ML19290D478
| ML19290D478 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | FitzPatrick  |
| Issue date: | 02/04/1980 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Leonard J POWER AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (NEW YORK |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8002220033 | |
| Download: ML19290D478 (1) | |
Text
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nee Tsc-8 UNITED STATES 8
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
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REGION I S
631 PARK AVENUE D
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KING oF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19406 FEB 0 41980 Docket No. 50-333 Power Authority of the State of New York James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant ATTN:
Mr. J. D. Leonard, Jr.
Resident Manager P. O. Box 41 Lycoming, New York 13093 Gentlemen:
This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter. It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is requested at this time.
If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE Circular or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions.
If you have questions regarding this matter, please cor. tact this office.
Sincerely, m
hfN m.--
2.
Boyce H. Grier Director uiclosures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 80-04 2.
List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices CONTACT:
D. L. Caphton (215-337-5308) cc w/encls:
George T. Berry, Executive Director P. W. Lyon, Manager - Nucleae Operations A. Klausmann, Director, Quality Assurance M. C. Cosgrove, Quality Assurance Supervisor J. F. Davis, Chairman, Safety Review Committee C. M. Pratt, Assistant General Counsel G. M. Wilverding, Licensing Supervisor 9
8002220 OM
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ENCLOSURE 1 La J UNITED STATES SSINS No.: 6870 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Accession No.:
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 7912190655 WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 IE Information Notice No. 80-04 Date:
February 4, 1980 Page 1 of 2 BWR FUEL EXPOSURE IN EXCESS OF LIMITS On November 1, 1979, and December 17, ]979, respectively, the licensees of the Quad Cities Unit No. 1 and Monticello huclear Power Plants informed the Nuclear Regulatory Ccmmission that the actual peak average planar exposure of some fuel assemblies in the core was beyond the maximum average planar exposure value of the Maximum Average Planar Linear Heat Generation Rate (MAPLHGR) limits specified in the plant Technical Specifications.
In the case of Quad Cities, the licensee was aware that some fuel assemblies would approach and exceed the exposures for which MAPLHGR limits had been analyzed.
In the interim, the station process computer was used to calculate higher exposure MAPLHGR limits via an extrapolation routine, while awaiting determination of the additional high exposure MAPLHGR limits using standard licensing analysis methods.
When the actual limits were made available for comparison with the extrapolated values, it was determined that the process computer had extrapolated values non-conservatively.
Although the new MAPLHGR limits extensions were immediately entered into the computer, the new limits had not yet been submitted for review and approval by the NRC.
With regard to Monticello, the licen7e became aware that the 30,000 MWD /T maximum exposure specified in the plant Technical Specifications was being exceeded after several months of operation had elapsed.
Although the high burnup fuel assemblies had at no time exceeded the MAPLHGR value corresponding to 30,000 MWD /T, MAPLHGR limits calculated by standard licensing analysis methods showed that lower MAPLHGR values should have been utilized at the higher exposures.
Again although the new MAPLHGR limits were promptly sub-stituted, the new limits were not at the time formally approved by the NRC.
In both cases, it was subsequently determined by the licensees that the actual operating MAPLHGR values had at no time exceeded the revised MAPLHGR limits at the higher exposures.
The licensees subsequently requested amendments to their Technical Specifications, adding MAPLHGR limits for average planar exposures values beyond the actual peak average planar exposure projected for the present cycles.
These changes have been reviewed and approved by the staff.
Additionally, fuel rod thermal-mechanical design and safety analyses for the subject fuel are dependent on local (peak pellet) exposure conditions.
The peak pellet exposure basis for those analyses is 40,000 MWD /T.
Since the peak
IE Information Notice No. 80-04 Date:
February 4, 1980 Page 2 of 2 pellet exposure exceeds the fuel assembly maximum average planar exposure as fuel assembly average planar exposure increases, the concern is raised that the 40,000 MWD /T fuel thermal mechanical analysis basis exposure could also be approached or exceeded.
Investigations conducted by the licensees showed that the peak pellet exposure had not nor would not exceed the fuel thermal-mechanical design maximum basis during the current operating cycles.
The potential for occurrence of the above events can be decreased by (a) surveillance procedures which require periodic comparison of actual peak average planar exposure and peak pellet exposure values to approved exposure limits, and (b) use of the computer to provide an alarm or flag as an aid to 11dicate when approved exposure limits are being approached.
This Information Notice is provided to inform licensees of a significant safety matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is requested at this time.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
ENCLOSURE 2 IE Information Notice No. 80-04 Date:
February 4,1980 Page 1 of 1 RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Subject Date Issued to Notice No.
Issued 79-29 Loss of Nonrafety Related 11/19/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Reactor Coolant System In-lities with an Operating strumentation During Opera-License (OL) or Construction tion Permit (CP) 79-30 Reporting of Defects and 12/6/79 All Power Reactor Faci-No.icompliances, 10 CFR lities with an OL Pact 21 or CP 79-31 Use of Incorrect Amplified 12/13/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Response Spectra (ARS) lities with an OL or CP 79-32 Separation of Electrical 12/21/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Cables for HPCI and ADS lities with an OL or CP 79-33 Improper Closure of Primary 12/21/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Containment Access Hatches lities with an OL or CP 79-34 Inadequate Design of Safety-12/31/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Related Heat Exchangers lities with an OL or CP 79-35 Control of Maintenance 12/31/79 All Power Reactor Faci-and Essential Equipment lities with an OL or CP 79-36 Computer Code Defect in 12/31/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Stress Analysis of Piping
- ities with an OL or CP Elbow 79-37 Cracking in Low Presssure 12/31/79 All Power Reactor Faci-Turbine Discs lities with an OL or CP 80-01 Fuel Handling Events 1/4/80 All Power Reactor Faci-lities with an OL or CP 80-02 8X8R Water Rod Lower 1/25/80 All BWR Facilities with End Plug Wear an OL or CP 80-03 Main Turbine Electro-1/31/80 All Power Reactor Faci-hydraulic Control System lities with an OL or CP