ML082210132

Email - Prairie Island Acceptance Review Questions for LAR to Allow Use of West. 14X14 Vantage+ Fuel (TACs MD9142/MD9143)

ML082210132
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	07/22/2008
From:	Thomas Wengert NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIII-1
To:	Sueper L, Vincent D Nuclear Management Co
References
TAC MD9142, TAC MD9143
Download: ML082210132 (2)

Text

From:

Thomas Wengert Sent:

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 5:12 PM To:

'leonard.sueper@xenuclear.com'; 'dale.vincent@xenuclear.com' Cc:

Mahesh Chawla; Lois James; Benjamin Parks; Gregory Cranston; Shih-Liang Wu; Anthony Mendiola; Aleem Boatright; Robert Taylor

Subject:

Prairie Island - Acceptance Review Questions for LAR to Allow Use of West.

14X14 VANTAGE+ Fuel (TACs MD9142/MD9143)

Lenny/Dale, By letter dated June 26, 2008, Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC), submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2. This LAR requests amendments to the Operating Licenses and associated Technical Specifications to allow the use of Westinghouse 0.422-inch OD 14X14 VANTAGE+ fuel.

As we discussed during today's telecon with members of NMC staff, the following supplemental information is required to complete the NRC staff's acceptance review of this application.

Please note that item number (3) has been expanded to more clearly define the information required.

(1) Please clarify the difference between "evaluate" and "analyze" as discussed in Chapter 5 of the licensing report. For those sections that discuss particular analyses, it is clear what the analysis entailed. For evaluations, however, the NRC staff seeks to understand how the licensee assured itself that reanalysis was not required. Please provide a summary of the evaluation technique used.

(2) The excessive load increase section retains generic, boiler-plate language referring to general Westinghouse design features. Please clarify whether these design features (step and ramp load increase capabilities) apply to Prairie Island.

(3) Section 5.2.4 of the licensing report states, "a post-LOCA core boric acid precipitation analysis was most recently performed as part of the Safety Analysis Transition Program/RSG Program (Reference 24)." The mentioned reference does not discuss this analysis. Please supplement the licensing report with a comprehensive discussion of post-LOCA long term core cooling, including the following:

- Discussion of different cases and scenarios analyzed

- Modeling assumptions and their impact on boric acid solubility and precipitation

- Description of thermal/hydraulic behavior in the lower plenum mixing volume, if credited

- Limiting times for manual recovery actions, including the types of actions, minimum initiation times, and maximum initiation times

- Predictions, calculations, and analyses of the behavior of various recovery systems, including RWST, SI accumulators, sump mixing behavior during recirculation, etc.

(4) Section 2.5 Seismic/LOCA Impact on Fuel Assemblies: The approved Westinghouse methodology to analyze the seismic and LOCA loading is WCAP-9401. Provide justification of the NKMODE and WECAN codes. Also, provide the analytical description and results for mixed core.

(5) Are the core isotopics based on Westinghouse 14x14 VANTAGE+ fuel, as calculated using an approved isotopic depletion/generation code (e.g., ORIGEN), bounded by the core isotopics calculated for the current design basis accident analyses using the currently licensed fuel type?

Please provide this supplemental information within 15 days (i.e., by August 6, 2008) so the NRC staff can begin the detailed review of this application.

Please call me if you have any questions.

Regards, Tom Wengert USNRC Project Manager NRR/DORL/LPLIII-1 (301) 415-4037 E-mail Properties Mail Envelope Properties ()

Subject:

Prairie Island - Acceptance Review Questions for LAR to Allow Use of West.

14X14 VANTAGE+ Fuel (TACs MD9142/MD9143)

Sent Date: 7/22/2008 12:48:08 PM Received Date: 7/22/2008 5:12:00 PM From: Thomas Wengert Created By: Thomas.Wengert@nrc.gov Recipients:

leonard.sueper@xenuclear.com ('leonard.sueper@xenuclear.com')

Tracking Status: None dale.vincent@xenuclear.com ('dale.vincent@xenuclear.com')

Tracking Status: None Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov (Mahesh Chawla)

Tracking Status: None Lois.James@nrc.gov (Lois James)

Tracking Status: None Benjamin.Parks@nrc.gov (Benjamin Parks)

Tracking Status: None Gregory.Cranston@nrc.gov (Gregory Cranston)

Tracking Status: None Shih-Liang.Wu@nrc.gov (Shih-Liang Wu)

Tracking Status: None Anthony.Mendiola@nrc.gov (Anthony Mendiola)

Tracking Status: None

Aleem.Boatright@nrc.gov (Aleem Boatright)

Tracking Status: None Robert.Taylor@nrc.gov (Robert Taylor)

Tracking Status: None Post Office:

Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 16995 7/22/2008 Options Expiration Date:

Priority: olImportanceNormal ReplyRequested: False Return Notification: False Sensitivity: olNormal Recipients received: