ML19323F512
| ML19323F512 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 05/16/1980 |
| From: | Reid R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Arnold R METROPOLITAN EDISON CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8005290109 | |
| Download: ML19323F512 (5) | |
Text
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E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 kv /
May 16,1980 Docket No. 50-289 Mr. R. C. Arnold Senior Vice President Metropolitan Edison Company 100 Interpace Parkway Parsippany, New Jersey 07054
Dear Mr. Arnold:
During the last several years, data have begun to indicate that the fission gas release rate from LWR fuel pellets is increased (enhanced) with burnup.
Many of the current fuel performance analyses do not consider the impact of burnup-enhanced release on safety.
By letters dated November 23,1976, the NRC staff requested all LWR licensees to assess the higher fission gas release for fuel burnups above 20,000 Megawatt-day per metric ton (MWD /t).
Also, by NRC staff letter dated January 18, 1978, all U. S. LWR fuel suppliers were requested to revise their fuel performance analyses to include the enhance-ment of fission gas release at higher burnups.
All responses to the November 23, 1976 letters have been received.
We have concluded that no immediate licensing action is required for operating reactors.
This conclusion is valid for typical reported LWR fuel bundle and batch burn-ups. Any extension of these burnups or other factors which significantly affect fission gas release, LOCA PCT or fuel rod internal pressure is outside the scope of the conclusion.
The effect of enhanced fission gas release on ECCS perfonnance was significant for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) fuel.
Enhanced release at high burnup affects the fuel rod internal pressure and the pellet volumetric average temperature which are important inputs to the B&W LOCA analyses.
B&W calculates these inputs using the TAFY-3 fuel performance code which was approved prior to 'dentifica-tion of enhanced fission gas release at high burnup.
Another B&W fuel performance code, TAC 0, includes the effects of enhanced release and was approved by the staff.
B&W states that both the rod pressure and volumetric average fuel temperature calculated by TAFY-3 conservatively envelope those calculated by TAC 0 between 2,000 and 42,000 MWD /t fuel rod burnup. The limiting LOCA calculations for all operating B&W reactors occur at burnups within this range. Thus, the use of TAFY-3 to calculate the fuel rod pressure and volumetric average temperature input for the LOCA analyses conservatively bounds the effects of enhanced fission gas release.
Therefore, no immediate licensing action is required on fueled operating B&W reactors.
8006290
Mr. R. C. Arnold 2-May 16,1980 Inasmuch as you and/or the staff will be evaluating all future reloads against fuel vendors' revised fuel performance codes which provide for increase in fission gas release at higher burnups, we consider this a satisfactory resolution of this concern.
Sincerely, lq f ll.'
~
Robert W. Reid, Chief Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Licensing cc: See next 3 pages i
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Metropolitan Edison Company
-1 Dr. Walter H. Jordan 881 W. Outer Drive Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 cc w/ar.cissun(s):
000 HeMage Dm!*
Mr. Ma rvin I. Lewis 6504 Bradford Terrace e
P, hila del phia,
Pennsylvania 19149 Raleigh, North Carolina 27612 Walter W. Cohen, Cons mer Advocate Holly S. Keck Department of Justice Ant.i-Nuclear Group Representing Strawberry Square,14th Floor York Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17127 245 W. Philadelphia Street Robert L. Knupp Esq.
York, Pennsylvania 17404 Assistant Solicitor John Levin, Esq.
Knupp and Andrews Pennsylvania Public Utilities Com.
P.O. Box P Box 3265 407 N. Front Street Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108 Jordan D. Cunningham, Esq.
John E. Minnich, Chairman Fox, Farr and Cunningham Dauphin Co. Board of Commissioners 2320 North 2nd Street Dauphin County Courthouse Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110 Front and Market Sts.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.17101 Theodore A. Adler, Esq.
WID0FF REAGER SELK0WITI & ADLER
- Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board Post Office Box 1547 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105 Washington, D.
C'.
20555 Ms. Marjorie M. Aamodt
- Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel R.D. f 5 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Coatesville, Pennsylvania 19320 Washington, D. C.
20555 Ms. Karen Sheldon
- Docketing and Service Section Sheldon, Harmon, Roisman & Weiss U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1725 I Street, N. W.
Suite 506 Washington, D. C.
