ML20042G208

Forwards List of Issues Requiring NRC Review & Approval to Support Upcoming Plant Refueling Outages.Issues Include Tech Spec Change Request to Increase Fuel Enrichment to 4.3% & Use of Improved Westinghouse Fuel Assembly Design

ML20042G208
Person / Time
Site:	North Anna
Issue date:	05/08/1990
From:	Stewart W VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
90-187, NUDOCS 9005110230
Download: ML20042G208 (7)

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-l VINGINIA I3LECTRIC AND l'OWHH COMI'ANY 3

HICitMOND,VIHOINTA 200 61 May 8, 1990 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Serial No.90-187 Attention: Document Control Desk NL&P/DLDM Washington, D.C.

Docket Nos. 50-338 50-339 License Nos.NPF-4 NPF-7 Gentlemen:

-VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY NORTH ANNA POWER STATION UNITS 1 AND 2 REFUELING OUTAGE PLANS The next refueling outage for North Anna Unit 2 is scheduled to begin September 7,

-1990 and last for approximately 75 days. The next refueling outage for Unit 1 is scheduled to begin February 8,1991 and last for approximately 60 days. We have reviewed proposed Technical Specification changes and other documents currently

-submitted to the NRC and have identified, in the attachments, several outage-related submittals.

Attached is a list of the submittals for which your review and approval is requested to support the upcoming North Anna outages. The list is divided in two attachments:

Attachment A contains those issues which are critical to the outages, and Attachment B contains those items for which a substantial benefit would be gained if issued in time to support the outage. A discussion explaining when each change is required and how each change affects the outage is included. A few additional proposed changes related to the outages will also be submitted in the near future. Those issues are included in the attachments.

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We request your timely consideration.of these issues. If you have any questions'or

require additionalinformation, please' contact us.

T Very truly yours, r

t W.L. Stewart Senior Vice President - Nuclear.

Enclosure cc:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 101 Marietta Street, N.W.

Suite 2900 Atlanta, Ga. 30323-Mr. M. S. Lesser NRC Senior Resident inspector

' North Anna Power Station Commissioner -

Department of _ Health Room 400-

-109 Governor Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 L;

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Attachment A North Anna Unit 21990 and Unit 11991 Refueling Outages Issues Reauiring NRC Review & Acorovalto Sucoort Outage E

The following changes are critical te supporting the upcoming refueling outages.

Delays in receiving NRC approvals by the requested dates will have significant impact i

on refueling outages schedules and/or activities.

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1.

A Technical Specification change request to increase permitted fuel enrichment i

from 4.1 to 4.3% was submitted September 30,1988 (serial number 88 603)

-and was noticed in the Federal Register on November 16, 1988. The fuel J

manufacturer is currently preparing to fabricate the fuel pellets, which will be used in the fuel assemblies. Core reload analyses are based on the new fuel characteristics.

UFe gas with the new 4.2 % enrichment permitted by this change has been i

received by the fuel manufacturar and is in the process of being converted to UO2 powder. The powder is scheduled to be fabricated into pellets during the week of May 14,1990. Once the fuel has been fabricated into pellets it would be difficult to change the enrichment of it e fuel.

Fuel with the new 4.2% enrichment permitted by this change is scheduled to j

begin arriving on site August 15, 1990. Per Operating License condition i

2.C.(2), we are licensed to receive, possess and use reactor fuel as described in the UFSAR. The UFSAR cannot be revised to reflect the increased enrichment until the Technical Specification is approved, Failure to receive approval by August 15,1990 would result in delays in receipt, inspection and storage of the new fuel, potentially impacting the outage schedule and having a significant economic impact.

1 2.

A Technical Specification change request to use an improved Westinghouse fuel assembly design was submitted January 15,1990 (serial number 89-795) i and was noticed in the Federal Register on February 21,1990. This change request is tied to item 1 since the fuel pellets would be used in the new Vantage 5H fuel assembly design. Core reload analyses are also based on the new fuel j

characteristics.

The new design fuel assemblies containing the 4.2% enriched fuel are-scheduled to begin arriving on site August 15,1990. Per Operating License condition 2.C.(2), we are licensed to receive, possess and use reactor fuel as described in the UFSAR. The UFSAR cannot be revised to reflect the new fuel assembly design until the Technical Specification is approved. Therefore, we request amendment approval by August 15,1990 to receive the new fuel on i

site.

1 Failure to receive approval by that date would result in delays in receipt, inspection and storage of the new fuel, potentially impacting the outage schedule and having a significant economic impact.

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Attachment A (continued)

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A Unit 1-only license amendment request to amend the requirements of License-Condition D.(3).s was submitted on April 27,1990 (serial number 90-156). The Unit 1 license had previously been modified by adding condition D.(3).s to allow the previous cycle's surveillance period end dates to coincide with the last refueling outage. This request will modify the license in a similar manner.

