ML071360485
| ML071360485 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Braidwood  |
| Issue date: | 05/22/2007 |
| From: | Robert Kuntz NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIII-2 |
| To: | Crane C Exelon Generation Co |
| kuntz, Robert , NRR/DORL, 415-3733 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD3079, TAC MD3080 | |
| Download: ML071360485 (5) | |
Text
May 22, 2007 Mr. Christopher M. Crane President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
SUBJECT:
BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO ALLOW USE OF AREVA NP INC. ADVANCED MARK-BW(A) FUEL ASSEMBLIES (TAC NOS. MD3079 AND MD3080)
Dear Mr. Crane:
By letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated September 26, 2006, Exelon Generation Company, LLC submitted a request to load a select number of AREVA Advanced Mark-BW(A) fuel assemblies in future operating cycles, for the Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2.
The NRC staff is reviewing your submittal and has determined that additional information is required to complete the review. The specific information requested is addressed in the enclosure to this letter. During a discussion with your staff on May 15, 2007, it was agreed that you would provide a response within 30 days from the date of this letter.
The NRC staff considers that timely responses to requests for additional information help ensure sufficient time is available for staff review and contribute toward the NRCs goal of efficient and effective use of staff resources. If circumstances result in the need to revise the requested response date, please contact me at (301) 415-3733.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert F. Kuntz, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-456 and 50-457
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: See next page
Mr. Christopher M. Crane May 22, 2007 President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
SUBJECT:
BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO ALLOW USE OF AREVA NP INC. ADVANCED MARK-BW(A) FUEL ASSEMBLIES (TAC NOS. MD3079 AND MD3080)
Dear Mr. Crane:
By letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated September 26, 2006, Exelon Generation Company, LLC submitted a request to load a select number of AREVA Advanced Mark-BW(A) fuel assemblies in future operating cycles, for the Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2.
The NRC staff is reviewing your submittal and has determined that additional information is required to complete the review. The specific information requested is addressed in the enclosure to this letter. During a discussion with your staff on May 15, 2007, it was agreed that you would provide a response within 30 days from the date of this letter.
The NRC staff considers that timely responses to requests for additional information help ensure sufficient time is available for staff review and contribute toward the NRCs goal of efficient and effective use of staff resources. If circumstances result in the need to revise the requested response date, please contact me at (301) 415-3733.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert F. Kuntz, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-456 and 50-457
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC LPL3-2 R/F RidsNrrDorlLpl3-2 RidsNrrPMRKuntz RidsNrrLAEWhitt RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsOgcRp RidsRgn3MailCenter ADAMS Accession Number: ML071360485 NRR-106 OFFICE LPL3-2/PM LPL3-2/LA LPL3-2/BC NAME RKuntz EWhitt RGibbs DATE 5/22/07 5/17/07 5/22/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Braidwood Station Units 1 and 2 cc:
Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Suite 210 2443 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Document Control Desk - Licensing Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Mr. Dwain W. Alexander, Project Manager Westinghouse Electric Corporation Energy Systems Business Unit Post Office Box 355 Pittsburgh, PA 15230 Ms. Bridget Little Rorem Appleseed Coordinator 117 N. Linden Street Essex, IL 60935 Howard A. Learner Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest 35 East Wacker Dr., Suite 1300 Chicago, IL 60601-2110 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Braidwood Resident Inspectors Office 35100 S. Rt. 53, Suite 79 Braceville, IL 60407 Ms. Lorraine Creek RR 1, Box 182 Manteno, IL 60950 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Division of Disaster Assistance &
Preparedness 1035 Outer Park Dr Springfield, IL 62704 County Executive Will County Office Building 302 N. Chicago Street Joliet, IL 60432 Attorney General 500 S. Second Street Springfield, IL 62701 Plant Manager - Braidwood Station Exelon Generation Company, LLC 35100 S. Rt. 53, Suite 84 Braceville, IL 60407-9619 Site Vice President - Braidwood Exelon Generation Company, LLC 35100 S. Rt. 53, Suite 84 Braceville, IL 60407-9619 Senior Vice President - Operations Support Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Chairman, Ogle County Board Post Office Box 357 Oregon, IL 61061 Manager Regulatory Assurance - Braidwood Exelon Generation Company, LLC 35100 S. Rt. 53, Suite 84 Braceville, IL 60407-9619 Director - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Associate General Counsel Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
Braidwood Station Units 1 and 2 Senior Vice President - Midwest Operations Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Vice President - Regulatory Affairs Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Manager Licensing - Braidwood, Byron and LaSalle Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
Enclosure REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-456 AND 50-457 In reviewing the Exelon Generation Company, LLCs (Exelons) submittal dated September 26, 2006, related to the use of a select number of AREVA Advanced Mark-BW(A) fuel assemblies for the Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Braidwood), the NRC staff has determined that the following information is needed in order to complete its review:
- 1.
It is stated that The advanced Mark-BW (A) fuel pellets may contain homogeneous poisons (i.e. gadolinia (Gd)).
(a)
Please clarify whether the fuel pellets in all the test assemblies placed in the core will have Gd homogeneously mixed with UO2 or whether the fuel assemblies will contain a mixture of UO2 fuel rods and UO2-Gd fuel rods.
(b)
Please specify the Gd enrichment(s) used in the test assemblies and the associated cutback in U-235 enrichment (if any).
(c)
Explain the impact of Gd content in the fuel on (i) fuel centerline temperature, and (ii) LOCA analyses.
- 2.
It is indicated in Attachment 1 that up to eight AREVA Mark-BW(A) fuel assemblies will be placed in non-limiting regions of the core. Does this mean that these test assemblies will be subjected to normal core operating conditions and these assemblies will yield a representative behavior of the fuel under normal operating conditions?
- 3.
On Page 7, the last sentence of paragraph 4, clarify and explain the sentence For the core physics model and most other cases, fuel geometry information for the AREVA Advanced Mark-BW(A) fuel assemblies will be used to ensure modeling fidelity. What are most other cases? Explain how the geometry information will be used to ensure modeling fidelity.