[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 77 (Friday, April 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19969-19971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9894]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-309]
Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company; Notice of Consideration of
Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed No
Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity For a
Hearing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No.
DPR-36 issued to Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (the licensee) for
operation of the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station located in Lincoln
County, Maine.
The proposed amendment would revise the Technical Specifications to
allow the use of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation sleeving process
for repairing steam generator tubes.
Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act) and the Commission's regulations. [[Page 19970]]
The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment
request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the
Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 50.92, this means that operation of
the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not: (1)
Involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an
accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new
or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated;
or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As
required by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of
the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The NRC staff has
reviewed the licensee's analysis against the standards of 10 CFR
50.92(c). The staff's review is presented below:
1. The proposed amendment would not involve a significant increase
in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
With the sleeve dimensions, materials, and connecting joints to the
existing tube designed to the applicable ASME Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code, the proposed sleeving repair acts as an in-kind
substitution for the original steam generator tubing. The applicable
design criteria for the sleeves conform to the stress limits and
margins of Section III of the ASME Code. Safety factors of 3 for normal
operation and 1.5 for accident conditions were applied to the design.
Mechanical testing using the ASME Code stress allowables has been
performed in support of the design. Based on the results of vendor
analytical and test programs, the sleeves fulfill their intended
function as leak tight structural members and meet or exceed all design
criteria.
Evaluation of the proposed sleeved tubes indicates no detrimental
effects on the sleeve or sleeve-tube assembly from reactor system flow,
thermal conditions or transients, or pressure conditions or transients
as may be experienced at the Maine Yankee plant. Field experience and
corrosion testing of sleeve-tube assemblies indicate acceptable primary
and secondary corrosion performance of the sleeve and parent tube under
anticipated service conditions. Installation of the proposed sleeves
(joined at the top by laser welding, and at the bottom by mechanical
means) is controlled via the sleeving vendor's proprietary process and
equipment. This process has been in use since 1989 for the installation
of approximately 12,000 laser welded sleeves. The Maine Yankee steam
generator design was reviewed and found to be compatible with the
installation process and equipment. Installation of the proposed
sleeves will have no significant effect on either plant configuration
or operation.
The licensee therefore concludes that implementation of the
proposed change will not involve a significant increase in the
probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
2. The proposed amendment would not create the possibility of a new
or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated.
As discussed above, the structural integrity, thermal characteristics,
and material properties of the proposed sleeves are consistent with
Maine Yankee's steam generators. Therefore, the functions of the steam
generators will not be significantly affected by installation of the
proposed sleeves. In addition, the proposed sleeves do not interact
with any other plant systems. Finally, the continued integrity of
installed sleeves is periodically verified by steam generator
inspections required by plant Technical Specifications. The licensee
therefore concludes that implementation of the proposed change will not
create a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously
evaluated.
3. The proposed amendment would not involve a significant reduction
in a margin of safety.
Repair of degraded steam generator tubes via the use of the
proposed sleeves has been confirmed to restore the structural integrity
of faulted tubes under normal operating and postulated accident
conditions. The design safety factors used for the sleeves are
consistent with ASME Code safety factors required in the design of
Maine Yankee's steam generators. The repair limit for the proposed
sleeves is consistent with that established for Maine Yankee's steam
generators. The design of the sleeve-to-tube joint has been verified by
testing to preclude significant leakage during normal and postulated
accident conditions. Use of the previously identified design safety
factors and design verification testing assures that margin to safety
with respect to installation of the proposed sleeves is not
significantly different from the original steam generator tubes.
The licensee therefore concludes that implementation of the
proposed change would not involve a significant reduction in a margin
of safety.
The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on
this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed
determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final
determination.
Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the
expiration of the 30-day notice period. However, should circumstances
change during the notice period such that failure to act in a timely
way would result, for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility,
the Commission may issue the license amendment before the expiration of
the 30-day notice period, provided that its final determination is that
the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. The final
determination will consider all public and State comments received.
Should the Commission take this action, it will publish in the Federal
Register a notice of issuance and provide for opportunity for a hearing
after issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this
action will occur very infrequently.
Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Rules Review and
Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and Publications
Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555, and should cite the publication date and page
number of this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be
delivered to Room 6D22, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays.
Copies of written comments received may be examined at the NRC Public
Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
The filing of requests for hearing and petitions for leave to
intervene is discussed below.
By May 22, 1995, the licensee may file a request for a hearing with
respect to issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating
license and any person whose interest may be affected by this
proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding
must file a written request for a hearing and a petition for leave to
intervene. Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene
shall be filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of Practice
for Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR Part 2. Interested
persons should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.714 which is
available at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman
[[Page 19971]] Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the
local public document room located at the Wiscasset Public Library,
High Street, P.O. Box 367, Wiscasset, ME 04578. If a request for a
hearing or petition for leave to intervene is filed by the above date,
the Commission or an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, designated by
the Commission or by the Chairman of the Atomic Safety and Licensing
Board Panel, will rule on the request and/or petition; and the
Secretary or the designated Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will
issue a notice of hearing or an appropriate order.
As required by 10 CFR 2.714, a petition for leave to intervene
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in
the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of
the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the
following factors: (1) The nature of the petitioner's right under the
Act to be made 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 and on which the petitioner intends to rely in proving the
contention at the hearing. The petitioner must also provide references
to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish those
facts or expert opinion. Petitioner must provide sufficient information
to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material
issue of law or fact. Contentions shall be limited to matters within
the scope of the amendment under consideration. The contention must be
one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A
petitioner who fails to file such a supplement which satisfies these
requirements with respect to at least one contention will not be
permitted to participate as a party.
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding,
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene,
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the
hearing, including the opportunity to present evidence and cross-
examine witnesses.
If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The
final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves
no significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the
amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the
request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance
of the amendment.
If the final determination is that the amendment request involves a
significant hazards consideration, any hearing held would take place
before the issuance of any amendment.
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 Phillip F. McKee: 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 Mary Ann Lynch,
Esquire, Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company, 329 Bath Road, Brunswick,
ME 04011, 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).
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application for amendment dated April 14, 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 Wiscasset Public Library, High Street,
P.O. Box 367, Wiscasset, ME 04578.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of April 1995.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Edouard H. Trottier,
Project Manager, Project Directorate I-3, Division of Reactor
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-9894 Filed 4-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
