ML042570212

RAI, Allowable Value for Reactor Vessel Water Level

ML042570212
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	09/13/2004
From:	Jabbour K NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority
Jabbour K, NRR/DLPM, 415-1496
References
TAC MC2305
Download: ML042570212 (4)

Text

September 13, 2004 Mr. Karl W. Singer Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE ALLOWABLE VALUE FOR REACTOR VESSEL WATER LEVEL (TAC NO. MC2305)

Dear Mr. Singer:

By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated March 9, 2004, the Tennessee Valley Authority submitted an application to revise the Technical Specifications and the licensing basis for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 1. The proposed revision is related to the reduction of the allowable value used for the reactor vessel water level for several instrument functions.

The NRC staff has reviewed your submittal and finds that a response to the enclosed request for additional information is needed before we can complete the review. This request was discussed with Mr. Steven Kane of your staff on August 9, 2004, and it was agreed that a response would be provided within 30 days of receipt of this letter. If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1496.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Kahtan N. Jabbour, Senior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-259

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: See next page

ML042570212 NRR-088 OFFICE PDII-2/PM PDII-2/LA SRSB/SC EEIB/SC PDII-2/SC(A)

NAME KJabbour BClayton FAkstulewicz EMarinos MMarshall DATE 9/10/04 9/10/04 9/10/04 9/13/04 9/13/04 Mr. Karl W. Singer BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT Tennessee Valley Authority cc:

Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President Mr. Robert G. Jones Nuclear Operations Browns Ferry Unit 1 Plant Restart Manager Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 6A Lookout Place Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street P.O. Box 2000 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. James E. Maddox, Vice President Mr. Mark J. Burzynski, Manager Engineering & Technical Services Nuclear Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Kurt Krueger, Plant Manager Mr. Timothy E. Abney, Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant P.O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Decatur, AL 35609 P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Mr. Michael D. Skaggs Site Vice President Senior Resident Inspector Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant P.O. Box 2000 10833 Shaw Road Decatur, AL 35609 Athens, AL 35611 General Counsel State Health Officer Tennessee Valley Authority Alabama Dept. of Public Health ET 11A RSA Tower - Administration 400 West Summit Hill Drive Suite 1552 Knoxville, TN 37902 P.O. Box 303017 Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Mr. John C. Fornicola, Manager Nuclear Assurance and Licensing Chairman Tennessee Valley Authority Limestone County Commission 6A Lookout Place 310 West Washington Street 1101 Market Street Athens, AL 35611 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Jon R. Rupert, Vice President Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ALLOWABLE VALUE FOR REACTOR VESSEL WATER LEVEL TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-259

1. Please provide a copy of the document that calculates the new instrument allowable value for Reactor Vessel Water Level - Low (Level 3) function. Discuss the instrument setpoint methodology used to calculate the allowable values.

2. The proposed new allowable value of the Reactor Vessel Water Level - Low is about 10 inches below the original allowable value, that will delay the protective action to mitigate the consequence of an accident. Please discuss any impact to the automatic load sequencer initiation which will provide emergency power to the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) related components.

3. The original Level 3 allowable value in the Reactor Protection System (RPS) was 538 inches, and in the ECCS was 544 inches. The proposed new Level 3 allowable value in the RPS and in the ECCS are set at the same allowable value of 528 inches.

Discuss any impact on system interaction by setting at the same value.

4. Please provide a simplified figure that shows, as a minimum, the elevations of the water in the reactor vessel for Level 3 and the top of active fuel.

5. Please discuss the assumptions that resulted in a small reduction of the peak clad temperature for a small-break loss-of-coolant accident analysis.

Enclosure