BSEP 18-0032, Additional Testing Information Relating to the Request for License Amendment Regarding Core Flow Operating Range Expansion

Additional Testing Information Relating to the Request for License Amendment Regarding Core Flow Operating Range Expansion

ML18073A236
Person / Time
Site:	Brunswick
Issue date:	03/14/2018
From:	William Gideon Duke Energy Progress
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
BSEP 18-0032
Download: ML18073A236 (2)

Text

William R. Gideon Vice President Brunswick Nuclear Plant P.O. Box 10429 Southport, NC 28461 o: 910.832.3698 March 14, 2018 Serial: BSEP 18-0032 10 CFR 50.90 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-71 and DPR-62 Docket Nos. 50-325 and 50-324 Additional Testing Information Relating to the Request for License Amendment Regarding Core Flow Operating Range Expansion

References:

1. Letter from William R. Gideon (Duke Energy) to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk, Request for License Amendment Regarding Core Flow Operating Range Expansion, dated September 6, 2016, ADAMS Accession Number ML16257A410

2. Framatome Methodology EMF-2158(P)(A) Revision 0, Siemens Power Corporation Methodology for Boiling Water Reactors: Evaluation and Validation of CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2, October 1999.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

By letter dated September 6, 2016 (i.e., Reference 1), Duke Energy Progress, LLC (Duke Energy), submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant (BSEP), Unit Nos. 1 and 2. The proposed amendment would expand the core power-flow operating range (i.e., Maximum Extended Load Line Limit Analysis Plus (MELLLA+)).

On February 21, 2018, the NRC conducted an audit at BSEP regarding the implementation of the MELLLA+ operating domain and associated updates to operational and emergency procedures. At this audit, the NRC staff requested information on BSEPs testing plan with respect to collection of Traversing Incore Probe (TIP) data within the MELLLA+ region. The following actions were discussed at the audit.

BSEP will take a TIP map on each unit near 100% power and 85% core flow, and near 77.6%

power and 55% core flow. These points are chosen to bound the two corners of the MELLLA+

region. Evaluation of these TIP maps will provide additional confirmation that the measured power distribution uncertainties remain consistent with the NRC-approved uncertainties in Reference 2 and applied to BSEP in Framatome core reload licensing analyses. If the results of the TIP maps are not satisfactory, then the adverse condition will be entered into the BSEP Corrective Action Program and investigated to determine the appropriate corrective actions.

No new regulatory commitments are contained in this letter.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 of 2 Please refer any questions regarding this submittal to Mr. Lee Grzeck, Manager - Regulatory Affairs, at (910) 832-2487.

I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on March 14, 2018.

Si;;M William R. Gideon SBY/sby cc: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region II ATTN: Ms. Catherine Haney, Regional Administrator 245 Peachtree Center Ave, NE, Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30303-1257 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Mr. Andrew Hon (Mail Stop OWFN 8G9A) 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Mr. Gale Smith, NRC Senior Resident Inspector 8470 River Road Southport, NC 28461-8869 Chair - North Carolina Utilities Commission (Electronic Copy Only) 4325 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-4300 swatson@ncuc.net Mr. W. Lee Cox, Ill, Section Chief (Electronic Copy Only)

Radiation Protection Section North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services 1645 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1645 lee.cox@dhhs.nc.gov