ML17333A618
| ML17333A618 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Cook  |
| Issue date: | 10/28/1996 |
| From: | Miraglia F NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER CO. (FORMERLY INDIANA & MICHIG |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17333A619 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9610300208 | |
| Download: ML17333A618 (6) | |
Text
7590-01-P UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Hatter of Indiana Michigan Power Company (D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2)
Docket Nos.
50-315 and 50-316 EXEMPTION Indiana Michigan Power Company (IHPCo, the licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License Nos.'DPR-58 and DPR-74 which authorize operation of the Donald C.
Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1
and 2, respectively.
The Cook facilities are pressurized water reactors located at the licensee's site in Berrien County, Michigan.
The license provides, among other things, that the facility is subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the Commission now or hereafter in effect.
Subsection (a) of 10 CFR 70.24, "Criticality accident requirements,"
requires that each licensee authorized to possess special nuclear material (SNM) shall maintain in each area where such material is handled,
- used, or
- stored, an appropriate criticality monitoring system.
In accordance with the Technical Specifications for D.
C. Cook, Units 1
and 2, the monitoring requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a)(2) are applicable.
Subsection (a) of 10 CFR 70.24 also requires that emergency procedures be maintained for each area in which licensed SNM is handled,
- used, or stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon the sounding of the alarm.
These procedures must include the conduct of drills to familiarize r
96f0300208 96i028 f DR ADOCX 0S0003iS P
~ f 1 personnel with the evacuation plan, designation of responsible individuals for determining the cause of the alarm, and placement of radiation survey instruments in accessible locations for use in such an emergency.
- However, exemptions may be requested pursuant to 10 CFR 70.24(d),
provided that the licensee believes that good cause exists for the exemption.
By letter dated April 8, 1996, the licensee requested an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24.
A previous exemption from the provisions of 10 CFR Part 70.24 for the storage of SNM, including reactor fuel assemblies
[maximum amount of 2313 kg of U-235 in uranium enriched to no more than 3. 15 weight percent (w/o)], was granted to Indiana and Michigan Power Company for D.C.
Cook Unit 2 in NRC Materials License No. SNM-1753.
The materials license was issued on August 18, 1977.
No similar exemption was issued for the Unit 1
materials license;
- however, the fuel storage facilities wer e common to both units.
The previously issued exemption expired when the materials license expired upon conversion of the construction permit to an operating license on December 23, 1977, for Unit 2.
The basis for the current exemption request is the same as for the original request.
Specifically, the licensee proposes to handle and store unirradiated fuel without having a criticality monitoring system or emergency procedures as required by 10 CFR 70.24.
The basis for the exemption is that inadvertent or accidental criticality will be precluded through compliance with the Cook Technical Specifications, the geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in the new fuel storage facility and spent fuel storage
- pool, and administrative controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
Inadvertent or accidental criticality of SNM while in use in the reactor vessel is precluded through compliance with the Cook Technical Specifications, including reactivity requirements (e.g.,
shutdown margins, limits on control rod movement),
instrumentation requirements (e.g., reactor power and radiation monitors),
and controls on refueling operations (e.g., refueling boron concentration and source range monitor requirements).
In addition, the operators'ttention directed toward instruments monitoring behavior of the nuclear fuel in the reactor assures that the facility is operated in such a
manner as to preclude inadvertent criticality.
Finally, since access to the fuel in the reactor vessel is not physically possible while in use and is procedurally controlled during refueling, there are no concerns associated with loss or diversion of the fuel.
SNH as nuclear fuel is stored in one of two locations, the spent fuel pool or the new fuel vault.
The spent fuel pool is used to store irradiated fuel under water after its discharge from the reactor.
The pool is designed to store the fuel in a geometric array that precludes criticality.
In addition, existing Technical Specification limits on k,<< are maintained less than or equal to 0.95,-
even in the event of a fuel handling accident.
The new fuel vault design precludes criticality by maintaining an effective multiplication factor less than or equal to 0.95 when the racks are fully loaded and in the normal dry condition or under full water density flooded conditions.
The effective multiplication factor is also less than or equal to 0.98 under optimum moderation conditions.
The new fuel vault is used to receive and store new fuel in a dry condition upon arrival on site and prior to loading in the reactor.
Administrative controls encompass placing the assemblies in the fuel inspection stand, performing inspection activities, and lifting and placement of the assemblies into specified locations in the new fuel vault.
The new fuel vault is protected from the effects of natural phenomena, including earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes,
- floods, and external missiles.
The auxiliary building which houses the new fuel vault is designed to Seismic Class I by a dynamic analysis using
Response
Spectrum and Modal Analysis Procedure to maintain structural integrity after a safe shutdown earthquake (SSE) or following a postulated
- hazard, such as fire, internal missiles, or pipe break.
The new fuel racks are designed to Seismic Class III by an analysis using the procedures of the Uniform Building Code.
Both irradiated and unirradiated fuel is moved to and from the reactor vessel and the spent fuel pool to accommodate refueling operations.
- Also, unirradiated fuel can be moved to and from the new fuel storage area.
In
- addition, movements of fuel into the facility and within the reactor vessel or within the spent fuel pool occur.
Fuel movements are procedurally controlled and designed to preclude conditions involving criticality concerns'n addition, the Technical Specifications specifically address the refueling operations and limit the handling of fuel to ensure against an accidental criticality and to preclude certain movements over the spent fuel pool and the reactor vessel.
Based upon the information provided, there is reasonable assurance that irradiated and unirradiated fuel will remain subcritical.
The circumstances for granting an exemption to 10 CFR 70.24 are met because criticality is precluded with the present design configuration, Technical Specifications requirements, administrative controls, and the fuel handling equipment and procedures.
Therefore, the staff concludes that the licensee's request for an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 is acceptable and should be granted.
4 Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR
- 70. 14, this exemption is authorized by law, will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the public interest.
c Therefore, the Commission hereby grants Indiana Michigan Power Company an exemption as described in Section II above from 10 CFR 70;24, "Criticality accident requirements,"
for D.C. Cook, Units' and 2.
Pursuant to 10 CFR i51.32, the'ommission has determine'd that the l
granting of this exemption will have no significant impact on the quality of the human environment (61 FR 39672).
k This exemption is effective upon issuance.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 28th day of October 1996.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1
Original signed, by:
Frank J. Hiraglia, Acting Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DOCUMENT NAME: G:IIWPDOCS(DCCOOK)C095197.EXE
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