ML17290A997
| ML17290A997 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia, Washington Public Power Supply System  |
| Issue date: | 03/03/1994 |
| From: | Hall J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | NRC |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9403090159 | |
| Download: ML17290A997 (12) | |
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Docket Nos.
50-397 and 50-460 UNITED STATES NUCLEARiREGULATORYCOMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 IIarch 3, 1994 LICENSEE:
Washington Public Power Supply System FACILITIES:
Washington Nuclear Project, Units 1
8 2
SUBJECT:
MEETING
SUMMARY
MIXED-OXIDE FUEL PROPOSAL On February 23,
- 1994, Hr. Joseph Burn, Director of Projects for the Washington Public Power Supply System (the Supply System),
met with members of the NRC staff in Rockville, Maryland, to discuss the Supply System's proposal for the use of mixed-oxide (HOX) fuel at Washington Nuclear Project, Units 1 and 2
(WNP-1 and WNP-2).
A list of attendees is provided in the enclosure.
Hr. Burn reviewed the highlights of the proposal, which had been previously discussed by Hr. William Counsil, Managing Director of the Supply System, with the NRC Executive Director for Operations and other members of the NRC staff on January 28, 1994.
Under the current proposal, the Supply System would operate WNP Units 1
and 2 as "dual purpose" plants; they would function as commercial electrical generating facilities, while also serving to deplete plutonium stockpiled from the U.S. nuclear weapons program by using HOX.
The proposal calls for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to provide funding for the completion of WNP-1 (currently 70% complete),
the modification of WNP-2, and the fuel, operating and maintenance costs for the lifetime of both units.
These costs would be offset to some degree by the sale of the power produced and fees collected for the disposal of plutonium.
The Bonneville Power Administration's financial interest in WNP-1 and 2 would be bought out as part of this plan, and the Supply System would retain ownership of both units and would remain the NRC licensee for both units.
Hr. Burn stated that the Supply System proposal would provide for the entire process to be-conducted on the Hanford reservation; both WNP-1 and WNP-2 are located there, and existing facilities on the reservation could be modified to convert plutonium to oxide form and to fabricate the HOX fuel.
The spent HOX fuel would not be reprocessed and would be handled in the same manner as existing fuel, stored in the spent fuel pools prior to ultimate disposal.
He acknowledged that a competitive venture had made a similar proposal to DOE.
In that proposal, WNP-1 and Washington Nuclear Project, Unit 3 would be completed and used to burn HOX fuel.
He pointed out that WNP-3 is not located on the Hanford reservation, and that the Supply System's projected demand for power did not support the added capacity that would be provided by the completion of WNP-3, beyond that resulting from the completion of Unit l.
Mr. Burn stressed that the Supply System is awaiting the resolution of critical public policy issues before committing significant resources to address the technical and licensing issues associated with this proposal.
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Ct These public policy issues include a decision by the U.S.
Government concerning options for the disposition of nuclear weapons material, and the need for Federal legislation to permit the use,of plutonium as fuel in commercial power reactors.
The Supply System currently anticipates that these issues will be sufficiently resolved by the end of 1994, allowing the company to make a final decision on implementing this concept at that time.
The NRC staff identified some general technical and licensing areas concerning the use of MOX fuel that the Supply System would need to address in applying for license amendments for WNP-2 and an operating license for WNP-1.
These issues included revised Chapter 15 accident analyses for the Final Safety Analysis Reports, an evaluation of thermal-hydraulic stability of the WNP-2 core, other core physics and reactivity control issues, and possible changes to the previously considered environmental impacts.
The staff indicated that the Supply System's projection that they could be ready to burn MOX fuel in WNP-2 within 2 years appeared to be optimistic, considering all the policy issues that need to be resolved before the staff would even begin to review technical issues.
Mr. Burn emphasized that the Supply System is committed to the safe operation of WNP-2, and will not divert resources from WNP-2 in pursuing this proposal.
The meeting was adjourned with an agreement to periodically discuss the progress of the Supply System's proposal.
Enclosure:
As stated mes R. Hall, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate V
Division of Reactor Projects III/IV/V Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation cc w/enclosure:
See next page
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Washington Public Power Supply System f
WPPSS Nuclear, Project Nos.
1
& 2 (WNP 1
& 2)
CC:
Hr. J.
H. Swailes WNP-2 Plant Manager Washington Public Power Supply System P. 0.
Box 968
- Richland, Washington 99352-0968 G.
E.
C. Doupe, Esq.
(Hail Drop 396)
Washington Public Power Supply System 3000 George Washington Way P. 0.
