ML19260E090

Response to Jf Doherty Eleventh Set of Interrogatories. Contains Statements on Standby Liquid Control Sys as Redundant Means for Reactor Shutdown & on Development of Computer Code.W/Certificate of Svc

ML19260E090
Person / Time
Site:	Allens Creek File:Houston Lighting and Power Company icon.png
Issue date:	01/30/1980
From:	Biddle C, Newman J BAKER & BOTTS, HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO., LOWENSTEIN, NEWMAN, REIS, AXELRAD & TOLL
To:	Doherty J DOHERTY, J.F.
References
NUDOCS 8002130331
Download: ML19260E090 (9)

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA I \Q -5 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION - yh 4

• 2' BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD dQi

% N L.

In the Matter of S S

MOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER S COMPANY S Docket No. 50-466 5

(Allens Creek Nuclear S Generating Station, Unit S No. 1)

RESPONSES TO THE ELEVENTH SET OF INTERROGATORIES FROM JOHN DOHERTY In response to the interrogatories propounded by John F. Doherty, Houston Lighting & Power Company (Applicant) answers as follows: .

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-1:

Does Applicant maintain that when its South Texas Project plant or plants are operating it will have more interconnections with neighboring utilities than any other utility which operates a nuclear plant?

(Relevant to Doherty 30)

ANSWER:

Applicant has made no such comparason, e

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-2:

Does Applicant consider its Standby Liquid Control system is redundant and diverse to its SCRAM system?

ANSWER:

Yes, the Standby Liquid Control System is a redundant and diverse means for shutting down the reactor.

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INTERROGATORY NO. 11-3:

Does Applicant maintain its SCRAM safety system meets NRC standards of reliability? (Relevant to Doherty 17)

ANSWER:

Applicant cannot answer this question without a specific reference to the "NRC standards of reliability" in question.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-4:

Has the preliminary generic assessment of the radiological consequence of an ATWS even been prepared by General Electric as mentioned in your reply to Interrogatory Set #1, Question #1.

ANSWER:

The preliminary assessment of the radiological consequences of an ATWS event is given in " Assessment of BWR Mitigation of ATWS," May, 1979. We have previously agreed to make this document available for inspection at the EDC upon issuance of an appropriate protective order from the Licensing Board.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-5:

Has General Electric like Westinghouse developed a code to predict fission gas release in high burn-up fuel?

ANSWER:

General Electric has developed a computer code which includes the effect of fission gas accumulation due to fuel burn-up as a function of time.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-6:

If so, does the G.E. model assume release rates are the same at high burn-up as at low?

ANSWER:

No.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-7:

Has General Electric any experimental data to your knowledge on fission gas release (FGR) like that shown for the German PWR in Fig. 6 (page 20) of NUREG-0418, " Fission Gas Release from Fuel at High Burnup?"

ANSWER:

Yes.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-8:

Does Applicant's off-gas system use loop seals or relief valves for venting in explosive mixture regions?

ANSWER:

The off-gas system design is such that explosive mixtures do not exist anywhere in the system. The ACNGS system does not use loop seals. The hydrogen analyzers ha"e pressure relief valves.

INTE RROGATORY NO. 11-9:

Is the neutron monitoring system described in report APED-5706 to be used in ACNGS?

a. Describe any modifications from that system which will be put into .

ACNGS, and list and make available any descriptive documents, please.

ANSWER:

The neutron monitoring system described by APED-5706 will not be used at ACNGS.

a. The neutron monitoring system for Allens Creek is described in PSAR Section 7.6.1.6.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-10:

NUREG/CR-04 42, " Technical Report on Operating Experience with BWR Off-gas Systems, on page 19, suggests offgas systems with charcoal adsorber beds required additional preventative measures to avoid substained burning of the charcoal adsorber beds. Further, it states:

"A Hydrogen-oxygen ignition in the off-gas system could result in subsequent ignition in isolated local regions of the charcoal beds that contain carbon fines (it says " fines" should say

" fires") thereby creating elevated temperatures in the charcoal beds which could lead to release of the previously accumulated radioactive materials."

a. In view of this finding, how can taking out an H2 O spray system be justified?

b. Is applicant considering keeping such a spray system in place?

ANSWER:

a. There has never been a water spray system in the design of the charcoal adsorber in the offgas system at ACNGS.

b. Not applicable.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-11:

Is the offgas system of ACNGS a " augmented offgas system?"

ANSWER:

The ACNGS Off-Gas System is not considered an

" augmented" off-gas System. The term " augmented" refers to existing systems at older operating facilities that have been upgraded to reduce releases from this source.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-12:

Is the off-gas system considered " safety related?"

ANSWER:

No.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-13:

Will all off-gas pipes and off-gas instrument lines be marked to prevent accidental detonation by maintenance workers such as welders?

ANSWER:

No.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-14:

Why did Applicant change its steel containment shell.from semi-elipsoidal to hemispherical in shape?

ANSWER:

A hemispherical dome, though approximately the same cost as the semi-ellipsoidal dome, is much stronger in accommodating the design loads.

