ML040480377

License Amendment 215, Revising the Values and Wording of the Technical Specifications Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio

ML040480377
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities
Issue date:	03/10/2004
From:	Rossbach L NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD3
To:	Crane C Exelon Generation Co
Rossbach L, 415-2863, NRR/DLPM
Shared Package
ML040700491	List: ML040480377 ML040700787
References
TAC MC1329
Download: ML040480377 (10)

Text

March 10, 2004 Mr. Christopher M. Crane, President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT:

QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT (TAC NO. MC1329)

Dear Mr. Crane:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Commission) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 215 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-30 for the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2. The amendment is in response to your application dated November 14, 2003, as supplemented by letters dated December 23, 2003, and January 7, 2004.

The amendment revises the values and wording of the Technical Specifications safety limit minimum critical power ratio.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Lawrence W. Rossbach, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate III Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-265

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 215 to DPR-30

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page

March 10, 2004 Mr. Christopher M. Crane, President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT:

QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 2 - ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT (TAC NO. MC1329)

Dear Mr. Crane:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Commission) has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 215 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-30 for the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2. The amendment is in response to your application dated November 14, 2003, as supplemented by letters dated December 23, 2003, and January 7, 2004.

The amendment revises the values and wording of the Technical Specifications safety limit minimum critical power ratio.

A copy of the related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commissions biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Lawrence W. Rossbach, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate III Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-265

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 215 to DPR-30

2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC PD3-2 r/f WRuland AMendiola LRossbach PCoates OGC ACRS GHill (2) TBoyce MRing, RIII FAkstulewicz ADAMS Accession Number: ML040700491 (Package)

ADAMS Accession Number: ML040480377 (Amendment) ** see attached previous concurrence ADAMS Accession Number: ML04 (Tech Specs) *SE dated 02/04/04 OFFICE PM:LPD3-2 LA:LPD3-2 SC:SRXB-A SC:IROB-A OGC NLO SC:LPD3-2 NAME LRossbach PCoates FAkstulewicz* TBoyce ** APH ** AMendiola DATE 03/09/04 03/09/04 02/04/04 02/27/04 03/05/04 03/09/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station Units 1 and 2 cc:

Site Vice President - Quad Cities Nuclear Power Illinois Emergency Management Station Agency Exelon Generation Company, LLC Division of Disaster Assistance &

22710 206th Avenue N. Preparedness Cordova, IL 61242-9740 110 East Adams Street Springfield, IL 62701-1109 Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station Plant Manager Exelon Generation Company, LLC Document Control Desk - Licensing 22710 206th Avenue N. Exelon Generation Company, LLC Cordova, IL 61242-9740 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Regulatory Assurance Manager - Quad Cities Exelon Generation Company, LLC Senior Vice President - Nuclear Services 22710 206th Avenue N. Exelon Generation Company, LLC Cordova, IL 61242-9740 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Quad Cities Resident Inspectors Office U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Vice President of Operations - Mid-West 22712 206th Avenue N. Boiling Water Reactor Cordova, IL 61242 Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road David C. Tubbs Warrenville, IL 60555 MidAmerican Energy Company One River Center Place Vice President - Licensing and Regulatory 106 E. Second, P.O. Box 4350 Affairs Davenport, IA 52808-4350 Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Vice President - Law and Regulatory Affairs Warrenville, IL 60555 MidAmerican Energy Company One River Center Place Director - Licensing and Regulatory 106 E. Second Street Affairs P.O. Box 4350 Exelon Generation Company, LLC Davenport, IA 52808 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Chairman Rock Island County Board of Supervisors Associate General Counsel 1504 3rd Avenue Exelon Generation Company, LLC Rock Island County Office Bldg. 4300 Winfield Road Rock Island, IL 61201 Warrenville, IL 60555 Regional Administrator Manager Licensing - Dresden, Quad Cities U.S. NRC, Region III and Clinton 801 Warrenville Road Exelon Generation Company, LLC Lisle, IL 60532-4351 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC AND MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-265 QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 2 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 215 License No. DPR-30

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensee) dated November 14, 2003, as supplemented by letters dated December 23, 2003, and January 7, 2004, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Commissions rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C. There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; and E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissions regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 3.B. of Facility Operating License No. DPR-30 is hereby amended to read as follows:

B. Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendices A and B, as revised through Amendment No. 215, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.

3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance and shall be implemented within 45 days of the date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Anthony J. Mendiola, Chief, Section 2 Project Directorate III Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 10, 2004

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 215 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-30 DOCKET NO. 50-265 Replace the following page of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains a line in the margin indicating the area of change.

Remove Page Insert Page 2.0-1 2.0-1

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 215 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-30 EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC AND MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 2 DOCKET NO. 50-265

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated November 14, 2003 (Reference 1), as supplemented by letters dated December 23, 2003 (Reference 2), and January 7, 2004 (Reference 3), Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensee) requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TS) for the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 (QCNPS2), Cycle 18. The supplements dated December 23, 2003, and January 7, 2004, provided additional information that clarified the application, did not expand the scope of the application as originally noticed, and did not change the staffs original proposed no significant hazards consideration determination as published in the Federal Register on January 20, 2004 (69 FR 2743).

