ML20129C053

Discusses Review of Rept of Sfsp Safety Issues,Concluding That Existing Structures,Sys & Components Re Storage of Irradiated Fuel Provide Adequate Protection.Staff to Conduct plant-specific Safety Enchancement Backfit Analyses

ML20129C053
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	10/17/1996
From:	Dan Dorman NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Frizzle C Maine Yankee
References
TAC-M88094, NUDOCS 9610230194
Download: ML20129C053 (3)

Text

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4 UNITED STATES

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20066 4 001 October 17, 1996 i

Mr. Charles D. Frizzle, President Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company 329 Bath Road Brunswick, ME 04011 i

SUBJECT:

RESOLUTION OF SPENT FUEL STORAGE POOL SAFETY ISSUES:

ISSUANCE OF s

FINAL STAFF REPORT AND NOTIFICATION OF STAFF PLANS TO PER SPECIFIC, SAFETY ENHANCEMENT BACXFIT ANALYSES, MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC

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POWER STATION (TAC NO. M88094)

Dear Mr. Frizzle:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff recently completed a detailed review of spent fuel storage pool safety issues.

The results of the staff's review are documented in a report to the Commission which is enclosed for your information.

In the report, the staff concludes that existing structures, systems, and components related to the storage of irra.diated fuel provide adequate protection.of public health and safety.

i Notwithstanding this finding, the staff has also identified certain design features that reduce the reliability of spent fuel pool decay heat removal, increase the potential for loss of spent fuel coolant inventory, or increase the potential for consequential loss of essential safety functions at an operating reactor. The staff intends to conduct plant-specific regulatory analyses to evaluate potential safety enhancement backfits pursuant to 10 CFR 50.109(a)(3) at a number of operating plants that possess one or more of these design features.

The NRC staff determined through a review of spent fuel pool design information that Maine Yankee has a fuel transfer tube that penetrates the spent fuel pool (SFP) wall at an elevation below the top of fuel stored in the V

SFP racks.

During refueling periods when the blank flange on the containment side of the transfer tube is removed, improper operation of the spent fuel transfer system or the SFP cooling and cleanup system could lead to a loss of coolant inventory from the SFP to the refueling cavity inside the containment through the transfer tube.

The staff concludes that the relative rarity of fuel transfer systems lacking passive design features to prevent uncovery of stored fuel warrants a more detailed review of the. design features and administrative controls at the operating reactors that have this characteristic.

The staff will perform regulatory analyses of your plant to determine if any safety enhancement backfits related to this design feature are justified under current guidance.

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%0043 NRC IR.E CENTER E 9610230194 961017 DR ADOCK 0500 9

L October 17, 1996 Mr. Charles D. Frizzle If you wish to comment on the accuracy of the staff's understanding of the plant design, the safety significance of the above design features, the cost of potential modifications to address the above design features, or the existing protection from the above design concerns which may be provided by administrative controls or other means, comments received before November 15, 1996, will be considered in developing plans for inspections and other activities associated with the planned regulatory analysis.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at (301)415-1429.

Sincerely, (Original Signed By)

Daniel H. Dorman, Project Manager Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-309

Enclosure:

Memo to the Commission, from J. Taylor, " Resolution of Spent Fuel Storage Pool Action Plan Issues,"

dated July 26, 1996 cc w/ encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION Docket File PUBLIC PDI-3 Plant w/ enclosure SVarga JZwolinski DDorman w/ enclosure EPeyton w/ enclosure j

OGC ACRS JShea w/o enclosure RConte, RI DOCUMENT NAME: G:DORMAN\\MYM88094.LTR Ta secohe a copy of this stocuenent,insgeste in the box: "C" = Copy withou' attachment / enclosure "E" =, Copy with attachment / enclosure "N' = No copy 0FFICE PM:PDIV-2 l

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NAME EPeyton.c b n i DDorman Pfl+O JZwolins W j

DATE 10/rl/96 10/ D/96 10/n /96 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY

Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company cc:

Mr. Christopher R. Shaw Mr. Charles B. Brinkman Plant Manager Manager - Washington Nuclear Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station Operations P.O. Box 408 ABB Combustion Engineering Wiscasset, ME 04578 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 330 Rockville, MD 20852 Mr, G. D. Whittier, Vice President Licensing and Engineering

. Thomas G. Dignan, Jr., Esquire Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company Ropes & Gray 329 Bath Road One International Place Brunswick, ME 04011 Boston, KA 02110-2624 Mr. Patrick J. Dostie Mr. Uldis Vanags State of Maine Nuclear Safety State Nuclear Safety Advisor Inspector State Planning Office Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station State House Station #38 P.O. Box 408 Augusta, ME 04333 Wiscasset,' ME 04578 Mr. P. L. Anderson, Project Man'ager Mr. Graham M. Leitch Yankee Atomic Electric Company Vice President, Operations 580 Main Street Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station Bolton, MA 01740-1398 P.O. Box 408 Wiscasset, ME 04578 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mary Ann Lynch, Esquire 475 Allendale Road Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company

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King of Prussia, PA 19406 329 Bath Road Brunswick, ME 04578 First Selectman of Wiscasset Municipal Building Mr. Jonathan M. Block U.S. Route 1 Attorney at Law Wiscasset, ME 04578 P.O. Box 566 Putney, VT 05346-0566 Mr. J. T. Yerokun Senior Resident Inspector Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box E Wiscasset, ME 04578 Mr. James R. Hebert, Manager Nuclear Engineering and Licensing Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company 329 Bath Road Brunswick, ME 04011 Friends of the Coast

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P.O. Box 98 Edgecomb, ME 04556 4

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