ML060530438

Licensing Amendment 222 Revised Fuel Assembly Growth Model

ML060530438
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	03/27/2006
From:	Padovan L NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD3
To:	Harden P Nuclear Management Co
padovan L, NRR/DORL, 415-1423
Shared Package
ML060530447	List: ML060530438 ML060870566
References
TAC MC6827
Download: ML060530438 (9)

Text

March 27, 2006 Mr. Paul A. Harden Site Vice President Nuclear Management Company, LLC Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES PLANT ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: REVISED FUEL ASSEMBLY GROWTH MODEL (TAC NO. MC6827)

Dear Mr. Harden:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 222 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 for the Palisades Plant. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application of April 26, 2005. The amendment revises TS 5.6.5.b, Core Operating Limits Report, to use a revised fuel assembly growth model for Palisades as described in Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revised Fuel Assembly Growth Correlation for Palisades, Revision 0.

A copy of our related safety evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

L. Mark Padovan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 222 to DPR-20

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

March 27, 2006 Mr. Paul A. Harden Site Vice President Nuclear Management Company, LLC Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES PLANT ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: REVISED FUEL ASSEMBLY GROWTH MODEL (TAC NO. MC6827)

Dear Mr. Harden:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 222 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 for the Palisades Plant. The amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application of April 26, 2005. The amendment revises TS 5.6.5.b, Core Operating Limits Report, to use a revised fuel assembly growth model for Palisades as described in Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revised Fuel Assembly Growth Correlation for Palisades, Revision 0.

A copy of our related safety evaluation is also enclosed. The Notice of Issuance will be included in the Commission's biweekly Federal Register notice.

Sincerely,

/RA/

L. Mark Padovan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 222 to DPR-20

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

PUBLIC LPLIII-1 R/F RidsNrrPMMPadovan RidsNrrLATHarris RidsNrrDorlLple RidsOgcRp RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter GHill(2)

RidsRgn3MailCenter SWu RidsNrrDorlDpr Package Accession Number: ML060530447 Amendment Accession Number: ML060530438 Tech Spec Accession Number: ML060870566 OFFICE NRR/LPL3-1/PM NRR/LPL3-1/LA DSS/SNPB OGC NRR/LPL3-1/BC NAME LPadovan THarris FAkstulewicz DFruchter LRaghavan DATE 2/23/06 2/23/06 12/20/05 3/1/06 3/27/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

NUCLEAR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC DOCKET NO. 50-255 PALISADES PLANT AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 222 License No. DPR-20

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

A. The application for amendment by Nuclear Management Company, LLC (the licensee), dated April 26, 2005, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's 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 Commission's 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; E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's 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 the license amendment and Paragraph 2.C.(2) of Facility Operating License No. DPR-20 is hereby amended to read as follows:

The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 222, and the Environmental Protection Plan contained in Appendix B are hereby incorporated in the license. NMC shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Environmental Protection Plan.

3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of issuance and shall be implemented within 90 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

L. Raghavan, Branch Chief Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: March 27, 2006

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 222 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-20 DOCKET NO. 50-255 Replace the following page of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains a marginal line indicating the area of change.

REMOVE INSERT 5.0-27 5.0-27

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 222 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-20 NUCLEAR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC PALISADES PLANT DOCKET NO. 50-255

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Nuclear Management Company, LLCs (NMCs) application of April 26, 2005, requested changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) for the Palisades Plant. The proposed changes would revise TS 5.6.5.b, Core Operating Limits Report, to use a revised fuel assembly growth model for Palisades as described in Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revised Fuel Assembly Growth Correlation for Palisades, Revision 0.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff initially approved the fuel assembly growth model described in Topical Report EMF-92-116(P)(A), Generic Mechanical Design Criteria for PWR Fuel Designs, dated February 2, 1999, for Palisades. At that time, the staff stated in the safety evaluation that the growth model could be revised with additional irradiation data.

However, the NRC staff stated that if the revised growth model changed by more than one standard deviation from the existing model, then the revised model was required to be reviewed by the NRC staff.

The current fuel vendor, Framatome ANP (FANP), developed a revised fuel-assembly growth model specifically for Palisades for use in analyzing the fuel assemblies to be inserted in reload cores. The revised growth model resulted in the projected end-of-life assembly growth change of greater than one standard deviation. Thus, NMC submitted the revised growth model, described in the Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revision 0, for staff review. The proposed license amendment would add the revised growth model to the analytical methods referenced in the TSs.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.36, Technical Specifications, provide the regulatory requirements for the content required in a licensees TS. The regulation in 10 CFR 50.90, Application for Amendment of License or Construction Permit, allow a licensee to amend its license. Section 50.92 of 10 CFR, Issuance of Amendment, specifies that the staff will be guided by the considerations which govern the issuance of initial licenses to the ENCLOSURE

extent applicable and appropriate in determining whether an amendment will be issued to the applicant. NMC requested a license amendment change to add a revised fuel assembly growth model to the TSs.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Revised Fuel Assembly Growth Model The current fuel assembly growth model for Palisades, as indicated in the approved Topical Report EMF-92-116(P)(A), consists of a slow-growth curve and an accelerated-growth curve.

