ML20003F955

Submits Review of Util 801008 Revised Cycle 6 Startup Rept. Concludes That Rept Acceptable.Reiterates That Test Elimination from Reactor Test Program Not Option & Requires Prior Notification

ML20003F955
Person / Time
Site:	Kewaunee
Issue date:	04/20/1981
From:	Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Mathews E WISCONSIN PUBLIC SERVICE CORP.
References
NUDOCS 8104270064
Download: ML20003F955 (2)

Text

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Io, UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGUt.ATORY COMMISSION y

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April 20,1981 y

Docket No. 50-305 b

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Mr. Eugene R. Mathews, Vice President Power Supply and Engineering

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Wisconsin Public Service Corporation D

Post Office Box 1200 Green Bay, Wisconsin 54305 e::

SUBJECT:

REVIEW OF KEWAUNEE CYCLE 6 START-UP REPORT

References:

1) Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant Cycle 6 Start-up Report August 1980

2) Letter from C. Schrock (WPSC) to M. Chatterton (NRC) l dated October 6,1980 on the subject of " Questions on Cycle 6 Start-up Report"

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3) Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plar.t Cycle 6, Start-up Report l

August 1980; Revised (Pages) October 9,1980 Following the Kewaunee Cycle 6 Start-up during June 1980, a Start-up

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l Report was submitted by Wiscor. sin Public Service Corporaticn to the NRC l

in August 1980 (Reference 1). Review of this report resulted in tele-phone discussions with your staff with additional infomation being sub-l mitted by WPSC by letter on October 6,1980 (Reference 2), and as revised l

pages to the Start-up Report, on October 8,1980 (Reference 3).

The NRC staff has concluded that the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant Cycle 6 Start-up Report, 6s revised, is acceptable.

Review of the low power test results shows that al' parameters met the

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required citeria although several of the results were quite different from the predicted values for critical boron concentr. tion and rod worth;

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feasible related explanations were explored and considered adequate although no definitive cause was concluded. Due to process computer prob-lems, a zero power distribution map was not taken and although later dis-cussion showed that this does not remain a matter of concern for Cycle 6, the lack of the power distribution map below 5% power is of concern in general; this particular test is part of an NRC approved reactor test pro-gram and its approval assumed that all tests would be completed. The elimination of the zero power distribution map is not an option, and requires notification of the NRC, in addition to the review by the Plant Operations Review Comittee, prior to proceeding to the power escalation

, tests.

0d 8104270

Mr. Eugene R. Mathews ~.

On power escalation tests, power distribution maps were taken but n'ot supplied wi.th the original report (Reference 1); these maps are a necessary l

element of thc-Start-up Report and were supplied in a revision thereto dated October 8,1980 (Reference 3).

Review of these maps showed a failure to meet the review criteria on asymmetric thimble pair comparison; this l

matter was explored in Reference 2 and after review and explanation NRC l

agrees with WPSC that the data is not significantly different imm that of i

previous cycles and does not indiccte a safety related problem.

Excellent l

agreement between measurement and prediction for the remaining parameters of the power distribution maps confinns that there is not a power distri-I bution problem.

l The NRC staff has completed its review of the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant Cycle 6 Start-up Report as revised, to References 1 and 3 above, and has concluded that it is acceptable. We also again wish to clarify that the elinination of any test from the reactor test program is not an option, and requires prior notification of the NRC, in addition to the review by t

the Plant Operations Rt*,iew Comittee.

Sincerely, l

4(b) l Steven K.'Varga, Chi f Operating Reacto

'B anch #1 l

Division of Licensing cc:

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r. Eugene R. Matheus Wisconsin Public Service Corporation cc: Steven E. Keane, Esquire Foley and Lardner 777 East Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Kewaunee Public Library 822 Juneau Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin 54216 Stanley Lacrosse, Chairman Tcwn of Carlton Route 1 Xe.vaunee, Wisconsin 54216 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Cunnission Resident Inspectors Office Route #1, Box 999 KEwaunee, Wisconsin 54216 l

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