-427, Revision 1 (Rev 1). TSTF-427, Rev 1, can be viewed
on the NRC's Web page at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/
licensing/techspecs.html.
Applicability
This proposal to modify technical specification requirements by the
addition of LCO 3.0.9, as proposed in TSTF-427, Rev 1, is applicable to
all licensees.
To efficiently process the incoming license amendment applications,
the staff requests that each licensee applying for the changes proposed
in TSTF-427, Rev 1, to use the CLIIP. The CLIIP does not prevent
licensees from requesting an alternative approach or proposing the
changes without the requested Bases and Bases control program.
Variations from the approach recommended in this notice may require
additional review by the NRC staff, and may increase the time and
resources needed for the review. Significant variations from the
approach, or inclusion of additional changes to the license, will
result in staff rejection of the submittal. Instead, licensees desiring
significant variations and/or additional changes should submit a LAR
that does not claim to adopt TSTF-427, Rev 1.
Public Notices
This notice requests comments from interested members of the public
within 30 days of the date of publication in the Federal Register.
After evaluating the comments received as a result of this notice, the
staff will either reconsider the proposed change or announce the
availability of the change in a subsequent notice (perhaps with some
changes to the safety evaluation or the proposed no significant hazards
consideration determination as a result of public comments). If the
staff announces the availability of the change, licensees wishing to
adopt the change must submit an application in accordance with
applicable rules and other regulatory requirements. For each
application the staff will publish a notice of consideration of
issuance of amendment to facility operating licenses, a proposed no
significant hazards consideration determination, and a notice of
opportunity for a hearing. The staff will also publish a notice of
issuance of an amendment to an operating license to announce the
modification of requirements related to systems in TS, due to
unavailable non-technical specification barriers, for each plant that
receives the requested change.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of May 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy J. Kobetz,
Chief, Technical Specifications Branch, Division of Inspection and
Regional Support, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) Change TSTF-427
1.0 Introduction
On February 6, 2006, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Risk
Informed Technical Specifications Task Force (RITSTF) submitted a
proposed change, TSTF-427, Revision 1, to the standard technical
specifications (STS) (NUREGs 1430-1434) on behalf of the industry
(TSTF-427, Revision 0 was a prior draft iteration). TSTF-427, Revision
1, is a proposal to add an STS Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO)
3.0.9, allowing a delay time for entering a
[[Page 32147]]
supported system technical specification (TS), when the inoperability
is due solely to an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk is assessed and
managed. The postulated initiating events which may require a
functional barrier are limited to those with low frequencies of
occurence, and the overall TS system safety function would still be
available for the majority of anticipated challenges.
This proposal is one of the industry's initiatives being developed
under the risk-informed TS program. These initiatives are intended to
maintain or improve safety through the incorporation of risk assessment
and management techniques in TS, while reducing unnecessary burden and
making TS requirements consistent with the Commission's other risk-
informed regulatory requirements.
The proposed change adds a new limiting condition of operation, LCO
3.0.9, to the TS. LCO 3.0.9 allows licensees to delay declaring an LCO
not met for equipment supported by barriers unable to perform their
associated support function, when risk is assessed and managed. This
new LCO 3.0.9 states:
``When one or more required barriers are unable to perform their
related support function(s), any affected supported system LCO(s)
are not required to be declared not met solely for this reason for
up to 30 days provided that at least one train or subsystem of the
supported system is OPERABLE and supported by barriers capable of
providing their related support function(s), and risk is assessed
and managed. This specification may be concurrently applied to more
than one train or subsystem of a multiple train or subsystem
supported system provided at least one train or subsystem of the
supported system is OPERABLE and the barriers supporting each of
these trains or subsystems provide their related support function(s)
for different categories of initiating events. [BWR only: For the
purposes of this specification, the [High Pressure Coolant
Injection/High Pressure Core Spray] system, the [Reactor Core
Isolation Cooling] system, and the [Automatic Depressurization
System] are considered independent subsystems of a single system.]
If the required OPERABLE train or subsystem becomes inoperable
while this specification is in use, it must be restored to OPERABLE
status within 24 hours or the provisions of this specification
cannot be applied to the trains or subsystems supported by the
barriers that cannot perform their related support function(s). At
the end of the specified period, the required barriers must be able
to perform their related support function(s), or the affected
supported system LCO(s) shall be declared not met.''
2.0 Regulatory Evaluation
In 10 CFR 50.36, the Commission established its regulatory
requirements related to the content of TX. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.36, TS
are required to include items in the following five specific categories
related to station operation: (1) Safety limits, limiting safety system
settings, and limiting control settings; (2) limiting conditions for
operation (LCOs); (3) surveillance requirements (SRs); (4) design
features; and (5) administrative controls. The rule does not specify
the particular requirements to be included in a plant's TS. As stated
in 10 CFR 50.36(c)(2)(I), the ``Limiting conditions for operation are
the lowest functional capability or performance levels of equipment
required for safe operation of the facility. When a limiting condition
for operation of a nuclear reactor is not met, the licensee shall shut
down the reactor or follow any remedial action permitted by the
technical specification * * *.'' TS Section 3.0, on ``LCO and SR
Applicability,'' provides details or ground rules for complying with
the LCOs.
