ML062900057

Letter, Review of Proposed Amendment for Five Percent Increase in Thermal Power (TAC MD3048) (TS-431)

ML062900057
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	10/17/2006
From:	Raghavan L NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLII-2
To:	Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority
Chernoff M, NRR/DORL, 415-4041
References
TAC MD3048
Download: ML062900057 (4)

Text

October 17, 2006 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 REVIEW OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR FIVE PERCENT INCREASE IN THERMAL POWER (TAC NO. MD3048) (TS-431)

Dear Mr. Singer:

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs review methodology for your September 22, 2006, license amendment request. This methodology was discussed with your staff on October 10, 2006. On September 22, 2006, the Tennessee Valley Authority (the licensee) submitted a request to supplement the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) Unit 1 June 28, 2004, request. The June 28, 2004, amendment request involves a change in licensed thermal power from 3293 megawatt thermal (MWt) to 3952 MWt, an approximate 20 percent increase in thermal power (commonly referred to as an extended power uprate (EPU)). The September 22, 2006, supplement requested approval of an increase in licensed thermal power from 3293 MWt to 3458 MWt with an attendant 30-pounds per square inch increase in reactor pressure. This represents an approximate 5-percent increase above the original licensed thermal power (OLTP) of 3293 MWt, and is commonly referred to as a stretch power uprate. The NRC staff has reviewed the information provided and determined that sufficient information has been provided to begin the technical review of your application.

In the submittal, TVA states that the analyses and evaluations previously performed for EPU operation at 120 percent OLTP in the PUSAR (Power Uprate Safety Analysis Report) support and/or bound operation at lesser power levels, subject to the operating restrictions and limitations that would be applicable. In other cases, the staff requested and you have agreed to provide cycle-specific analyses (105% power level) e.g, safety limit minimum critical power ratio. In its review of your stretch power uprate request, the NRC staff will use the information supplied in support of your EPU application to determine if there is reasonable assurance that operation at the stretch power uprate conditions is consistent with the Commissions regulations. The results of this review will be documented in a safety evaluation. This safety evaluation will not contain any conclusions regarding the acceptability of your analysis in support of operation at EPU conditions.

The NRC staff will subsequently review the information supplied in support of your EPU application in its entirety to determine if there is reasonable assurance that operation at EPU conditions is consistent with the Commissions regulations. This review will be documented in a separate, stand-alone safety evaluation that will specifically address each topic delineated in

K. Singer the template safety evaluation provided in the Review Standard. The amendment package, including the safety evaluation, will be reviewed in accordance with standard practice, which includes review by the Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards.

If you have any questions, please contact the BFN Unit 1 Project Manager, Ms. Margaret Chernoff, at (301) 415-4041.

Sincerely,

/RA/

L. Raghavan, Chief Project Directorate II-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-259 cc: See next page

ML062900057 NRR-106 OFFICE LPL2-2/PM LPL2-2/PM LPL2-2/LA LPL2-2/BC NAME EBrown MChernoff BClayton LRaghavan DATE 10/17/06 10/17/06 10/17/06 10/17/06 Mr. Karl W. Singer BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT Tennessee Valley Authority cc:

Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President Mr. Robert G. Jones, General Manager Nuclear Operations Browns Ferry Site Operations 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. Larry S. Bryant, Vice President Mr. Larry S. Mellen Nuclear Engineering & Technical Services Browns Ferry Unit 1 Project Engineer Tennessee Valley Authority Division of Reactor Projects, Branch 6 6A Lookout Place U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1101 Market Street 61 Forsyth Street, SW.

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Suite 23T85 Atlanta, GA 30303-8931 Brian OGrady, Site Vice President Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Mr. Russell R. Thompson, Acting Manager Tennessee Valley Authority Corporate Nuclear Licensing P.O. Box 2000 and Industry Affairs Decatur, AL 35609 Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge Mr. Robert J. Beecken, Vice President 1101 Market Street Nuclear Support Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place Mr. William D. Crouch, Manager 1101 Market Street Licensing and Industry Affairs Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority General Counsel P.O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Decatur, AL 35609 ET 11A 400 West Summit Hill Drive Senior Resident Inspector Knoxville, TN 37902 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Mr. John C. Fornicola, Manager 10833 Shaw Road Nuclear Assurance and Licensing Athens, AL 35611-6970 Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place State Health Officer 1101 Market Street Alabama Dept. of Public Health Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 RSA Tower - Administration Suite 1552 Mr. Bruce Aukland, Plant Manager P.O. Box 303017 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Chairman Decatur, AL 35609 Limestone County Commission 310 West Washington Street Mr. Masoud Bajestani, Vice President Athens, AL 35611 Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609