ML100600717

Letter to T. Morin Response to Holtec Letter to Director, Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation Dated February 4, 2010

ML100600717
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee, LaSalle, Holtec
Issue date:	02/25/2010
From:	Goshen J NRC/NMSS/SFST/LID/LB
To:	Morin T Holtec
Goshen, JM, NNSS/SFST, 492-3325
References
TAC L20806
Download: ML100600717 (3)

Text

February 25, 2010 Ms. Tammy Morin, Licensing Manager Holtec International Holtec Center 555 Lincoln Drive West Marlton, NJ 08053

SUBJECT:

RESPONSE TO HOLTEC LETTER TO DIRECTOR, SPENT FUEL STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION DATED FEBRUARY 4, 2010

Dear Ms. Morin:

In a letter dated February 4, 2010, you addressed several issues associated with the design adequacy of the LaSalle Station Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) Pad discussed during a telephone conversation with Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation (SFST),

Region III (RIII), and Exelon (the licensee for LaSalle) staff on January 27, 2010. The call resulted from a technical assistance request response that SFST staff provided to (RIII) on an open inspection question. As RIII has the lead for this issue, your input should be forwarded to Exelon for their use in responding to RIII. While we did not review your submittal in detail, we did identify a few statements that appear inconsistent with our understanding. Specifically, you stated the detailed review and approval of the ISFSI pad design methodology by SFST via a response to the TAR is a new development; the NRC has, in the past, required the Part 72 certificate holder to keep such methodologies outside the FSAR and thus outside the regulatory sphere of review. The NRC, through the regional offices performs reviews of the design and construction of ISFSI pads through the inspection program, and regional offices can request SFST staff to evaluate inspection findings. Additionally, you stated, We believe that SFSTs unfamiliarity with the details of our methodology undoubtedly prompted many of the queries in

[the TAR response]. SFST staff are cognizant of soil structure interaction analysis and ISFSI pad design and have been fully engaged in the preparation, utilization and use of NUREG/CR-6865, Parametric Evaluation of Seismic Behavior of Freestanding Spent Fuel Dry Cask Storage Systems. Thus, SFST staff are familiar with the methodology used.

The NRC recognizes Holtecs concern in ensuring that these issues are resolved expeditiously so as to not impact several identified near-term ISFSI projects, and SFST will continue to work with appropriate RIII personnel and Holtec staff to address the issues. This may require a future meeting with RIII, Holtec and Exelon staff, and this should be coordinated through RIII.

T. Morin If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 492-3325.

Sincerely,

/RA/

John Goshen, P.E., Project Manager Licensing Branch Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos.: 50-373, 50-374, 72-30, 72-1014 TAC No.: L20806 cc: C. Lipa, RIII Sr. Resident Inspector, LaSalle County Station, Units 1 & 2

T. Morin If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 492-3325.

Sincerely,

/RA/

John Goshen, P.E., Project Manager Licensing Branch Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos.: 50-373, 50-374, 72-30, 72-1014 TAC No.: L20806 cc: C. Lipa, RIII Sr. Resident Inspector, LaSalle County Station, Units 1& 2 Distribution: SFST r/f ADAMS: ML100600717 File location: G:\SFST\HI-STORM 100\LaSalle pad issue\Response to Holtec.doc OFC: SFST SFST SFST SFST SFST SFST WWheatley GBjorkman BTripathi DPstrak RLorson NAME: JGoshen 2/18/2010 2/18 /2010 2/18 /2010 2/18/2010 2/ 19/2010 2/ 25/2010 DATE:

SFST SFST SFST SFST SFST OFC:

NAME: EBenner DATE: 2/25 /2010 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY