ML20055E517

Advises That 900607 Control Element Assembly Failure at Maine Yankee Not Applicable to Facility.Nrc Understands That Util Does Not Plan to Use Any old-style Control Element Assemblies in Future

ML20055E517
Person / Time
Site:	Arkansas Nuclear
Issue date:	07/09/1990
From:	Poslusny C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Carns N ARKANSAS POWER & LIGHT CO.
References
NUDOCS 9007120081
Download: ML20055E517 (4)

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,,,,,,# Ouly 9, 1990 Docket No. 50-368 Mr. Neil S. Carns Vice President Nuclear Arkansas Nuclea,r One Post Office Box 551 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203

SUBJECT:

GENERIC IMPLICATIONS AND RESOLUTION OF CEA FAILURE AT MAINE YANKEE On June 7,1990 wh elementassemb1Ies(ileconductingcoldfunctionaltestingofthecontrolCEAs) following the Yankee, one CEA could not be fully inserted in the core. Subsequent inspection of the CEA revealed that the end cap was missing from the center CEA finger thelowerstainlesssteelspacerandbaroncarbidepelletshadfallenoutof the center finger and an axial crack existed at the lower end. The upper stainless steel spacer was cocked in the bottom of the CEA finner and was causing the center CEA finger to bind against the guide tube. The CEA could not be fully inserted in the core during cold functional testing due to interference from boron carbide pellets that had fallen into the center CEA guide tube.

On .bne 25, 1990, the NRC staff met with the Combustion Engineering Regulatory Response Group (CERRG).to discuss the generic implications and proposed resolution of the CEA failure that occurred at Maine Yankee. The CERRG concluded that the CEA iailure was most likely due to irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC). The CERRG also concluded that the failure mechanismwasonlyap)11cabletotheolderCombustionEngineering(CE)CEA design which did not inve an absorber plug (other than boron carbide cellets) at the bottom of the center CEA finger. In order to resolve this issue, the CERRG proposed specific Action Programs for each affected licensee. The CERRG

. submitted its report to the NRC addressing this issue by letter dated June 2o, 1990..

It is our understanding that Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 currently does not have any of the old style CEAs installed in the reactor core and that you do not plan to use any old style CEAs in the future. Therefore this problem is notapplicabletoArkansasNuclearOne, Unit 2andnospecifIcactionsare

' required. Please contact us if our understanding regarding this matter is not Correct.

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Mr. Neil S. Carns 2 The reporting and/or recordkeeping requirements contained in this letter affect fewer than ten respondents; therefore, OMB clearance is not required under P 6. L.96-511.

Sincerely, Original 91gnd by Chester Poslusny, Jr., Project Manager Project Directorate IV L Division of Reactor Projects . III, L IV, V and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

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The reporting and/or recordkeeping requirements contained in this letter affect fewer than ten respondents; therefore, OMB clearance is not required under Pub. L.96-511.

Sincerely, f

bek/? hY' Chester Poslusny, Jr., Project Manager Project Directorate IV Division of Reactor Projects - !!!,

IV, Y and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation cc: See next page

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. Mr. Neil S. Carns Entergy Operations, Inc. Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 cc:

Mr. Early Ewing, General Manager Mr. Donald C. Hintz Technical Support and Assessment Executive Vice President Arkansas Nuclear One Entergy Operations, Inc.

P. O. Box 608 P. O. Box 31995 Russellville, Arkansas 72801 Jackson, Mississippi 39286 Mr. Jerry Yelverton Mr. Gerald Muench Director Nuclear Operations Vice President Operations Support Arkansas Nuclear One Entergy Operations, Inc.

Route 3 Box 137G P. O. Box 31995 Russellville, Arkansas 72801 Jackson, Mississippi 39286 Mr. Nicholas S. Reynolds Mr. Robert B. McGehee, Esquire Bishop, Cook, Purcell & Reynolds Wise, Carter, Child & Caraway

.1400 L Street, N.W. P. O. Box 651 Washington, D.C. 20005-3502 Jackson, Mississippi 39205 Mr. Robert B. Borsum Mr. Charles B. Brinkman, Manager Sabcock & Wilcox Washington Nuclear Operations Nuclear Power Generation Division Combustion Engineering, Inc.

1700 Rockville Pike, Suite 525 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 330 Rockville, Maryland 20852 Rockville, Maryland 20852  ;

Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1 Nuclear Plant Road Russellville, Arkansas 72801 Regional Administrator, R<gion IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Executive Director for Operations 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 Arlington, Texas 76011 Honorable Joe W. Phillips County Judge of Pope County Pope County Courthouse Russellville, Arkansas 72203 Ms. Greta Dicus, Director Division of Environmental Health Protection Arkansas Department of Health 4815 West Markam Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 l