Box 968
- Richland, Washington 99352-0968 Hr. Warren Bishop, Chairman Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council P. 0.
Box 43172 Olympia, Washington 98504-3172 Hr. H. K. Kook (Hail Drop PE20)
WNP-2 Licensing Manager Washington Public Power Supply System P. 0.
Box 968
- Richland, Washington 99352-0968 Hr. Paul R.
Bemis (Hail Drop PE20)
Regulatory Programs Manager Washington Public Power Supply System P.O.
Box 968 Richland Washington 99352-0968
~ Hr. Robert B. Borsum B
W Nuclear Technologies 1700 Rockville Pike Suite 525 Rockville, Maryland 20852
<Nicholas S.
- Reynolds, Esq.
Winston
& Strawn 1400 L. Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20005-3502
+ Hr. Richard Latorre Regulatory Programs Washington Public Power Supply System P.
O.
Box 968
- Richland, Washington 99352 1
Region'al Administrator',
Region V
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- 1450 Maria Lane, Suite, 210 Walnut Creek, California 94596 Chairman'enton County Board of Commissioners P. 0.
Box 190
- Prosser, Washington 99350-0190 I<
Mr,.
R., C. Barr U. 'S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. 0.
Box 69
- Richland, Washington 99352-0968 H.
H. Philips, Jr.,
Esq.
Winston
& Strawn 1400 L Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20005-3502
~Hs.
Nina Bell, Executive Director Northwest Environmental Advocates 408 Southwest Second Avenue
- Portland, Oregon 97204
> Hr. J.V. Parrish (Hail Drop 1023)
Assistant Managing Director Operations Washington Public Power Supply System P.O.
Box 968
- Richland, Wahsington 99352-0968
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ENCLOSURE LIST OF ATTENDEES WASHINGTON NUCLEAR PROJECT, UNITS 1
- 5. 2 MIXED OXIDE FUEL MEETING February 23, 1994 NAME Joseph Burn Ted Quay Sy Weiss Randy Hall Jim Clifford Harvin Hendonca Jocelyn Mitchell Terry Reis ORGANIZATION Director of Projects, Washington Public Power Supply System Project Director, USNRC/NRR/PD V
Branch Chief, USNRC/NRR/ONDD Senior Project Manager, USNRC/NRR/PD V
Senior Project
- Manager, USNRC/NRR/PD V
Senior Project
- Manager, USNRC/NRR/ONDD
,Regional Coordinator, USNRC/EDO Regional Coordinator (Acting),
,USNRC/EDO
1
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These public policy issues include a decision by the U.S.
Government concerning options for the disposition of nuclear weapons material, and the need for Federal legislation to permit the use of plutonium as fuel in commercial power reactors.
The Supply System currently anticipates that these issues will be sufficiently resolved by the,end of 1994, allowing the company to make a final decision on implementing this concept at that time.
The NRC staff identified some general technical and licensing areas concerning the use of HOX fuel that the Supply System would need to address in applying for license amendments for WNP-2 and an operating license for WNP-1.
These issues included revised Chapter,15 accident a'nalyses for the Final Safety Analysis Reports, an evaluation:of thermal-hydrauli'c'tability of the WNP-2
- core, other core physics and reactivity control issues, and possible changes to the previously considered environmental impacts.
TITe staff indicated that the Supply System's projection that they could be, ready to burn HOX fuel in WNP-2 within 2 years appeared to be'ptimistic, 'cons'idering all the policy issues that need to be resolved before the staff would even begin to review technical issues.
Hr. Burn emphasized that the Supply System is committed to the safe operation of WNP-2, and will not divert resources from WNP-,2 in pursuing this proposal.
The meeting was adjourned with an agreement to periodically discuss the progress of the Supply System's proposal.
Original signed by:
Enclosure:
As stated James R. Hall, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate V
Division of Reactor Projects III/IV/V Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation cc w/enclosure:
See next page PH PDV LA:PDV OFFjCE JRHal DFoster-Curseen Q g /94 DATE
/94 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY FILENAME:
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DISTRIBUTION FOR WNP MEETING
SUMMARY
DATED:
February 25, 1994
~Docket File NRC 8 Local PDRs PDV Reading File W. Russell/F.
Miraglia L. Reyes J.
Roe E.
Adensam T.
Quay J.R. Hall D. Foster-Curseen OGC E. Jordan ACRS (10)
J. Mitchell, EDO K. Perkins, Region V
S. Weiss, ONDD J. Clifford M. Mendonca T ~ Reid, EDO
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