ML062770207

Amendments Use of Lead Fuel Assemblies (TAC Nos. MD0243 and MD0244)

ML062770207
Person / Time
Site:	Calvert Cliffs
Issue date:	11/16/2006
From:	Milano P NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLI-1
To:	Spina J Calvert Cliffs
Milano P, NRR/DORL/LPLA, 415-1457
References
TAC MD0243, TAC MD0244
Download: ML062770207 (13)

Text

November 16, 2006 Mr. James A. Spina, Vice President Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Inc.

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant 1650 Calvert Cliffs Parkway Lusby, MD 20657-4702

SUBJECT:

CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 -

AMENDMENTS RE: USE OF LEAD FUEL ASSEMBLIES (TAC NOS. MD0243 AND MD0244)

Dear Mr. Spina:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 280 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-53 and Amendment No. 257 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-69 for the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2. These amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application transmitted by letter dated February 27, 2006.

The amendments revise TS 4.2.1, Fuel Assemblies, to permit up to four lead fuel assemblies (LFAs) with advanced cladding material to be re-inserted into either the Unit 1 or Unit 2 core for the next operating cycle, which is Cycle 19 for Unit 1 and Cycle 17 for Unit 2. Two of the LFAs were manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Company and contain a limited number of fuel rods with advanced zirconium-based alloys. The other two LFAs were manufactured by Framatome ANP, Inc. with fuel rod cladding material classified as M5TM alloy. These LFAs were originally inserted into the Unit 2 core in April 2003 (Operating Cycles 15 and 16) and are scheduled to be discharged during the 2007 refueling outage.

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

Sincerely,

/RA/

Patrick D. Milano, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 280 to DPR-53

2. Amendment No. 257 to DPR-69

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

November 16, 2006 Mr. James A. Spina, Vice President Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Inc.

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant 1650 Calvert Cliffs Parkway Lusby, MD 20657-4702

SUBJECT:

CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 -

AMENDMENTS RE: USE OF LEAD FUEL ASSEMBLIES (TAC NOS. MD0243 AND MD0244)

Dear Mr. Spina:

The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 280 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-53 and Amendment No. 257 to Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-69 for the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2. These amendments consist of changes to the Technical Specifications (TSs) in response to your application transmitted by letter dated February 27, 2006.

The amendments revise TS 4.2.1, Fuel Assemblies, to permit up to four lead fuel assemblies (LFAs) with advanced cladding material to be re-inserted into either the Unit 1 or Unit 2 core for the next operating cycle, which is Cycle 19 for Unit 1 and Cycle 17 for Unit 2. Two of the LFAs were manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Company and contain a limited number of fuel rods with advanced zirconium-based alloys. The other two LFAs were manufactured by Framatome ANP, Inc. with fuel rod cladding material classified as M5TM alloy. These LFAs were originally inserted into the Unit 2 core in April 2003 (Operating Cycles 15 and 16) and are scheduled to be discharged during the 2007 refueling outage.

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

Sincerely,

/RA/

Patrick D. Milano, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 280 To DPR-53

2. Amendment No. 257 To DPR-69

3. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls: See next page Accession Number: ML062770207 OFFICE LPLI-1/PM LPLI-1/PM LPLI-1/LA SPNB/BC OGC LPLI-1/BC NAME BSingal PMilano SLittle RLandry MBarkman RLaufer DATE 09/15/06 11/16/06 11/16/06 10/06/06 10/18/06 11/16/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

DATED: November 16, 2006 AMENDMENT NO. 280 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-53 CALVERT CLIFFS UNIT 1 AMENDMENT NO. 257 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-69 CALVERT CLIFFS UNIT 2 PUBLIC LPLI-1 R/F R. Laufer RidsNrrDorlLplI-1 S. Little RidsNrrLASLittle P. Milano RidsNrrPMPMilano F. Akstulewicz RidsNrrDssSnpb P. Clifford OGC RidsOgcRp ACRS RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter G. Hill (2)

B. McDermott, RI RidsRgn1MailCenter cc: Plant Service list

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 cc:

President Ms. Patricia T. Birnie, Esquire Calvert County Board of Co-Director Commissioners Maryland Safe Energy Coalition 175 Main Street P.O. Box 33111 Prince Frederick, MD 20678 Baltimore, MD 21218 Mr. Carey Fleming, Esquire Mr. Roy Hickok Sr. Counsel - Nuclear Generation NRC Technical Training Center Constellation Generation Group, LLC 5700 Brainerd Road 750 East Pratt Street, 17th floor Chattanooga, TN 37411-4017 Baltimore, MD 21202 Mr. Jay Gaines Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant 1650 Calvert Cliffs Parkway Lusby, MD 20657-4702 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 287 St. Leonard, MD 20685 Mr. R. I. McLean, Manager Nuclear Programs Power Plant Research Program Maryland Department of Natural Resources 580 Taylor Avenue (B wing, 3rd floor)

