ML19354E883

Forwards Response to NRC Bulletin 89-003, Potential Loss of Required Shutdown Margin During Refueling Operations

ML19354E883
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	01/23/1990
From:	Withers B WOLF CREEK NUCLEAR OPERATING CORP.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
IEB-89-003, IEB-89-3, WM-90-0015, WM-90-15, NUDOCS 9002020210
Download: ML19354E883 (3)

Text

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WOLF CREEK

' NUCLEAR OPERATING CORPORATION aan o.wem w ar.

January 23, 1990 CW Enoctu a > uor WK 90-0015 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Consnission ATTN: Document Control Desk Mail Station P1-137 I

Washington, D. C.

20555

Subject:

Docket No. 50-482: Response to NRC Bulletin No. 89-03,

" Potential Loss of Required Shutdown Margin During-Refueling Operations" Gentlemen:

The purpose of this letter -is to transmit Wolf Creek Nuclear' Operating Corporation's (WCN00) response to NRC Bulletin No.,80;03, " Potential Loss of Required Shutdown Margin During Refueling ;0perations".

The be.lletin

. i' requested licensees to-take action to, prevent ' potential violations of required shutdown margin and, in extreme' cases, inadvertent criticality during refueling.

1 The attachment to this letter provides the actions taken to comply-with the 1

bulletin.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, me or Mr. H. K. Chernoff of my staff..

please contact

, j Very truly yours, Bart D. Withers President and.

Chief Executive Officer BDW/aem j

Attachment

,q cc:

B. L. Bartlett (NRC), wla E. J. Holler (NRC), w/a i

R. D. Martin (NRC), w/a j

D. V. Pickett (NRC), w/a a

9002020210 900123 PDR ADOCN 05000482 1;;

o PDC P.O. Box 411/ Burimgton, MS 66839 / Phone:(316) 364 883; An Equal opportunny Empeoyer M/FMcNET -

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'I Attachment to WM 90-0015 L

Page 1 of 1 l

l Response to NRC Bulletin 89-03' Reauested Action 1 -

t Assure that any intermediate fuel assembly configuration (including control rods) intended to be used during refueling is-identified and evaluated to j

maintain sufficient. refueling boron concentration to result in a minimum shutdown margin of approximately 52..

Response

An analysis was performed by Westinghouse -to determine.if more reactive configurations than the~ final loaded all rods in configuration can exist given current core loading practices.

From this analysis, core loading guidelines were-developed' to eliminate the possibility of more : reactive configuration than the all rode in configuration-while at-the-same time permitting the flexibility needed to perform the core loading efficiently.

The guidelines assure compliance to reactivity. technical. specifications while in MODE 6 (REFUELING).

Wolf Creek Nuclear-Operating Corporation-(WCNOC) has detennined that the analysis and guidelines are applicable-to Wolf Creek Generating Station and_will maintain thel required shutdown margin during intermediate core configurations.

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I Reauested Action 2

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Assure that fuel loading procedures only allow _those intermediate fuel

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assembly configurations that do not violate the allowable shutdown margin i

and that these procedures are strictly adhered to.

Response

The appropriate steps of the. guidelines discussed above have-been incorporated into procedure' FHP 02-011

-" Fuel l Shuffle 'and-Position Verificatien" to provide additional controls on the use of assemblies -in temporary core locations.

i Reauested Action 3:

l Assure that the staff responsible for refueling operations is. trained in.the-i i

_ procedures recommended' in Item 2 above and understand ~ the potential i

consequences of violating these procedures._

This training should include' the fundamental aspects of criticality control with higher enriched fuel assemblies.

Response Training on procedure FHP 02-011 and the potential for a loss of required-shutdown margin during refueling operations will be conducted' for WCNOC

.persornel responsible for refueling operations.

This training will occur I

prior to fuel off-load during the fourth refueling outage.

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f STATE OF KANSAS.

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) SS COUNTY OF COFFEY

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i Bart D. Withers, of lawful age, being first duly sworn upon oath.says that he is Presidenc and Chief Executive' Officer of Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating'-

Corporation that he has read the foregoing document and knows the content-J thereof:

thet he has executed that same for and'~on behalf of said Corporation with full power and authority to do so and that the facts therein stated are true -'and-correct to-the best 'of his knowledge, information and belief.

By Bart D. Withers I

President and Chief Executive Officer i

SUBSCRIBED and sworn to before me this-[ j ' day.of 1990.

OA O W

'""'.. IQ Notary Public

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