ML20012A506

Forwards Proprietary GE11 LTA Fuel Bundle Description for Cooper Nuclear Station Reload 13,Cycle 14. Util Plans to Load Four Fuel Assembly Lead Test Assemblies as Part of Plant Reload 13.Encl Withheld (Ref 10CFR2.790)

ML20012A506
Person / Time
Site:	Cooper
Issue date:	02/26/1990
From:	Trevors G NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML19293A199	List: ML20012A506
References
NLS9000084, NUDOCS 9003120135
Download: ML20012A506 (7)

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GENERAL OFFICE a Nebraska Public Power District

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NLS9000084 February 26, 1990 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attention: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

Subject:

Lead Test Assembly Information Submittal Cooper Nuclear Station NRC Docket No. 50-298, DPR-46

Reference:

1) Letter, T. A. Ippolito (NRC) to R. E. Engel (GE) dated September 23, 1981, " Lead Test Assembly Licensing"

2) Letter, L. G. Kuncl, (NPPD) to USNRC dated February 12, 1990,

" Proposed Change No. 77 to Technical Specifications - Cycle 14 Operation" Gentlemen:

For the purpose of simplifying the licensing of Lead Test Assemblies (LTAs),

in Reference- 1 the NRC approved the licensing approach whereby the' involved

. utility submits an -information letter to the NRC describing the unique features of the LTAs, the objectives of the LTAs, and the kinds of tests to be performed. As long as the analyses of the LTAs, using approved methods, meets approved criteria, it would be concluded that no unreviewed safety question ex2sts. The LTAs would then be included in reload licensing analyses and licensing documentation.

Nebraska public Power District plans to load four (4). fuel assembly LTAs as part of Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS) Reload 13. This information is being submitted in accordance with CNS Technical Specification 5.2.C. The information contained in Attachments 1 and 2 provides a description of these LTAs .and confirms the applicability of NRC approved methods. The LTA analytical results are contained in the Supplemental Reload Licensing Submittal previously submitted in Reference 2.

Please note that information contained in Attachment 2 is of the type that General Electric maintains in confidence and withholds from public disclosure.

It has been handled and classified as proprietary to General Electric as indicated in the affidavit in Attachment 3. We hereby request that this information be withheld from public disclosure in accordance with the provisions of 10CFR2.790.

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GEli Lead Test Assembly Information Report  !

for Cooper Nuclear Station 1

Reload 13 Cycle 14 Januaq 18, 1990 f l

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. Cooper Gell lead Test Assembly Licensing

1. Background ,

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) plans to load four (4) lead test assemblies (LTAs) as part of Cooper Nuclear Station Reload 13 during the 1990 refuelmg outage. These fuel bundles, also referred to as GE11 LTAs, are planned to be in operation for up to five cycles as part of a joint program with General Electric Company (GE).

This report contains information that is to be provided to the NRC to comply with the Reference 11etter which provides guidelines to be followed to license LTAs. Included m this report are a description of the GEli LTAs, a discussion of the applicability of approved methods to the licensing analyses, a description of the objectives of the LTA program, and an outline of the kinds of measurements planned for the LTAs. ,

2. LTA Description A description of the Gell LTAs is contained in Attachment 2 (GE Proprietary). Table 1 of Attachment 2 provides LTA design specifications. Fuel bundle and fuel rod descriptions for the LTAs are provided in Figures 1 and 2 of Attachment 2.

3. Licensing Analyses The Gell LTAs have been analyzed using the NRC approved methods described in Reference

2. These methods are fully capable of analyzing all of the LTA features and the results demonstrate that the LTAs will operate wit ain all design and safety limits of Reference 2. Cycle specific analyses have been performed for Cooper Nuclear Station, Reload 13 to establish fuel operating limits for '

the LTAs and to ensure that the core loading has been designed such that the LTAs will not be the most limiting fuel assemblies at any time during their residence in the core. Results of these analyses are contained in Reference 3. Further, licensing analyses will be performed for the LTAs for each cycle of their operation, wherein the effect of the LTAs is considered for each of the appropriate licensing events and anticipated operational occurrences (AOOs) to establish appropriate reactor core thermallimits for operation.

The application of approved methods to analyze events and accidents whose results could be affected by the LTA's design is discussed below. Since the analysis of the LTAs using the approved l methods meets the approved criteria,it can be concluded that no unreviewed safety question exists.

