ML19210C402

Forwards NRC Evaluation of Small Break LOCA Operator Guidelines Contained in NEDO-24708

ML19210C402
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	10/26/1979
From:	Ross D NRC - TMI-2 BULLETINS & ORDERS TASK FORCE
To:	Keenan T GENERAL ELECTRIC OPERATING PLANT OWNERS GROUP
References
NUDOCS 7911140178
Download: ML19210C402 (7)

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j QCT 2 61979 Mr. Thomas D. Keenan, Chaiman General Electric Boiling Water Reactor Owners' Group Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Seventy-Seven Grove Street Rutland, Vermont 05701

SUBJECT:

EVALUATION OF SMALL-BREAK LOSS-0F-COOLANT ACCIDENT OPERATOR GUIDELINES We have completed our review of the small-break loss-of-coolant accident operator guidelines contained in Section 3.1.1.2 of General Electric Company Report NED0-24708. Our evaluation of these guidelines is docu-mented in the enclosure.

As stated in our evaluation, we have concluded that these guidelines, as modified in accordance with your letters dated October 18, 1979 and October-23, 1979, are acceptable. We request, however, that you submit for our confirmation the modified guidelines by November 16, 1979.

Following our receipt of these guidelines, we plan to acknowledge, by letter, that the guidelines have been modified in accordance with our agreements.

All licensees of General Electric Company boiling water reactor plants may now proceed with their development of small-break loss-of-coolant accident emergency procedures and operator training based on the modified guidelines.

As indicated on Page 5 of Enclosure 6 to Darrell G. Eisenhut's letter to all operating nuclear power plants, implementation of these procedures and operator training are to be completed by December 31, 1979.

We understand that your present plans are to modify the procedures in two phases. The first, or short tem, phase, will produce small-break loss-of-coolant procedures that ensure that all considerations that underlie the guidelines are in fact considered in the procedures. The second, long-tem, phase will:

(i) incorporate a new procedure philosophy, (ii) require restructuring and refomatting of many procedures; (iii) start when guidelines for other, non-loss-of-coolant accident events are approved; and, (iv) be in place in the spring-summer time span of 1980.

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Mr. Thomas D. Keenan '3CT d 99 As this long-tenn appaach involves implementing guidelines from the General Electric Company for the first time, we agree that more time is needed, and your schedule seems consistent with the schedule on Page 5 of Enclosure 6 to Darrell G. Eisenhut's letter mentioned above.

It is important to provide in the phase I procedure revisions to all of the substantial considerations that have resulted from the analysis efforts of NED0-24708. As long as this is done, it is acceptable to defer the restructuring and reformatting to phase II. We request that when you submit for our confirmation the modified guidelines, you also confirm the accuracy of our understanding.

As part of our audit program, we expect to examine the procedures of lead plants in several of the classes of boiling water reactors to assure that they have been developed in accordance with the approved guidelines. We also plan to check out some of the procedures at a boiling water reactor simulator, on a schedule to be developed later. It should be noted however, that our audit program need not impede progress towards implementation of approved procedures and associated training by December 31, 1979.

Sincerely, D. F. Ross,.Jr., Director Bulletins and Orders Task Force

Enclosure:

As stated 1323 345

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OWNERS GROUP REPRESEf!TATIVES

'. A. Meyer Jack S. Bitel Iowa Electric Light & Power Ccmonwealth Edison Co.

~. O. Box 351 72 We.t Acams, Rocm 2249

'edar Rapids, Iowa 52406 Chicago, Illinois 60503

3. A. Domer Roger W. Huston Tennessee Valley Authority Consumers Power Company 100 Chestnut Street Tower Nuclear Operatior.3 Dept.

hattanooga, Tennessee 37401 1945 West Parnall Road Jackson, Michigan 49201 Kris K. Chitkara Wayne Shamla Cincinnati Gas & Electric Northern States Power Company P. O. Box 960 Monticello Nuclear Plant Cincinnati, Ohio 45201 Monticello, Minnesota 53602 Peter W. Lyon Paul J. McGuire PASNY Boston Edison Company 10 Columbus Circle 41srfm Station New York N. Y.

