ML17266A254

Responds to NRC 800728 Ltr Requesting Opinion & Advice Re Potential Void Formation in Vessel Head.Phenomena Is Unaffected by Relatively Small Differences in Fuel Design. Company Would Not Analyze Event Unless Asked by Customer

ML17266A254
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	08/26/1980
From:	Owsley G SIEMENS POWER CORP. (FORMERLY SIEMENS NUCLEAR POWER
To:	Check P Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
GFO-130-80, NUDOCS 8009040490
Download: ML17266A254 (4)

Text

RKGULATO INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION STEM (RIDS)

ACCESSION NBR:8009040490 DOC DATEs 80/08/26 NOTA'ED: NO DOCKET ¹ FACIL:50 335 St. Lucje Planti Unit ii Florjda Power 8 Lfght Co.

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50-389 St ~ Lucia Planti Unit 2r Florida Power 8 Light Co, 0500 89 AUTH ~ NAME AUTHOR AFFILrIAT'ION OHSLEYzG ~ Fs Exxon Nuclear Co.i Inc, (subs,. of Exxon. Corp,)

RECIP s NANE RECIPIENT AFFILIATION CHECKgP ~ ST Assistant Director for Plant Systems

SUBJECT:

Responds to NRC" 800728 ltr requesting oainion tI advice re potential void formation in vessel head, Phenomena is unaffected by rela'tively small differences in fuel designs Company would not analyze event unless asked by customer:

DISTRISOTIOR CODE: ASSIS COPIES. RECEIVED:LTRfr ,E.NCI. 0 SIZE: J TITLE: General Distribution for afte'r Issuance of Operating Lic NOTES!

RKC IP IEN T COPIES RECIPIENT COPIES ID CODE/NAMES LYTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCl ACTION: CLARKE R ~, 04 13 1 YOUNGBLOODiB 04 13 1 INTERNAL: D/DIRg HUM FAC08 1 DIR g HUM FAC, 07 ISE 06 2 NRCl PDR 02 io 0

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1 OR ASSESS BR EXTERNAl': ACRS 09 16 1 LPDR 03.

NSIC 05 1 SEP ~ 1980 TOTAL NUMBER OF>> COPIES REQUIRKDP LTTR 52 ENCL

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E)f(ON NUCLEAR COMPANY, Inc. ~ ~

2101 Horn Rapids Road P. O. Box 130, Richland, Washington 99352 Phone: (509) 375-8100 Telex: 15-2878 August 26, 1980 GFO:130:80 Mr. Paul S. Check, Assistant Director for Plant Systems Division of Systems Integration Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555

Reference:

Void Formation in Vessel Head During St. Lucie Natural Circulation Cooldown Event of 6/11/80 (Your letter dated July 28, 1980)

Dear Mr. Check:

In the reference letter you asked our opinion and advice regarding the potential void formation under circumstances such as you described for the St. Lucie plant. As a fuel supplier rather than a designer of an NSSS, ENC performs safety analyses to demonstrate that the operation of an already licensed reactor is within acceptable limits using ENC-supplied fuel. The safety analyses which ENC performs center on the performance of the fuel under normal and abnormal conditions. For those system events whi'ch are relatively unaffected by specific fuel design, ENC considers the events identified in the FSAR and those specified in NRC guidance or requirements transmitted to the reactor licensees, It is clear that the phenomena discussed in the reference letter is unaffected by relatively small dif-ferences in fuel design. Thus, it is likely that ENC would not analyze this event unless specifically asked to by a fuel customer.

As you are probably aware, the licensees have relied primarily on the NSSS designer to account for such events in operating procedures, operator guidelines, and operator training. If analyses by the NSSS vendor or the NRC show that any of the plants for which ENC had performed reload fuel safety analysis is affected, and utility if ENC is requested by the particular to participate in the resolution of the issue, we would model and analyze Ithe 'effects of, these ph'enomena on ENC fuel..

If you if we r',l I

have any questions or V

can be of any assistance to you, please feel free to contact me.

Si erely, Pool S

G. F. Owsley, h anager

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.Reload Fuel Licensing ij.

GFO:gf AN AFFILIATE OF EXXON CORPORATION 8ooooao 0'

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