ML081090254
| ML081090254 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Boiling Water Reactor Owners Group |
| Issue date: | 05/19/2008 |
| From: | Ho Nieh NRC/NRR/ADRO/DPR |
| To: | Bunt R BWR Owners Group |
| Honcharik M, NRR/DPR/PSPB, 415-1774 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD1764 | |
| Download: ML081090254 (4) | |
Text
May 19, 2008 Mr. Randy C. Bunt, Chair BWR Owners= Group Southern Nuclear Operating Company 40 Inverness Center Parkway/Bin B057 Birmingham, AL 35242
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR THE REVIEW OF THE BOILING WATER REACTORS OWNERS= GROUP (BWROG) TOPICAL REPORT (TR) NEDO-33163, "HIGH BURN UP BWR FUEL ROD GAP RELEASE FRACTIONS" (TAC NO. MD1764)
Dear Mr. Bunt:
By letter dated March 30, 2006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML060940462), the BWROG submitted TR NEDO-33163, "High Burn Up BWR Fuel Rod Gap Release Fractions" to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff for review. The NRC accepted NEDO-33163 for review in letter dated August 4, 2006 (ADAMS Accession No. ML062090257). The main objective of NEDO-33163 is to extend the applicability of the fission-product inventory gap fractions in Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.183, "Alternative Radiological Source Terms for Evaluating Design Basis Accidents at Nuclear Power Reactors" (ADAMS Accession No. ML003716792), in order to allow higher power/higher burnup fuel rods. In addition, the analytical methods used to derive the revised gap fractions would serve as guidance for future applicants wishing to derive more specific (e.g., less limiting) values.
A request for additional information (RAI) was issued on February 16, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML070230581). The BWROG provided responses on May 22, 2007. After reviewing the information presented in TR NEDO-33163 and in the BWROG response to the RAI, the NRC staff had concerns with the degree of conservatism within the methods employed in the BWROG calculations. Specifically, the modeling uncertainty in predicting fission gas release, which relates to the spread within the fission gas measurement database, needs to be included in the fission-product gap fraction calculations.
With the recently adopted improved American Nuclear Society (ANS) 5.4 model, the NRC staff is now in a position to (1) revise and extend the applicability of the fission-product inventory gap fractions and (2) provide an application methodology with adequate conservatism to guide future applicants. Upon completion of these two items, the NRC staff will have satisfied the original objectives of TR NEDO-33163. A revision to RG 1.183 is planned within the next 12 months. It is the NRC staff's intent, provided an acceptable methodology can be developed, to incorporate the revised fission-product inventory gap fractions in the revision to RG 1.183 that is currently underway. Therefore, further review or revision of TR NEDO-33163 is no longer required.
The issues raised and resolved during the NRC staffs review of TR NEDO-33163 proved to be the catalyst for (1) finalizing the ANS 5.4 model, (2) developing an application methodology to guide future applicants, and (3) expanding the applicability of RG 1.183. Hence, TR NEDO-33163 has met its ultimate goal of providing fuel management flexibility for future applicants.
As discussed above further review and/or revision of TR NEDO-33163 is no longer required.
The NRC staff has discontinued its review and therefore will not issue a safety evaluation approving use of TR NEDO-33163. The TAC associated with this review will be closed upon issuance of this letter.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Ho K. Nieh Deputy Director Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 691 cc: See next page
As discussed above further review and/or revision of TR NEDO-33163 is no longer required.
The NRC staff has discontinued its review and therefore will not issue a safety evaluation approving use of TR NEDO-33163. The TAC associated with this review will be closed upon issuance of this letter.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Ho K. Nieh Deputy Director Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 691 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC PSPB Reading File RidsNrrDpr RidsNrrDprPspb RidsNrrPMMHoncharik RidsNrrLADBaxley RidsOgcMailCenter RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter Paul Clifford Tony Mendiola RidsNrrDssSnpb RidsNrrDraAadb RidsNrrDss William Ruland SRosenberg (Hardcopy)
Robert Taylor Mark Blumberg ADAMS ACCESSION NO.:ML081090254 NRR-106 OFFICE PSPB/PM PSPB/LA SNPB/BC AADB/BC PSPB/BC DPR/DD NAME MHoncharik DBaxley TMendiola RTaylor SRosenberg HNieh DATE 4/25/08 4/21/08 4/22/08 5/8/08 5/6/08 5/19/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
BWR Owners= Group Project No. 691 Mr. Doug Coleman Vice Chair, BWR Owners= Group Energy Northwest Columbia Generating Station Mail Drop PE20 P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 DWCOLEMAN@energy-northwest.com Mr. Richard Libra Executive Vice Chair, BWR Owners= Group Exelon Generation Co, LLC 200 Exelon Way Mail Code KSA 2-N Kennett Square, PA 19348 Rick.libra@exeloncorp.com Mr. Richard Anderson BWROG, Executive Chair FPL Energy (DAEC)
Duane Arnold Energy Center 3277 DAEC Road Palo, IA 52324 richard_l_anderson@fpl.com Mr. James F. Klapproth GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy M/C A50 3901 Castle Hayne Road Wilmington, NC 28401 james.klapproth@ge.com Mr. Joseph E. Conen Regulatory Response Group Chair BWR Owners= Group DTE Energy-Fermi 2 200 TAC 6400 N. Dixie Highway Newport, MI 48166 conenj@dteenergy.com Mr. J. A. Gray, Jr.
Regulatory Response Group Vice-Chair BWR Owners= Group Entergy Nuclear Northeast 440 Hamilton Avenue Mail Stop 12C White Plains, NY 10601-5029 JGray4@entergy.com Mr. Ken A. McCall, Program Manager GE Energy M/C F12 3901 Castle Hayne Road Wilmington, NC 28401 kenneth.mccall@ge.com Mr. Tim E. Abney GE Energy M/C A-16 3901 Castle Hayne Road Wilmington, NC 28401 tim.abney@ge.com Oscar Limpias Entergy Nuclear Northeast 1340 Echelon Parkway.
Jackson, MS 39213-8202 olimpia@entergy.com Joe Donahue Progress Energy Inc.
410 S. Wilmington St.
PEB 6A Raleigh, NC 27601-1849 joe.w.donahue@pgnmail.com Paul J. Davison Hope Creek Generating Station P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 paul.davison@pseg.com Dennis Madison, Hatch Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Co.
11028 Hatch Parkway North Baxley, GA 31515-2010 drmadiso@southernco.com Frederick Emerson BWROG, Project Manager Frederick.emerson@ge.com 3/18/08