The two curves intersect at a fast fluence of 8x1021 neutrons per square centimeter (n/cm2).

The slow-growth curve was based on irradiation data of recrystallized, zircaloy guide tubes, which simulated the true fuel assembly growth. However, the accelerated growth curve was based on irradiation data of cold-worked, stress-relieved (CWSR) zircaloy fuel rods due to the lack of assembly-growth data at high fluence regimes. The CWSR zircaloy fuel rods tend to have a faster growth rate than the recrystallized zircaloy guide tubes.

NMC and FANP performed a significant number of post-irradiation examinations (PIEs) on Palisades fuel assemblies at high-fluence regimes, as described in Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revision 0. The proposed revised, assembly-growth model was developed using these PIE data. Although the basic form of the revised model remains the same as the current model, the slow and accelerated growth curves intersect at a slightly higher fluence level. The NRC staff reviewed the revised model form. Based on the fact that the fuel assembly growth rates are slower than the CWSR zircaloy fuel rod growth rates, the NRC staff concludes that the revised model form is acceptable for Palisades.

NMC developed predictions for the assembly growth. The results showed that most of the predictions fell within the statistical uncertainty bound at a 95/95 probability confidence level. In addition, the revised model predicted well for two growth data points, which were not included in the model development and used for the verification purpose. The NRC staff reviewed the revised model predictions. Based on the adequate uncertainties, the staff concludes that the revised model predictions are acceptable for Palisades.

The NRC staff reviewed the revised fuel assembly growth model. Based on the acceptable uncertainties and predictions, the staff concludes that the revised fuel assembly growth model, as described in Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revision 0, is acceptable for Palisades.

3.2 TS 5.6.5, Core Operating Limits Report (COLR)

NMC added the revised, fuel-assembly growth model, as described in Topical Report BAW-2489P, Revision 0, to the analytical methods referenced in the COLR, Section 5.6.5.b.

Based on the acceptable revised growth model, the staff concludes that the TS revision is acceptable for Palisades.

In summary, the NRC staff has reviewed NMCs proposed license amendment of a revised, fuel-assembly growth model for Palisades, as described in the topical report BAW-2489P, Revision 0. Based on the staff evaluation, the staff approves this license amendment of the revised fuel assembly growth model for Palisades.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Michigan State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendment. The Michigan State official had no comments.

5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

The amendment changes a requirement with respect to the installation or use of a facility component located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. The staff has determined that the amendment involves 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 amendment involves no significant hazards consideration and there has been no public comment on such finding (70 FR 29797). Accordingly, the amendment meets 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 amendment.

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 Commission's regulations, and (3) the issuance of the amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: S. Wu Date: March 27, 2006

Palisades Plant cc:

Robert A. Fenech, Senior Vice President Michigan Department of Attorney General Nuclear, Fossil, and Hydro Operations Special Litigation Division Consumers Energy Company 525 West Ottawa St.

1945 Parnall Rd. Sixth Floor, G. Mennen Williams Building Jackson, MI 49201 Lansing, MI 48913 Arunas T. Udrys, Esquire Michael B. Sellman Consumers Energy Company President and Chief Executive Officer 1 Energy Plaza Nuclear Management Company, LLC Jackson, MI 49201 700 First Street Hudson, MI 54016 Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Jonathan Rogoff, Esquire Suite 210 Vice President, Counsel & Secretary 2443 Warrenville Road Nuclear Management Company, LLC Lisle, IL 60532-4351 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 Supervisor Covert Township Douglas E. Cooper P. O. Box 35 Senior Vice President - Group Operations Covert, MI 49043 Palisades Nuclear Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC Office of the Governor 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway P. O. Box 30013 Covert, MI 49043 Lansing, MI 48909 Stephen T. Wawro, Director U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission of Nuclear Assets Resident Inspector's Office Consumers Energy Company Palisades Plant Palisades Nuclear Plant 27782 Blue Star Memorial Highway 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043 Covert, MI 49043 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Laurie A. Lahti, Manager Waste and Hazardous Materials Division Regulatory Affairs Hazardous Waste and Radiological Nuclear Management Company, LLC Protection Section Palisades Nuclear Plant Nuclear Facilities Unit 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Constitution Hall, Lower-Level North Covert, MI 49043 525 West Allegan Street P.O. Box 30241 Lansing, MI 48909-7741