Barriers are doors, walls, floor plugs, curbs, hatches, mechanical
devices, or other devices, not explicitly described in TS, that support
the performance of the functions of systems described in the TS. For
purposes of this TS, the term ``barrier'' refers to one or more devices
which protect one train of a safety system from a given initiating
event. A ``degraded barrier'' refers to a barrier that has been found
to be degraded and must be repaired, or to a barrier that is
purposefully removed or reconfigured to facilitate maintenance
activities. As stated on NEI 04-08, LCO 3.0.9 specifically does not
apply to fire barriers, snubbers, barriers which support ventilation
systems or non-TS systems, or barriers which support TS systems where
the unavailability of the barrier does not render the supported system
inoperable.
Some TS required systems may require one or more functional
barriers in order to perform their intended function(s) for certain
initiating events for which the barriers provide some protective
support function. For example, there are barriers to protect systems
from the effects of internal flooding, such as floor plugs and
retaining walls, and barriers are used to protect equipment from steam
impingement in case of high energy line breaks. Barriers are also used
to protect systems against missiles, either internally generated, or
generated by external events.
Barriers are not explicitly described in the TS, but are required
to be capable of performing their required support function by the
definition of OPERABILITY for the supported system which is described
in the TS. Therefore, under the current STS, the supported system must
be declared inoperable when the related barrier(s) are unavailable.
However, the magnitude of plant risk associated with the barrier which
cannot perform its related support function is much less than the risk
associated with direct unavailability of the supported system, since
barriers are only required for specific, low frequency initiating
events.
Some potential undesirable consequences of the current TS
requirements include:
1. When maintenance activities on the supported TS system require
removal and restoration of barriers, the time available to complete
maintenance and perform system restoration and testing is reduced by
the time spent maneuvering the barriers within the time constraints of
the supported system LCO;
2. Restoration of barriers following maintenance may be given a
high priority due to time restraints of the existing supported system
LCO, when other activities may have a greater risk impact and should
therefore be given priority; and
3. Unnecessary plant shutdowns may occur due to discovery of
degraded barriers which require more time than provided by the existing
supported system LCO to complete repairs and restoration of the
barrier.
To improve the treatment of unavailable barriers and enhance
safety, the TSTF proposed a risk-informed TS change that introduces a
delay time before entering the actions for the supported equipment,
when one or more barriers are found to be degraded, or are removed or
reconfigured to support maintenance activities, if risk is assessed and
managed. Such a delay time will provide needed flexibility in the
performance of maintenance and at the same time will enhance overall
plant safety by:
1. Performing system maintenance and restoration activities,
including post-maintenance testing, within the existing TS LCO time,
and allowing barrier removal and restoration to be performed outside of
the TS LCO, providing more time for the safe conduct of maintenance and
testing activities on the supported TS system;
2. Requiring barrier removal and restoration activities to be
assessed and prioritized based on actual plant risk impacts; and
3. Avoiding unnecessary unscheduled plant shutdowns and thus
minimizing plant transition and realignment risks.
[[Page 32148]]
3.0 Technical Evaluation
The industry submitted TSTF-427, Revision 1 (Reference 1),
``Allowance for Non Technical Specification Barrier Degradation on
Supported System OPERABILITY'' in support of the proposed TS change.
This submittal documents a risk-informed analysis of the proposed TS
change. Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods are used, in
combination with deterministic and defense-in-depth arguments, to
identify and justify delay times for entering the actions for the
supported equipment associated with unavailable barriers at nuclear
power plants. The industry also submitted implementation guidance NEI
04-08, November 2005 (Reference 2). This submittal provides detailed
guidance on assessing and managing risk associated with unavailable
barriers. This is in accordance with guidance provided in Regulatory
Guides (RGs) 1.174 (Reference 3) and 1.177 (Reference 4).
The risk impact associated with the proposed delay times for
entering the TS actions for the supported equipment can be assessed
during the same approach as for allowed completion time (CT)
extensions. Therefore, the risk assessment was performed following the
three-tiered approach recommended in RG 1.177 for evaluating proposed
extensions in currently allowed CTs:
1. The first tier involves the assessment of the change in plant
risk due to the proposed TS change. Such risk change is expressed (1)
by the change in the average yearly core damage frequency ([utri]CDF)
and the average yearly large early release frequency ([utri]LERF) and
(2) by the incremental conditional core damage probability (ICCDP) and
the incremental conditional large early release probability (ICLERP).
