ML022730228
| ML022730228 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Millstone  |
| Issue date: | 09/25/2002 |
| From: | Repka D Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Winston & Strawn |
| To: | Annette Vietti-Cook NRC/SECY |
| Byrdsong A T | |
| References | |
| 50-423-LA-3, LBP-02-16, RAS 4882 | |
| Download: ML022730228 (2) | |
Text
WINSTON & STRAWN 35 WEST WACKER DRIVE 1400 L STREET, N W 200 PARK AVENUE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60601-9703 WASHINGTON, D C. 20005-3502 NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10166-4193 43 RUE DU RHONE 1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (202) 371-5700 21 AVENUE VICTOR HUGO 75116 PARIS, FRANCE 38TH FLOOR FACSIMILE (202) 371-5950 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90071-1543 WWW winston com DOCKETED USNRC DAVID A. REPKA (202) 371-5726 September 26, 2002 drepka @Winston corn (4:24PM)
September 25, 2002 OFFICE OF SECRETARY RULEMAKINGS-AND Annette L. Vietti-Cook ADJUDICATIONS STAFF Secretary of the Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20005 Re:
Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.
(Millstone Power Station, Unit 3)
Docket No. 50-423-LA-3
Dear Ms. Vietti-Cook:
The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board ("Licensing Board") issued a decision (LBP-02-16) in the above-captioned matter on August 9, 2002. That decision is the subject of a petition for review now pending before the Commission. In light of the Licensing Board's discussion of reporting obligations in LBP-02-16, as a conservative measure we are hereby notifying the Commission, Licensing Board, and parties of an internal Condition Report recently initiated for Millstone Unit 3.
Millstone Unit 3 is presently in a refueling outage. In accordance with standard practice, the reactor core was off-loaded to the spent fuel pool for the outage. After the reactor core is re-loaded for the next cycle of operation, the proper location of reactor core components must be verified. This includes verification of fuel assembly serial number by location and verification of appropriate fuel assembly internal elements (e.g., control rods). The Condition Report documents that, on September 21, 2002, after re-load, errors were identified with respect to the locations of a control rod and a thimble plug, which are fuel assembly internal elements.
These errors were identified by core mapping. Core mapping is the planned and scheduled process that takes place after reloading the reactor core to verify proper location of reactor core components. These errors were identified and corrected prior to proceeding to the next step of the current refueling outage (i.e., installing the reactor vessel internals).
The errors involved the location of fuel assembly internal elements in fuel assemblies in the Unit 3 reactor core. The Condition Report does not involve any error in managing, moving, placing or tracking fresh or spent fuel assemblies (the subject of Intervenors' Interrogatory F-1 in this proceeding). In particular, the Condition Report does not involve any l~rn~cS-~
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WINSTON & STRAWN Annette L. Vietti-Cook September 25, 2002 Page 2 mis-location of fuel assemblies in the Millstone Unit 3 spent fuel pool (the subject of Contention 4 in this proceeding) or reactor core.
There were no safety consequences as a result of the error. Procedural requirements for refueling Reactor Coolant System soluble boron concentration were met and Reactor Engineering verified that shutdown margin was maintained at all times. The error was detected through the normal verification process prior to proceeding to the next step in the refueling (installation of reactor vessel internals). Appropriate immediate corrective actions have been taken (the internal elements were placed in the correct locations and the-core-has been verified to be correctly loaded). The error is not reportable under 10 C.F.R. §§ 50.72 or 50.73.
More specifically, licensee personnel identified during core mapping that control rod RCCA R509 was incorrectly located in fuel assembly K-07 in core location H-9, and thimble plug 16DS was incorrectly located in fuel assembly K-41 in core location D-12. The fuel assemblies were in the correct core locations; the control rod and the thimble plug, however, were swapped between the two assemblies. Movement of fuel assemblies and fuel assembly internal elements during the refueling is controlled by a document called the refueling worklist.
An initial Reactor Engineering evaluation of the problem indicated that the refueling worklist moves were correctly executed, but that the worklist itself was incorrect. In accordance with plant procedures a root cause review has been initiated.
This Condition Report does not alter the position of Dominion Nuclear Connecticut regarding matters in litigation in the referenced proceeding now on review before the Commission.
Respectfully submitted, David A. Repk Counsel for Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.
cc:
Service List DAR:kmj 276407.1