ML17160A488
| ML17160A488 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/22/1994 |
| From: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Lochbaum D, Prevatte D AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9408090393 | |
| Download: ML17160A488 (9) | |
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CHAIRMAN UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 July 22, 1994 Enclosure 1
Mr. David A. Lochbaum 80 Tuttle Road
- Watchung, New Jersey 07060
Dear Mr. Lochbaum:
I want to thank you for meeting with me on July 8, 1994.
I appreciated the opportunity to hear personally your views on both the technical nature of your concerns and on the NRC staff's safety review of your concerns to date.
I realize that your continued followup on this issue has been personally demanding and frustrating.
The insights gained by the staff in review of your concerns at Susquehanna have solidified the need to take a broader generic look at fuel pool cooling issues.
I believe that your continued personal involvement will result in a better understanding of the issues and in improved safety as the staff continues their review.
The role of individuals such as you in ensuring the continued safe operation of nuclear power plants cannot be underestimated.
Thank you for your personal commitment and service to the country.
Sincerely, Ivan Selin 4JOQ
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CHAIRMAN UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 July 22, 1994 Enclosure 2
Mr. Donald C. Prevatte 7924 Woodsbluff Run Fogelsville, Pennsylvania 18051
Dear Mr. Prevatte:
I want to thank you for meeting with me on July 8, 1994.
I appreciated the opportunity to hear personally your views on both the technical nature of your concerns and on the NRC staff's safety review of your concerns to date.
I realize that your continued followup on this issue has been personally demanding and frustrating.
The insights gained by the staff in review of your concerns at Susquehanna have solidified the need to take a broader generic look at fuel pool cooling issues.
I believe that your continued personal involvement will result in a better understanding of the issues and in improved safety as the staff continues their review.
I The role of individuals'uch as you in ensuring the continued safe operation of nuclear power plants cannot be underestimated.
Thank you for your personal commitment and service to the country.
Sincerely, Ivan Selin 1$
Enclosure 3
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 October 7, 1993 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE'O. 93-83:
POTENTIAL LOSS OF SPENT FUEL POOL COOLING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF COOLANT ACCIDENT (LOCA)
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for boiling water reactors (BWR).
QE~e The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice to alert addressees to an issue the NRC is evaluating concerning the potential lossof spent fuel pool (SFP) cooling following a LOCA. It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider any appropriate actions.
However, suggestions contained in this information notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
e ri i
f i
m On November 27,
- 1992, a 10 CFR Part 21 notification was filed to notify the NRC of concerns regarding the potential effects of a loss of SFP cooling coincident with a LOCA at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES).
Since the initial submittal, additional submittals dated December 14,
- 1992, and January 2, March 31, August 13, and October 1,
- 1993, have been made regarding the concerns.
In response to these
- concerns, Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, the licensee for SSES, has made submittals to the NRC dated Hay 24, July 6, and August 16, 1993.
The licensee met with the NRC on March 18 and July 8,'993.
The NRC is cur'rently evaluating the 10 CFR Part 21 notification and subsequent information.
Units 1 and 2 at SSES are BWRs with Hark II containments designed by the General Electric Company.
The SFPs for each unit are located above each reactor in a reactor building common area.
The two SFPs communicate through a
common cask storage pit when the path is not isolated by gates.
The SFP cooling systems for Units 1 and 2, as described in the updated final safety
IN 93-83 October 7, 1993 Page 2 of 3 analysis report (UFSAR), are non-seismic Category I, non-Class lE powered, and Ouality Group C systems.
The SFP cooling system for each unit consists of three parallel heat exchangers, cooled by non-Class IE service water, and three pumps.
During normal operation, the water temperature of the SFP is maintained below 52'C [125'F].
Hakeup water to accommodate for evaporation and small leakage losses from the SFP is normally supplied by the condensate transfer system.
During refueling outages, the residual heat removal (RHR) system is designed to provide supplemental cooling to the SFP.
The RHR system is connected to the SFP by manually operating valves in the reactor building.
The RHR system cools the SFP using seismic Category I piping and can be isolated from the non-seismic SFP cooling systems.
The seismic Category I emergency service water system also is available to provide makeup water for evaporative losses.
This system also requires the operation of manual valves in the pool area.
A LOCA coincident with a loss of SFP cooling could potentially limit recovery actions.
A LOCA in one unit may restrict access to the reactor building for that unit.
The transfer of steam or radio'active materials through the heating, ventilation,.and air conditioning systems also may restrict access to the adjacent reactor building.
