Georgia Power Company, et al.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Opportunity for a Hearing

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425]

Georgia Power Company, et al.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant,

Units 1 and 2; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendments to

Facility Operating Licenses and Opportunity for a Hearing

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is

considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos.

NPF-68 and NPF-84, issued to the Georgia Power Company, et al. (the

licensee), for operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP,

Vogtle), Units 1 and 2, located at the licensee's site in Burke County,

Georgia.

The proposed amendments, requested by the licensee in a letter

dated May 1, 1995, would represent a full conversion from the current

Technical Specifications (TS) to a set of TS based on NUREG-1431,

``Standard Technical Specifications, Westinghouse Plants,'' Revision 1,

dated April, 1995. NUREG-1431 was developed through working groups

composed of NRC staff members and industry representatives and has been

endorsed by the staff as part of an industry-wide initiative to

standardize and improve the TS. As part of this submittal, the licensee

has applied the criteria contained in the Commission's Final Policy

Statement on Technical Specification Improvements for Nuclear Power

Reactors of July 22, 1993, to the current Vogtle TS, and, using NUREG-

1431 as a basis, developed a proposed set of improved TS for Vogtle.

The criteria in the Final Policy Statement were subsequently added to

10 CFR 50.36, ``Technical Specifications,'' in a rule change which

became effective on August 18, 1995 (60 FR 36953).

The licensee has categorized the proposed changes to the existing

TS into four general groupings. These groupings are characterized as

administrative changes, relocated changes, more restrictive changes,

and less restrictive changes.

Non-technical, administrative changes were intended to incorporate

human-factors principles into the form and structure of the improved

plant TS so that they would be easier to use for plant operations

personnel. Administrative changes are editorial in nature or involve

the reorganization or reformatting of requirements without affecting

technical content or operational requirements. The proposed changes

include: (a) Providing the appropriate numbers, etc., for NUREG-1431

bracketed information (information which must be supplied on a plant-

specific basis, and which may change from plant to plant), (b)

identifying plant-specific wording for system names, etc., and (c)

changing NUREG-1431 section wording to conform to existing licensee

practices.

Relocated changes, those current TS requirements which do not

satisfy or fall within any of the four criteria specified in the

Commission's policy statement, may be relocated to appropriate

licensee-controlled documents. The licensee's application states that

such requirements will be relocated from the TS to administratively

controlled documents such as the Final Safety Evalution Report. Changes

made to these documents will be made pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 or other

appropriate control mechanisms. These changes reduce the number of

current TS requirements but the actual commitment to continue to

perform the requirement will be unchanged upon implementation of the

improved TS.

The licensee's proposed improved TS include certain more

restrictive requirements than are contained in the current TS, which

are either more conservative than corresponding requirements in the

current TS, or are additional restrictions that are contained in NUREG-

1431 but are not contained in the current TS. Examples

[[Page 46634]]

of more restrictive requirements include: placing a limiting condition

for operation (LCO) on plant equipment that is not required by the

present TS to be operable; more restrictive requirements to restore

inoperable equipment; and more restrictive surveillance requirements.

Less restrictive changes are those where current requirements are

relaxed or eliminated, or new flexibility is provided. The more

significant ``less restrictive'' requirements are justified on a case-

by-case basis. When requirements have been shown to provide little or

no safety benefit, their removal from the TS may be appropriate. In

most cases, relaxations previously granted to individual plants on a

plant-specific basis were the result of (a) generic NRC actions, (b)

new NRC staff positions that have evolved from technological

advancements and operating experience, or (c) resolution of the Owners

Groups' comments on the improved Standard Technical Specifications.

Generic relaxations contained in NUREG-1431 were reviewed by the staff

and found to be acceptable because they are consistent with current

licensing practices and NRC regulations. The licensee's design was

reviewed to determine if the specific design basis and licensing basis

are consistent with the technical basis for the model requirements in

NUREG-1431 and thus provides a basis for these revised TS.

These administrative, relocated, more restrictive and less

restrictive changes to the requirements of the current TS do not result

in operations that will alter assumptions relative to mitigation of an

analyzed accident or transient event.

In addition to the changes described above, the licensee proposed

certain changes to the current TS that are both less restrictive and

are not within the scope of application for conversion to the guidance

of NUREG-1431. All of the differences will be reviewed by the NRC staff

and a determination will be made regarding the approval or disapproval

of each item as a part of this licensing action. Specifically, the

licensee identified the following instances where their submittal

varied from the provisions of NUREG-1431.

Shutdown margin requirements for Mode 2 with Keff avg function are increased from

monthly to quarterly.

For the RCS, the surveillance interval for the pressurizer heater

capacity is revised from 92 days to 18 months. Also, the completion

time for depressurizing the RCS in the event of an inoperable cold

overpressure protection system is revised from 8 hours to 12 hours, and

the requirements for performing RCS water inventory balances are

revised. The lift setpoints for the residual heat removal suction

relief valves, the RCS vent capacity for cold overpressure protection,

and the pressurizer safety valve lift settings are moved to the Bases

of the improved TS.

For the Emergency Core Cooling System, the requirements for seal

water injection flow is revised to locate the limits for seal injection

flow to the Bases. Also, the Mode 4 requirements are revised.

