ML022250006
| ML022250006 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Boiling Water Reactor Owners Group |
| Issue date: | 08/26/2002 |
| From: | Wang A NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4 |
| To: | Ruland W NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4 |
| Wang A, NRR/DLPM, 415-1445 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML022250006 (6) | |
Text
August 26, 2002 MEMORANDUM TO: William Ruland, Director Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:
Alan Wang, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management
/RA/
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MEETING HELD ON JULY 25, 2002, WITH THE BOILING WATER REACTOR OWNERS GROUP EXECUTIVES On July 25, 2002, the NRC staff held a public meeting with the Boiling Water Reactor Owners Group (BWROG) at the NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange information and to provide a forum for discussion of topics related to NRC and BWROG activities. Attachment 1 lists the meeting participants. The meeting slides are available in ADAMS under the accession number ML022070320.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Brian Sheron (Associate Director for Project Licensing and Technical Analysis) discussed the status of several Commission activities of interest to the BWROG. He noted that these meetings in the past have been useful for the prioritizing of staff resources. Mr. Lewis Sumner (Chairman of the Executive Committee for the BWROG) thanked the staff for the opportunity for the BWROG to discuss some of the more pertinent issues concerning BWRs.
There were no outstanding action items from previous meetings.
The BWROG representatives and the NRC staff provided presentations in the following areas:
Security and Severe Accident Management Guidelines
Reactor Stability
Risk-Informed 10 CFR Part 50 - Option 2
Risk-Informed 10 CFR Part 50 - Option 3
Appendix R Resolution
Risk-Informed Technical Specifications
Pipe Ruptures from Hydrogen Detonation
Combustible Gas Control Systems/10 CFR 50.44 Rulemaking
W. Ruland Security and Severe Accident Management Guidelines The BWROG again expressed support of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and NRC efforts relating to reevaluation of security measures. The BWROG stated that existing accident response guidelines are applicable to events regardless of the event initiator or likelihood of its occurrence. This issue was discussed at the BWROG Emergency Procedures Committee meeting last week. Bob Palla, of the NRC staff, participated in this meeting.
Reactor Stability The BWROG informed the staff that they are still working on finding a detect and suppress solution that was robust and could apply to all plants. Because they are looking for a more robust solution, they have fallen behind schedule and will not have a proposal until late September. When the new criteria is determined, they propose to meet with the staff prior to submitting a topical report for staff review and approval.
Risk-Informed 10 CFR Part 50 - Option 2 The BWROG presented some of their experiences of the pilot plant activities. The BWROG determined that there are definite benefits to the approach, but feel the benefits would be limited if it must be implemented by a license amendment. NEI has the lead for this issue. The NRC questioned the difficulty in pursuing a license amendment. The BWROG was concerned about the public hearing process. Mr. Sheron noted that license amendments rarely go to hearing. The BWROG is continuing its interaction with the NRC and hopes to have a meeting in the August/September timeframe.
Risk-Informed 10 CFR Part 50 - Option 3 The BWROG stated the three main purposes of Option 3 are: (1) separation of loss-of-coolant accident-loss of offsite power (LOCA-LOOP), (2) elimination of single-failure criterion, and (3) replace the 1971 decay heat standard in 10 CFR 50.46 with the 1994 standard. The BWROG noted that potential safety benefits include: (1) focus on risk-significant structures, systems, and components (SSCs), (2) improved emergency diesel generator (EDG) reliability, and (3) improved emergency core cooling system (ECCS) equipment reliability. The BWROG is concerned that initial estimates from the NRC staff for probabilities of LOCA-LOOP are too high and would put Option 3 in question. The staff noted that the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research report is due the end of July 2002, and the industry needs to wait for the final results.
The BWROG noted that the technical issues are delaying and jeopardizing the BWROG program. The NRC agreed to meet with the BWROG after the report is completed. This review will be transitioned from Research to NRR with the issuance of this report.
Appendix R Resolution The BWROG stated their main concern was that the staffs Appendix R inspections would start immediately after expiration of the March 2003 moratorium. The staff noted the March 2003 date was a goal that at this point appears to be optimistic. The staff is still working on the NUREG and it will not be completed until October 2003. A process planning meeting is being
W. Ruland proposed with NEI. The BWROG stated that Appendix R issues continue to be a major cause of concern with the industry.
Risk-Informed Technical Specifications The BWROG provided the staff the status of Initiatives 1, 3, 4a, 5b, 6 and 8. Initiative 1 is close to completion as only one issue remains. The BWROG has taken a survey on this issue and plans to have the results to the NRC by the first week of August 2002. The BWROG has received the first set of questions regarding the containment isolation valve allowed outage time extensions and will meet shortly with the staff to discuss these questions. Initiative 8 will be withdrawn as the new 10 CFR 50.44 rule will provide the same benefits. The BWROG expressed satisfaction with the schedules resulting from the meeting.