Tawes State Office Building Annapolis, MD 21401 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Ms. Kristen A. Burger, Esquire Maryland People's Counsel 6 St. Paul Centre Suite 2102 Baltimore, MD 21202-1631

CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-317 CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT NO. 1 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 280 Renewed License No. DPR-53

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

A. The application for amendment by Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Inc. (the licensee) dated February 27, 2006, 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; and 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 this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.2. of Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-53 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2. Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 280, are hereby incorporated into 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 30 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Richard J. Laufer, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: November 16, 2006

CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-318 CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT NO. 2 AMENDMENT TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 257 Renewed License No. DPR-69

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

A. The application for amendment by Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Inc. (the licensee) dated February 27, 2006, 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; and 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 this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.2. of Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-69 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2. Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 257, 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 30 days.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/RA/

Richard J. Laufer, Chief Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Changes to the License and Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: November 16, 2006

ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT NO. 280 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-53 AMENDMENT NO. 257 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-69 DOCKET NOS. 50-317 AND 50-318 Replace the following pages of the Renewed Facility Operating Licenses with the attached revised pages. The revised pages are identified by amendment number and contain marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Pages Insert Pages 3 (DPR-53) 3 3 (DPR-69) 3 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 marginal lines indicating the areas of change.

Remove Page Insert Page 4.0-1 4.0-1

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO. 280 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-53 AND AMENDMENT NO. 257 TO RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. DPR-69 CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, INC.

CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-317 AND 50-318

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated February 27, 2006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML060610076), Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Inc. (the licensee) submitted a request for changes to the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Calvert Cliffs 1 and 2) Technical Specifications (TSs). The requested changes would permit the re-insertion of up to four lead fuel assemblies (LFAs) into either the Unit 1 or Unit 2 core for the next operating cycle, which are Cycle 19 for Unit 1 and Cycle 17 for Unit 2. Two of the LFAs were manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Company and contain a limited number of fuel rods with advanced zirconium-based alloys. The other two LFAs were manufactured by Framatome ANP, Inc. with a limited number of fuel rods with cladding material classified as M5TM alloy. These cladding alloys do not fall within the definition of either Zircaloy or ZIRLO' (licensing basis of the approved ZIRLO' as described in WCAP-12610-P-A, "VANTAGE+ Fuel Assembly Reference Core Report"). Both the Westinghouse and Framatome LFAs were originally inserted into the Unit 2 core in April 2003 (Operating Cycles 15 and 16) and are scheduled to be discharged during the 2007 refueling outage.

The licensee proposes to operate Calvert Cliffs 1 or 2 for the next operating cycle with these 4 LFAs in order to provide data to support new and improved cladding alloys and fuel performance (i.e., grid-to-rod fretting) for future licensing activities.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

Section 50.46, Acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems [ECCS] for light-water nuclear power plants, and Appendix K, ECCS Evaluation Models, of Part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) identify requirements for calculating ECCS performance for reactors containing fuel with zircaloy or ZIRLO cladding. Section 50.44 of 10 CFR Part 50 discusses, in part, the generation of hydrogen gas from a metal-water reaction between the reactor coolant and reactor fuel having zircaloy or ZIRLO cladding.

By letter dated January 19, 2006 (ADAMS No. ML060240112), the licensee requested a temporary exemption from certain requirements in 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K to 10 CFR Part 50 because these regulations do not explicitly apply to the Westinghouse advanced zirconium-based alloy and the Framatome zirconium-based M5' alloy. These cladding alloys do not fall within the definition of either Zircaloy or ZIRLO' (licensing basis of the approved ZIRLO' clad as described in Westinghouse Report WCAP-12610-P-A, VANTAGE+ Fuel Assembly Reference Core Report). On November 9, 2006, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) granted the exemption (ADAMS No. ML062260123) to these regulations to allow use of these cladding materials in the LFAs to be inserted in the cores for either Calvert Cliffs Units 1 and 2. The exemption was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2006 (71 FR 66804).

