ML19322D887

Responds to Forwarding Correspondence Between/Ag Daniels & J Kemeny Re Reactor Vessel Water Levels.Nrc Requires Facilities to Add Instrumentation for Water Level Indication

ML19322D887
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	02/14/1980
From:	Denise R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Daniels A AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
Shared Package
ML19322D888	List: ML19322D887 ML19322D891
References
NUDOCS 8003100010
Download: ML19322D887 (5)

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February 14, 1980 Mr. Albert G. Daniels P. O. Box 415 Winnsboro, SC 29180

Dear Mr. Daniels:

On December 11, 1979 you sent letters to Chairman Ahearne and Mr. Denton requesting comments on two other letters, a December 7,1979 letter from Dr. John Kemeny to you, and a December 11, 1979 letter from you to Dr.

Kemeny.

Since you and I have already exchanged correspondence regarding reactor vessel level measurements, Chairman Ahearne and Mr. Denton asked that I respond to your letters to them.

Dr. Kemeny's letter to you states that his Commission considered recommend-ing a water level indicator and decided that this might be unreliable, noting that very complex steam and water flow patterns could make the in-dicator unreliable.

Your response to Dr. Kemeny points out that there were periods of minimum agitation in the TMI reactor vessel when a level gauge would have given reasonably correct and crucial infonnation to the operators, and that ccrrective action could have been taken.

Dr. Kemeny is correct in being concerned that complex flow patterns and agitation could give mislead-ing indications.

You are correct in believing that a well-designed system for level detection could provide crucial information.

As my letter to you on December 18, 1979 indicated, the NRC staff has established a requirement that instrumentation be added to nuclear power plants to provide an indication of reactor vessel level.

The efforts I outlined in that letter are proceeding, and we remain steadfast in our resolve to reach the objective of having reactor vessel water level indica-tion.

We agree with you on the importance of this infonnation.

We also see the merits of instruments which can provide measurement of a full range of temperatures, noted by Dr. Kemeny, and have required that these be installed on nuclear power plants.

Dr. Kemeny briefly mentioned his opinions on control panel reorganization and the display of the most important indicators. The NRC has underway a task to evaluate control room designs from a human factors viewpoint, and another task to display the most critical parameters for the operators, as suggested by Dr. Kemeny. We expect reactor vessel water level indication to be among those parameters.

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Mr. Albert G. Daniels February 14, 1980 Your letter to Dr. Kemeny also suggests that some consideration be given i

to weighing the reactor vessel as a means of detecting water losses.

Since you so kindly sent me copies of correspondence between yourself and the Babcock and Wilcox Company, I see that this does not need to be addressed further.

I appreciate your intense interest and comprehensive study of this matter.

If the above response to your requests is not adequate, please let me know.

Sincerely, D

gQ Richard P. Denise, Acting Assistant Director for Reactor Safety Division of Systems Safety y

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r Coquesting syssents on ttie other' lettersCa ~ December:7,1979 letter:. ikom, gsPO:

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e ing a water < Tevelf@dtesiter and decided that this might be unreliable, noting that. vary. semplex"steem.and. water flow patterns could make the 1er :pb W@e dicaitor' unrel;iabls! J. Year. response to Dr.nKimeeny; points out thet thereiwers' JG.V periods. of.phimum;aigttitfen-in the-TMI! reactor vessal when a, level.: go go.'. JRi$p weel%hieve stipeni rimasosebl(yycorrect and cru~cial informat ti and: thet eerrecti: vernet *han.aeul,d have. been taken.

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' being sancernedtheitialsimp.1-ex@ew patteras and agitat, ion could' giWaisioindQTF fag indicatione. ~ Yfu are correct in bel.ieving that a well-designef system i WQ1 fer-level deteatten eeul,d provide cruciar information'.' '

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As y letterto yeuise58esember 18, 1979 indicated, the* NRG staff has~ ' N.T.T estabTished aJrequ.firainen,t the.t instrumentation be added to nuclear poweh, ~ P'Ch e plants to preytde: an' indteation of reactor vessel level.

The efforts..I outlined in stat letten: aret krieceeding, and we Jremain steadfast' in ou

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.. r.essive to reneh S.. e.' obd.e,stiv.e '.o_f having reactor v. essel water leve.l ind. icaw 4 d.

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We expect reactor vesse,1 water level indicatien be.among these parameters.

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Since you so. kindly sent me copies of correspondence between y6urself and

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I appreciate your intense interest and compreltgifsive study of his 'mapeh.r g

If the above response to 'your requests is not adequate', please 1e't i

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FROM:,

ACTION CONTROL

, DATES CONTROL NO c a re a. m s.is COePL DEAOu~E if,,;m 08032 tilGnibOTG, S. C.

~

DATE OF DOCUMENT i

ACKNOWLEDGMENT INTERIM REPLY TO jpf]jfJg PREPAR'E FO'R SIGNATURE OF:

Qgjggjg7 Mggg7g FINAL REPLY h/

I O CHAIRMAN FILE LOCATION O EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

/[O OTHER:

NON DESCRIPTION OLETTER OMEMO O REPORT C OTHER SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS itag cormnts on attacned letter from Jorwe 4vieny re tas usa of a water-level inatc4 tor in the rtracter vessel I

CLASSIFIED DATA DOCUMENT / COPY NO.

CLASSIFICATION l NUMBER OF PAGES CATEGORY

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POST A L R EGIST RY NO.

O Nsi O RD C FRD ASSIGNED TO:

DATE INFORMATION ROUTING LEG AL REVIEW D FINAL

- COPY ddd, y,

.. fi 3 f y 3 ASSIGNED TO:

DATE NO LEGAL OBJECTIONS v

w=<ar<

N O TI F Y:

(

O EDO ADVIN & COR RE5 BP E X T.

COM\\1ENTS, NO TIF Y; lj!/VM '-

EXT.

JCAE NOTIFICATION RECOMMENDED:

0 YES O NO NRC FonM 232 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS DO 40T REMOVE THIS COPY PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL

-3328 12/18/79 No Lo,,,n, oa,e

-.e NRC SECRETARI AT TO: O Commiss.oner oate XD Exec. oir./Oper.

Gen. Counsel Cong. Liaison O Soiicito, O Public Affairs O Secretary incoming:

Alhart n_ naniels From:

Winnchgrg; C P To: Ahearne oate 12/11/79

Subject:

rea Comments on oresidents commission on TMI Prepare reply for signature of:

O Ch.irm.n Commissioner E oO, GC, C L, SOL, PA. SECY O Signature block omitted C Return original of incoming with response Mkor direct repiy.

Suspense :

Dec 28 For appropriate action O Forinformation For recommendation P?c'd Off. EDO N

00ie.N.M.'/..'./.(:.sa.m. rum i

Tim e...f.. J.E.............-

Remam,:

1 lie For the Commission:

' Send three (3) copies of reply to Secy Maii Facility Nace?

ACTION SLIP l

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