ML17320A958
| ML17320A958 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Cook  |
| Issue date: | 03/07/1984 |
| From: | Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Dolan J AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER SERVICE CORP., INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER CO. (FORMERLY INDIANA & MICHIG |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8403140224 | |
| Download: ML17320A958 (7) | |
Text
Docket Nos.
50-315 and 50-316 DISTRIBUTION:
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E Jordan G. Bachi Gray File L
PDR NRC PDR OELD D Eisenhut J Taylor D Wigginton ACRS (10)
C Parrish T quay Hulman Mr. John Dolan, Vice President Indiana and Michigan Electric Company c/o American Electric Power Service Corporation I Riverside Plaza
- Columbus, Ohio 43216
Dear Mr. Dolan:
By letter dated January 30, 1984, the Indiana and Michigan Electric Company
( IMEC) requested a Technical Specification interpretation on the reactor vessel water level requirements for operation in Mode 6 for the Donald C.
Cook Nuclear Plant Unit Nos.
1 and 2.
The current Technical Specifications were issued with license amendments 78 and 59 dated November 23, 1983.
These Technical Specifications require at least 23 feet of water over the top of the reactor pressure vessel flange during movement of fuel assemblies or control rods within the reactor pressure vessel while in Mode 6.
The bases for the Technical Specifications further states that the water level above the vessel flange in Mode 6 will vary as the reactor vessel head and the upper internals are removed.
The 23 feet of water above the vessel flange is required before any subsequent movement of fuel assemblies or control rods.
In our review of the movement of control rods and fuel during refueling, we assigned a decontamination factor (DF) for removal of iodine by the column of water above fuel should a full bundle be damaged in a refueling accident.
This DF would require by calculation, a column of water 23 feet above the damaged fuel bundle.
Our Technical Specification requirements for 23 feet of water above the vessel flan e (and not the fuel), was necessary to assure 23 feet of water above the fue control rods as the bundles were removed from the core and placed in the refueling transfer areas.
The constrained movement of the control rods as described by IMEC occurs while the upper internals are in place and guide tubes direct the rodlets back into the fuel to prevent misalignment.
Should a control rod fall in the uppermost configuration, the result should be about the same as a rod dropped for a reactor scram.
If the control rod assembly were to misalign and fall from this uppermost position, the result would be to bend the rodlets if they hit the upper core plate.
In either case the potential for damage to the fuel is remote and does not approach the assumed damage requiring the 23 feet of water.
If this operation were performed, however, with the upper intervals removed and the control assemblies fully withdrawn from the fuel, we would consider the potential for fuel-damage from dropping the control assemblies to be great enough to require the 23 feet of water above the fuel.
It is also important to note that, although not required by Technical Specification, IMEC performed the control assembly weighing and unlatching process with about 24 feet of water above the fuel.
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Mr. John Dolan, Vice President Indiana and Michigan Electric Company In the bases section of the Technical Specifi'cation we addressed the issue of varying water level as the head and upper internals are 'removed.
We clearly stated that any subsequent movement (to removing the head and internals) of fuel assemblies or control rods would require 23 feet of water.
If the reverse process is used, i.e., following refueling the upper internals are re-installed and then the control assemblies are again withdrawn to verify their free and unencumbered
- movement, our position is that. this "subsequent" process is the same as that followed initially in the, refueling and any fuel damage from a dropped control rod would be unlikely.
We, therefore, interpret the current Technical Specifications as allowing the movement of the control rods as described in the IMEC letter dated January 30,
- 1984, and no further revisions are deemed necessary.
If you have any questions in this regard, please let us know.
Sincerely, cc:
See attached list Origiaal sigaoCl hf,'f S. A. Vms Steven A. Varga, Chief Operating Reactors Branch No. I Division of Licensing
- See previous concurrences ORB ¹I DWigg on 2/2'$/84 AEB*
T quay TJ Hulman 2/
/84
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ORB ar
/84
Mr. John Dolan, Vice President Indiana and Michigan Electric Company 2.
In the bases section of the Technical Specification we addressed the issue of varying water level as the head and upper internals are removed.
We clearly stated that any subsequent movement (to removing the head and internals) of fuel assemblies or control rods would require 23 feet of water.
If the reverse, process is used, i.e., 'following refueling the upper internals are re-installed and /hen the control assemblies are again withdrawn to verify their free and ug"incumbered
- movement, our position is that this "subsequent" process is the sake as-that followed initially in the refueling and any fuel damage from a dropped control rod would be mmote.
We,therefore>interpret the +
current Technical Specifications as allowin the movement of the"control rods as described in the IMEC l.,etter dated, January 0, 1984, and no further revisions are" deemed necessary,.
If you have any questions in this regard, please let us know.
Sincerely, cc:
See attached list Steven A. Yarga, Chief Operating Reactors Branch No. I Division of Licensing ORB 81 DWigginton V (gran~
AEB ORB 81 T Qua S Varga V Hulma 2/
/84
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/84
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- Company, Donald C.
Cook Nuclear Plant, Units.
1 and 2
cc:
Mr. M. P. Alexich Vice President Nuclear Engineering American Electric Power Service Corporation 1 Riverside Plaza
- Columbus, Ohio 43215 Mr. William R.
Rus tern (2)
Office of the Governor Room 1 - Capitol Building Lansing, Michigan 48913 Mr.
Wade Schuler, Supervisor Lake Township
- Baroda, Michigan 49101 W.
G. Smith, Jr., Plant Manager Donald C.
Cook Nuclear Plant Post Office Box 458 Bridgman, Michigan 49106 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspectors Office 7700 Red Arrow Highway Stevensvi lie, Michigan 49127 Gerald Charnoff, Esquire
- Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge 1800 M Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036 Honorable Jim Catania, Mayor City of Bridgman, Michigan 49106 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region V Office ATTN:
E IS COORDINATOR 230 South Dearborn Street
- Chicago, IL 60604 Maurice S.
- Reizen, M.D.
Director Department of Public Health Post Office Box 30035 Lansing, Michigan 48109 The Honorabl e Tom Corcoran United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 James G. Keppler Regional Administrator - Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 799 Roosevelt Road-Gl en.El lyn, IL 60137 J.. Feinstein American Electric Power Service 1 Riverside Plaza
- Columbus, Ohio 43216