The assessed [utri]CDF and [utri]LERF values are compared to acceptance
guidelines, consistent with the Commission's Safety Goal Policy
Statement as documented in RG 1.174, so that the plant's average
baseline risk is maintained within a minimal range. The assessed ICCDP
and ICLERP values are compared to acceptance guidelines provided in RG
1.177, which aim at ensuring that the plant risk does not increase
unacceptably during the period the equipment is taken out of service.
2. The second tier involves the identification of potentially high-
risk configurations that could exist if equipment in addition to that
associated with the change were to be taken out of service
simultaneously, or other risk-significant operational factors such as
concurrent equipment testing were also involved. The objective to
ensure that appropriate restrictions are in place to avoid any
potential high-risk configurations.
3. The third tier involves the establishment of an overall
configuration risk management program (CRMP) to ensure that potentially
risk-significant configurations resulting from maintenance and other
operational activities are identified. The objective of the CRMP is to
manage configuration-specific risk by appropriate scheduling of plant
activities and/or appropriate compensatory measures.
A simplified risk assessment was performed to justify the proposed
addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS. This approach was necessitated by (1)
the general nature of the proposed TS change (i.e., it applies to all
plants and is associated with an undetermined number of barriers that
are n not able to perform their function), and (2) the lack of detailed
modeling in most plant-specific PRAs which do not include passive
structures as barriers.
The simplified risk assessment considers three different
parameters:
1. The length of time the affected barrier is unavailable,
2. The initiating event frequency for which the affected barrier is
designed to mitigate, and
3. The importance to CDF (or LERF) of the TS equipment (train,
subsystem, or component) for which the affected barrier is designed to
protect, measured by the risk achievement worth of the equipment.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN02JN06.011
Where:
--Tc is the time the barrier is unavailable (hours)
--Tc/8766 is therefore the fraction of the year during which
the barrier is unavailable,
--IEi/IET is the ratio of the initiating event
frequency for which the affected barrier is designed to mitigate,
IEi, and the total initiating event frequency,
IET,
--RAWj is the risk achievement worth of the component(s) for
which the barrier provides protection, and
--CDFbase is the baseline core damage frequency (per year).
ICLERP also may be similarly determined, using baseline LERF and
RAW values with respect to LERF. It is assumed that the magnitude of
the LERF risk resulting from the barrier unable to perform its related
support function would be generally at least one order of magnitude
less than the corresponding CDF risk. Containment bypass scenarios,
which are typically the significant contributors to LERF, would not be
uniquely affected by application of LCO 3.0.9, and initiating events
which would be significant LERF contributors, such as steam generator
tube rupture and interfacing systems LOCA, are not typically associated
with barriers within the scope of LCO 3.0.9. Therefore, the assumption
regarding LERF risk is reasonable and acceptable for the generic risk
evaluation, provided that LERF risk impacts are considered on a plant-
specific basis for unavailable barriers, as described in section 3.3.
The relevant initiating events (i.e., events for which barriers
subject to LCO 3.0.9 provide protection) are:
--Internal and external floods
--High energy line breaks
--Feedwater line breaks
--Loss of coolant accident (small, medium, and large)
--Tornados and high winds
--Turbine missiles.
Generic frequencies for most of these initiating events were
obtained from NUREG/CR-5750 (Reference 5). For external floods, turbine
missiles, and tornados, other industry source documents were
referenced. The most limiting (highest frequency) initiating event was
obtained for a high energy line break from NUREG/CR-5750, with a
frequency of 9.1E-3 per year. The risk assessment is therefore based on
this limiting frequency, and the proposed methodology to apply LCO
3.0.9 is similarly restricted to barriers protecting against initiating
events whose total frequency is no more than 9.1E-3 per year.
3.1 Risk Assessment Results and Insights
The results and insights from the implementation of the three-
tiered approach of RG 1.177 to support the
[[Page 32149]]
proposed addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS are summarized and evaluated
in the following Sections 3.1.1 to 3.1.3.
3.1.1 Risk Impact
The bounding risk assessment approach, described in Section 3.0,
was developed for a range of plant baseline CDF values and for a range
of protected component RAW values. The maximum allowable 30-day outage
time was used. The results are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1.--Risk Assessment Results for a Postulated 30-Day Barrier Outage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAW ICCDP ICLERP
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseline CDF = 1E-6 Per Year
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2................................................. 7.5E-10 7.5E-11
10................................................ 6.7E-09 6.7E-10
50................................................ 3.7E-08 3.7E-09
100............................................... 7.4E-08 7.4E-09
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseline CDF = 1E-5 Per Year
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2................................................. 7.5E-09 7.5E-10
10................................................ 6.7E-08 6.7E-09
50................................................ 3.7E-07 3.7E-08
100............................................... 7.4E-07 7.4E-08
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseline CDF = 1E-4 Per Year
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2................................................. 7.5E-08 7.5E-09
10................................................ 6.7E-07 6.7E-08
50................................................ 3.7E-06 3.7E-07
100............................................... 7.4E-06 7.4E-07
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The above results represent a sensitivity analysis covering the
expected range of plant baseline CDF values and component RAW values.
