ML20065D379

Outlines Approach GE Will Undertake to Address Issues Identified in NRC Re Sbwr Testing Program

ML20065D379
Person / Time
Site:	05200004
Issue date:	04/01/1994
From:	Marriott P GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.
To:	Crutchfield D NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM), Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
MFN-042-94, MFN-42-94, NUDOCS 9404070066
Download: ML20065D379 (4)

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GE Nuclear Energy

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r 5 ce , m s a ms April 1,1994 MFN No. 042-94 Docket No.52-004 Document Control Desk U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Attention: Dennis M. Crutchfield, Associate Director Advanced Reactors and License Renewal

Subject:

Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (SBWR) Testing Program

Reference:

Letter, Crutchfield (USNRC) to Marriott (GE), same subject, dated March 7,1994 This letter outlines the approach GE will undertake to address the issues identified in the Reference.

As background, the SBWR testing program evolved over several years under GE's leadership in association with DOE, EPRI, the University of California, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, several consultants, and our International Technical Associates. Given this significant effort, and considering that the SBWR is an evolutionary step using demonstrated technology from operating reactors, GE is confident that a satisfactory basis can be developed for Certification.

Nevertheless, based on receipt of the referenced letter which culminates several years of dialog, GE plans to conduct a systematic reassessment of the SBWR test and analysis program. In this context we will review the existing BWR databases, and how they support the SBWR technology, as well as any unique features associated with the St WR to ensure their adequacy for Certification. To provide additional assurance of the completeness of the testing and analysis program, upon completion of the reassessment we intend to conduct an independent oversight review using outside experts.

The reassessment will address and document the technical issues identified in the Reference. It will also provide the basis for documenting the adequacy of the overall testing approach. A comprehensive SBWR Test & Analysis Program Plan will be prepared; also, a revision to Section 1.5 of the SSAR, drawn from this 9404070066 94o4o1 PDR ADOCK 05200004 040 PDR

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Document Control Desk MFN No. 042-94 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Docket No.52-004 -

Attn: Dennis hi Crutchfield April 1,1994 J

documentation, will be submitted. An outline of the reassessment is enclosed for your information. Our intent is to initiate this effort in May and present the results to the StaffinJuly.

Sincerely, Mb hv .

P. W. Marriott, Manager j . Advanced Plant Technologies l

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Enclosure cc: S. M. Franks (DOE)

W. .T. Russell (USNRC)

J. Santucci (EPRI)

D. R. Wilkins (GENE)

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SB%R TEST AND ANALYSIS PROGRAM REASSESSMENT PURPOSE GE will perform a reassessment of the technology supporting the SBWR design, and specifically the adequacy of the test data supporting that technology. The reassessment will include the technology basis for all aspects of SBWR design.

The purpose of this activity is twofold: first, to clearly establish an adequate testing basis for the SBWR design; and second, to form the framework of a convincing logic, to be submitted to the NRC staff, of the adequacy of that database.

STRUCTURE AND DELIVERABLES The review will be structured as a top-down, disciplined, quantitative assessment.

Following completion, conclusions of the reassessment will be reviewed by a team ofindependent experts. Any identified open items will be resolved.

Following completion of the independent review, a concise SBWR Test &

Analysis Program Plan and a revision to Section 1.5 of the SSAR will be prepared and st.bmitted to NRC. The SBWR Test & Analysis Program Plan, and the ancillary documentation supporting it, comprise the deliverables for this activity.

METHODOLOGY The reassessment will utilize existing information to the maximum extent possible. Features of the SBWR design will be listed, and phenomena important to that feature will be established using a process similar to the Phenomena identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) method. High ranked items will then be quantitatively assessed to assure that models exist to capture the phenomena, and that test data exists or will be obtained, over the appropriate SBWR range, to support the analytical methods employed.

Concurrent with the top down technology reassessment, GE proposes to perform a LOCA margin assessment for the SBWR design GE believes that one of the major strengths of the SBWR is the robustness ofits design and the simplicity of its systems. A series of TRACG SBWR calculations will be performed to assess the margins in the design. These calculations will focus on expected SBWR performance, and take advantage of EOP and PRA results to establish likely operator actions and potential systems failures. Additionally, the calculations will be reviewed specifically with respect to potential systems interactions. The result of this assessment will be a r, antification of the margins, and will be used 1

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e. ,.;' l c,. with the results of the test database assessment to determine any critical features where additional data or model improvements are. required._ As a result of this overall review and reassessment, any additional testing found necessary to support the SBWR design will be clearly identified.

l SCHEDULE GE proposes to perform the above assessments, and prepare for presentation of the conclusions to the independent review team by late-May 1994. - Open items will be addressed, and the SBWR Test & Analysis Program Plan prepared and forwarded.to the NRC in July,1994.

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