ML023120170
| ML023120170 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 11/08/2002 |
| From: | Pulsifer R NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1 |
| To: | Thayer J Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee |
| References | |
| TAC MB6477 | |
| Download: ML023120170 (5) | |
Text
November 8, 2002 Mr. Jay K. Thayer Site Vice President - Vermont Yankee Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC P.O. Box 0500 185 Old Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05302-0500
SUBJECT:
VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION - REVIEW OF CHANGE IN INFORMATION THAT SUPPORTED THE SAFETY EVALUATION FOR AMENDMENT NO. 212 (TAC NO. MB6477)
Dear Mr. Thayer:
By letter dated March 19, 2002, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (VY) proposed to eliminate the reactor scram and main steam isolation valve closure Technical Specifications (TS) requirements associated with the main steam line radiation monitors (MSLRMs) and modify other TS requirements related to MSLRM trip functions, for the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VYNPS). VY based the proposed changes on the methodology of the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved BWR Owners Group Licensing Topical Report NEDO-31400A. In Attachment 1 of the March 19, 2002 submittal, VY presented information to show that the radiological consequences analysis presented in NEDO-31400A bounds that for VYNPS. This amendment request was approved by the NRC staffs safety evaluation dated September 18, 2002, as Amendment No. 212 to Facility Operating License DPR-28.
On July 31, 2002, VYs interest in the license for VYNPS was transferred to Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC and Entergy Nuclear Operation, Inc. (ENO). On August 6, 2002, ENO requested that the NRC continue to review and act on all requests before the Commission which had been submitted by VY before the transfer. Accordingly, the NRC staff acted upon the request.
During the licensees process of incorporating the changes into the VYNPS Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, information provided to the NRC on page 13 of Attachment 1 to the March 19, 2002, letter was found to be in error. By letter dated October 3, 2002, ENO submitted a correction to the information. The staff has reviewed the corrected information submitted October 3, 2002, and based on the following discussion, has determined that it does not affect conclusions that led to the issuance of Amendment No. 212.
In the control rod drop accident analysis, the fuel assumed to melt is a subset of the fuel assumed to have failed cladding. Fuel with failed cladding is assumed to release the fission products in the gap of the fuel, while the fuel assumed to melt would release a higher amount of fission products released from the melted fuel pellets. VY previously double-counted the release of fission products from the melted fuel in the NEDO-31400A analysis by comparing the total fission product release from both the gap and the melted fuel for the subset of melted fuel to the fission product release assumed in the VYNPS site-specific analysis, which does not assume fuel melt. The correction bases the comparison on the sum of the fission product
J. Thayer release from the fuel in the fraction of failed fuel rods assumed to melt and the fission product release from the gap of the remainder of the failed fuel rods. The staff finds that the correction is acceptable, based on the methodology used to determine the percentage of core fission product release. The corrected information provided by letter dated October 3, 2002, does show that the NEDO-31400A control rod drop radiological consequences analysis bounds by a smaller margin the VYNPS analysis with respect to the release of fission products from the fuel.
Since this information was presented to show that the NEDO-31400A analysis bounds the plant-specific analysis, the correction does not affect the staffs previous conclusion which led to the issuance of Amendment No. 212 to DPR-28.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert M. Pulsifer, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271 cc w/encls: See next page
J. Thayer release from the fuel in the fraction of failed fuel rods assumed to melt and the fission product release from the gap of the remainder of the failed fuel rods. The staff finds that the correction is acceptable, based on the methodology used to determine the percentage of core fission product release. The corrected information provided by letter dated October 3, 2002, does show that the NEDO-31400A control rod drop radiological consequences analysis bounds by a smaller margin the VYNPS analysis with respect to the release of fission products from the fuel.
Since this information was presented to show that the NEDO-31400A analysis bounds the plant-specific analysis, the correction does not affect the staffs previous conclusion which led to the issuance of Amendment No. 212 to DPR-28.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert M. Pulsifer, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271 cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC PDI-2 R/F SRichards(e-mail SAR)
JAndersen RPulsifer FReinhart MOBrien OGC GHill (2)
WBeckner ACRS CAnderson, RI
- Input received 10/25/02. No major changes made DOCUMENT NAME: C:\\ORPCheckout\\FileNET\\ML023120170.wpd ADAMS Accession Number: ML023120170 OFFICE PDI-2/PM PDI-2/LA SPSB PDI-2/SC NAME RPulsifer LCox for MOBrien FReinhart*
JAndersen DATE 10/7/02 11/7/02 10/25/02 11/7/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:
Regional Administrator, Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Mr. David R. Lewis Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge 2300 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037-1128 Ms. Christine S. Salembier, Commissioner Vermont Department of Public Service 112 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2601 Mr. Michael H. Dworkin, Chairman Public Service Board State of Vermont 112 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2701 Chairman, Board of Selectmen Town of Vernon P.O. Box 116 Vernon, VT 05354-0116 Mr. Michael Hamer Operating Experience Coordinator Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC P.O. Box 250 Governor Hunt Road Vernon, VT 05354 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.
Deputy Attorney General 33 Capitol Street Concord, NH 03301-6937 Chief, Safety Unit Office of the Attorney General One Ashburton Place, 19th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Ms. Deborah B. Katz Box 83 Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 Mr. Raymond N. McCandless Vermont Department of Health Division of Occupational and Radiological Health 108 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05402 Mr. Gautam Sen Manager, Licensing Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC P.O. Box 0500 185 Old Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05302-0500 Resident Inspector Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 176 Vernon, VT 05354 Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency ATTN: James Muckerheide 400 Worcester Rd.
Framingham, MA 01702-5399 Jonathan M. Block, Esq.
Main Street P. O. Box 566 Putney, VT 05346-0566 Mr. Michael R. Kansler Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Mail Stop 12A 440 Hamilton Ave.
White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John J. Kelly Director, Licensing Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601