ML19270F299

Requests NRC Issue Release to Install Test Fuel Elements Immediately Due to March,1979 Refueling Schedule.Submits Info Re Modified Fuel post-irradiation Examination (Pie) Program.Util Is Aware of Requirements for Pie

ML19270F299
Person / Time
Site:	Fort Saint Vrain
Issue date:	01/24/1979
From:	Justin Fuller PUBLIC SERVICE CO. OF COLORADO
To:	Gammill W Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
P-79017, TAC-57625, NUDOCS 7902060223
Download: ML19270F299 (2)

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P.O. BOX 840 DENVER, COLORADO 80201 January 24, 1979 Fort St. Vrain Unit No. 1 P-79017 Mr. William P. Gammill Assistant Director for Standardization and Advanced Reactors Division of Project Management U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.

20555 Docket #50-267

Subject:

Standard Fuel - Post-Irradiation Examination Gentlemen:

In your letter of January 3,1979, Speis to Fuller concerning Fuel Surveillance, it was indicated that the NRC would take no action on any PSC fuel-related requests until such time as a firm PSC commitment is established for an approved first-core fuel surveillance program.

It was also noted that the proposed Fort St. Vrain fuel PIE programs currently planned under DOE funding are acceptable.

In a PSC letter dated June 20, 1978, from J.K. Fuller to W.P. Gammill (PSC reference number P-78103), a description of the planned DOE-funded fuel PIE program was presented and a statement made that in the event DOE funding would be reduced or withdrawn, PSC would be available to discuss a modified surveillance program, if such a program would be required.

PSC intended this statement as a " firm conmitment" to perform a modi-fied fuel PIE surveillance program in the event DOE funding would be re-duced or withdrawn following discussions with the NRC as to the necessity for such a modified fuel surveillance pogram.

It would appear to PSC that the question at hand is the necessity for approval of such a modified surveillance program by NRC.

Because of the necessity to have NRC concurrence at the earliest possible date to load the eight Test Fuel Elements, PSC hereby states that in the event DOE funding were to be withdrawn or "substantially" reduced so that a ga.jor_ change in the scope of the DOE-funded refer-ence fuel PIE Program resulted, PSC. tuuld submit a " minimal" reference fuel PIE Program to the NRC for revu,i and concurrence.

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I Mr. William P. Gannill January 24, 1979 Page 2 Because the performance of the fuel under normal operating conditions is continuously monitored and evaluated through implementation of Techni-cal Specification Surveillance Requirement 3R 5.2.11, ' Primary Reactor Coolant Radioactivity Surveillance", the commitment to submit a "mininal" reference fuel PIE Program is based upon the assumption that the revised PIE Program would have a scope substantially less than that of the pre-sently contemplated DOE-funded program and would be directed toward con-firming fuel performance as it relates to its behavior under accident conditions and the assumptions used in the Fort St. Vrain FSAR and not toward the confirmation of design and manufacturing techniques and proc-essing.

We hereby request that the NRC issue their release to install the Test Fuel Elements immediately in light of the reactor refueling scheduled to beoin on March 4,1979.

It should also be noted that PSC is aware of the requirements for PIE of any new materials that are proposed for incorporation into the design of the reactor fuel.

Very truly yours, J.K. Fuller, Vice President Engineering and Planning JKF/FES:ler