3F0712-06, Response to Second Request for Additional Information to Support NRC Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Chemical Engineering Branch (Esgb) Technical Review of the CR-3 Extended Power Uprate LAR

Response to Second Request for Additional Information to Support NRC Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Chemical Engineering Branch (Esgb) Technical Review of the CR-3 Extended Power Uprate LAR

ML12205A268
Person / Time
Site:	Crystal River
Issue date:	07/17/2012
From:	Franke J Progress Energy Florida
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
3F0712-06, TAC ME6527
Download: ML12205A268 (5)

Text

SProgress Energy Crystal River Nuclear Plant Docket No. 50-302 Operating License No. DPR-72 July 17, 2012 3F0712-06 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Crystal River Unit 3 - Response to Second Request for Additional Information to Support NRC Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Chemical Engineering Branch (ESGB) Technical Review of the CR-3 Extended Power Uprate LAR (TAC No.

ME6527)

References:

1. FPC to NRC letter dated June 15, 2011, "Crystal River Unit 3 - License Amendment Request #309, Revision 0, Extended Power Uprate" (ADAMS Accession No. ML112070659)

2. NRC to FPC letter dated July 5, 2012, "Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant - Request For Additional Information For Extended Power Uprate License Amendment Request (TAC No. ME6527)" (ADAMS Accession No. ML12174A292)

Dear Sir:

By letter dated June 15, 2011, Florida Power Corporation (FPC) requested a license amendment to increase the rated thermal power level of Crystal River Unit 3 (CR-3) from 2609 megawatts (MWt) to 3014 MWt. (Reference 1) On July 5, 2012, the NRC provided a Request for Additional Information (RAI) to support the ESGB technical review of the CR-3 Extended Power Uprate (EPU) License Amendment Request (LAR). (Reference 2)

The attachment to this correspondence, "Response to Second Request for Additional - Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Chemical Engineering Branch Technical Review of the CR-3 EPU LAR," provides the formal response to the RAI.

This correspondence contains no new regulatory commitments.

If you have any questions regarding this submittal, please contact Mr. Dan Westcott, Superintendent, Licensing and Regulatory Programs at (352) 563-4796.

Si Jo .Fr ice President Crystal River Nuclear Plant JAF/gwe

Attachment:

Response to Second Request for Additional Information - Steam Generator Tube Integrity and Chemical Engineering Branch Technical Review of the CR-3 EPU LAR xc: NRR Project Manager Regional Administrator, Region II Senior Resident Inspector State Contact ODI Crystal River Nuclear Plant 1 /1 15760 W. Powerline Street Crystal River, FL 34428

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 of 3 3F0712-06 STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF CITRUS Jon A. Franke states that he is the Vice President, Crystal River Nuclear Plant for Florida Power Corporation; that he is authorized on the part of said company to sign and file with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission the information attached hereto; and that all such statements made and matters set forth therein are true and correct to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief.

2012, by Jon A. Franke.

624 C IOTMN CAOY E.

Signature of Notary Public State of Florida Signtur Expiotres Marlch,21 ThmTroy Bon~ded FainIrnaffnce 800-385-7019 (Print, type, or stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)

Personally Produced Known -OR- Identification

FLORIDA POWER CORPORATION CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3 DOCKET NUMBER 50-302 / LICENSE NUMBER DPR-72 ATTACHMENT RESPONSE TO SECOND REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INTEGRITY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THE CR-3 EPU LAR

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attachment 3F0712-06 Page 1 of 2 RESPONSE TO SECOND REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INTEGRITY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BRANCH TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THE CR-3 EPU LAR By letter dated June 15, 2011, Florida Power Corporation (FPC) requested a license amendment to increase the rated thermal power level of Crystal River Unit 3 (CR-3) from 2609 megawatts (MWt) to 3014 MWt (Reference 1). On July 5, 2012, the NRC provided a Request for Additional Information (RAI) to support the ESGB technical review of the CR-3 Extended Power Uprate (EPU) License Amendment Request (LAR).

For tracking purposes, each item related to this RAI is uniquely identified as ESGB X-Y, with X indicating the RAI set and Y indicating the sequential item number.

1. (ESGB 2-1)

The monitoring program described in letter dated January 27, 2010 (ADAMS Accession No. ML100290366), states that CR-3 will perform in-situ neutron attenuation testing for spent fool pools A and B. The program description does not provide the schedule for the testing. Please discuss the schedule for in-situ neutron attenuation testing for the materials in spent fuel pools A and B.

Response

As described in an FPC response to an RAI associated with the CR-3 License Renewal (LR) submittal (Reference 2, Enclosure 2), the Fuel Pool Rack Neutron Absorber Monitoring Program will be enhanced and will include, in part, periodic neutron attenuation testing for materials in CR-3 Spent Fuel Pools A and B. Specifically, the enhancements to this program are scheduled to be implemented prior to the period of CR-3 extended operation as required by CR-3 LR Regulatory Commitment #27 (Reference 3, Enclosure 2) and in-situ neutron attenuation testing of the spent fuel pools will be repeated at 10-year intervals within the extended operating period as described in Enclosure 1, "Response to Request for Additional Information," of the FPC to NRC letter dated January 27, 2010 (Reference 2).

2. (ESGB 2-2)

Please clarify whether soluble boron is credited in the criticality safety analysis for maintaining keff [effective multiplication factor] within limits in the spent fuel pools.

Response

An evaluation was performed to determine the criticality margins for the spent fuel racks in Spent Fuel Pools A and B resulting from CR-3 operation at EPU conditions. To maintain keff within the limits of 10 CFR 50.68(b)(4) in the CR-3 spent fuel pools during normal and accident conditions, soluble boron is required. As indicated in the basis of change for Improved Technical Specification (ITS) 3.7.14, "Spent Fuel Pool Boron Concentration," (Reference 1, ), the limiting boron concentration assumptions of 203 ppm for normal conditions and 571 ppm for accident conditions in Pool B are required to meet the criticality design requirements.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attachment 3F0712-06 Page 2 of 2 As described in the CR-3 EPU LAR (Reference 1, Attachments 1, 2, 3 and 4), FPC requests, in part, a license basis change to credit the use of soluble boron in the spent fuel pool to preclude spent fuel pool criticality accidents as allowed by 10 CFR 50.68(b)(4) and proposes concomitant changes to ITS 3.7.14 and ITS 4.3.1, "Criticality."

References

1. FPC to NRC letter dated June 15, 2011, "Crystal River Unit 3 - License Amendment Request #309, Revision 0, Extended Power Uprate." (ADAMS Accession No. ML112070659)

2. FPC to NRC letter dated January 27, 2010, "Crystal River Unit 3 - Response to Request for Additional Information for the Review of the Crystal River Unit 3, Nuclear Generating Plant, License Renewal Application (TAC NO. ME0274) and Amendment #9." (ADAMS Accession No. ML100290366)

3. FPC to NRC letter dated December 16, 2008, "Crystal River Unit 3 - Application for Renewal of Operating License." (ADAMS Accession No. ML090080054)