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Background The purpose of the LFA program is to obtain sufficient fuel performance data needed to justify that fuel assemblies with new and improved cladding materials will perform within the bounds assumed in safety analyses. On April 14, 2003, the NRC staff issued Amendment Nos. 258 and 235 for Calvert Cliffs 1 and 2, which revised the TSs to permit operation of Calvert Cliffs Unit 2 for 2 operating cycles with a core containing up to 8 LFAs with fuel rods clad with advanced zirconium-based alloys. On the basis of this amendment, the core for Calvert Cliffs Unit 2 incorporated 4 LFAs containing fuel rods clad with Framatome proprietary zirconium-based M5 alloy and 4 LFAs containing fuel rods clad with Westinghouse proprietary advanced zirconium-based alloys, so that data could be obtained to support development of new and improved cladding materials and improved fuel evaluation codes and methods.

The NRC staff has already approved the use of Framatome M5' fuel for batch loadings in pressurized-water reactors (PWRs) in its review of Topical Report BAW-10227P-A, "Evaluation of Advanced Claddings and Structural Material (M5') in PWR Reactor Fuel," dated February 4, 2000.

The Westinghouse proprietary claddings are developmental fuel cladding, which licensees may only use as lead (test) fuel assembles. Irradiation of these developmental fuel claddings will provide data on fuel and material performance to support future licensing activities.

3.2 Proposed Change to TSs In its February 27, 2006, application, the licensee stated that up to 4 of the 8 LFAs to be discharged from Unit 2 core in spring 2007 would be re-installed in either the Unit 1 or 2 core for an additional operating cycle. The licensee plans to re-insert the LFAs into Unit 2 core during the next operating cycle (Cycle 17) after visual inspections to look for indications of unexpected cladding performance that would preclude placing them back into the core for a third cycle. The licensee further stated that if the LFAs cannot be placed in the Unit 2 core in locations that would not violate the previously defined conditions and restrictions, the LFAs will be inserted into Unit 1 core during its next operating cycle (Cycle 19). The purpose for the re-installation of the LFAs would be to gain additional practical experience about the performance of LFAs.

Therefore, the licensee proposed to revise TS 4.2.1, Fuel Assemblies, by replacing the description of the LFA program for Calvert Cliffs Unit 2 Cycles 15 and 16 with the following:

For Unit 1 Cycle 19 or Unit 2 Cycle 17 only, advanced cladding material from Framatome-ANP may be used in up to 2 lead test assemblies as described in approved temporary exemption dated November 9, 2006. For Unit 1 Cycle 19 or Unit 2 Cycle 17 only, advanced cladding material from Westinghouse may be used in up to 2 lead test assemblies as described in approved temporary exemption dated November 9, 2006.

3.3 Evaluation The licensee noted that grid-to-rod failures in assemblies residing in the periphery region of the cores at Calvert Cliffs 1 and 2 have been experienced in the past. Therefore, the licensee will re-install the LFAs in the periphery region of the core. The periphery region was identified as being the most limiting location for grid-to-rod fretting failures.

TS 4.2.1 states, in part, that a limited number of lead test assemblies that have not completed representative testing may be placed in non-limiting core regions.

In its application, the licensee stated that the standard reload analysis process and

[10 CFR] 50.59 evaluation will ensure that the predicted chemical, mechanical, and material performance of the advanced zirconium-based cladding remain within that approved for Zircaloy-4 or ZIRLO under all anticipated operational occurrences and postulated accidents.

Further, the licensee stated that the LFAs will be placed in non-limiting core locations and will remain with peak rod burnups of less than the currently approved limit for Calvert Cliffs of 60,000 MWD/MTU [megawatt days per metric ton Uranium].

In its February 27, 2006, application, the licensee also stated that it planned to perform post-irradiation examinations (PIE) of the 4 LFAs to be discharged from the core. The examinations would include rod growth, rod oxidation, and visual inspection. PIE would provide quantified measurements of fuel performance for the representative parameters. These measurements could confirm or fail to support expected performance under normal, abnormal, and accident conditions. As stated in the application, the licensee will provide the NRC staff with detailed inspection results of the discharged LFAs.

The regulatory aspects for the use of cladding material other than zircaloy and ZIRLO were addressed separately in the licensees request for exemption to 10 CFR 50.46 dated January 19, 2006. As noted above, the NRC granted this exemption on November 9, 2006.

Therefore, the NRC staff finds the proposed TS change to be administrative in nature.

3.4 Summary On the basis that the current TS 4.2.1 allows for the installation of a limited number of LFAs in non-limiting core regions and the LTAs will remain within current peak rod burnups limits and that the standard reload analysis process will ensure that the predicted cladding performance will remain within that approved for Zircaloy-4 or ZIRLO, the NRC staff finds the proposed change acceptable.

4.0 STATE CONSULTATION

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Maryland State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. 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 (71 FR 15482). Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22©)(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 Commission's 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.

Principal Contributor: P. Clifford Date: November 16, 2006