ML20049H812
| ML20049H812 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 02/25/1982 |
| From: | Mills L TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY |
| To: | Adensam E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8203040106 | |
| Download: ML20049H812 (4) | |
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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY CH ATTANOOGA. TEN N ESSEE 37401 400 Chestnut Street Tower II W
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February 25, 1982 g
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,Af4g Os ygb Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Attention:
Ms. E. Adensam, Chief Licensing Branch No. 4 g
Division of Licensing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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Washington, DC 20555
Dear Ms. Adensam:
In the Matter of
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Docket Nos. 50-327 Tennessee Valley Authority
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50-328 Enclosed is our response to the February 12, 1982 letter from R. L. Tedesco to H. G. Parris regarding the Research and Develop-ment Program on Hydrogen Control and Combustion for our Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. As requested, we have provided a detailed schedule for completion of the remaining experiments and analysis, the reasons for the delays, and the basis for the new schedule.
However, as stated in our August 17, 1981 letter to you, we are proceeding to implement a Permanent Hydrogen Mitigation System (PHMS) at Sequoyah Nuclear Plant units 1 and 2 which will replace the present Interim Distributed Ignition System (IDIS). We do not believe that the results of any planned tests or experiments will alter our presently planned design for the PHMS.
We believe that the information provided above will satisfy the concerns in your letter. We appreciate your concern and eagerness to resolve this issue. We will make every attempt to support your efforts.
Very truly yours, TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY L. M. Mills, Ma ager Nuclear Regulation and Safety Sworn
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d subsc ed before me thi day of 1982 f
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. Notary Public n
My Commission Expires I- [ J '
J b'(k Enclosure cc: See page 2 8203040106 820225 05000 2 pDRADOCK An Equal opportunity Employer m
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2-Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation February 25, 1982 1
cc:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i.:
Region II Attn:
Mr. James P. O'Reilly, Regional Administrator 101 Marietta Street, Suite 3100 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 i
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ENCLOSURE RESPONSE TO FEBRUARY 12, 1982 LETTER FROM R. L. TEDESCO TO H. G. PARRIS R&D PROGRAM FOR HYDROGEN CONTROL AND COMBUSTION The only remaining research activities to be completed are the combustion behavior study of a Tayco igniter and the Containment Test Facility (CTF) pipe-sphere geometry tests at Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment (WNRE) and the durability proof-testing of a Tayco igniter by TVA at our Singleton Laboratory. These activities are underway. Our schedule for completion of testing and submittal of preliminary and final reports is provided in the following table.
Test Compl3te Preliminary Utility Final Report Datu Report Submitted Submitted Acurex Completed 1/22/82 I
FM Completed 1/22/82 l
HEDL Completed 1/22/82 WNRE-CTF Phases 1,2 Completed 1/22/82 CTF Phase 3 Conpleted 4/15/82 CTF Phase 4 3/31/82 4/15/82 GM Glow Plug Cempleted 1/22/82 Tayco Igniter 3/31/82 4/15/82 Singleton-Glow Plug Completed 12/1/81 Tayco 3/15/82 4/15/82 1 Factory Mutual Research 2 Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory
- Publication dame of final' EPRI report on these tests is not
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presently available.
It should be noted that TVA.is not aware of any test or results that would alter the conclusions presented to the Staff in the preliminary utility test reports. Therefore, f t is our opinion that the lack of an EPRI
" final" test report should' not impact the Staff's review of our hydrogen research program.
Regarding the reasons for delays from our original schedule, we believe that the following review of the history of the hydrogen research program provides ample justification.
Approximately one year ago, TVA, Duke Power, and American Electric Power engaged with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in a research program to investigate hydrogen control and combustion with emphasis on applicability to ice condenser containments. The instituted program was ambitious in both scope an'd schedule.
Regulatory concerns had to be interpreted, research requirements had to be scoped, qualified research subcontractors had to be solicited, ' negotiated with, and contracted, and
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e Page 2 research had to be performed, data reduced, and results reported. The original program completion date of January 31, 1982, was never proposed by the utilities but was mandated by the NRC Commissioners. - However, the utilities and EPRI initiated a best-effort program to meet the schedule imposed by NRC, even though it was more ambitious than, for example, the multiyear schedule for similar hydrogen research currently planned by the NRC research organization.
The status of the research program has been updated periodically by TVA's quarterly progress reports. Most recently, the fifth quarterly report (submitted on January 22, 1982) stated that three of the four research sites had completed all testing. The fourth site, WNRE, has experienced unavoidable delays because of a significant personnel change, more tests than planned being performed in the early program phases, and the shakedown of a new experimental facility. More important than this status update, the fifth quarterly report contained preliminary reports of all research performed by Acurex, Factory Mutual (FM), and Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) and all research performed to date by WNRE.
To meet a verbal commitment to provide all research results as soon as they become available, these reports were prepared on an expedited basis by utility personnel based on status reports, draft final reports, and data supplied by the research subcontractors. The reports submitted on January 22, 1982, in our fifth quarterly report contain essentially all the information from the completed research, along with our best judgment evaluations. These utility-prepared reports were reviewed by the research subcontractors for accuracy before submittal. No pertinent information has been withheld. In fact, in addition to our fifth quarterly report submittal, a jointly-sponsored EPRI/NRC hydrogen review meeting was held on February 3-4, 1982, where, among other topics, the results of all of EPRI's completed hydrogen research work was presented by the subcontractors themselves including HEDL, FM, Acurex, and WNRE.
Of course, the final research reports must be issued by EPRI after being subjected to a necessarily time-consuming process of internal review, editing, figure prepararation, etc. However, as noted previously, you should proceed with your review of our research program based on the information presented to date.
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