ML112030126

Closure of Spent Fuel Pool Neutron Absorbers Inserts

ML112030126
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle
Issue date:	08/04/2011
From:	Billoch-Colon A Plant Licensing Branch III
To:	Pacilio M Exelon Nuclear, Exelon Generation Co
Billoch-Colon A, NRR/DORL, 301-415-3302
References
TAC ME2376, TAC ME2377
Download: ML112030126 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 August 4, 2011 Mr. Michael J. Pacilio President and Chief Nuclear Officer Exelon Nuclear 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT:

LASALLE COUNTY STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, CLOSURE OF TAC FOR SPENT FUEL POOL STORAGE RACKS NEUTRON ABSORBERS INSERTS LICENSE AMENDMENTS (TAC. NOS ME2376 AND ME2377)

Dear Mr. Pacilio:

By letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated October 5, 2009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS) Accession No. ML092810278), as supplemented by letters dated June 10, November 23, December 14, and December 22, 2010, January 11, January 24, April 18, and July 13, 2011, (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML101650229, ML103270566, ML103490098, ML103570025, ML110130074 and ML110250141, ML111090258, ML0111960222, respectively), Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC) submitted a request to revise Technical Specification (TS) Section 4.3.1, "Criticality,"

to address a non-conservative TS, for the LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2. The proposed change addresses the BORAFLEX' degradation issue in the Unit 2 spent fuel storage racks by revising TS Section 4.3.1 to allow the use of NETCO-SNAP-IN rack inserts in Unit 2 spent fuel storage rack cells as a replacement for the neutron absorbing properties of the existing BORAFLEX' panels.

Subsequently, on January 28, 2011 (ADAMS Accession No. ML110250051), the NRC staff issued the approval of the October 5, 2009, submittal, as supplemented. The amendment for Unit 2 approved the use of the NETCO-SNAP-IN rack inserts, but provided limitations on the use of the nuclear criticality analysis provided by EGC and added license conditions related to a three-tiered spent fuel pool (SFP) BORAFLEX' panels crediting configuration.

In the July 13, 2011, supplement, EGC informed the NRC that the Unit 2 SFP reconfiguration was completed on May 26, 2011. During a subsequent discussion with Mr. Mitchel Mathews and Mr. Ken Nicely of your staff on July 28, 2011, the NRC staff acknowledged your intent to maintain the license conditions related to the Unit 2 SFP BORAFLEX' panels crediting configuration. Based on the above, NRC staff will close TAC Nos. ME2376 and ME2377.

M. Pacilio

- 2 If you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact me at (301 )-415-3302.

Sincerely, Araceli T. Billoch Colon, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 111-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374 cc w/encls: Distribtution via ListServ

M. Pacilio

- 2 If you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact me at (301 )-415-3302.

Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374 cc w/encls: Distribution via ListServ DISTRIBUTION:

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SRohrer JZimmerman DATE 8/02/11 8/02/11 8/04/11 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy