ML20137G419
| ML20137G419 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Waterford  |
| Issue date: | 03/26/1997 |
| From: | Ewing E ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC. |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| W3F1-97-0058, W3F1-97-58, NUDOCS 9704010392 | |
| Download: ML20137G419 (5) | |
Text
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Entrgy Oper:tirn3,Inc.
Kiliona. LA 70066 Tel 504 739 6242 Early C. Ewing, til c fety & Regulatory Affairs a
u W3F1-97-0058 A4.05 PR l
March 26,1997 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555
Subject:
Waterford 3 SES Docket No. 50-382 i
License No. NPF-38 Supplement to Technical Specification Change Request NPF-38-189 Gentlemen:
Waterford 3 submitted Technical Specification Change Request (TSCR) NPF-38-189 on February 5,1997, for TS 3.1.2.7, 3.1.2.8, 3.5.1, 3.5.4, 3.9.1, and Bases 3/4.1.2 to increase the minimum boron concentration in the Safety injection Tanks and the Refueling Water Storage Pool from 1720 ppm to 2050 ppm. During a telephone conversation with the Staff, additional information was requested relative to this change. This information is provided in Attachment A.
In its initial Technical Specification Change Request, Waterford 3 incorrectly identified that this change is not a mode restraint. It has since been identified that approval of this change is required prior to startup following the refueling outage currently scheduled to begin on April 11,1997.
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9704010392 970326 PDR ADOCK 0500 2
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4 Supplemeni to Technical Specification Change Request NPF-38-189 W3F1-97-0058 I
Page 2
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March 26,1997 i
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Should you have any questions or comments concerning this request, please contact Mr. Paul Caropino at (504) 739-6692.
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Very truly yours, p
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E.C. Ewing
- Director, Nuclear Safety & Regulatory Affairs Waterford 3 a
ECE/ ELL /ssf
Attachment:
Affidavit Attachment A cc:
E.W. Merschoff, NRC Region IV C.P. Patel, NRC-NRR R.B. McGehee N.S. Reynolde NRC Resident Inspectors Office Administrator Radiation Protection Division (State of Louisiana)
American Nuclear Insurers B
l
. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l^
In the matter of
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Entergy Operations, incorporated
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Docket No. 50-382 Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station
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1 1
Early Cunningham Ewing, being duly sworn, hereby deposes and says that he is l
Director, Nuclear Safety & Regulatory Affairs - Waterford 3 of Entergy Operations, incorporated; that he is_ duly authorized to sign and file with the Nuclear Regulatory
-Commission the attached Technical Specification Change Request NPF-38-189; that he is familiar with the content thereof; and that the matters set forth therein are true and correct to the best of his knowledge, information and belief.
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m
' Earl /Cunningham Ewing N.
L Director, Nuclear Safety & Regulatory Affairs -
Waterford 3 l
l STATE OF LOUISIANA
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I
) ss PARISH OF ST. CHARLES
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Subscribed and sworn to before me, a Notary Public in and for the Parish and State
- above named this %W day of M An t 1+
.1997.
C.
Notary Public f
My Commission expires t~ ' W ' ' N I
-l Attachmtnt A i
Support Information for j
. Technical Specification Change Request NPF-38-189 j.
j The proposed change raises the minimum boron concentration in the SITS and the l
RWSP from the current 1720 ppm to 2050 ppm. This increase is due to an increase in fuel enrichment, longer operating cycles, and the reduction of rod shimming in the change to an integral poison (Erbium). The enrichment for Cycle 9 is zoned in each of-3 bundle types using 4.42 w/o and 4.07 w/o U-235. While this is higher than previous cycles it is still below the Technical Specification limit of 4.9 w/o U-235. The change to i
Erbium is the driving factor for changing this Technical Specification because Erbium is j
not as effective as B C in holding down boron concentrations as seen by the CBC,x of 4
m 1806 ppm in Cycle 9 and 1434 ppm in Cycle 8.
The decision to change to Erbium was based on a review of Waterford's long term l
plans including a power uprate under study at that time. Since the integral poison is mixed with the uranium, the poison rod does not replace a fuel rod which allows for a reduction in batch size and better control of power peaking. Waterford elected to use Erbium as the integral poison. ABB has extensive experience with the use of Erbium and it's oxide, Erbia, as outlined in ABB topical report CEN-382-P-A, " Methodology for.
Core Designs Containing Erbium Burnable Absorbers," ABB Combustion Engineering
- Nuclear Fuel, August 1993.
The SIT /RWSP minimum boron concentration which will be adequate to keep the core 1% shutdown can conservatively be determined as follows:
- IBW + CBCm,x + 50 ppm -
min SIT BC -- Minimum Safety injection Tank Boron Concentration i
- 1%Ap Shutdown Requirement IBW
-Inverse Boron Worth with all of the bias and uncertainty applied CBC
,x
-- Critical Boron Concentration at hot zero power with i
m hot full power equilibrium Xenon 50 ppm
- Baron measurement uncertainty For Cycle 9:
- 145.4 + 1806 + 50
= 2001.4 ppm Page 1 of 2
Attachment A
~
Support Information for Technical Specification Change Request NPF-38-189 Any value of SIT boron concentration lower than 2001.4 ppm would result in the plant being less than 1% shutdown. A value of 2050 ppm was chosen as the Technical Specification limit for further conservatism.
The proposed Technical Specification change continues to preserve the condition that during Mode 6 refueling operations the more restrictive reactive condition of either a K,n of 0.95 or a boron concentration of 2050 ppm is met. The COLR section 3.9.1 will also be revised to change the toron concentration requirement from 1720 ppm to 2050 ppm.
Additionally, the action statement for Technical Specification wil! be revised to be more clear as to the action requirements. The current Technical Specification 3/4.9.1 action requirement is to borate the RCS with a solution containing at least 1720 ppm boron or its equivalent until Keff requirement is met. In order to clarify the action requirement the proposed Technical Specification requires that actions be initiated to restore the boron concentration to within the COLR limits, which will state that the more restrictive of keff
= 0.95 or 2050 ppm must be met.
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