The most limiting configurations involving very high risk components
(RAW > 10) would not be anticipated to occur for most planned
maintenance activities.
The calculations conservatively assume the most limiting (highest
frequency) initiating event and the longest allowable outage time (30
days). Occurrence of the initiating event during unavailability of the
barrier is conservatively assumed to directly fail the protected
equipment; no credit is taken for event-specific circumstances which
may result in the equipment remaining functional even with the barrier
unavailable. (For example, a barrier required to protect equipment from
steam impingement for high energy line breaks may only be required for
breaks occurring in specific locations and orientations relative to the
protected equipment, and only for large size breaks.) No credit is
taken for avoided risk identified in Section 2.
The risk assessment results of Table 1 were compared to guidance
provided in the revised Section 11 of NUMARC 93-01, Revision 2
(Reference 6), endorsed by RG 1.182 (Reference 7), for implementing the
requirements of paragraph (a)(4) of the Maintenance Rule, 10 CFR 50.65.
Such guidance is summarized in Table 2. Guidance regarding the
acceptability of conditional risk increase in terms of CDF for a
planned configuration is provided. This guidance states that a specific
configuration that is associated with a CDF higher than 1E-3 per year
should not be entered voluntarily. The staff notes that the higher risk
configurations documented in Table 1 would exceed this guidance, and
would therefore not be permitted to be entered voluntarily. For
example, with a baseline CDF of 1E-4 per year, a component with a RAW
greater than 10 would exceed the 1E-3 per year criteria. Therefore, the
sensitivity analyses presented in Table 1 are understood to include
higher risk configurations which would not be permitted under the
guidance of Reference 6.
Table 2.--Guidance for Implementing 10 CFR 50.65(a)(4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Delta]RCDF............................ Guidance.
Greater than 1E-3/year................. Configuration should not
normally be entered
voluntarily.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ICCDP Guidance ICLERP
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater than 1E-5............. Configuration should Greater than 1E-
not normally be 6.
entered voluntarily.
1E-6 to 1E-5.................. Assess non- 1E-7 to 1E-6.
quantifiable factors.
Establish risk
management actions.
Less than 1E-6................ Normal work controls.. Less than 1E-7.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guidance regarding the acceptability of ICCDP and ICLERP values for
a specific planned configuration and the establishment of risk
management actions is also provided in NUMARC 93-01. This guidance, as
shown in Table 2, states that a specific plant configuration that is
associated with ICCDP and ICLERP values below 1E-6 and 1E-7,
respectively, is considered to require ``normal work controls.'' Table
1 shows that for the majority of barrier outage configurations the
conservatively assessed ICCDP and ICLERP values are within the limits
for what is recommended as the threshold for the ``normal work
controls'' region.
As stated in the implementation guidance for LCO 3.0.9 (Reference
2), plants are required to commit to the guidance of NUMARC 93-01
Section 11, and therefore the above limits would be applicable. Plant
configurations including out of service barriers may therefore be
entered voluntarily if supported by the results of the risk assessment
required by 10 CFR 50.65(a)(4), and by LCO 3.0.9.
RG 1.177 (Ref. 4) provides guidance of 5E-7 ICDP and 5E-8 ILERP as
the limit for a TS allowed outage time. As shown in Table 1, the
guidance is met for the typically anticipated configurations, unless
either the baseline CDF for the plant approaches 1E-4 per year or the
RAW of the protected components is well above 10. Such configurations
may exceed the criteria described in Ref. 6 (Table 2) and would not be
voluntarily entered. Such configurations are not expected to be
frequently encountered, and may be addressed on a case-by-case plant-
specific basis by limiting the allowed outage time and by implementing
plant-specific risk management actions, as per the implementing
guidance (Reference 2).
RG 1.174 (Ref. 3) provides guidance of 1E-5 per year [Delta]CDF and
1E-6 per year [Delta]LERF. The ICCDP calculations demonstrated that
each individual 30-day barrier outage is anticiapted to be low risk.
Although there is no explicit limit on the number of times per year
that LCO 3.0.9 may be applied, even assuming barrier outages occurred
continuously over the entire year, the risk incurred would still be
anticipated to be below the limits of the guidance.
The staff finds that the risk assessment results support the
proposed addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS. The risk increases associated
with this TS change will be insignificant based on guidance
[[Page 32150]]
provided in RGs 1.174 and 1.177 and within the range of risks
associated with normal maintenance activities.
3.1.2 Identification of High-Risk Configurations
The second tier of the three-tiered approach recommended in RG
1.177 involves the identification of potentially high-risk
configurations that could exist if equipment, in addition to that
associated with the TS change, were to be taken out of service
simultaneously. Insights from the risk assessments, in conjunction with
important assumptions made in the analysis and defense-in-depth
considerations, were used to identify such configurations. To avoid
these potentially high-risk configurations, specific restrictions to
the implementation of the proposed TS changes were identified.
