ML032970117

Removal of Surveillance Capsules at Crystal River, Unit 3

ML032970117
Person / Time
Site:	Crystal River, PROJ0693
Issue date:	10/22/2003
From:	Mallay J B & W Owners Group
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NRC:03:071, OG:03:1837
Download: ML032970117 (3)

Text

Duke Energy Company Oconee 1,2, 3 ArnerGen Energy Company, LLC TMI-1 Entergy Operations, Inc. ANO-1 The B&W FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company D-B Florida Power Corporation Crystal River3 Owners Group FramatomeANP Working Together to Economically Provide Reliable and Safe Electrical Power October 22, 2003 OG:03:1837 NRC:03:071 Document Control Desk ATTN: Chief, Planning, Program and Management Support Branch U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Removal of Surveillance Capsules at Crystal River, Unit 3.

Ref.: 1. BAW-1543 A, Revision 4, Supplement 4, "Supplement to the Master Integrated Reactor Vessel Surveillance Program", May 2002.

Ref.: 2. Letter, B&WOG (D.L. Howell) to NRC (Document Control Desk), "Disposal of Irradiated Materials by the B&W Owners Group Reactor Vessel Working Group",

March 17, 2000 (OG-1783).

The B&WOG planned to have two surveillance capsules removed from Crystal River, Unit 3 at the end of the 13th fuel cycle. Repeated efforts to remove these capsules on October 17, 2003 were unsuccessful. The plan to retrieve and dispose of these two capsules is set forth in a B&WOG topical report at page 10 and 16 (Reference 1). The objective of this letter is to inform the NRC of a necessary delay in removing the capsules and B&WOG intentions to revise the topical report and to address future removal of these capsules.

The B&WOG will evaluate the appropriate disposition of these capsules and requests NRC concurrence to delay their removal. We note that these capsules were planned for disposal as stated in the topical report and explained in Reference 2.

The B&WOG plans to revise the topical report and issue it formally to the NRC by December 19, 2003. We expect this revision will include changes to Table IlIl, page 10, which will replace "Thirteenth Fuel Cycle" with "Fourteenth Fuel Cycle," and to Table VI, page 16, which will replace End of Cycle 13" with "End of Cycle 14." Other revisions may be considered, however.

Leaving these capsules in place does not affect compliance with 10CFR50 Appendix H or ASTM E 185-82.Section III.B.1. of Appendix H states that the reporting requirement must adhere to ASTM E 185-82, which in turn requires four capsules for the plant-specific program Framatome ANP B&W Owners Group 3315 Old Forest Road Lynchburg, VA 24501 Phone: 434-832-3635 Fax: 434-832-4121 D 4

Document Control Desk OG:03:1837/NRC:03:071 October 22, 2003 Page 2 that is applicable to Oconee 1 and 3. Five capsules have already been withdrawn for both Oconee 1 and 3, and the sixth capsules that remain in Crystal River 3 are beyond the scope of the regulation and the ASTM standard.

VeR truly yours, James F. Mallay, Diretor Regulatory Affairs cc: W. Foster D. G. Holland B. L. Mozafari S. Powell Project 693

bcc: NRC:03:071/OG: 3:1837 G. F. Elliott B. R. Gramba W R Gray J. B. Hall J. F. Mallay A. D. McKim K. E. Moore S. M. Sloan K. K. Yoon Reactor Vessel Workinq Group D. R. Blakely, First Energy Nuclear Operating Company S. A. Collard, Florida Power and Light Company V. M. Esquillo, Progress Energy Florida, Inc.

G. S. Gerzen, Exelon Nuclear Corporation J. D. Gilreath, Duke Energy Corporation B. Kemp, Nuclear Management Company R. S. Margolis, Virginia Power D. F. Spond, Entergy Operations, Inc