ML20107B428
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UNITED STATES a
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION M
WABNINGTON. D.C. 20S48 yP APR 161973 Files (Docket Ib. 50-219) cher 1, Chief, ORB #1, L T.f.U:
EVALUATION r CYCLE 3 REWAD FOR OYSTER CREEK REGARDING LOADING ONLY Introduction It/ letter dated January 18, 1973, Jersey Central Power & Light Cmpany (JCPL) submitted Facility Change Request No. 4 in support of their proposed loading of 148 fuel assemblies, designated T/pe IIIB, manufactumd by EXXON Nuclear Corporation. By letter dated February 22 1973, JCPL sub-mitted Supplerent No.1 to Facility Change Request No. $ in wnich they described rodifications to the fuel assembly design, designating the modified assembly Type IIIE. Rese assemblies am to be loaded in the second scheduled reload of the Oyster Creek reactor for Cycle 3 operation.
he first scheduled reload took place in spring of 1972 in which 132
'lype II fuel assemblies (GE) and four Type III fuel asserblies (EXXJU) were loaded for Cycle 2 operation.
In the fall outage of 1971, when the poison curtains were removed, 24 Type II fuel asserblies (GE) wem loaded in the periphery of the core to replace defective fuel. 'Ihe original GE fuel in the core is designated Type I.
Evaluation he pertinent safety considerations for the loading of the 148 T/pe IIIE fuel assenblies am:
1.
h acceptability of the mechanical design and integrity of the new assemblies.
2.
'lhe acceptability of the minimum shutdown nargLn msulting from the mload of this fuel.
In regards to the first consideration, the T/pe IIIE fuel is identical in extemal dimensions and configuration to the Type III fuel which was evaluated and appmved for use in the Oyster Cnek reactor core cn May 18, 1972, in our appmval of Facility Change Request No. 3 Minor intemal mechanical differences consist of:
1.
he center spacer captum md which was unde up of segmnts containing enriched U0 fuel has been replaced with a spacer capture rod filled 2
with solid Zircaloy-2.
2.
Nineteen centrally located mds have had their initial theomtical density inemased rmm 93 5 percent to 94.5 percent.
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Files APR 161973 3
The same nineteen centrally located rods have had their fuel pellet diameters increased 1 to 3 mils, thus mducing the diametral gap between fuel pellet and cladding from 11 mils to 8 mils.
7hese changes have been made to offset possible densification effects and to reduce the calculated peak clad tenperatum attained during a postulated loss of coolant accident. 7hese changes have no effect on the mechanical stmngth or integrity'of the Ibel assently and therefore no new considerations am necessary for authorization to load these assemblies. 7he effects of these changes in regard to operating and accident considerations will be evaluated prior to granting authorization to operate with the Cycle 3 m ioad.
7he minimum shutdown margin for the com conpletely mloaded as described in the Pacility Change Request No. 4 and Supplement No.1 with the nest reactive control rod fully withdrawn is 1.63 percent delta k/k. Uhis amount provides a very large margin to the technical specification requirement of 0.25 percent.
Our evaluation of the acceptability of the reload core for operation has not been completed. We am awaiting infomation which was requested by 4
our letter dated April 3, 1973.
Conclusions Based on the above ccnsiderations, we conclude that loading of the Type IIE fuel as described does not present significant hazards con-siderations not described or implicit in the Safety Analysis Report and that there is reascnable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by the leading of the Cycle 3 core.
However, operation with the Cycle 3 com will not te authorized until further infonration in mspcnse to our April 3,1973 letter is provided by the licensee.
Cl fh T. V. Warbach Operatinc Reactors Branch #1 Directorate of Licensing
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