When LCO 3.0.9 is applied, at least one train or subsystem is
required to be operable with required barriers in place, such that this
train or subsystem would be available to provide mitigation of the
initiating event. LCO 3.0.9 may be applied to multiple trains of the
same system only for barriers which provide protection for different
initiating events, such that at least one train or subsystem is
available to provide mitigation of the initiating event. The use of LCO
3.0.9 for barriers which protect all trains or subsystems from a
particular initiating event is not permitted. Therefore, potentially
high-risk configurations involving a loss of function required for
mitigation of a particular initiating event are avoided by the
restrictions imposed on applicability of LCO 3.0.9.
LCO 3.0.9 also addresses potential emergent conditions where
unplanned failures or discovered conditions may result in the
unavailability of at least one train or subsystem for a particular
initiating event. Such conditions may result during application of LCO
3.0.9 from equipment failure on the operable train, or discovery of
degraded barriers. In such cases, a 24-hour allowed time is provided to
restore the conditions to permit continued operation with unavailable
barriers, after which the applicability of LCO 3.0.9 ends, and the
supported system LCO becomes effective. This allowed time is provided
so that emergent conditions with low risk consequences may be
effectively managed, rather than requiring immediate exit of LCO 3.0.9
and the potential for an unplanned plant shutdown.
A limit of 30 days is applied to the LCO 3.0.9 allowed outage time
for each barrier, after which the barrier must be restored to an
available status, or the supported system TS must be applied. This 30-
day backstop applies regardless of the risk level calculated, and
provides assurance that installed plant barriers will be maintained
available over long periods of time, and that the application of LCO
3.0.9 will not result in long term degradation of plant barriers.
The staff finds that the restrictions on the applicability of LCO
3.0.9 assuring that one safety train remains available to mitigate the
initiating event, along with the 30-day limit applicable to each
barrier, assure that potentially high-risk configurations are avoided
in accordance with the guidance provided in RGs 1.174 and 1.177.
3.1.3 Configuration Risk Management
The third tier of the three-tiered approach recommended in RG 1.177
involves the establishment of an overall configuration risk management
program (CRMP) to ensure that potentially risk-significant
configurations resulting from maintenance and other operational
activities are identified. The objective of the CRMP is to manage
configuration-specific risk by appropriate scheduling of plant
activities and/or appropriate compensatory measures. This objective is
met by licensee programs to comply with the requirements of paragraph
(a)(4) of the Maintenance Rule (10 CFR 50.65) to assess and manage risk
resulting from maintenance activities, and by LCO 3.0.9 requiring risk
assessments and management using (a)(4) processes if no maintenance is
in progress. These programs can support licensee decision making
regarding the appropriate actions to manage risk whenever a risk-
informed TS is entered.
The implementation guidance for LCO 3.0.9 (Reference 2) requires
that the risk determination for an unavailable barrier be performed per
the ICCDP calculation as described in Section 3.1 using the plant-
specific configuration as the basis for determining the protected
component RAW value. Further, the calculations are to be updated
whenever emergent conditions occur. These requirements assure that the
configuration-specific risk associated with unavailable barriers is
assessed and managed prior to entry into LCO 3.0.9 and during its
applicability as conditions change.
These evaluations for the unavailable barrier are performed as part
of the assessment of plant risk required by 10 CFR 50.65(a)(4). The
numerical guidance identified in Table 2 are applicable to
implementation of LCO 3.0.9, using the results of the configuration-
specific risk assessment which addresses the risk impact of the
unavailable barrier along with all other out of service components and
plant alignments.
Risk management actions are required to be considered when the
calculated risk exceeds specific thresholds per NUMARC 93-01 Section
11, as identified in Table 2. Additional guidance on risk management
actions are provided in the implementation guidance for LCO 3.0.9.
The allowed outage time for a barrier is calculated based on an
ICCDP limit of 1E-6. This is the NUMARC 93-01 Section 11 guidance for
applicability of normal work controls, and is conservatively lower than
the guidance of 1E-5 for voluntary maintenance activities. The use of
1E-6 will result in conservatively short allowed outage times for
barriers compared to allowed times for other maintenance activities.
If the scope of the PRA model used to support the plant-specific
CRMP does not include the initiating event for which a barrier provides
protection, then LCO 3.0.9 applicability is limited to one barrier on a
single train. Multiple barriers for such initiating events may not be
unavailable under LCO 3.0.9, and in such situations the LCO(s)
associated with the protected components would be applicable.
Applicability of LCO 3.0.9 to the single barrier for an initiating
event that is not modeled in the plant PRA is acceptable based on the
generic risk analysis provided by TSTF-427, as described in Section
3.1.
