ML20127N925
| ML20127N925 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/1970 |
| From: | Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PR-700116, NUDOCS 9212010452 | |
| Download: ML20127N925 (1) | |
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, a NCY No. N-5 POR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel. 973-J446 (Info.) (Priday, January 16, 1970) 973-5371 (Cupie s )
5 0-2 U-AiW Isol;Y COMP TTEr. ON HI: ACTOR SAFEGUARDS HrPORTS TO AEC ON !nCLEAll POWER PLANT I!J MINNESOTA The Ator.ic Lnergy Commission has received a report from itm Advisory Committee on Runctor Safeguards concerning
!;orthern Statec Power Company's nuclear power plant near Monticello, Minnesota.
Ncrthern States a' owe r ;ompany is seeking a license to operate the Monticello Nuclaar Generating Plant which was Lailt under an AEC construction permit issued in June 1967.
'; n e plant is Jocated on a 125-acre site on the west bank t, ef the Missicciplu niver about three miles northwest of v.onticello. It uses a boiling water reactor and will have l a :r t electrical output of approximately 545,400 kilowatts. e 0.: :.c r a l Llectric Company designed and built the reactor and t u bo-generator portions of the plant.
The AEC Heaulatory Staff is completing its review of the operatinq license application. A copy of the ACRS report ja attached.
(NOTL TO EDITORS AND CORRESPONDENTS: Similar information is being issued by the Commission's Chicago Operations Office at Argonne, Illinois.)
9212010452 700116 PDR BC O ADOCK 05000263 4- -
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i ADVISORY COMMITTLE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS I
UNITED S1/sTEC ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISClON WASHINGTON. D.C. 234$
January 10, 1970 -
anorable C1cnn T. Seaborg Chairman U. S. Atomic Energy Corenf esion k'a shi ngton , D. C. 2054$
Subjcct: hECT 0:; 1:0 !TICELLO 1;t'CLPAR CD:TMTU;G PIAt:I
Dear Dr. Seaborg:
At its 117th n uting, January 8-10, 1970, the Advirory Cor:41ttee on Reactor Safeguards completed its review of the application by the Northern States power Company fa c licence to operate Unit 1 of its Ibntie ello 1;uc1 car Generating plant, a boiling-water reactor unit, at power levels up to 1670 ti1(t) . A nubcommittee meeting with the applicant was held at the site on !;averhr '9. 1969. In the cource of the revies, the Con.mit t ee had the bencfit of discussions with the applicant, the General Electric Cempany, and their contractors and consultants; of discussions with the ALC hegulatory Sta f f; and of the documents listed.
The committee reported to you on the Monticello site in its report of May 11, 1966, and on the construction permit application in its report of April 13, 1967. The Committee's review for construction was based on initial operation at 1469 ttf(t); this report is based on the presently proposed power of 1670111(t) which the applicant justifies on the basis o'f more recent heat transfer correlations and development of the core design. In its April 13, 1967 report, the Committee recommended that the stress analysis report for the field erected reactor vessel be reviewed by independent experts and that a duplicate diesel generator be installed. Both recommendations have been followed. The Committee is also satisfied that proper attention has been given to other matters referred to in its report. Several recommendations made by the Reguia-tory Staff and the Committee on recent applications have also been adopted
- in this plant. -
The snain steam lines are provided with redundant valves that are required to close automatically in the unlikely event of a serious accident. Be-cause experience with these large and special valves is limited, the Com-mittee recorcends that their performance be followed closely, and that 9
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Honorable Glenn T. Scaborg January 10, 1970 the applicant make additional provisions to assure the requisite lech-tightness if experience should be unfavorabic. The Committee wishes to be kept informed of the resolution of this matter.
The Cencral Elcetric Company has an extensive integrated program for ecasuring vibration in several reactors. A major program of vibration testing is planned for the Dresden 2 reactor and is expected to preccdc operation of the Monticello unit.
The Committee believes that a limited progra,of vibra ~ tion monitoring is appropriate for the Monticello reacter during preoperational tests and initial operation. In the evert that the Dresden 2 data are not cicarly favorabic, or are not forthcoting befere the !!anticello unit is ready to opccate, the Cormnittee believes that the tnatter should be reviewed by the Regulatory Staff before routine full power operation of the Monticello unit.
The containment is penetrated by a large number of small diameter instru-r e.t lines.
'Ihc Committee recommends that special atteation'be given to assuring the continued integrity and isolability of these lines and a progre.
lines. for the periodic testing and examination of the valves in these The adequacy of measures taken with regard to such instrument lines should be confirmed by the Regulat6ry Staff.
Continuing research and engineering studies are expected to Icad to enhance-ment of the safety of water-cooled reactors in other areas than those mentioned, for example, by the determination of the extent of the generation of hydrogen by radiolysis and by other sources in the unlikely event of a loss-of-coolant accident, development of instrumentation for in-service monitoring of the pressure vessel and other parts of the primary system for vibration and detection of loose parts in the system, by the development of further means ol' preventing common failure modes from negating scram action and of design features to make tolerabic the consequences of failure to scram during anticipated transients, and evaluation of the consequences of water con-tamination by structural materials and coatings in a loss-of-coolant accident.
As solutions to the problems develop and are evaluated by the Regulatory Staff, appropriate action should be taken by the applicant on a reasonabic time scale.
The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards believes that,if due record is given to the items mentioned above, and subject to satisfactory com-pletion as:'* m eof construction and preoperational testing, there is reasonable that Manticelin Nuc1 car Cencrating Plant Unit I can be operated
l Ilonorabic Cicnn T. Seaborg January 10, 1970 at power levels up to 1670 tr.1(t) without undue risk to the health and safety of the public, tir.11111 did not participate in the review of this project.
Sincerely yours, s O- -
JD >h 11. lle nd r i c Chairman Egerencen:
- 1. 1inal Safety Analysis 1:eport for the f!onticello 1;uclear Generating Plant Unit 1
- 2. Anendments 1:c, 10-24 to license application
.