The proposed changes would revise the values and wording of the Technical Specifications safety limit minimum critical power ratio (SLMCPR). Specifically, the proposed changes would revise TS Section 2.1.1.2 to read as follows:

For Unit 2, MCPR shall be $1.09 for two recirculation loop operation or $1.10 for single recirculation loop operation.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

The licensee identified the applicable regulatory requirements in Section 5.0 of its November 14, 2003, submittal. The regulatory requirements that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff considered in its review of the application are in Section 50.36 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Technical Specifications, which provides the regulatory requirements for the content required in a licensees TS. The regulations (10 CFR 50.36) require that safety limits be included in the plant-specific Technical Specifications.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 50, Appendix A, General Design Criterion (GDC) 10 requires that the reactor core and associated coolant, control, and protection systems be designed with appropriate margin to assure that specified acceptable fuel design limits are not exceeded during any condition of normal operation, including the effects of anticipated operational occurrences. To ensure compliance with GDC 10, the staff confirmed that the licensee performed the plant-specific SLMCPR analyses using NRC approved methodologies as prescribed in NUREG-0800, Standard Review Plan Section 4.4. The SLMCPR ensures that

sufficient conservatism exists in the operating MCPR limit such that, in the event of an anticipated operational occurrence, there is a reasonable expectation that at least 99.9 percent of the fuel rods in the core will avoid boiling transition for the power distribution within the core including all uncertainties.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

In its submittal, the licensee references NRC approved methodologies to calculate the proposed SLMCPR values. Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF) performed the SLMCPR analysis using plant- and cycle-specific fuel and core parameters. In addition, GNF used the NRC approved methodologies, which include NEDC-32505P, Revision 1, R-Factor Calculation Method for GE11, GE12 and GE13 Fuel; NEDO-10958-A, General Electric Boiling Water Reactor Thermal Analysis Basis (GETAB); NEDC-32601P, Methodology and Uncertainties for Safety Limit MCPR Evaluations; NEDC-32694P, Power Distribution Uncertainties for Safety Limit MCPR Evaluations; and Amendment 25 to NEDE-24011-P-A, General Electric Standard Application for Reactor Fuel (GESTAR II). The QCNPS2 Cycle 18 core has 724 fuel assemblies, of which there are 240 fresh GE14 fuel bundles, 268 once-burned GE14 fuel bundles, and 216 twice-burned ATRIUM9 fuel bundles.

The staff reviewed: (1) the licensees justification for the change to the SLMCPR from 1.11 to 1.09 for two recirculation loop operation, and from 1.12 to 1.10 for single recirculation loop operation using the approach delineated in Amendment 25 to GESTAR II, and (2) the adequacy of the SLMCPR calculation with respect to the end-of-cycle (EOC) penalty for a top-peaked power shape.

The licensee explained the overall reduction of the SLMCPR values for the QCNPS2 Cycle 18 operation with respect to that for the Cycle 17 operation in Reference 3. The calculated reductions in SLMCPR values from Cycle 17 to Cycle 18 are due to the decreasing differences in the core and bundle designs between the two cycles (which is indicated by two characteristics - flatness of the core bundle-by-bundle MCPR distribution and flatness of the bundle pin-by-pin power/R-factor distribution in Table 1 of Reference 3) and no top-peaked power shape for Cycle 18 with respect to having top-peaked power shape for Cycle 17 near EOC.

The staff has reviewed the licensees justification to address the 0.02 reduction of the SLMCPR values and the SLMCPR penalty issue. The staff has concluded that the licensees justification for those two issues is acceptable because the calculation results based on NRC-approved methodologies indicate that the proposed SLMCPR values are indeed conservative and no top-peaked axial power profile of these bundles at any point in the cycle is also confirmed. The proposed QCNPS2 Cycle 18 SLMCPR values will ensure that 99.9 percent of the fuel rods in the core will not experience boiling transition, which satisfies the requirements of GDC 10 regarding specified acceptable fuel design limits. The staff concludes that the proposed TS changes are acceptable because the licensee used NRC-approved methodologies and followed their calculation procedures to verify the accuracy of the results.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commissions regulations, the Illinois State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendments change a requirement with respect to installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (69 FR 2743). Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendments.

6.0 CONCLUSION

The Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commissions regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

7.0 REFERENCES

1. Letter (RS-03-204) from Patrick R. Simpson to USNRC, Request for Technical Specifications Change for Minimum Critical Power Ratio Safety Limit, November 14, 2003.

2. Letter (RS-03-242) from P. R. Simpson to USNRC, Supplemental Information for Technical Specifications Change for Minimum Critical Power Ratio Safety Limit, December 23, 2004.

3. Letter (RS-04-002) from Patrick R. Simpson to USNRC, Supplemental Information for Technical Specifications Change for Minimum Critical Power Ratio Safety Limit, January 7, 2004.

Principal Contributor: T. Huang, SRXB/DSSA Date: March 10, 2004