Assessment of the LERF risk impact on an unavailable barrier is
required to be performed in accordance with NUMARC 93-01 Section 11. If
an unavailable barrier provides protection to equipment which is
relevant to the containment function, or which protects equipment from
the effects of an initiating event which is a contributor to LERF, then
the methodology requires a calculation for ICLERP similar to the
calculations performed for ICCDP, described in Section 3.1, or the
applicability of LCO 3.0.9 must be limited to that one barrier.
The staff finds that the risk evaluations required to support the
applicability of LCO 3.0.9 appropriately consider the risk from
unavailable barriers in an integrated manner based on the overall plant
configuration. Therefore potentially high-risk configurations can be
identified and managed in accordance with the guidance provided in RGs
1.174 and 1.177.
3.2 Summary and Conclusions
The unavailability of barriers which protect TS required components
from the effects of specific initiating events is typically a low risk
configuration which
[[Page 32151]]
should not require that the protected components be immediately
declared inoperable. The current TS require that when such barriers are
unavailable, the protected component LCO is immediately entered. Some
potential undesirable consequences of the current TS requirements
include:
1. When maintenance activities on the supported TS system requires
removal and restoration of barriers, the time available to complete
maintenance and perform system restoration and testing is reduced by
the time spent maneuvering the barriers within the time constraints of
the supported system LCO;
2. Restoration of barriers following maintenance must be given a
high priority due to time restraints of the existing supported system
LCO, when other more risk important activities may have a greater risk
impact and should therefore be given priority; and
3. Unnecessary plant shutdowns due to discovery of degraded
barriers which may require more than the existing supported system LCO
time to complete repairs and restoration.
To remove the overly restrictive requirements in the treatment of
barriers, licensees are proposing a risk-informed TS change which
introduces a delay time before entering the actions for the supported
equipment when one or more barriers are found degraded or removed to
facilitate planned maintenance activities. Such a delay time will
provide needed flexibility in the performance of maintenance during
power operation and at the same time will enhance overall plant safety
by (1) performing system maintenance and restoration activities,
including post-maintenance testing, within the existing TS LCO time,
and allowing barrier removal and restoration to be performed outside of
the TS LCO, providing more time for the safe conduct of maintenance and
testing activities on the supported system; (2) requiring barrier
removal and restoration activities to be assessed and prioritized based
on actual plant risk impacts; and (3) avoiding unnecessary unscheduled
plant shutdowns, thus minimizing plant transition and realignment
risks.
The risk impact of the proposed TS changes was assessed following
the three-tiered approach recommended in RG 1.177. A simplified
bounding risk assessment was performed to justify the proposed TS
changes. This bounding assessment was selected due to the lack of
detailed plant-specific risk models for most plants which do not
include failure modes of passive structures such as barriers. The
impact from the addition of the proposed LCO 3.0.9 to the TS on
defense-in-depth was also evaluated in conjunction with the risk
assessment results.
Based on this integrated evaluation, the staff concludes that the
proposed addition of LCO 3.0.9 to the TS would lead to insignificant
risk increases. Indeed, this conclusion is true without taking any
credit for the removal of potential undesirable consequences associated
with the current conservative treatment of barriers.
Consistent with the staff's approval and inherent in the
implementation of TSTF-427, licensees interested in implementing LCO
3.0.9 must, as applicable, operate in accordance with the following
stipulations:
1. The licensee must commit to the guidance of NUMARC 93-01,
Section 11 (Reference 6) and to NEI 04-08 (Reference 2).
2. Licensee procedures must be revised to ensure that the risk
assessment and management process described in NEI 04-08 is used
whenever a barrier is considered unavailable and the requirements of
LCO 3.0.9 are to be applied. This must be done in accordance with an
overall CRMP to ensure that potentially risk-significant configurations
resulting from maintenance and other operational activities are
identified and avoided.
4.0 State Consultation
In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the [] State
official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The
State official had [(1) no comments or (2) the following comments--with
subsequent disposition by the staff].
5.0 Environmental Consideration
The amendments change a requirement with respect to the
installation or use of a facility component located within the
restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and change surveillance
requirements. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve
no significant increase in the amounts and no significant change in the
types of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is
no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational
radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed
finding that the amendments involve no-significant-hazards
considerations, and there has been no public comment on the finding [FR
]. Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for
categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9) [and (c)(10)].
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or
environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the
issuance of the amendments.
6.0 Conclusion
The Commission has concluded, on the basis of the considerations
discussed above, that (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health
and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the
proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance
with the Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the
amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or
to the health and safety of the public.
7.0 References
1. TSTF-427, Revision 1, ``Allowance for Non Technical
Specification Barrier Degradation on Supported System OPERABILITY,''
February 3, 2006.
2. NEI 04-08, ``Allowance for Non Technical Specification
Barrier Degradation on Supported System OPERABILITY (TSTF-427)
Industry Implementation Guidance'', March 2006.