20555 Washington, D. C.
20006 Robert Q. Pollard Earl B. Hoffman Chesapeak Energy Alliance Dauphin County. Comissioner
'609 Montpelier Street Dauphin County Courthouse Baltimore, Maryland 21218 Front and Market Streets Chauncey Kepford Judith H. Johnsrud Ellyn Weiss, Esq.
Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power Sheldon Harmon, Roisman & Weiss he50
- 433 Orlando Avenue State College, Pennsylvania 16801 Washington, D.C.
20006
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Ms. Frieda Berryhill, Chairman Mr. Steven C. Sholly Coalition for Nuclear Power Plant 304 South Market Street Postponement Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055 2610 Grendon Drive Wilmington, Delaware 19808 Mr. Thomas Gerusky Mrs. Rhoda D. Carr Bureau of Radiation Protection t
1402 Marene Drive Department of Environmental Resources P.O. Box 2063 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
i Metropolitan Edison Compor.y O
Karin W. Carter, Esq.
505 Executive House Mr. G. P. Miller P. O. Box 2357 Mr. R. F. Wilson Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Mr. J. J. Barton Metropolitan Edison Company Honorable Mark Cohen P. O. Box 480 512 E-3 Main Capital Building Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 G. F. Trowbridge, Esquire Dauphin County Of fice Emergency Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Preparedness 1800 M Street, N.W.
Court-House, Room 7 Washington, D. C.
20036 Front & Market Streets Mr. E. G. Wallace Licensing Manaaer Department of Environmental Resources e p ce P r[e ATTN:
Director, Office of Radiological Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 Post Office Box 2063
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Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105 Pennsylvania Electric Company Mr. R. W. Conrad Director, Technical Assessment Vice President, Generation Division 1001 Broad Street Office of Radiation Programs Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15907 (AW-459)
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Miss Mary V. Southard, Chairman Crystal Mall #2 Citizens for a Safe En.ironment Arlington, Virginia 20460-Post Office Box 405 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108 Mr. Robert B. Borsum Babcock & Wilcox Government Publications Section Nuclear Power Generation Division State ibrary of Pennsylvania Suite 420, 7735 Old Georgetown Road Box 160. (Education Building)
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126
- Ivan W. Smith, Esq.
Mr. David D. Maxwell, Chairman Atomic Safety & Licensing Board Panel Board of Supervisors U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Lonaonderry Township Washington, D. C.
20555 RFD71 - Geyers Church Road Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Ms. Kathy McCaughin Three Mile Island Alert, Inc.
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 23 South 21st Street Region III Office Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17104 ATTN:
EIS C0ORDINATOR Curtis Building (Sixth Floor)
Mr. L. W. Harding 6th and Walnut Streets Supervisor of Licensing Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 Metropolitan Edison Company Mr. J. G. Herbein P. O. Box 480 Vice President-Nuclear Operations Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Metropolitan Edison Company P. O. Box 480 Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Ms. Jane Lee R.D. 3; Box 3521 Etters, Pennsylvania 17319
Metropoiltan tolson company a-t Mr. R. J. Toole Manager, TMI-l Metropolitan Edison Company Governor's Office of State Planning P. O. Box 480 and Development Middletown, PA 17057 ATTN:
Coordinator. Pennsylvania State Clearinghouse Mr. W. E. Potts P. O. Box 1323 Radiological Controls Manager, TMI-l Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Metropolitan Edison Company P. O. Box 480 Middletown, PA 17057 Mr. I. R. Finfrock, Jr.
Jersey Central Power & Light Company Madison Avenue at Punch Bowl Road Morristown, New Jersey 07950 J. B. Lieberman, Esq.
Berlock, Israel, Lieberman 26 Broadway New York, NY 10004 Mr. J. J. Colitz Plant Engineering Manager, TMI-l Metropolitan Edison Company P. O. Box 480 Middletown. Pennsylvania 17057 York College of Pennsylvania Country Club Road York, Pennsylvania 17405 Mr. G, K. Hovey Director, TMI-2 Metropolitan Edison Company P, 0, Box 480 Middletown, PA 17057 Mr. B. Elam Manager, Plant Engineering, Unit 2 Metropolitan Edison Company P. O. Box 480 Middletown, PA 17057 Mr. Richard Roberts The Patriot 812 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17105 ik. R. W. Heward Manager, Radiological Control, Unit 2 Metropolitan Edison Company' P. O. Box 480 Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057
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