ML090130718

Schedule Update for the Extended Power Uprate Amendment Requests (TAC Nos. MD5262 and MD5263) (TS-431 and TS-418)

ML090130718
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	04/01/2009
From:	Giitter J Division of Operating Reactor Licensing
To:	Swafford P Tennessee Valley Authority
Brown E, NRR/DORL, 415-2315
References
TAC MD5262, TAC MD5263, TAC MD5264
Download: ML090130718 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 1,2009 Mr. Preston D. Swafford Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 SUB..IECT: BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - SCHEDULE UPDATE FOR THE EXTENDED POWER UPRATE AMENDMENT REQUESTS (TAC NOS. MD5262, MD5263, AND MD5264) (TS-431 AND TS-418)

Dear Mr. Swafford:

This letter documents the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's views on the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) submittals in support of the ongoing extended power uprate (EPU) amendments. The proposed EPU amendments would change the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant operating licenses to increase the maximum authorized power level by approximately 14 percent.

In a letter to the NRC staff dated February 18, 2009, TVA requested that priority be placed on the Unit 1 review because of technical issues associated with signal filtering affecting Unit 2, and informed the staff that the major plant modifications for Unit 2 are not scheduled until the spring of 2011. Based on this request, the staff will focus its efforts on the Unit 1 reviews. The staff will finalize the schedule for briefing the NRC's Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards' subcommittee this summer. The briefing is currently targeted for June 18-19, 2009.

For Units 2 and 3, the NRC staff will not be able to complete its review until TVA submits the strain gage data and associated analyses to demonstrate acceptable stresses on the steam dryer that the staff has requested in various Requests for Additional Information. We understand that this data may be available sometime after the April 2009 outage. Therefore, the reviews of the Units 2 and 3 EPUs are suspended until TVA is able to provide the required information, and the associated TAC numbers for Unit 2 (MD5263) and Unit 3 (MD5264) are closed.

The NRC recognizes that some of the information that TVA will submit for ldnits 2 and 3 may be similar to the information provided for Unit 1. If relying on Unit 1 information for the Unit 2 and 3 EPUs, TVA should confirm that the information previously submitted for Unit 1 remains valid for Units 2 and 3, and should address any issues identified during the Unit 1 review that were not resolved for Units 2 and 3. If the information submitted satisfactorily addresses the staff's questions, the staff will assess whether efficiencies can be gained in completing the EPU reviews.

Typically, the staff reviews are completed within a reasonable timeframe (i.e, approximately 5-6 months) after receiving a final submittal that satisfactorily addresses the staff's questions. The time

P. Swafford -2 required includes completing the staff's safety evaluation and a favorable review by the ACRS.

Should you have any questions, please contact Ms. Eva Brown at 301-415-2315.

Sincerely,

~~

Jo eph G. Giitter, Director Di ision of Operating Reactors ffice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260, and 50-296 cc: Distribution via Listserv

• .. ML090130718 NRR-106 OFFICE LPL2-2/PM LP-WB/LA LPL2-2/BC DE/D DORUD NAME EBrown BClayton TBoyce PHiland JGiitler DATE 03/17/09 03/17/09 03/17/09 03/19/09 04/01/09