Pipe Ruptures from Hydrogen Detonation The staff met with GE Nuclear Energy on June 19, 2002, to be briefed on the two hydrogen detonation events to date. The BWROG stated to date there has not been a similar event in the US. The BWROG stated the detonations occurred in systems that are unique to foreign reactors and do not exist in US reactors. GENE has issued Service Information Letter (SIL) 643 to address the potential for hydrogen detonations. The BWROG stated the plants have the SIL and will develop guidance to prevent hydrogen detonations. The staff requested the BWROG to send a followup letter to the staff with the short and long term actions to address this SIL. The NRC staff is looking at issuing a Regulatory Information Summary for this issue.
Combustible Gas Control Systems/10 CFR 50.44 Rulemaking The NRC staff provided a status of the rulemaking efforts regarding 10 CFR 50.44. The staff is finalizing the package for submittal to the Federal Register. The staff noted that upon publication, the proposed rule and its associated guidance documents will have a 75-day comment period. The BWROG will withdraw Initiative 8 as the new rule will provide the same benefits.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Jack Gray thanked the NRC staff for the opportunity to brief the staff on the status of the BWROG efforts and receive feedback. Dr. Sheron stated these meetings are useful to the staff for prioritizing work and highlighting issues that are important to the industry.
As a result of the meeting the BWROG or NRC staff has agreed to provide the following:
(1)
The BWROG will provide the staff with the new criteria for the BWR stability issue by late September 2002 and arrange a meeting to discuss the ensuing topical report.
(2)
The NRC staff will inform the BWROG of when the Research report in support of Risk-Informed 10 CFR Part 50 - Option 3 is published. A meeting will be arranged to discuss the results of this report and how it affects the Option 3 effort.
W. Ruland (3)
The BWROG stated that the survey for the Initiative 1, "Modified Endstates," would be completed by the first week in August 2002 and a request for additional information response will be forthcoming.
(4)
The BWROG will document by letter any actions that result from the GENE SIL 643 on hydrogen detonation. The letter will also provide a schedule for these actions.
The BWROG suggested November 7, 2002, for the next meeting.
Project No. 691
Attachment:
Meeting Attendees cc w/att: See next page
ML022250006 NRC-001 OFFICE PDIV-2/PM PDIV-2/LA PDIV-2/SC NAME AWang:ks EPeyton SDembek DATE 8/22/02 8/21/02 8/26/02 C:\\ORPCheckout\\FileNET\\ML022250006.wpd
MEETING WITH THE BOILING WATER REACTOR OWNERS GROUP (BWROG) AND NRC MANAGEMENT ATTENDANCE LIST JULY 25, 2002 BWROG Carl Terry Lewis Summer Jack Gray Jim Meister Mark Reddemann GE NUCLEAR ENERGY Rick Hill Wendell Fiock Jim Klapproth Tom Hurst OTHER Michael May (Exelon)
Greg Storey (Exelon)
Tim Abney (TVA)
Altheia Wyche (Bechtel)
NRC Alan Wang Angela Clayton Matt Yoder Steve West Anthony Markley Steve Dembek William Ruland John Hannon Suzanne Black Brian Sheron Samuel Lee Bob Dennig Alan Kuritzky
BWR Owners Group Project No. 691 cc:
Mr. Kenneth Putnam, Vice Chairman BWR Owners Group Nuclear Management Company Duane Arnold Energy Center 3277 DAEC Rd.
Palo, IA 52324 Mr. James M. Kenny Reactor Response Group Chairman BWR Owners Group PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street M/C GENA6-1 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Mr. H. Lewis Sumner Southern Nuclear Company 40 Inverness Center Parkway PO Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35242 Mr. Carl D. Terry Vice President, Nuclear Engineering Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Nine Mile Point - Station OPS Bldg/2nd Floor PO Box 63 Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. Thomas G. Hurst GE Nuclear Energy M/C 782 175 Curtner Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 Mr. Thomas A. Green GE Nuclear Energy M/C 782 175 Curtner Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 Mr. William H. Bolke Exelon 1400 Opus Place, Suite 400 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Mr. William A. Eaton ENTERGY Grand Gulf Nuclear Station P.O. Box 756 Port Gibson, MS 39150 Mr. Mark Bezilla PSEG NUCLEAR Hope Creek Generating Station P.O. Box 236 M/C H07 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. James F. Klapproth GE Nuclear Energy M/C 706 175 Curtner Avenue San Jose, CA 95125