ML16007A163
| ML16007A163 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 01/11/2016 |
| From: | Farideh Saba Plant Licensing Branch II |
| To: | James Shea Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Saba F, NRR/DORL/LPL2-2 | |
| References | |
| CAC MF4851, CAC MF4852, CAC MF4853 | |
| Download: ML16007A163 (4) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 January 11, 2016 Mr. Joseph W. Shea Vice President, Nuclear Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street, LP 3R-C Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -ACCEPTANCE REVIEW REGARDING PROPOSED EXTENDED POWER UPRATE (CAC NOS. MF4851, MF4582, AND MF4853)
Dear Mr. Shea:
By letter dated September 21, 2015 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML15282A152), as supplemented by letters dated November 13, December 15, and December 18, 2015 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML15317A361, ML15351A113, and ML15355A413, respectively), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the licensee) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3. The proposed amendment would increase the authorized maximum steady-state reactor core power level for each unit from 3,458 megawatt thermal (MWt) to 3,952 MWt. This LAR represents an increase of approximately 20 percent above the original licensed thermal power level of 3,293 MWt, and an increase of approximately 14.3 percent above the current licensed thermal power level of 3,458 MWt.
On September 30, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was informed of an error in AREVA's MICROBURN-B2 code that was used in the extended power uprate (EPU)
LAR. In October and November 2015, the NRC staff communicated with TVA the impact of this error on the EPU LAR. The NRC staff concluded that updated documents reflecting the correct results from use of MICROBURN-B2 were required prior to completing its acceptance review.
In addition, the NRC staff identified that a final interconnection system impact study review was required prior to performing its detailed technical review. These issues were discussed during a public meeting with TVA on November 10, 2015 (meeting summary at ADAMS Accession No. ML15321A494). During the November 10, 2015, public meeting, the NRC staff also identified that additional spent fuel criticality safety analysis was required for the EPU LAR.
Subsequently, TVA supplemented its LAR by letters dated November 13, December 15, and December 18, 2015. In its letter dated November 13, 2015, TVA provided an interim report on the impacts of the MICROBURN-B2 error on the results in the attachment to the EPU LAR submittal. In its letter dated December 15, 2015, TVA provided a supplement containing corrected values for the MICROBURN-B2 results. In its letter dated December 18, 2015, TVA submitted the final interconnection system impact study and the updated final transmission system stability evaluation that was revised to reflect the modifications resulting from the final interconnection system impact study.
J. Shea The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the NRC staff's acceptance review of this LAR. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is sufficient technical information, in scope and depth, to allow the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review.
The acceptance review is also intended to identify whether the application has any readily apparent information insufficiencies in its characterization of the regulatory requirements or the licensing basis of the plant.
Consistent with Section 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (1 O CFR), an amendment to the license (including the technical specifications) must fully describe the changes requested, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for original applications. Section 50.34 of 10 CFR addresses the content of technical information required.
This section stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations.
The NRC staff has reviewed TVA's submitted information and concluded that it does provide technical information in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to proceed with its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed amendment request in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment. Given the lesser scope and depth of the acceptance review as compared to the detailed technical review, there may be instances in which issues that impact the NRC staff's ability to complete the detailed technical review are identified despite completion of an adequate acceptance review. You will be advised of any further information needed to support the NRC staff's detailed technical review by separate correspondence.
Our timeliness performance goal for EPU reviews, as discussed in SECY-12-0084, "Status Report on Power Uprates," dated June 15, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. ML12116A342), is 18 months from the date of acceptance of the application for review (i.e., 18 months from the date of this letter). This is aligned with the licensee's request for approval of the LAR within 24 months of the date of its submittal (i.e., by September 21, 2017).
J. Shea If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1447 or Farideh.Saba@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Farideh E. Saba, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing 11-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260, and 50-296 cc: Distribution via Listserv
ML16007A163 *via e-mail OFFICE DORL/LPL! 1-2/PM DORL/LPL! 1-2/LA DSS/SRXB/BC(A)* DSS/SNPB/BC DE/EE EB/BC NAME FSaba (LRonewicz for) EOesterle JDean JZimmerman BClayton DATE 1/11/2016 1/08/2016 1/04/2016 1/08/2016 1/07/2016 OFFICE DRNAFPB/BC* DRNAPHB/BC* DRNAPLNBC* DRNARCB/BC* DE/EICB/BC*
NAME AK le in SWeerakkody SRosenberg US hoop MWaters DATE 10/28/2015 10/09/2015 10/23/2015 10/30/2015 10/26/2015 OFFICE DE/EMCB/BC* DE/EPNB/BC* DE/ESGB/BC* DE/EVI B/BC* DLR/RERB/BC*
NAME TLupold DAiiey GKulesa JMcHale DWrona DATE 10/28/2015 10/26/2015 10/21/2015 10/28/2015 10/28/2015 OFFICE DSS/SBPB/BC DSS/SCVB/BC* DORL/LPL! 1-2/BC DORL/LPLll-2/PM NAME GCasto RDennig (RSchaaf for) FSaba BBeasley DATE 10/30/2015 10/30/2015 1/11/2016 1/11/2016