LCO Applicability

Question 1

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.1?

Answer 1

LCO 3.0.1:
LCOs shall be met during the MODES or other specified conditions in the Applicability, except as provided in LCO 3.0.2, LCO 3.0.7, and LCO 3.0.8

Question 2

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.2?

Answer 2

LCO 3.0.2:
Upon discovery of a failure to meet and LCO, the Required Actions of the associated Conditions shall be met, except as provided in LCO 3.0.5 and LCO 3.0.6.

If the LCO is met or is no longer applicable prior to expiration of the specified Completion Time(s), completion of the Required Action(s) is not required, unless otherwise stated.

Question 3

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.3?

Answer 3

LCO 3.0.3
When an LCO is not met and the associated ACTIONS are not met, an associated ACTION is not provided, or if directed by the associated ACTIONS, the unit shall be placed in a MODE or other specified condition in which the LCO is not applicable. Action shall be initiated within 1 hour to place the unit, as applicable, in:
a.  MODE 2 within 7 hours;
b.  MODE 3 within 13 hours;
c.  MODE 4 within 37 hours.

Exceptions to this Specification are stated in the individual Specifications.

Where corrective measures are completed that permit operation in accordance with the LCO or ACTIONS, completion of the actions required by LCO 3.0.3 is not required.

LCO 3.0.3 is only applicable in MODES 1, 2, and 3.

Question 4

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.4?

Answer 4

LCO 3.0.4:
When an LCO is not met, entry into a MODE or other specified condition in the Applicability shall only be made:
a. When the associated ACTIONS to be entered permit continued operation in the MODE or other specified condition in the Applicability for an unlimited period of time;

b. After performance of a risk assessment addressing inoperable systems and components, consideration of the results, determination of the acceptability of entering the MODE or other specified condition in the Applicability, and establishment of risk management actions, if appropriate; exceptions to this Specification are stated in the individual Specifications, or
c. When an allowance is stated in the individual value, parameter, or other Specification.

This Specification shall not prevent changes in MODES or other specified conditions in the Applicability that are required to comply with ACTIONS, or that are part of a shutdown of the unit.

Question 5

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.5?

Answer 5

LCO 3.0.5:
Equipment removed from service or declared inoperable to comply with ACTIONS may be returned to service under administrative control solely to perform testing required to demonstrate it’s OPERABILITY or the OPERABILITY of other equipment. This is an exception to LCO 3.0.2 for the system returned to service under administrative control to perform the testing required to demonstrate OPERABILITY.

Question 6

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.6?

Answer 6

LCO 3.0.6:
When a supported system LCO is not met solely due to a support system LCO not being met, the Conditions and Required Actions associated with this supported system are not required to be entered. Only the support system LCO ACTIONS are required to be entered. This is an exception to LCO 3.0.2 for the supported system. In this event, an evaluation shall be performed in accordance with Specification 5.5.10, “Safety Function Determination Program (SFDP).” If a loss of safety function is determined to exist by this program, the appropriate Conditions and Required Actions of the LCO in which the loss of safety function exists are required to be entered.

When a support system’s Required Action directs a supported system to be declared inoperable or directs entry into Conditions and Required Actions for a supported system, the applicable Conditions and Required Actions shall be entered in accordance with LCO 3.0.2.

Question 7

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.7?

Answer 7

Special Operations LCOs in Section 3.10 allow specified Technical Specifications (TS) requirements to be changed to permit performance of special tests and operations. Unless otherwise specified, all other TS requirements remain unchanged. Compliance with Special Operations LCOs is optional. When a Special Operations LCO is desired to be met but is not met, the ACTIONS of the Special Operations LCO shall be met. When a Special Operations LCO is not desired to be met, entry into a MODE of other specified condition in the Applicability shall only be made in accordance with the other applicable Specifications.

Question 8

What are the requirements of LCO 3.0.8?

Answer 8

When one or more required snubbers are unable to perform their associated support function(s), any affected supported LCO(s) are not required to be declared not met solely fro this reason if risk assessed and managed, and:
a. The snubbers not able to perform their associated support function(s) are associated with only one division or subsystem of a multiple division or subsystem supported system or are associated with a single division supported system and are able to perform their associated support function within 72 hours; or

b. The snubbers not able to perform their associated support function(s) are associated with more than one division or subsystem of a multiple division or subsystem supported system and are able to perform their associated support function within 12 hours.

At the end of the specified period the required snubbers must be able to perform their associated support function(s), or the affected supported system LCO(s) shall be declared not met.