ML19274G115
| ML19274G115 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | FitzPatrick  |
| Issue date: | 07/24/1979 |
| From: | Leonard J POWER AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (NEW YORK |
| To: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| References | |
| JAFP-79-383, NUDOCS 7908290673 | |
| Download: ML19274G115 (2) | |
Text
Yw POWER AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK JAMES A. ForzPATRICK N UCLEAR POWER PLANT JOHN D. LEONARD, JR.
P.O. Box 41 Resident Manager Lycoming, New York 13093 July 24, 1979 3333]4384o JAFP 79-383 Mr. Boyce H. Grier, Director United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region 1 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406
SUBJECT:
NRC l&E BULLETIN 79-12 SHORT PERIOD SCRAMS AT BWR FACILITIES
Dear Mr. Grier:
The staff at the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant has completed Its review of the requiremc.nts of the subject Bulletin.
Our responses to each of the required questions are listed below in the same order as contained in the subject Bulletin.
1)
Operating Procedure No. 65, titied "Startup and Shutdown Procedure" currently requires that an estin. ate of critical rod pattern be made prior to reactor startup to the extent practicable.
This estimate of critical rod pattern accounts for each important reactivity variable.
However, it is at best, only an approximation.
For this reason, operations personnel use the estimated critical rod pattern only for information and comparison and rely primarily on nuclear instrumentation to indicate the approach to criticality.
2)
Operating Procedure No. 65 will be revised to require that during the approach to criticality that the first control rod in any group will be withdrawn in the notch-step mode.
In addition, for startup of the reactor under conditions in which the xenon concentra-tion is at or near le peak condition, additional administrative controls in the form of a Standing Order or Operating Procedure revision, will be established to require banked withdrawal of control rod groups 2, 3 and 4.
After the complete withdrawal of control rod group 4 (which corresponds to attainment of 50% control rod density),
banked withdrawal is enforced by the combination of the rod sequence control system and the rod worth minimizer.
Al though the addi tional administrative controle described above have not been completed at this time, the additional administrative controls will be written, approved and implemented prior to the plant startup which will follow the lifting of the Show Cause Order of March 13, 1979, but no later than August 7, 1979 2008
.).83 7908290
.a Mr. Boyce H. Grier, Director July 24, 1979 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission JAFP 79-383
SUBJECT:
NRC I&E BULLETIN 79-12 Page 3)
The current revision of Operating Procedure No. 65 contains caution notations to make operations persennel aware of situations which can result in high control rod worths.
The programmed control rod withdrawal sequences that are currently in use were developed by the fuel vendor subsequent to the events described in ISE Circular 77-07 They were established with an awareness of the potential problems created by peak or near peak xenon con -
.;ns and they have been proven acceptable in operation under a number of startup conditions.
The FitzPatrick Plant staff therefore feels that the control rod withdrawal sequences currently in use (in cc, Junction with the administrative controls discussed in No. 2 above), will provide adequate protection against high control rod worth conditions that might result from xenon transients.
4)
Operating Procedure No. 65 is being revised to require that the operability of the " emergency rod In" switch be demonstrated prior to startup.
5)
The FitzPatrick Plant Training Staff continuously reviews the operator training program and will revise it as necessary to '.nsure that the provisions of the subject Bulletin are incorporated into the operator training program. At a minimum, this training will include a review of Bulletin 79-12 and the responses.
Should your office have any further question with respect to the planned procedural revisions or administrative controls, these procec-.'res will be available for inspection by l&E personnel at the plant site.
O Very,truly yours, /
JOHN (.EONARDf JR.WWDEGW JDL:VC:brp CC:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission RESibENT MANAGER Office of Inspection & Enforcement
)
v Division of Reactor Operations inspection
/
Washington, D. C.
20555 G. T. Berry, PASNY, NYO G. A. Wilverding, PASNY, NYO P. W. Lyon, PASNY, NY0 R. Rajaram, PASNY, NY0 M. C. Cosgrove, PASNY, JAF R. J. Pasternak, P,'SNY, JAF 2008 286 C. Orogvany, PASNY, JAF E. C. Abbott, PASNY, JAF D. TC l, PASNY, JAF Docur;cnt Control Center