For containment systems, the current allowed outage time for the

containment spray and cooling systems is revised from 72 hours to 14

days, and the air lock door interlock mechanism surveillance frequency

is revised from the current frequency of 6 months to 18 months. An

allowance to open the 14-inch purge valves for maintenance testing is

added.

For other plant systems, the Condensate Storage Tank LCO is revised

consistent with a planned design modification that will result in two

100% capacity tanks. The surveillance requirement to operate the Piping

Penetration Area Filtration and Exhaust System (PPAFES) monthly for

10 continuous hours is revised to operate for 15

minutes and the heater capacity verification is deleted. The Completion

Time to reduce the Power Range Neutron Flux High Trip setpoints is

increased from 4 hours to 12 hours. The currently licensed footnote in

the Control Room Emergency Filtration System (CREFS) LCO that requires

Train B CREFS to be started whenever a CREFS train must be placed in

service to comply with Actions is deleted. A Note is added to the

current LCO for the engineered safety feature room coolers and the

safety-related chiller system providing an exception to the LCO for

surveillance testing.

For electrical systems, several revisions to the LCO for AC

Sources--Operating were proposed to support the addition of a new

Standby Auxiliary Transformer as a Unit 1 and Unit 2 common offsite

circuit. Also, the diesel generator accelerated test frequency

requirements in the AC Sources--Operating LCO are relocated outside of

the TS.

Regarding administrative controls, the Ventilation Filter Testing

Program is revised consistent with the proposed change in the Plant

Systems Chapter for the deletion of the heater capacity test for the

PPAFES. The reference to the ASTM standard in Paragraph 5.5.13.c is

deleted.

Before issuance of the proposed license amendments, the Commission

will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as

amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations.

By October 10, 1995, the licensee may file a request for a hearing

with respect to issuance of the amendments to the subject facility

operating licenses and any person whose interest may be affected by

this proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the

proceeding must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for

leave to intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to

intervene shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of

Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR Part 2.

Interested persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which

is available at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman

Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public

document room located at the Burke County Library, 412 Fourth Street,

Waynesboro, Georgia. If a request for a hearing or petition for leave

to intervene is filed by the above date, the Commission or an Atomic

Safety and Licensing Board, designated by the Commission or by the

Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

[[Page 46635]]

Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or

the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will issue a notice of

hearing or an appropriate order.

As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene

shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in

the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of

the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons

why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the

following factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the

Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of

the petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the

proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order which may be

entered in the proceeding on the petitioner's interest. The petition

should also identify the specific aspect(s) of the subject matter of

the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes to intervene. Any person

who has filed a petition for leave to intervene or who has been

admitted as a party may amend the petition without requesting leave of

the Board up to 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference

scheduled in the proceeding, but such an amended petition must satisfy

the specificity requirements described above.

Not later than 15 days prior to the first prehearing conference

scheduled in the proceeding, a petitioner shall file a supplement to

the petition to intervene which must include a list of the contentions

which are sought to be litigated in the matter. Each contention must

consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be

raised or controverted. In addition, the petitioner shall provide a

brief explanation of the bases of the contention and a concise

statement of the alleged facts or expert opinion which support the

contention and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the

contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references

to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is

aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those

facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information

to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material

issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within

the scope of the amendment under consideration. The contention must be

one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A

petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these

requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be

permitted to participate as a party.

Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding,

subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene,

and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the

hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-

examine witnesses.

A request for a hearing or a petition for leave to intervene must

be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and Services

Branch, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public Document Room,

the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, by the above

date. Where petitions are filed during the last 10 days of the notice

period, it is requested that the petitioner promptly so inform the

Commission by a toll-free telephone call to Western Union at 1-(800)

248-5100 (in Missouri 1-(800) 342-6700). The Western Union operator

should be given Datagram Identification Number N1023 and the following

message addressed to Herbert N. Berkow, Director, Project Directorate

II-2: petitioner's name and telephone number; date petition was mailed;

plant name; and publication date and page number of this Federal

Register notice. A copy of the petition should also be sent to the

Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555, and to Ernest L. Blake, Jr., Esquire, Shaw,

Pittman, Potts, and Trowbridge, 2300 N Street, NW., Washington, DC

20037, attorney for the licensee.

Nontimely filings of petitions for leave to intervene, amended

petitions, supplemental petitions and/or requests for hearing will not

be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the presiding

officer or the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that the

petition and/or request should be granted based upon a balancing of the

factors specified in 10 CFR 2.714(a)(1) (i)-(v) and 2.714(d).

If a request for a hearing is received, the Commission's staff may

issue the amendments after it completes its technical review and prior

to the completion of any required hearing if it publishes a further

notice for public comment of its proposed finding of no significant

hazards consideration in accordance with 10 CFR 50.91 and 50.92.

For further details with respect to this action, see the

application for amendments dated May 1, 1995, which is available for

public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman

Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public

document room located at the Burke County Library, 412 Fourth Street,

Waynesboro, Georgia.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 31st day of August 1995.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

L. A. Wiens,

Acting Director, Project Directorate II-2, Division of Reactor

Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 95-22185 Filed 9-6-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590-01-P