ML18153A109

Responds to RAI Re NRC Bulletin 96-002, Movement of Heavy Loads Over Spent Fuel,Over Fuel in Reactor Core,Or Over Safety-Related Equipment.

ML18153A109
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	02/10/1997
From:	Ohanlon J VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
96-630, IEB-96-002, IEB-96-2, NUDOCS 9702180312
Download: ML18153A109 (2)

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VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23261 February 10, 1997 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Serial No.96-630 Attention: Document Control Desk NL&OS/GDM R4 Washington, D. C. 20555-0001 Docket No. 50-280 50-281 License No. DPR-32 DPR-37 Gentlemen:

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY SURRY POWER STATION UNITS 1 AND 2 NRC BULLETIN 96-02, MOVEMENT OF HEAVY LOADS OVER SPENT FUEL, OVER FUEL IN THE REACTOR CORE. OR OVER SAFETY-RELATED EQUIPMENT RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The NRC issued a request for additional information to Virginia Electric and Power Company on December 6, 1996 related to NRC Bulletin 96-02, "Movement of Heavy Loads Over Spent Fuel, Over Fuel in the Reactor Core, or Over Safety-Related Equipment." The NRC request discussed a postulated accident scenari'o involving the drop of a spent fuel storage or transportation cask during cask movement prior to installation and/or securing of the structural lid. Should the cask tip over under such conditions, it is postulated that an unsecured cask lid could be dislodged and the fuel ejected in whole or in part. The NRC inquiry requested the company to determine whether the scenario was credible at Surry, and, if so, to provide additional analysis and evaluations to determine whether the effects of the drop on personnel, plant operations and structures were acceptable.

Virginia Electric and Power Company has previously implemented several measures to ensure the safe handling of spent fuel casks in the Fuel Building. Handling operations are conducted under strict procedural controls that include safe load paths, proper cask orientation, and invoke lift height restrictions for cask and lid movements. Furthermore, the spent fuel crane itself undergoes annual certification and inspection to industry standards to ensure proper operation and reliability, and crane operators are likewise required to complete training on ttie proper operation of the crane. The spent fuel crane was designed and fabricated in accordance with the Electric Overhead Crane Specification EOCl-61 which was previously determined by the NRC to meet the intent of the crane design specifications identified in NUREG-0612. (Reference NRC letter dated May 16, 1984, "Control of Heavy Loads (Phase 1)" with enclosed Safety Evaluation Report and Technical Evaluation Report.)

9702180312 970210 PDR ADOCK 05000280 G PDR

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Our cask handling operations use a defense-in-depth philosophy which provides the intended :avel of protection against load drop accidents of concern to the NRC. We consider that these controls adequately establish a basis to conclude that a spent fuel cask handling accident as postulated by the NRC is not credible at Surry.

Even though we do not consider the postulated cask handling accident to be credible, we have reviewed the load path and cask loading and unloading procedures for Surry Power Station. To provide additional protection against any potential for the accident scenario postulated in the request for additional information, our cask loading and unloading procedures have been revised. The revised procedures require that all of the bolts (or studs and nuts) for the structural lid (the inner lid for those cask designs with two lids) be installed by hand during cask movement with fuel in the cask. The only exceptions are 1) lowering the cask to the cask loading pad from a partially submerged position in the spent fuel pool, and 2) raising the cask from the cask loading pad to a partially submerged position in the spent fuel pool. These two exceptions obviate the need to install bolting underwater. _The revised procedures will be used for future loading/unloading operations associated with a spent fuel cask in the Fuel Building.

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact us.

Very truly yours, tz~Hfn~

Senior Vice President - Nuclear cc: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II 101 Marietta Street, N. W.

Suite 2900 Atlanta, Georgia Mr. R. A. Musser NRC Senior Resident Inspector Surry Power Station 1111