ML19208B059
| ML19208B059 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fort Saint Vrain  |
| Issue date: | 08/29/1979 |
| From: | Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Fisher C GENERAL ATOMICS (FORMERLY GA TECHNOLOGIES, INC./GENER |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19208B060 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909190007 | |
| Download: ML19208B059 (2) | |
Text
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION vv E
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 2
August 29, 1979 Mr. Colin Fisher, Director Division of Licensing General Atomic Company P. O. Box 81608 San Diego, California 92138
Dear Mr. Fisher:
SUBJECT:
EVALUATION OF TOPICAL REPORT, " SAFETY ANALYSIS REPORT, USE OF UC2 FISSILE FUEL PARTICLES IN FORT ST. VRAIN FUEL ELEMENTS" Please find enclosed our evaluation of General Atomic Company's Topical Report,
" Safety Analysis Report - Use of UC2 in Fort St. Vrain Fuel Elements," GA-LTR-23, September, 1978. We conclude that the infomation provided in this topical report and responses to staff questions provides reasonable assurance that the sub-stitution of TRISCO UC2 fissile fuel particles in the Fort St. Vrain core will (a) result in negligibTe changes in the nuclear and thennal behavior of the core and (b) will not result in reduced safety margins or reliability ccmpared to the reference core. We conclude further that this report may serve as an acceptable reference and provides a partial basis for allowing the substitution of TRISO UC2 fissile particles for the current reference (Th/U)C2 fissile particles in the Fort St. Vrain reactor. Final acceptance of this fuel is contingent on the items identified in the last paragraph of this letter.
Because this review pertains to the Fort St. Vrain reactor both the Publh: Service Company of Colorado and the public docunent room in Greeley, Colorado were pro-vided with copies of all correspondence dealing with the review. Final decision to use UC2 fuel in Fort St. Vrain must be based on our review of an application from Public Service of Colorado describing the exact composition of the reload fuel.
Since data acquisition on TRISO UC2 particle thermal irradiation perfonnance is ongoing, we will require, as part of any future application for insertion of reload TRISO UC2 fuel, that GA provide timely information regarding any test results involving TRISO UC2 particles. Specifically, we will require that infor-mation be provided on the future results of (a) the ongoing core heatup simulation tests (CHST) and (l>) post-irradiation examinations and surveillance on the TRISO UC -containing test elements now inserted in FSV as part of reload Segment 7.
2 In addition, should significant changes be made in the methods of fabrication of the TRISO UC2 particles, we will require General Atomic to provide evidence to support the performance predictions for the particles produced by the altered processes.
In addition, we also direct you to Enclosure 2, a December 13, 1978 9bb lbb 79091900CF/t
Mr. Colin Fisher August 29, 1979 memorandum (Tedesco to Gammill) regarding fuel surveillance policy and its application to Fort St. Vrain. The paragraph on surveillance of "First Core Loadings" is peri:inent to Fort St. Vrain and potential full-scale reloads of TRISO UC fuel.
In the event of a proposed full reload of TRISO UCp fuel, 2
we would expect the request for approval for such a reload to include a detailed surveillance plan that would provide statistically meaningful data to confinn the safety analysis of the new fuel design during initial full core operation.
Sincerely, 1
l.Il A
v
)
.'Vhga, cting Assistant Director v
for Light Wate Reactors Division of Project Management
Enclosures:
As stated cc: Mr. J. K. Fuller, Vice President Engineering and Plann'ng Public Service Company of Colorado P. O. Box 361 Platteville, Colorado 80651 Bryant O'Donnell, Esq.
Kelly, Stansfield & 0'Donnell 990 Public Service Company Building Denver, Colorado 80201 James B. Graham Manager, Licensing and Regulation East Coast Office General Atomic Company 2021 X Street, N.W.
Suite 709 Washington, D.C.
20006
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