3. Regulatory Guide 1.174, ``An Approach for Using Probabilistic
Risk Assessment in Risk-Informed Decisions on Plant-Specific Changes
to the Licensing Basis,'' USNRC, August 1998.
4. Regulatory Guide 1.177, ``An Approach for Plant-Specific,
Risk-Informed Decisionmaking: Technical Specifications,'' USNRC,
August 1998.
5. ``Rates of Initiating Events at U.S. Nuclear Power Plants,''
NUREG/CR-5750, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental
Laboratory, February 1999.
6. Nuclear Energy Institute, ``Industry Guideline for Monitoring
the Effectiveness of Maintenance at Nuclear Power Plants'', NUMARC
93-01, Revision 2, Section 11.
7. ``Assessing and Managing Risk Before Maintenance Activities
at Nuclear Power Plants'', Regulatory Guide 1.182.
Proposed No-Significant-Hazards-Consideration Determination
Description of Amendment Request: A change is proposed to the
standard technical specifications (STS)(NUREGs 1430 through 1434) and
plant specific technical specifications (TS), to allow a delay time for
entering a supported system technical specification (TS) when the
inoperability is due solely to an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk
is assessed and managed consistent with the program in place for
complying with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.65(a)(4). LCO 3.0.9 will
be added to individual TS providing this allowance.
Basis for proposed no significant hazards consideration
determination: As required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), an analysis of the issue
of no significant hazards consideration is presented below:
[[Page 32152]]
Criterion 1--The Proposed Change Does Not Involve a Significant
Increase in the Probability of Consequences of an Accident Previously
Evaluated
The proposed change allows a delay time for entering a supported
system technical specification (TS) when the inoperability is due
solely to an unavailable hazard barrier if risk is assessed and
managed. The postulated initiating events which may require a
functional barrier are limited to those with low frequencies of
occurrence, and the overall TS system safety function would still be
available for the majority of anticipated challenges. Therefore, the
probability of an accident previously evaluated is not significantly
increased, if at all. The consequences of an accident while relying on
the allowance provided by proposed LCO 3.0.9 are no different than the
consequences of an accident while relying on the TS required actions in
effect without the allowance provided by proposed LCO 3.0.9. Therefore,
the consequences of an accident previously evaluated are not
significantly affected by this change. The addition of a requirement to
assess and manage the risk introduced by this change will further
minimize possible concerns. Therefore, this change does not involve a
significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident
previously evaluated.
Criterion 2--The Proposed Change Does Not Create the Possibility of a
New or Different Kind of Accident From Any Previously Evaluated
The proposed change does not involve a physical alteration of the
plant (no new or different type of equipment will be installed).
Allowing delay times for entering supported system TS when
inoperability is due solely to an unavailable hazard barrier, if risk
is assessed and managed, will not introduce new failure modes or
effects and will not, in the absence of other unrelated failures, lead
to an accident whose consequences exceed the consequences of accidents
previously evaluated. The addition of a requirement to assess and
manage the risk introduced by this change will further minimize
possible concerns. Thus, this change does not create the possibility of
a new or different kind of accident from an accident previously
evaluated.
Criterion 3--The Proposed Change Does Not Involve a Significant
Reduction in the Margin of Safety
The proposed change allows a delay time for entering a supported
system TS when the inoperability is due solely to an unavailable hazard
barrier, if risk is assessed and managed. The postulated initiating
events which may require a functional barrier are limited to those with
low frequencies of occurrence, and the overall TS system safety
function would still be available for the majority of anticipated
challenges. The risk impact of the proposed TS changes was assessed
following the three-tiered approach recommended in RG 1.177. A bounding
risk assessment was performed to justify the proposed TS changes. This
application of LCO 3.0.9 is predicated upon the licensee's performance
of a risk assessment and the management of plant risk. The net change
to the margin of safety is insignificant. Therefore, this change does
not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
Based upon the reasoning presented above and the previous
discussion of the amendment request, the requested change does not
involve a no-significant-hazards consideration. Dated at Rockville,
Maryland, this 26 day of May 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Timothy J. Kobetz,
Branch Chief, Technical Specifications Branch, Division of Inspection
and Regional Support, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
For Inclusion on the Technical Specifications Web Page
The following example of an application was prepared by the NRC
staff to facilitate use of the consolidated line item improvement
process (CLIIP). The model provides the expected level of detail and
content for an application to revise technical specifications regarding
the addition of LCO 3.0.9 on the unavailability of barriers using
CLIIP. Licensees remain responsible for ensuring that their actual
application fulfills their administrative requirements as well as
nuclear regulatory commission regulations.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Document Control Desk,
Washington, DC 20555
SUBJECT: PLANT NAME
DOCKET NO. 50--APPLICATION FOR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE TO
ADD LCO 3.0.9 ON THE UNAVAILABILITY OF BARRIERS USING THE
CONSOLIDATED LINE ITEM IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
Gentlemen:
In accordance with the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) 50.90, [LICENSEE] is submitting a request
for an amendment to the technical specifications (TS) for [PLANT
NAME, UNIT NOS.].
