ML19318B960

Advises That Vendor Is Reanalyzing Shielded Shipping Containers to Confirm That Calculational Methods Will Accurately Predict Container Response to Accidents.Personnel Shortage Impeding Progress

ML19318B960
Person / Time
Site:	07105926
Issue date:	05/30/1980
From:	Cunningham G GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.
To:	Macdonald C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
References
16530, NUDOCS 8006300336
Download: ML19318B960 (2)

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4566 DIVISION GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, P.o. box 460, PLEAsANToN. CALLEoR}'lA N. II I4 May 30, 1980 g,.

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V-JUN 131980 > 7 Mr. C. E. MacDonald, Chief C

NM M er Transportation Certification Branch S

D.N Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety

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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 4

Washington, D.C. 20555 J

Ref:

(1) Certificate of Compliance No. 5926,2/20/80 (2) Attachment to Certificate of Compliance No. 5926,2/20/80

Dear Mr. MacDonald:

As you are aware, most of the Certificates of Compliance for the General Electric Company, Vallecitos Nuclear Center (VNC), shielded shipping con-tainers had expiration dates in the first two quarters of 1980. Accordingly, as requested by your staff, consolidated applications for renewal have been submitted.

However, the tecbnical bases for these applications are the analytical techniques available in 1968 and 1969. VNC believes that current finite element analysis methods have reached a point where they could appropriately be used to predict the response of the containers to the accident condi-tions defined by both the current NRC regulations and the proposed regula-tions published in August, 1979. Therefore, VNC has committed to and began in 1978 a major program of re-analysis for its shielded shipping containers.

This program will include a repeat of the 1968 30-foot drop test with the G.E. Model 100 shipping container. This test will be used as a basis to confirm that the calculational methods will accurately predict container response to the accident conditiens. Then, as in 1968-1969, the Model 100 Analysis Techniques will be extrapolated to the larger containers.

Unfortunately, the Show Cause Order for the General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) issued in October,1977, and the resulting delays in reaching a resolution of the problem have resulted in a sharp reduction in the engineering manpower available at VNC. This manpower reduction has caused a consider-able slippage in the container evaluation program. VNC currently plans to test the Model 100 in August,1980, and the Model 100 re-analysis report should be completed by November, 1980. This safety evaluation will, of course, address the current and proposed NRC regulations anf the 1973 IAEA regulations.

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Mr. C. E. MacDonald May 30, 1980 The current manpower shortage has also impeded our ability to respond as we would like to your request for additional information dated February 20, 1980 (Ref. 2). VNC does plan to generate simplified, illus-trative drawings for all the shielded shipping containers. Work on the new drawings is scheduled to begin in June 1980.

VNC intends to use the leak test methods described in ANSI N14.5 with sensitivities between 1 x 10-1 and 1 x 10-3 atm-cm3/sec. Procedures for loading, assembly, and periodic leak testing are currently being developed to meet the requirements of the VNC Quality Assurance Plan for shipping con-tainers (QAP-1) which becomes effective August 1,1980. The ar ceptance criteria for containment in the nonnal and accident conditions will be addressed in the new Model 100 safety analysis report.

Sincerely, b

o G. E. Cunningham Senior Licensing Engineer

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