10019 Rocky Hill Road Plymouth, Mass. 02360 W. R. D'Angelo Niagara Mohawk Power Corp.

300 Erie Boulevara West Phi ad h

Electric Syracuse, N. Y.13202 2301 Market Street Philadelphta, Penns lvania 191al D. B. Waters Carolina Power & Light Co.

H. A. Widner P. 0. Sox 1551 Georgia Power Company Raleigh, N. C.

27602

?ower Generation Department Sox 4545 270 Peachtree Street Jay M. Pilant Nebraska Public Power District Atlanta, Georgia 30302 P. O. Box 499 Columbus, Nebraska 68601 Thomas J. Dente

.:ortheast Utilities T. D. Keenan

?. O. Box 270 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Crp.

Hartford, Con.acticut 06101 77 Grove Street Rutland, Vermont 05701 Ed O'Connor Jersey Central Power & Light Co.

Pat Marriott

adison Avenue at Punchbowl Road General Electric Company "orristown, flew Jersey 07960 175 Curtn3r Avenue, Mail Code 194 San Jose, California 95125 Taggart Rogers Pacific Gas & Electric One Post Street, Suite 2200 4

San Francisco, California 94104 1323 346'

GE OWNERS GROUP SPECIAL-CC; TACTS LIST

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!av'd 3ixil Mr. W. G. C unsil, Vice-Fre!":i :

iar _ici sing Administrator

uclear En:ir.eerin: L C e-a- : 5 irs ::.;er Company

ortheas

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.es: 'i:nigan Avenue

p. O gax 270

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I: 1, Micnigan 49201 Hartfer, C:, 05101

.;- G. P arris Mr. L. O. Mayer, Manager i;ar Of ?c er

. Northern States Po.<er C: :ar.

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essse Valley Authority 414 Nicollet Mall - 5th F'l::r

- Zhistnut Street, Tcwer II Minneapolis, Minnesota 551:1

tan::ga, Tennessee 37401 Mr. Donald P. Dise e.n..... s Vice eresident

.ngineering i:.;; ice " ice-President

i ni Pc..er & Light Company Niagara Menawk rower Corp.

300 -rle Sculevard '..'est

....r....=.111e S.r.t Syracuse, New Ycr.k 13202 tigh, N. C.

27602 Mr. I. R. Finfrock, Jr.

J..:. Pilant, Director Vice Presicent-ueneraticn

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insing & Quality Assurance

aska Pu:lic Pcwer District Jersey Central Power & L1ght Cc.;:any Madison Avenue at Punch Bowl Read

2. 5:x 4?9

' mbus, abraska 6860'l Morristown, N. J.

07960

~Mr. Edward G. Sauer,. Jr., Esquire

....,, %.. < #...d

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. ice President Vice-Prestent & General Counsel

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s.json C-,.pany Philadelphia :lectric Company 2301 Market Street

gx :ii oi Philadelphia, PA.

19101

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Jeane Arncid, President Mr. G. Carl Andognini Yk0 a Electric Light & Pcwer Company Soston tc1 son Company J. Box 351 800 Boylston Street

-:ar Rapids, Iowa 52406 Boston, Massachusetts 02199 M

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4.4-Gecree T. Serry Mr. Robert H. Groce, Licensing iEngirid 1F

'trai.'.anacer & Chief Engineer Yankee Atomic Eler.tric Company

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7; ir A thcrIty of the State 20 Turnpike Road 33.y y rx Westboro, Massachusetts 01531

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York 10019 ma m

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J.J Vice Presient - Engineering aw e o

a _he Cincinnat-eis & _.iectric ::.

