ML093080480

Meeting Summary of 10/22/2009 Meeting Regarding Its Power Uprate Project Plan

ML093080480
Person / Time
Site:	Dresden, Peach Bottom, Oyster Creek, Byron, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Limerick, Clinton, Quad Cities, LaSalle
Issue date:	11/19/2009
From:	Gratton C Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Gratton C, NRR/DORL 415-1055
References
TAC 2378
Download: ML093080480 (5)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 November 19, 2009 LICENSEE: Exelon Generation Company FACILITIES: Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 (Braidwood)

Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Byron)

Clinton Power Station, Unit NO.1 (Clinton)

Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3 (Dresden)

LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2 (LaSalle)

Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 (Limerick)

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (Oyster Creek)

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 (Peach Bottom)

Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (Quad Cities)

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (TMI)

SUB..IECT:

SUMMARY

OF OCTOBER 22, 2009, PUBLIC MEETING WITH EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC, REGARDING ITS POWER UPRATE PROJECT PLAN (TAC NO. 2378)

On October 22,2009, a Category 1 public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC or the licensee) at the NRC Headquarters, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss EGC's power uprate plans for various units in its reactor fleet. A list of attendees is provided as Enclosure 1.

The licensee opened the meeting with a presentation of its power uprate project plan (see presentation material at Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)

Accession No. ML092940052). The presentation included information on EGC's power uprate organizational structure, an overview of the power uprate plan and scope, and projected submittal schedules. EGC plans to perform several power uprates within its fleet of nuclear power plants over the next 8 years resulting in a combined increase of more than 1300 megawatt electric. The projects will consist of extended power uprates, measurement uncertainty recapture uprates, and megawatt recovery projects (turbine retrofits and other component upgrades). Measurement uncertainty recapture power uprates are less than 2 percent and are achieved by implementing enhanced techniques for calculating reactor power. Stretch power uprates are typically up to 7 percent and are within the design capacity of the plant. Extended power uprates are greater than stretch power uprates and have been approved for increases as high as 20 percent. The licensee does not plan any stretch power uprates.

Throughout the presentation, the NRC staff provided feedback to the licensee on its project plan. The NRC staff emphasized the importance of incorporating lessons learned from recent power uprate submittals and industry experience on completed power uprate projects as they plan their power uprates. The NRC staff expects licensees to review responses to NRC requests for additional information from other power uprate submittals and incorporate those informational needs in their applications, as appropriate. EGC discussed the increased focus

-2 on licensee amendment request (LAR) quality for the planned submittals. The NRC staff and the licensee also discussed the importance of effective communications, especially during pre-submittal meetings and routine discussions with the respective NRC project manager. The NRC staff emphasized that power uprate LARs should not be submitted concurrent with other complex LARs, or amendments that are dependent (linked) to the approval of the power uprate amendment, such as the approval of an alternate source term.

The NRC staff also discussed the importance of completing the grid stability analysis and environment qualification analysis and including the results of those analyses in the application.

In addition, applications should address the effect that power uprates have on the design loading of the emergency diesel generator and batteries, as appropriate. The NRC staff also emphasized that the licensee should address, as appropriate, their boron precipitation modeling and any effect the uprate has on operator actions or procedures.

Finally, the NRC staff and the licensee discussed draft Revision 4 to Technical Specifications Task Force (TSTF) 493, "Clarify Application of Setpoint Methodology for [Limiting Safety System Setting] LSSS Functions," and how its approval may effect the power uprate project. The NRC staff reiterated its position discussed in a TSTF letter dated February 23, 2009 (ADAMS Accession No. ML090540849), that a licensee may pursue any of three strategies when adopting TSTF-493, Revision 4. However, if licensees wish to apply for a power uprate amendment prior to the NRC staff approving Revision 4 to TSTF-493, it is acceptable to apply the TSTF-493 footnotes to the specific group of setpoints being changed. In this instance, the licensee is encouraged to choose a strategy that is consistent with TSTF-493, Revision 4, with the exception that the changes should also meet the guidance in RIS 2006-17, "NRC Staff Position on the Requirements of 10 CFR 50.36, 'Technical Specifications,' Regarding Limiting Safety System Settings during periodic Testing and Calibration of Instrument Channels," in addition to TSTF-493. Finally, the NRC staff also clarified that, while not the preferred method, there will be a limited window of opportunity to apply a strategy consistent with TSTF-493, Revision 4, and RIS 2006-17 to a specific group of setpoints associated with an amendment request, such as a power uprate, even after Revision 4 to TSTF-493 is approved. The clarification was made to address EGC's concerns about the resources already invested in power uprate amendment applications that apply the TSTF-493 footnotes to a specific group of setpoints, and plan to be submitted to the NRC after the approval of TSTF-493, Revision 4. The NRC staff expects to complete its review of Revision 4 to TSTF-493 by the end of calendar year 2009.

-3 Members of the public were in attendance. Public Meeting Feedback forms were available, but no comments were received.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-1055, or Christopher.Gratton@nrc.gov.

Christopher Gratton, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dockets Nos. 50-456, 50-457, 50-454, 50-455, 50-461, 50-237, 50-249, 50-373, 50-374, 50-352, 50-353, 50-219,50-277,50-278,50-254,50-265, and 50-289

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

LIST OF ATTENDEES OCTOBER 22,2009, PUBLIC MEETING WITH EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC REGARDING ITS POWER UPRATE PRO..IECT PLAN Name Affiliation Phone Chris Gratton NRR/DORL 301-415-1055 Mark Beaumont URS Rockville 301-998-6580 Nancy Chapman SERCH/Bechtel 301-228-6025 Desmond Chaw Bechtel Power 301-228-8987 Jim ArmstronQ Exelon - Beach Bottom 717-456-3351 Darin Benyak Exelon 630-657-2811 Michael Jesse Exelon 610-765-5528 Alex Javorik Exelon 630-657-3350 Marvin Lohmann Exelon 630-657-3370 John Hughey NRR/DORL 301-415-3204 GeorQe Paptzun GEH 910-547-2657 Michael J. Dick GEH 256-227-1473 Marshall David NRR/DORL 301-415-1547 Michael Mahoney NRR/DORL 301-415-3867 Richard Lobel NRR/DSS/SCVB 301-415-2865 Andrea Russell NRR/DPR/PGCB 301-415-8553 Matthew McConnell NRR/DE/EEEB 301-415-1597 DyLanne Duvigneaud NRR/DRAIMDB 301-415-4010 Robert Taylor NRR/DRAlMDB 301-415-3172 Carl Schulten NRR/DIRS/ITSB 301-415-1192 Benjamin Parks NRR/DSS/SRXB 301-415-6472 William Jessup NRR/DE/EMCB 301-415-2972 Warren Lyon NRR/DSS/SRXB 301-415-2897 Hukam GarQ NRR/DE/EICB 301-415-2929 TaiHuang NRR/DSS/SRXB 301-415-2867 Rich Janati* Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection Mike Weber* Westinghouse George Stramback* WestinQhouse Ed ROQQenkaml* Environment Law & Policy Center Steven Dolley* Platts Nuclear

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ML093080480 NRC-001 OFFICE DORULPL3-2/PM DORULPL3-2/PM DORULPL3-2/LA DORULPL3-2/BC NAME MMahoney CGratton THarris SCampbell DATE 111 6 109 11/19/09 11/19/09 11/19/09