ML033300003

Request for Additional Information (RAI) - Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 1 (SSES 1) - Minimum Critical Power Ratio (MCPR) Safety Limits and Reference Changes

ML033300003
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	12/01/2003
From:	Richard Guzman NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1
To:	Shriver B Susquehanna
Guzman R, NRR/DLPM 415-1030
References
TAC MB9902
Download: ML033300003 (6)

Text

December 1, 2003 Mr. Bryce L. Shriver Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Boulevard, NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI) - SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 1 (SSES 1) - MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO (MCPR) SAFETY LIMITS AND REFERENCE CHANGES (TAC NO. MB9902)

Dear Mr. Shriver:

In reviewing your application for changes to the SSES 1 Cycle 14 MCPR safety limits and reference changes dated July 1, 2003, we have determined that we will need the additional information contained in the enclosure to this letter in order to complete our review. These questions were discussed with your staff during a teleconference on November 24, 2003, and as agreed to by your staff, we request you respond by January 9, 2004.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1030.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard V. Guzman, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387

Enclosure:

RAI cc w/encl: See next page

December 1, 2003 Mr. Bryce L. Shriver Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Boulevard, NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI) - SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 1 (SSES 1) - MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO (MCPR) SAFETY LIMITS AND REFERENCE CHANGES (TAC NO. MB9902)

Dear Mr. Shriver:

In reviewing your application for changes to the SSES 1 Cycle 14 MCPR safety limits and reference changes dated July 1, 2003, we have determined that we will need the additional information contained in the enclosure to this letter in order to complete our review. These questions were discussed with your staff during a teleconference on November 24, 2003, and as agreed to by your staff, we request you respond by January 9, 2004.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1030.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard V. Guzman, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387

Enclosure:

RAI cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

Public FAkstulewiczn RGuzman OGC BPlatckek, RI PDI-1 R/F RLaufer MOBrien ACRS ZAbdullahi Accession Number: ML033300003 OFFICE PDI-1/PM PDI-2/LA SRXB\SC PDI-1/SC NAME RGuzman MOBrien FAkstulewicz RLaufer DATE 12/1/03 12/1/03 12/1/03 12/1/03 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO (MCPR)

SAFETY LIMITS AND REFERENCE CHANGES SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-387 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is reviewing the proposed license amendment request to Facility Operating License No. NPF-14, relating to MCPR Safety Limits and reference changes dated July 1, 2003, and has found further clarification is needed as follows:

1. Use of Depleted Uranium:

a. Define depleted uranium, and explain how the use of depleted uranium differs from slightly or low enriched fuel.

b. The amendment request states that the use of depleted uranium is modeled in the NRC-approved design and licensing methodology. State the NRC-approved design and licensing method being used.

2. There are restrictions delineated in the SER approving EMF-1997 (P) and its supplements. For Susquehanna Unit 1 Cycle 14, provide confirmation that the fuel would not be operated outside the operating range that the correlation is validated.

Also, provide confirmation that the fuel performance analyses would meet the ANFB-10 critical power correlation restrictions specified in the staffs July 17, 1998 safety evaluation.

3. Power Distribution Uncertainties:

The Susquehanna Unit 1, Cycle 14 amendment request states the power distribution uncertainties based on the CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 code system are smaller than the corresponding uncertainties based on CASMO-3/MICORBURN-B code system.

a. Please, explain the difference in the power uncertainty distribution between the two versions of the code. Refer to the sections and the applicable tables of the CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 submittal that specifies the reduced power distribution uncertainties.

b. Table 9.9 of EMF-2158(P) provides the power distribution uncertainty for the MICROBURN-B2. Explain if the acceptance criteria cross-tabulated against the MICROBURN-B2 is referring to the power distribution uncertainty associated with the earlier MICROBURN-B code system.

4. For Unit 1, Cycle 14, the two loop MCPR safety limit changes from 1.12 in Cycle 13 to 1.08. For single loop operation that SLMCPR changes from 1.13 in Cycle 13 to 1.10.

These are significant reductions in the MCPR safety limit. The current amendment request attributes the lower MCPR safety limit to, (1) the reduction in the power distribution uncertainty and (2) the elimination of the factor of 2 factor applied to the ANFB-10 correlation. Please, discuss qualitative and quantitative effect of each contributor to the lower SLMCPR values.

5. The November 17, 2003, supplement to the amendment request stated that the design changes implemented in order to address control cell friction issues resulted in a reduction in the units full power capability. Therefore, the fresh reload batch fraction is going to increase from 276 to 280 assemblies and the twice-burned assemblies would decrease from 172 to 168 assemblies. Discuss the bases for your assessment that replacing the three fresh bundles with three twice-burned fuel did not have any impact on the SLMCPR.

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 1 Bryan A. Snapp, Esq Richard L. Anderson Assoc. General Counsel Vice President-Nuclear Site Operations PPL Services Corporation PPL Susquehanna, LLC 2 North Ninth Street GENTW3 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Robert A. Saccone P.O. Box 35, NUCSA4 General Manager - Nuclear Engineering Berwick, PA 18603-0035 PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Director - Bureau of Radiation Protection Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Pennsylvania Deparment of Environmental Protection Terry L. Harpster P.O. Box 8469 General Manager - Plant Support Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Regional Administrator, Region 1 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Curtis D. Markley King of Prussia, PA 19406 Supervisor - Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC Board of Supervisors 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Salem Township Berwick, PA 18603-0035 P.O. Box 405 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Rocco R. Sgarro Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC PPL Susquehanna, LLC Nuclear Records Two North Ninth Street, GENA61 Attn: G. DallaPalu Allentown, PA 18101-1179 2 North Ninth Street GENA62 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Michael H. Crowthers Supervising Engineer - Nuclear Richard W. Osborne Regulatory Affairs Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. PPL Susquehanna, LLC 212 Locust Street Two North Ninth Street, GENA61 P.O. Box 1266 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266 Aloysius J. Wrape, III Bryce L. Shriver General Manager - Nuclear Assurance Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear PPL Susquehanna, LLC Officer Two North Ninth Street, GENA92 PPL Susquehanna, LLC Allentown, PA 18101-1179 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0035

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 1 Dale F. Roth Manager - Quality Assurance PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENA92 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Herbert D. Woodeshick Special Office of the President PPL Susquehanna, LLC Rural Route 1, Box 1797 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee Sierra Club 443 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803