ML062130163

Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Large Transient Testing (TS-431)

ML062130163
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	07/31/2006
From:	Crouch W Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC MC3812, TAC MC7208, TS-431
Download: ML062130163 (4)

Text

July 31, 2006 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 10 CFR 50.90 ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555 Gentlemen:

In the Matter of ) Docket No. 50-259 Tennessee Valley Authority )

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY - BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT (BFN) -

UNIT 1 - EXTENDED POWER UPRATE (EPU) LARGE TRANSIENT TESTING (TAC NOS. MC3812 AND MC7208) (TS-431)

NRCs June 28, 2006, letter to TVA on this subject proposed a license condition which NRC deemed necessary in association with the granting of an EPU license amendment for BFN Unit 1.

By this letter TVA was requested to submit, by July 31, 2006, a supplement to TVAs TS-431 license amendment application which accepts this proposed license condition.

The license condition as proposed by NRC is restated here:

During the extended power uprate (EPU) power ascension test program and prior to exceeding 60 days of plant operation above a nominal 3293 Megawatts thermal power level (100 percent original licensed thermal power) or within 30 days of satisfactory completion of steam dryer monitoring and testing (whichever is longer), with plant conditions stabilized at approximately the EPU full power level, TVA shall perform a main steam isolation valve closure test and a generator load reject test. Following each test, TVA shall confirm that plant response to the transient is as expected in accordance with previously established acceptance criteria. The evaluation of the test results for each test shall be completed, and all discrepancies resolved, prior to resumption of power operation.

TVA accepts the scope of testing stated above, however, this testing can be more efficiently integrated into the other

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 July 31, 2006 operational activities already planned for Unit 1 after its restart. In particular, TVA intends to perform a planned shutdown of Unit 1 in the Fall of 2007 to establish a noble metal water chemistry operating environment. Therefore, TVA proposes the following revision to the proposed license condition (added text is shown in bold italics, and deleted text is indicated by strikthrough):

During the extended power uprate (EPU) power ascension test program and prior to exceeding 60 days of plant operation above a nominal 3293 Megawatts thermal power level (100 percent original licensed thermal power (OLTP))

or within 30 days of satisfactory completion of steam dryer monitoring and testing (whichever is longer), with plant conditions stabilized at approximately the EPU full power level (105 - 120% OLTP), TVA shall perform a main steam isolation valve closure test. As part of the planned shutdown to establish a noble metal water chemistry operating environment, but no later than 180 days of power operation above 3293 Megawatts thermal power, TVA will perform and a generator load reject test.

Following each test, TVA shall confirm that plant response to the transient is as expected in accordance with previously established acceptance criteria. The evaluation of the test results for each test shall be completed, and all discrepancies resolved, prior to resumption of power operation. TVA can take credit for an unscheduled MSIV closure or generator load reject scram from greater than 105% OLTP to fulfill this license condition should such an event occur prior to the scheduled test.

The revised license condition accomplishes the desired testing, while utilizing one of the tests as the means to shutdown the unit for the noble metal water chemistry establishment. It is recognized that the revised testing schedule will allow uprated power operations for longer than the originally specified timeframe prior to completion of the generator load reject test. It is TVAs position that the good operating experience of Units 2 and 3 in response to actual load reject events, in conjunction with the design and operational fidelity which Unit 1 will have with these units upon its restart, provides high confidence that Unit 1 will respond similarly. Therefore, delaying the test by the requested time frame is not significant. Additionally, the revised license condition allows the removal of a shutdown/restart evolution from the Unit 1 schedule, and this removal carries with it a small, but non-zero, safety benefit.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 3 July 31, 2006 TVA is also evaluating alternate means of demonstrating integrated plant response to meet the objective of the MSIV closure test specified in the General Electric EPU Licensing Topical Report(NEDC-32424P-A).

If this proposed revision is acceptable to NRC, then this letter constitutes the Unit 1 EPU license amendment supplement requested by NRC in the June 28, 2006, letter.

Sincerely, Original signed by:

William D. Crouch Manager of Licensing and Industry Affairs cc: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 23T85 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3415 Mr. Malcolm T. Widmann, Branch Chief U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 23T85 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8931 NRC Senior Resident Inspector Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant 10833 Shaw Road Athens, AL 35611-6970 Margaret Chernoff, Senior Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (MS 08G9)

One White Flint, North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2739 Eva A. Brown, Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (MS 08G9)

One White Flint, North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2739

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 4 July 31, 2006 DTL:PSH:BAB cc: B. M. Aukland, POB 2C-BFN A. S. Bhatnagar, LP 6A-C J. C. Fornicola, LP 6A-C R. G. Jones, NAB 1A-BFN R. F. Marks, PAB 1C-BFN F. C. Mashburn, BR 4X-C M. Bajestani, NAB 1A-BFN K. W. Singer, LP 6A-C B. J. OGrady, PAB 1E-BFN E. J. Vigluicci, ET 11A-K NSRB Support, LP 5M-C EDMS WT CA - K S:lic/submit/subs/U1 large transient testing - July.doc