The first scheduled surveillance is September 28,1990. Failure to receive approval for the extension would result in Unit 1 shutdown by October _7,1990.

Shutdown would be required to perform the required surveillances, resulting in economic impact and further schedule _r problems for future surveillances.

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e Attachment B North Anna Unit 21990 and Unit 11991 Refueling Outapas issues Reouirino NRC Review & Acoroval to Benefit Outage The following requested changes would provide additional operational flexibility and improve Station outage planning and scheduling capabilities.

1.

A Technical Specification change to reduce the minimum required RHR flow I

rate will be submitted to the NRC. The proposed change would increase reliability of the RHR system during the refueling outage and lessen the i

possibility of loss of RHR suction flow as a result of vortexing. The proposed change is consistent with the guidance in Generic Letter 8817 on decay heat removal capability.

o Failure to receive this approval by September 7,1990 would result in failure to further reduce the possibility of loss of decay heat removal capability due to the vortexing phenomenon.

2.

A Technical Specification change request to revise the RHR interlock requirements was submitted on April 27,1990 (serial number 90-183). This request is a result of the recommendations in Generic Letter 8817. Receiving approval of the change by Unit 2 shutdown on September 7,1990 would assist in improving the reliability of the RHR system during shutdown-evolutions for the upcoming refueling outage.

Failure to approve this request by the outage would result in a lost opportunity

' to increase decay heat removal reliability prior to next scheduled use of the RHR system to support unit shutdown.

' 3.

A Technical specification change request regarding the use of filler rods in fuel assemblies was submitted on January 16,1990 (serial number 89 773).

Although our current reload plans do not include the use of these filler rod assemblies, approval of the request would provide more flexibility it' unexpected o

problems arise. Such problems include identification of leaker rods during the refueling evolution requiring core redesign.

Failure to approve this request would limit the flexibility for unanticipated core re-designs during the outage and result in potential scheduler and economic impact.

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A Technical Specification change request to delete certain cycle specifc reactor physics parameters and ' institute a new licensee-controlled document designated as the Core Operating Limits Report (COLR) which documents the 1

NRC-approved methods for obtaining the various parameters was submitted March 29,1990 (serial number 89 773A). When approved, it will alleviate the l

need for additional core surveillance reports due to core redesigns caused by outage found circumstances. This would also eliminate the need for waiver requests to the NRC based on the scheduler aspect of the current Technical Page 1 of 3

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4 Attachment B (continuedi Specification 6.9.1.7 requiring submittal of the report 60 days prior to report implementation.

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Failure to approve this request could result in additional core surveillance report submittals or scheduler waiver requests

-5.

A Technical _ Specification change request to revise the requirement for an operable pressurizer safety relief valve while in cold shutdown is currently being processed and is scheduled far submittal to the NRC. Approval of this amendment would improve Station planning and scheduling for the removal and testing of these valves without compromising system safety.

Failure to approve this request has the potential to adversely impact the outage schedule.

6.

A Technical Specification change request to revise the list in Table 3.6-1, Containment Isolation Valves for Units 1 and 2, was submitted on February 23, 1989 (serial number 88-740) and noticed in the Federal Register on May 3, 1989. This change identifies additional valves exempt from the Type C test, identifies valves associated with water filled penetrations for which a Type C test penalty will not be added to the Type A test results, adds containment isolation valves not previously listed, and deletes an incorrect listing.

Failure to approve this request could potentially place an unnecessary restriction on containment integrated leak rate test results.

L 7.

A Technical Specification change request to revise the requirements for l

Individual Rod Position Indication was submitted on April 30,1990 (serial number 90 023). Approval of this proposed amendment is requested prior to Unit 2 restart, currently scheduled for November 21,1990. Approval of this amendment would provide station operators with greater flexibility during L

startup without compromising safety.

8.

A Technical Specification change request to modify the Rod Control Cluster Assemblies (RCCAs) fully withdrawn position to mitigate wear at the current fully withdrawn position was submitted on August 11,1989 (serial number 89-307) i and noticed in the Federal Register on September 6,1989. Studies supporting this change have indicated that reliable operation of RCCAs at the fully withdrawn position is improved by this change, i

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Attachment B (continued) 9.

On March 20,1990, we notified you of our plans regarding the Unit.2 steam generator plug repair effort, Our submittal described our plans to return most of the sentinelly-plugged tubes to service. It also identified the possibility that we may approach the NRC during the outage and request approval for a one cycle scheduler relief to defer removal of certain sentinel plugs. A technical basis for both of these actions was included in the letter. Because it will not be evident until near or during the Unit 2 outage that deferral, and potential NRC approval, of the plug removal is necessary, this iss'"- s included on the list, i

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