NUREG-0737 Technical Specifications (Generic Letter No. 82-16)
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
September 20, 1982
TO ALL PRESSURIZED POWER REACTOR LICENSEES
Gentlemen:
SUBJECT: NUREG-0737 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (GENERIC LETTER NO. 82-16)
NUREG-0737 "Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements" identifies those
items for which Technical Specifications are required. Technical
Specifications are required to provide necessary assurance that facility
operation is maintained within the limits determined acceptable following
implementation at each facility. The scope and type of specification should
include appropriate actions if a limiting condition for operation cannot be
met, and for installed equipment, relevant surveillance requirements.
A number of NUREG-0737 items which require Technical Specifications were
scheduled for implementation by December 31, 1981. Each of those items is
discussed in Enclosure 1. Included in the discussion is guidance on the
scope of a specification which the staff would find acceptable. Enclosure 2
are samples in Standard Technical Specification format with blanks or
parentheses appearing where the information is plant specific. It includes
appropriate pages as background information for facilities that do not have
Standard Technical Specifications. These samples are for your information
only.
We solicited comments on proposed Technical Specifications from all
pressurized water reactor owners groups and Atomic Industrial Forum.
Appropriate comments have been incorporated. We request that you review your
facility's Technical Specifications to determine if they are consistent with
the guidance provided in Enclosure 1. For those items where you identify
deviations or absence of a specification, we request that you submit an
application for a license amendment. If some of the items are not yet
implemented at your facility, you should submit an amendment request at the
time they are implemented. Please respond within 90 days of receipt of this
letter.
This request for information was approved by the Office of Management and
Budget under clearance number 3150-0065 which expires May 31, 1983. Comments
on burden and duplication may be directed to the Office of Management and
Budget, Reports Management Room 3208, New Executive Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20503.
Sincerely,
Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director
Division of Licensing
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
8209210027
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Multiple Addressees - 2 -
Enclosures:
1. Technical Specification
Guidance
2. Sample Technical Specification
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ENCLOSURE 1
STAFF GUIDANCE OF NUREG-0737 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
(ITEMS SCHEDULED BY DECEMBER 31, 1981)
(1) A Training (I.A.1.1.3)
Our July 2, 1980 letter provided model TSs for TMI lessons learned
Category "A" items. Included were TSs that specified the
qualifications, training and on-duty requirements for the Shift
Technical Advisors (STA). STA training requirements are under the
consideration by the Commission. Further guidance will be provided
pending the decision on the requirements by the Commission.
(2) Limit Overtime (I.A.1.3)
On June 15, 1982 we transmitted to licensees of operating plants a
revised version of the Commission's Policy Statement on nuclear power
plant staff working hours. In the same letter we also transmitted
revised pages of NUREG-0737 (Item I.A.1.3). The administrative section
of the technical specifications should be revised to require procedures
that follow the policy statement guidelines. An acceptable
specification would be the amount of overtime worked by plant staff
members performing safety-related functions must be limited in
accordance with the NRC Policy Statement on working hours (Generic
Letter No. 82-12)," or following the model TSs in Enclosure 2.
(3) Short Term Auxiliary Feedwater System Evaluation (II.E.1.1)
The objective of this item is to improve the reliability and
performance of the auxiliary feedwater (AFW) system. TSs depend on the
results of the licensee's evaluation and the staff review, and are
being developed separately for each plant. The limiting conditions of
operation (LCO's) and surveillance requirements for the AFW system
should be similar to other safety-related systems.
(4) Safety grade AFW System Initiation and Flow Indication (II.E.1.2)
The AFW system automatic initiation system was to have been control
grade by June 1, 1980 and safety grade by July 1, 1981; the AFW system
flow indication was to have been control grade by January 1, 1980 and
safety grade by July 1, 1981. The control grade requirement was part of
the short tem lessons learned activities, and model TSs were included
with our July 2, 1980 letter. These TSs are considered adequate as TSs
for the safety grade requirement.
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(5) Dedicated Hydrogen Penetrations (II.E.4.1)
Plants that use external recombiners or purge systems for post-accident
combustible gas control of the Containment atmosphere should provide
containment penetrations dedicated to that service. In satisfying this
item, some plants may have to add some additional piping and valves. If
so, these valves should be subjected to the requirements of Appendix J,
and the TSs should be modified accordingly.
(6) Containment Pressure Setpoint (II.E.4.2.5)
The containment pressure setpoint that initiates containment isolation
must be reduced to the minimum compatible with normal operating
conditions. Most plants provided justification for not changing their
setpoint and we approved their justification by separate
correspondence. The remaining plants must submit a change to the TSs
with the lower containment pressure setpoint and provide justification
if this setpoint is more than 1 psi above maximum expected containment
pressure during normal operation.
(7) Containment Purge Valve (II.E.4.2.6)
Model TSs are being sent separately to each plant as part of the
overall containment purge review. These TSs include the requirement
that the containment purge valves be locked closed except for
safety-related activities, verified closed at least every 31 days, and
be subjected to leakage rate limits.
(8) Radiation Signal on Purge Valves (II.E.4.2.7)
The containment purge valves must close promptly to reduce the amount
of radiation released outside containment following a release of
radioactive materials to containment. TSs should include the
requirement that at least one radiation monitor that automatically
closes the purge valves upon sensing high radiation in the containment
atmosphere be operable at all times except cold shutdowns and refueling
outages. If not operable, either the plant should being proceeding to
cold shutdown within 24 hours or the purge valves should be closed
within 24 hours. Model TSs are provided in Enclosure 2 in Standard
Technical Specifications format for those plants that are using
safety-grade components to satisfy the requirement.
(9) Upgrade B&W AFW System (II.K.2.8)
Acceptance criteria for proposed TSs are identical to that described in
(2) and (3) above.
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(11) B&W Thermal-Mechanical Report (II.K.2.13)
Licensees of B&W operating reactors are required to submit by January
1, 1981 an analysis of the thermal-mechanic conditions in the reactor
vessel during recovery from small breaks with an extended loss of all
feedwater. TSs, if required, will be determined following staff review.
(12) Reporting SV and RV Failures and Challenges (II.K.3.3)
NUREG-0660 stated that safety and relief valve failures be reported
promptly and challenges be reported annually. The sections of your TSs
that discuss reporting requirements should be accordingly changed;
model TSs are given in Enclosure 2. Note that an acceptable alternative
would be to report challenges monthly.
(13) Anticipatory Trip on Turbine Trip (II.K.3.12)
Licensees with Westinghouse-designed operating plants have confirmed
that their plants have an anticipatory reactor trip upon turbine trip.
Many of these plants already have this trip in their TSs. For those
that do not, the anticipatory trip should be added to the TSs. Model
TSs are included in Enclosure 2 in the format of Standard Technical
Specifications.
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021