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Ir:e :...'hitmer F. O. Sex 960

-:'is :E- -En:ineering 5

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Cincinnni, Ohio 5201 cany

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Mr. Byr:n '_se, Jr:, lice-?resi:e-.:

Commen.ealtn E ison Company F 0 30X 767

, c:rrissey

..: =..-..-... L r. er.>l ^^'..se1 Chicago, Illinois 6 590

": :- a: ?. Electric Company

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EVALUATION OF GE BWR OPERATOR GUIDELINES FOR SMALL BREAK LOCA'S Introduction By letter dated July 13, 1979, we transmitted a formal request for additional information required by the Analysis Group of the Bulletins and Orders Task Force. Specifically, item (12) of Enclosure 2 to this request required the preparation of guidelines or revised emergency procedures for the recovery of plants following small LOCA's. This was to include both short-term and long-term situations with follow-through to a stable condition. The guidelines were to also include recognition of the event, precautions, actions, and prohibited actions. By letter dated August 17, 1979, the BWR Owners Group transmitted General Electric Company Report NED0-24708, " Additional Infomation Required for NRC Staff Generic Report on Boiling Water Reactors," which provided the information requested.

Summary Description - GE BWR Ooerator Guidelines General Electric, on behalf of the BWR Owners Group, has developed a set of operator guidelines based on the design of various reactor systems and the analysis derived from Appendix K LOCA models. The guidelines define operator actions following a loss of coolant accident inside and outside the primary containment. Three guidelines have been provided with each guideline having four major headings:

1.

Purcose--describe the intent or objective of the guideline.

2.

Symotoms and Automatic Actions--The " Symptoms" are process variable indications or alarms which the operator is expected to see or hear in the control room. " Automatic Actions" are actions taken by the plant protective instrumentation and associated systems without assistance from the operator.

3.

Immediate Operator Actions- "Imediate Operator Actions" are actions the operator takes as soon as possible to protect the core and to reduce the loss of primary inventory. This section also includes immediate verification 1323 348

, that automatic actions have been correctly performed by checking multiple indications which should change as a result of the automatic actions.

4 Subseouent Operator Actions- " Subsequent Operator Actions" are taken by the operator after Immediate Actions to bring the plant to a stable condition.

These actions are sometimes called follow-up or long-term actions.

Within each heading, GE has made an effort to list the more important items first and the less important items last. Also, " Caution" statements have been added within some headings advising the operator not to take certain actions wnich might increase the severity of the consequences or to be aware of key indications during the course of the accident.

Small Break Accident Guideline #1 (SBA-1), " Pipe Break Diagnosis," provides the objectives an operator is to achieve in the event of a pipe rupture and the guidelines to be used in distinguishing between small pipe breaks inside the primary containment and outside the primary containment. SBA-1 also lists six Cautions which are applicable to the specific guidelines for inside and out-side pipe breaks. The operator checks SBA-1 for an entry point in determining which guideline, SBA-2 or SBA-3, is used.

.Small Break Accident Guideline #2 (SBA-2), " Pipe Break Inside Primary Containment,"

describes the events to be expected and the operator actions required to bring the reactor and containment to a controlled, stable condition after a pipe break inside containment. Symptoms provided in the guideline enable the operator to determine that a pipe break inside containment has occurred.

Immediate and Subsequent Actions are followed by the operator to assure a proznpt safety response and maintenance of stable conditions. A " Contingency" procedure is also provided in the event that vessel level cannot be maintained with the high pressure system.

Small Break Accident Guideline #3 (SBA-3), " Pipe Break Outside Primary Contain-ment," is very similar to SBA-2 except its Symptoms and Actions are changed to reflect the difference in break location and two additional contingency procedures are provided.

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, Conclusion The staff provided the Owners Group, via conference calls on October 17, 1979 and October 22, 1979, its comments on the Small Break LOCA Guidelines. Each of these coments was resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the BWR Owners Group and the staff. The resulting Owners Group commitments were documented in letters dated October 18,19i3 and October 23, 1979.

Based on our review of the infomation provided by the GE BWR Owners Group, we conclude that the GE BWR operator guidelines for small break LOCAs in NED0-24708, as modified in accordance with the Owners Group's letters dated October 18, 1979 and October 23, 1979 are acceptable for use in developing operating procedures for GE BWRs.

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