The proposed amendment would modify TS requirements for
unavailable barriers by adding LCO 3.0.9.
Enclosure 1 provides a description of the proposed change, the
requested confirmation of applicability, and plant-specific
verifications. Enclosure 2 provides the existing TS pages marked up
to show the proposed change. Enclosure 3 provides revised (clean) TS
pages. Enclosure 4 provides a summary of the regulatory commitments
made in this submittal.
[LICENSEE] requests approval of the proposed License Amendment
by [DATE], with the amendment being implemented [BY DATE OR WITHIN X
DAYS].
In accordance with 10 CFR 50.91, a copy of this application,
with attachments, is being provided to the designated [STATE]
Official.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United
States of America that I am authorized by [LICENSEE] to make this
request and that the foregoing is true and correct. (Note that
request may be notarized in lieu of using this oath or affirmation
statement).
If you should have any questions regarding this submittal,
please contact [NAME, TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Sincerely,
[Name, Title]
Enclosures:
1. Description and Assessment
2. Proposed Technical Specification Changes
3. Revised Technical Specification Pages
4. Regulatory Commitments
5. Proposed Technical Specification Bases Changes.
cc: NRC Project Manager
NRC Regional Office
NRC Resident Inspector
State Contact
Enclosure 1--Description and Assessment
1.0 Description
The proposed amendment would modify technical specifications (TS)
requirements for unavailable barriers by adding LCO 3.0.9.
The changes are consistent with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
approved Industry/Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) STS change
TSTF-427 Revision 1. The availability of this TS improvement was
published in the Federal Register on [DATE] as part of the consolidated
line item improvement process (CLIIP).
2.0 Assessment
2.1 Applicability of Published Safety Evaluation
[LICENSEE] has reviewed the safety evaluation dated [DATE] as part
of the CLIIP. This review included a review of the NRC staff's
evaluation, as well as the supporting information provided to support
TSTF-427. [LICENSEE] has concluded that the justifications presented in
the TSTF proposal and the safety evaluation prepared by the NRC staff
are applicable to [PLANT, UNIT NOS.] and justify this amendment for
[[Page 32153]]
the incorporation of the changes to the [PLANT] TS.
2.2 Optional Changes and Variations
[LICENSEE] is not proposing any variations or deviations from the
TS changes described in the TSTF-427 Revision 1 or the NRC staff's
model safety evaluation dated [DATE].
3.0 Regulatory Analysis
3.1 No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination
[LICENSEE] has reviewed the proposed no significant hazards
consideration determination (NSHCD) published in the Federal Register
as part of the CLIIP. [LICENSEE] has concluded that the proposed NSHCD
presented in the Federal Register notice is applicable to [PLANT] and
is hereby incorporated by reference to satisfy the requirements of 10
CFR 50.91(a).
3.2 Verification and Commitments
As discussed in the notice of availability published in the Federal
Register on [DATE] for this TS improvement, plant-specific
verifications were performed as follows:
1. [LICENSEE] commits to the guidance of NUMARC 93-01 Section 11,
which provides guidance and details on the assessment and management of
risk during maintenance.
2. [LICENSEE] will revise procedures to ensure that the risk
assessment and management process described in NEI 04-08 is used
whenever a barrier is considered unavailable and the requirement of LCO
3.0.9 are to be applied, in accordance with an overall CRMP to ensure
that potentially risk-significant configurations resulting from
maintenance and other operational activities are identified and
avoided.
4.0 Environmental Evaluation
[LICENSEE] has reviewed the environmental evaluation included in
the model safety evaluation dated [DATE] as part of the CLIIP.
[LICENSEE] has concluded that the staff's findings presented in that
evaluation are applicable to [PLANT] and the evaluation is hereby
incorporated by reference for this application.
Enclosure 2--Proposed Technical Specification Changes (Mark-Up)
Enclosure 3--Proposed Technical Specification Pages
Enclosure 4--List of Regulatory Commitments
The following table identifies those actions committed to by
[LICENSEE] in this document. Any other statements in this submittal are
provided for information purposes and are not considered to be
regulatory commitments. Please direct questions regarding these
commitments to [CONTACT NAME].
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regulatory commitments Due date/event
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[LICENSEE] commits to the guidance of [Ongoing or implement with
NUMARC 93-01, Revision 2, Section 11, amendment].
which provides guidance and details on
the assessment and management of risk
during maintenance.
[LICENSEE] commits to the guidance of NEI [Implement with amendment,
04-08, ``Allowance for Non Technical when barrier(s) are
Specification Barrier Degradation on unavailable].
Supported System OPERABILITY (TSTF-427)
Industry Implementation Guidance,'' March
2006.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enclosure 5--Proposed Changes to Technical Specification Bases Pages
[FR Doc. 06-5044 Filed 6-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M