3.1 MCPR Safety Limit The MCPR Safety Limit is established using the core wide statistical model. Four Gell LTA bundles would have little impact on the results of this analysis. In comparison to the Safety Limit .

for the GE8x8NB bundle, the manufacturing tolerances and operationa. uncertainties remain the same and the bundle R factor for the Gell LTA is expected to be similar; therefore, the Safety Limit MCPR for Gell is expected to be similar to that of the GE8x8NB fuel design described in Reference 2.

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l 3.2 Core Wide AOOs . ,

Current approved methods described in Reference 2 are considered appropriate to determine  :

the impact of the core-wide AOOs on the LTAs. Appropriate Technical Specification MCPR limits  !

were established to ensure safe operation of the LTAs and results are included in Reference 3.

3.3 Iacall ed AOOs Approved methods are considered adequate to evaluate core response to Rod Withdrawal Error  ;

(RWE), since nuclear inputs are available to represent the LTAs discretely. MCPR results for the LTAs are provided in Reference 3. The Fuel leading Error (Rotated Bundle) was not analyzed for the LTA because special additional surveillance of the LTAs will be performed to preclude a f rotated bundle.

3A Control Rod Dmp Accident (CRDA)

Due to the similarities in nuclear characteristics between the LTAs and approved GE fuel designs, the Reference 2 methodology is applicable to the LTAs. Operation with the LTAs will not result in exceeding CRDA acceptance criteria.

' 3.5 IAss of Coolant Accident and ECCS Current approved emergency core cooling system (ECCS) models, extended to the 9x9 -

geornetry, have been conservatively applied to the analysis of the LTAs. The resulting LTA maxtmum average planar linear heat generation rate (MAPLHOR), peak clad temperature and local oxidation fraction values are presented in References 3 and 4. It has also been determined that minor material differences in the LTAs, relative to the GE production fuel, will not affect the i core wide metal water reaction results presented in Reference 4. 1 3.6 Refueling Acciden:

-The impact of the LTAs on the assumptions and consequences of a refueling accident, as documented in the CNS FSAR and in Reference 2, has been evaluated. The radiological consequences are conservatively bounded by the current FSAR analyses.

1 l 3.7 Core Stability The LTA design maintains core and channel stability equivalent to that of the P8x8R and BP8x8R designs. As noted in Reference 3, GE SIL-380 recommendations have been incorporated in the CNS Technical Specifications. Therefore, no stability analysis is required, as documented in l the letter, C. O. Thomas (NRC) to H. C. Pfefferien (GE), Acceptance for Referencing of Licensing l Topical Report NEDE 24011, Rev. 6, Amendment 8, Thermal Hydraulic Stability Amendment to i

GESTAR11, dated April 24,1985.  !

Cooper Nuclear Station recognizes the issuance of NRC Bulletin No. 88 07, Supplement 1, Power Oscillations in Boiling Water Reactors (Bil'Rs), and has taken appropriate actions to address the identified concerns.

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m 3.8 Shutdown Margin ' .

Analyses performed with approved methods for the LTAs in the CNS Reload 13 core have )

shown that the minimum cold shutdown margin (results presented in Reference 3) is greater than or l

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equal to the design criteria identified in Refere. ice 2 which, therefore, assures that all Technical Specification shutdown margin requirements are satisfied.

4. LTA Program Objectives  :

The purpor,e of the GE11 LTA Program is to obtain test data to verify that fuel bundles with the design features given in Section 2 perform satisfactorily in service, prior to use of those features on '

a production basis.

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5. LTA Measurements  ;

As currently envisioned, measurements on the LTAs consist of preirradiation characterization of +

fuel pellets, clad tubing, fuel rods and fuel bundles. At subsequent refueling outages, the scope of .

inspections consist of overall bundle visual examinations, channel bow and bulge measurements, I bundle and rod length measurements, rod integrity and profilometry measurements and corrosion  !

thickness measurements. 'Ihe extent of such measurement and testing will be governed by the need to minimize the impact of such testing on refueling outage critical path, and by the degree of technical interest in implementing the design changes demonstrated in the LTA.  !

Results obtained from this LTA Program will be summarized in a timely manner in subsequent General Electric Fuel Experience Reports.  ;

6. References ,.

1. Letter, T.A. Ippolito (NRC) to R.E. Engel (GE), Lead Test Assembly Licensing, September 23,1981.

2. GESTAR.li, GeneralElectric StandardApplicationfor ReactorFuel, NEDE 24011.P A 9, September 1988.

3. Supplemental Reload License Submitta!for Cooper Nuclear Station, Reload 13, Cycle 14, 23A5996, January 1990. ,

4. Loss-of. Coolant AccidentAnalysis Reportfor Cooper Nuclear Station, NEDO 24045, August 1977 (as amended).

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