Because entry to the reactor building is necessary to provide a method of SFP cooling or makeup water. addition when the normal SFP cooling and make-uP systems are inoperable, a delay in accedsing the reactor building may result in the SFP water boiling.
The submitted information identified the following concerns:
Potential loss of normal SFP cooling and makeup water systems as a
result of piping stresses caused by LOCA-induced hydrodynamic effects in the reactor buildings.
Potential inability to align emergency methods of SFP cooling and makeup water addition under post-LOCA conditions.
Potential loss of safety-related equipment as a result of the temperature and steam effects of SFP water boiling within the reactor building.
Potential loss of safety-related equipment as a result of flooding from condensation of water vapor created by boiling the SFP water.
Adequacy of instrumentation to monitor SFP temperature and level.
Acceptability of the source term used to predict accessibility to the SFP area and reactor building.
Consideration of SFP heat loads in the design basis for the ultimate heat sink.
IN 93-83 October 7, 1993 Page 3 of 3
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Consideration that a loss of offsite power may last longer than 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.
~I The NRC staff is evaluating these concerns and the licensee's actions as they relate to the safe operation of SSES.
The NRC staff also is evaluating the safety significance of the concerns and their generic applicability to other BMRs.
This information notice requires no specific action or, written response.
If you have any questions regarding the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation project manager.
Brian K. Grimes, Director Oivision of Operating Reactor Support I
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Technical contacts:
Oavid H. 'Shum, NRR (301) 504-2860
-George
- Hubbard, NRR (301) 504-2870
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued Information Notices
Attachment IN 93-83 October 8, 1993 Page 1 of 1 LIST OF RECENTLY iSSUED NRC INFORHATION NOTICES n orma on Notice No.
93-82 93-81 93-80 93-79 Sub)ect Recent Fuel and Core Performance Problems in Operating Reactors Implementation of Engineering Expertise
'on Shift Implementation of the
,Revised 10 i.FR Part 20 Core Shroud Cracking at Beltline Region Melds in Boiling-Mater Reactors aeo Issuance 10/12/93 10/12/93 10/08/93 09/30/93 Issued to All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors and all NRC-approved fuel suppliers.
All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.
All byproduct,
- source, and and special nuclear material licensees.
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for boiling-water reactors (BMRs).
,93-78 Inoperable Safety Systems 10/04/93 At A Non-Power Reactor All holders of OLs or CPs for test and research reactors.
93-77 93-76 93-75 93-74 Human Errors that Result in Inadvertent Transfers of Special Nuclear Haterial at Fuel Cycle'acilities Inadequate Control of Paint and Cleaners for Safety-Related Equipment Sp'urious Tripping of Low-Voltage Power Circuit Breakers with GE RHS-9 Digital Trip Units High Temperatures Reduce Limitorque AC Motor Operator Torque 10/04/93 09/21/93 09/17/93 09/16/93 All nuclear fuel cycle licensees.
All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.
All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.
I All holders of OLs or CPs for nuclear power reactors.
OL Operating License CP Construction Permit
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t UNITEDSTATES NUCLEAR REGULATORYCOMMISSION WASHINGTON,D. C. 20555 EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:
Rep.
Bob Franks DUE: 07/20/94 EDO CONTROL:
10230 07/27/94 FINAL REPLY:
TO:
Chairman Selin FOR SIGNATURE OF:
Executive Director e* GRN CRC NO:
9400641 DESC:
ENCLOSES LETTER FROM DAVID A.
LOCHBAUM 8I WHITE PAPER FROM LOCHBAUM AND DON PREVATTE CONCERNING SAFETY HAZARD
'OA+SUSE(UNANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION 07/06/94 ASSIGNED TO:
CONTACT:
NRR Russell SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
ROUTING:
Taylor Milhoan Thompson Blaha TMartin NRR RECEIVED:
NRR ACTION:
NRR ROUTING:
JULY 6, 1994 DRPE:VARGA RUSSELL MIRAGLIA ZIMMERMAN THADANI CRUTCHFIELD G ILLESP IE BOHRER ACTlON DUE TO NRR DIRECTOR'S OFFICE l
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
CRC-94-0641 EDO LOGGING DATE: Jul 5 94 AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE LETTER DATE:
SUBJECT ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
REP BOB FRANKS U.S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAIRMAN SELIN Jun 27 94 FILE CODE: IDR-5 SUSQUEHANNA SAFETY HAZARD$$ THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION Direct Reply OCA TO ACK SPECIAL HANDLING: NONE CONSTITUENT:
NOTES DATE DUE:
SIGNATURE:
AFFILIATION:
DAVID LOCHBAUM Jul 18 94 DATE SIGNED:
gyp 010230