ML17265A212
| ML17265A212 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Ginna  |
| Issue date: | 03/30/1998 |
| From: | Mecredy R ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP. |
| To: | Vissing G NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned), NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9804130037 | |
| Download: ML17265A212 (6) | |
Text
CATEGORY REGULA Y INFORMATION DISTRIBUTIO SYSTEM (RIDS) 7 f~
ACCESSIONS NBR:9804130037 DOC.DATE: 98/03/30 NOTARIZED: NO FACIL:50-244 Robert Emmet Ginna Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, Rochester G
AUTH.NAME AUTHOR 'AFFILIATION MECREDY,R.C.
Rochester Gas
& Electric Corp.
RECIP'.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION VISSING,G.S.
DOCKET I 05000244 NOTES:License Exp date in accordance with 10CFR2,2.109(9/19/72).
SUBJECT:
Discusses licensing rept appended to 970331 LAR,revising configuration of certain spent fuel pool storage racks.
C Recent testing performed on boraflex panels indicates that assumptions are not conservative for certain Region 2 cells.
A DISTRIBUTION CODE: A068D COPIES RECEIVED:LTR ENCL SIZE:
TITLE: Responses to GL-96-04: Boraflex Degradation in Spent Fuel Storage Rac 05000244 RECIPIENT ID CODE/NAME PD1-1 PD INTERNA 'CENZE NRR/DE/SRZB NRR/DSSA/SPLB OGC/HDS3 COPIES LTTR ENCL 1
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RECIPIENT ID CODE/NAME VISSING,G.
NRR/DE/EMCB NRR/DRPW/PD4-2 NUDOCS-ABSTRACT RES COPIES LTTR ENCL 0
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,EXTERNAL: NRC PDR D
C' E
NOTE TO ALL "RIDS" RECIPIENTS:
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LTTR 11 ENCL
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O 4ND ROCHER GASANDFLECIRICCORPORATION ~ 89 EASI'AVENUE, ROCHESTER, N.Y. Id&f9-0001 ARFA CODE7I6 54'6-2700 ROBERT C. MECREDY Vice President Nvcteer Operations U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Attn:
Guy S. Vissing Project Directorate I-1 Washington, D.C. 20555 March 30, 1998
SUBJECT:
Boraflex Degradation
Dear Mr. Vissing:
RG&E's License Amendment Request (LAR)dated March 31, 1997, proposed to revise the configuration ofcertain spent fuel pool storage racks. Appended to that LARwas a Licensing Report, which documented the technical justification for the many aspects ofthis proposed modification. Section 4 ofthat Licensing Report, titled "CriticalityEvaluation", made certain assumptions regarding the distribution and composition ofboraflex panels within Region 2 ofthe spent fuel pool. Testing recently performed on the boraflex panels indicates that these assumptions are not conservative for certain cells in Region 2. As described in LER 1998-001, "Boraflex Degradation in the Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks Results in Plant Being in an Unanalyzed Condition" dated March 11, 1998, boraflex dissolution has occurred in certain locations, resulting in gaps larger than those assumed in the criticality evaluation. RG&E has taken prompt corrective action, removing spent fuel assemblies from the affected locations as needed to meet the criticality evaluation criteria, and maintaining a minimum boron concentration of2,300 ppm in the spent fuel pool, monitored on a weekly basis. Interim compensatory measures willremain in place until a permanent solution to the boraflex degradation is established.
Part ofthat permanent solution is the modification proposed in our March 31, 1997 LAR-replacement ofa specified number ofcurrently-installed spent fuel pool storage racks with racks made ofborated stainless steel.
We believe the current LARshould continue to be processed, and approved to allow RG&E to pursue this modification.
The NRC stafFs Safety Evaluation Report (SER) approving the criticality evaluation should acknowledge that the boraflex gap sizes assumed in the criticality evaluation are not conservative, but that the interim corrective actions taken by RG&E, described above, compensate for this non-conservatism.
It should also recognize that the boraflex degradation in Region 2 does not affect the new racks to be installed in Region 1. The current compensatory measures should not be considered within the license amendment process, since they are temporary conditions only. A future LARwillbe submitted to the NRC for your review, detailing required Technical Specification changes that willform the basis for a final resolution ofthis issue (we expect this willbe a combination ofsoluble boron credit, region 2 fuel storage restrictions, and the use of fixed neutron absorber materials, such as control rods or neutron absorber rodlets, taking no or minimal credit for boraflex panels).
9804430037 980330 PDR ADOCK 05000244 P
I We anticipate these interim compensatory measures to remain in effect during the spent fuel pool rerack modification, after which a new LARfor the final resolution ofthis issue willbe submitted.
Very truly yours, Robert C. Mecredy xc:
Mr. Guy S. Vissing (Mail Stop 14B2)
Project Directorate I-1 U.S. Nuclear Regulator Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King ofPrussia, PA 19406 U.S. NRC Ginna Senior Resident Inspector
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