INTERROGATORY NO. 11-15: .

What is the "42" X 40" vent in opening El. 151.25" in the biological shield wall shown in Figure 2.2-3, of "The Containment Structures Design Report of the ACNGS Unit 1, by Ebasco Services, Inc.?

a. Explain its purpose, please, also. .

ANSWER:

The opening is a penetration through the biological shield wall for Drywell Cooling System ductwork.

This ductwork supplies cooling air to the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) skirt and pedestal area, and the biological shield wall.

All documents requested will be made available at the Engineering Development Complex.

Respectfully submitted, b M OF COUNSEL: J. Gregory Copeland C. Thomas Biddle, Jr.

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• BAKER & BOTTS Charles G. Thrash, Jr.

3000 One Shell Plaza 3000 One Shell Plaza Houston, Texas 77002 Houston, Texas 77002 LOWENSTEIN, NEWMAN, REIS, Jack R. Newman AXELRAD & TOLL Robert H. Culp 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036 Washington, D.C.

ATTORNEYS. FOR APPLICANT

- HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY STATE OF TEXAS S S

COUNTY OF HARRIS S BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared Jon G. White, who upon his oath stated that he has answered the foregoing Responses to the Eleventh Set of Interrogatories from John Doherty to Houston Lighting & Power Company in his capacity as Supervising Engineer for Houston Lighting & Power Company, and all statements contained therein are true and correct to the best of his knowledge and b_elief.

ndof Jon %. White 4/ SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN O BEFORE ME on this the UU day of January, 1980.

t llbb 7l /f NOTARY PUBLIC IN AND FOR HARRIS COUNTY, T E X A S UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC S AFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of S S

HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY S Docket No. 50-466 S

(Allens Creek Nuclear Generating S Station, Unit 1) S CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing Responses to the Eleventh Set of Interrogatories from John Doherty in the above-captioned proceeding were served on the following by deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, or by hand-delivery this Sahk day of January, 1980.

Sheldon J. Wolfe, Esq., Chairman Richard Lowerre, Esq.

Atomic Safety and Licensing Assistant Attorney General Board Panel for the State of Texas U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. O. Box 12548 Washington, D. C. 20555 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 Dr. E. Leonard Cheatum Route 3, Box 350A Hon. Charles J. Dusek Watkinsville, Georgia 30677 Mayor, City of Wallis P. O. Box 312 Mr. Gustave A. Linenberger Wallis, Texas 77485 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Hon. Leroy H. Grebe U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission County Judge, Austin County Washington, D. C. 20555 P. O. Box 99 Bellville, Texas 77418 Chase R. Stephens ,

Docketing and Service Section Atomic Safety and Licensing Office of the Secretary of the Appeal Board Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 War '..ington , D. C. 20555 R. Gordon Gooch, Esq. Atomic Safety and Licensing Baker & Botts Board Panel 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Washington, D. C. 20006 Commission Washington, D. C. 20555

Steve Schinki, Esq. Carolina Conn Staff Counsel 1414 Scenic Ridge U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Houston, Texas 77043 Washington, D. C. 20555 Elinore P. Cumings John F. Doherty Route 1, Box 138V 4327 Alconbury Street Rosenberg, Texas 77471 Houston, Texas 77021 Stephen A. Doggett, Esq.

Robert S. Framson P. O. Box 592 Madeline Bass Framson Rosenberg, Texas 77471 4822 Waynesboro Drive Houston, Texas 77035 Robin Griffith 1034 Sally Ann Carro Hinderstein Rosenberg, Texas 77471 8739 Link Terrace Houston, Texas 77025 Leotis Johnston 1407 Scenic Ridge D. Marrack Houston, Texas 77043 420 Mulberry Lane Bellaire, Texas 77401 Rosemary N. Lemmer 11423 Oak Spring Brenda McCorkle Houston, Texas 77043 6140 Darnell Houston, Texas 77074 Kathryn Otto Route 2, Box 62L F. H. Potthoff, III Richmond, Texas 77469 7200 Shady Villa, #110 Houston, Texas 77055 Frances Pavlovic 111 Datonia Wayne E. Rentfro Bellaire, Texas 77401 P. O. Box 1335 Rosenberg, Texas 77471 Charles Perez 1014 Montrose James M. Scott, Jr. Houston, Texas 77019 8302 Albacore Houston, Texas 77074 William Schuessler 5810 Darnell .

Bryan L. Baker Houston, Texas 77074 1118 Montrose Houston, Texas 77019 Patricia L. Strelein Route 2, Box 395C Dorothy F. Carrick Richmond, Texas Box 409, Wagon Rd. Rfd. #1 Wallis, Texas 77485 Glenn Van Slyke Donald D. Weaver 1739 Marshall P. O. Drawer V Houston, Texas 77098 Simonton, Texas 77476 Connie Wilson J. Morgan Bishop 11427 Oak Spring 11418 Oak Spring Houston, Texas 77043 Houston, Texas 77043 26 C. Thomas Biddle, Jr. (

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