ML19098B531
| ML19098B531 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Surry  |
| Issue date: | 07/12/1976 |
| From: | Stallings C Virginia Electric & Power Co (VEPCO) |
| To: | Reid R, Rusche B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML19098B531 (2) | |
Text
'*
Attn:
e VIRGINIA.
Mr. Robert W. Reid, Chief Operating Reactors Branch 4
Dear Mr. Rusche:
e The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the current status of the spent fuel cask drop analysis which you initially requested in your letter of March 6, 1974.
In subsequent correspondence on January 3, 1975 and April 8, 1975 we notified you of our status at those times.
Because of current delays in the licensing and start-up of spent fuel re-processing plants, it appears that we will be unable to ship any fuel for re-processing until about 1978.
Therefore, we have not pursued the completion of the subject analysis with any sense of urgency, with the realization that we will not require the use of the facilities for a while.
Coupled with a number of other factors associated with spent fuel shipping, we have deemed it prudent to hold the analysis in abeyance until certain influential parameters are more fully defined.
These items include contrac_tual arrangements with the reprocess or, availability and types of casks, expansion of fuel storage facilities and chang-ing regulatory requirements.
We believe it would be advantageous to defer the completion of the analysis until many of the unknown parameters are defined.
As stated in our letter of June 1, 1976 we are currently planning to increase the storage capacity of our fuel pool.
Because this action offers the best solu-tion to our immediate problem we have established it high on our list of prior-ities.
The installation of the high density racks will impact upon our spent fuel shipping analysis; however, we have not fully assessed its affect.
We plan to submit the cask drop analysis in conjunction with our licensing submittal to in-crease the storage capacity of the spent fuel pool.
We are considering a number of modifications to. our spent fuel handling fa-cilities because of experience gained during "dry run" exercises which have been conducted, as well as the results of the analyses which have been performed to date.
We have been considering the installation of a "redundant" crane for handl-ing the cask, but because of the uncertaintyamong the utility and crane industry
VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY TO
~r. Benard.G. Rusche.
Page 2 and the NRG, no definite plans have been made.
We were pleased to note that in February 1976, the NRG published Regulatory Guide.1.104 for.comment which defines an acceptable "redundant" crane to the NRG.
After comments of the industry are factored into the guide, it should provide definitive information to us and allow us to make a decision on its installation.
We recently received a request from our fuel supplier to ship a number of irradiated fuel rods.
These rods will be shipped to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) or an organization designated by*them for testing and research.
This shipment is tentatively scheduled for the end of 1976 or early 1977 and will require the use of a spent fuel shipping cask.
This shipment is not required for the continued operation of the station; however, it would be advant.ageous to further nuclear power research development.
Details concerning the shipment of the control rods are not known by Vepco at this time, but it is planned to discuss the program with you at a later date.
We mention it now because of its similarity to spent fuel shipments and the use of the spent fuel handling. facilities will be required.
In summary, we are continuing our review of the spent fuel handling facil-ities and cask drop analysis in *a systematic and orderly manner.
The delay in licensing and bringing fuel reprocessing plants on line precludes the use of our spent fuel handling facilities for shipping spent fuel.
However, the delay pro-vides an opportunity for the regulatory criteria in this area to be more fully developed, especially regarding the classification of redundant cranes.
We have met with the Staff on this matter and will continue.to keep you in-formed of any s.ignificant developments.
Very truly yours,
~-m~~uLo~
G. M. Stallings Vice President-Power Supply and Production Operations