ML20148C875

Submits Summary of Meeting W/Nrc Re Util Plans for Cycle 20 Reload.Util Trust Submittal Provides Accurate Review of Items Discussed at Meeting

ML20148C875
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	05/22/1997
From:	Duffy J VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
BVY-97-69, NUDOCS 9705290206
Download: ML20148C875 (15)

Text

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VERMONT YANKEE

, NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION Ferry Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301-7002

• ENGINE RIN OFFICE

• 580 MAIN STREET BOLToN, MA 01740 (508) 779 4 711 May 22,1997

. BVY 97-69

!. United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

References:

(a) License No. DPR-28 (Docket No. 50-271) i

Subject:

Summary of Meeting at NRC Regarding Vermont Yankee Plans for Cycle 20 Reload Representatives of Vermont Yankee, General Electric and Yankee Atomic Electric Company met with

, the NRC on April 30,1997 to discuss current and future cycle operation at Vermont Yankee Nuclear

, Power Station. Information presented by Vermont Yankee and a list of attendees are included in Attachments 1 and 2. The purpose of this letter is to document the results of the meeting and provide Vermont Yankee's expected schedule for submittals to the NRC.

Vermont Yankee has contracted General Electric to perform an analysis in support of increased 1-reactor core flow at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VYNPS). It is Vermont Yankee's intent to implement increased reactor core flow this operating cycle based on this analysis, which will be performed using NRC-approved General Electric and Yankee Atomic Electric Company methods.

The results of the analysis will be evaluated in accordance with 10CFR50.59.

Vermont Yankee has also contracted General Electric to perform the analyses for the Cycle 20 fuel reload scheduled for Spring,1998. Additionally, Vermont Yankee has directed Yankee Atomic Electric Company to independently review the General Electric analyses. Both the analyses and independent reviews will be performed using NRC-approved methods. Since only approved methods are being used, no License or Technical Specification amendments are anticipated.

1 During the meeting, NRC staff expressed interest in the licensing bases changes from Vermont Yankee's current loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) analysis using Yankee Atomic Electric Company's RELAPSYA (BWR) to a LOCA analysis using General Electric's SAFER /GESTR and requested that Vermont Yankee submit a discussion of the LOCA analysis licensing bases changes and a comparison of analysis results. Vermont Yankee and NRC agreed that the requested information would be submitted with the Safety Limit MCPR Technical Specification change which Vermont Yankee intends to submit in September 1997.

Vermont Yankee has since determined that the LOCA analyses and independent reviews may not be 7:

completed in time to be submitted with the Safety Limit MCPR Technical Specification change. t Therefore, Vermont Yankee will provide the requested LOCA analysis information as soon as it gj i 9705290206 970522 ~

p

VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORI' ORATION United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission i

.May 22,1997 Page 2 of 2 becomes available. Since the LOCA analysis will be peformed using NRC-approved methods and no ,

License or Technical Specification changes are anticipated, it is Vermont Yankee's intention to ]

implement the LOCA analysis changes foitowing 10CFR50.59 evaluation and operator training.

In addition to the information mentioned above, Vermont Yankee also intends to submit the following no later than June,1997.

• Proposed Change to the Vermont Yankee Technical Specifications to rid a reference to the previously approved LAPUR methodology.

. Proposed Change to the Vermont Yankee Technical Specifications to add a reference to the FIBWR2 methodology currently in review at NRC.

. Yankee Atomic Electric Company Simulate-3 Code benchmarking which evaluates new fuel designs and additional operating conditions.

We trust that this submittal provides an accurate review of items discussed at our meeting. However, if addit.s al information or clarification is required, please contact this office.

Sincerely, VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION JMMt /

James J. Duffy Licensing Engineer Attachments c: USNRC Region 1 Administrator USNRC Resident inspector -VYNPS USNRC Project Manager - VYNPS l

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VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POwtR CORPORATION LIST OF ATTENDEES -

MEETING WITH THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND s

! APRIL 30.1997.

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i NRC-l Vernon Rooney, Senior Project Manager l Larry Phillips, Acting Branch Chief, Reactor Systems Branch Ron Frahm, Acting Section Chief, Reactor Systems Branch Tai Huang, Reactor Systems Branch

Ralph Landry, Reactor Systems Branch j- Tony Ulses; Reactor Systems Branch VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION Frank Helin, Technical Services Superintendent John McKernan, Reactor Engineer

))1NKEE ATOMIC ELECTRIC COMPANY

$+ hele Sironen, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Engineering Coordinator Barbara Hubbard, Nuclear Engineer

- Jim Duffy, Vermont Yankee Licensing Engineer

' GENERAL ELECTRIC Glen Wattford, Manager, Nuclear Engineering 3 Jeff Tuttle, Fuel Project Manager Hoa Huang, Project Manager ]

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Vermont Yankee -

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NRC Presentation

Agenca

• Introduction i

• Current Cycle 19 Operation

• Increased Core Flow

• Cycle 20 Reload Analysis l

• Technical Specification Changes

• Conclusions

Current Cycle 19 -

Operation

• 5th Cycle of GE-9B

• Xo Fuel Failures

• Good Operating Experience

i

.j l Increasec Core Flow -

t i

i

• L~se in Current Cycle 19

• L sing Approved GE and YAEC Methods as 4

L~ sed for Current Operating Cycle

!

• Evaluate in Accordance with 10CFR50.59 i

• Implementation will include Operations Review, .

i Procedure Changes, Training and Simulator .

Scenarios 1

.i Cycle 20 Reload Analysis

• Using GE-13B I

• Benefits:

> Lower Average kW/ft

> Addec Fuel Cycle Flexibility

> ReductionofDischargedBundles

> Improved Performance

~

,1 i

Cycle 20 Reload Analysis -

> Control Process of Conversion to GE-13 I> Roles and Responsibilities

• GE to perform Reload Analysis

• YAEC to perform independent evaluation and surveillances '

• VY Reactor Engineers to oversee and implement  ;

• VY Operations to review and implement i

t> Technical

• Limiting increase in enrichment to ~0.25 w/o

• GE Benchmarking of Cycles 15 hot and cold

• Assuring adequate thermal margin at the plant by requiring additional design margin 1

Cycle 20 Reload Analysis

• Using GE Approvec Methods for ReLoac.

Anaysis t

> Listec.in GESTARII

• P 1ysics: PAXACEA Transient: ODYN - Q? tion A wit 167B anc.

Measurec ScramTimes T-M MAPLHGRs: GESTR- Mecaanica

• LOCA: SAFER /GESTR-LOCA/CDRECOOL S:a3ility: FABLE / BYPASS

.l l

Cycle 20 Reload Analysis I

i

• Using YAEC Approved Methods to Evaluate Analysis i

> Physics: SIMELATE-3

> Transient: RETRAN

> LOCA: RELAP5YA-BWR

> Stability: LAPER

e e

Cycle 20 Reload Analysis -

• GESTARII and YAEC Methods listed in VY '

Technical Specifications

• GE and YAEC will use XRC-Approved Methods and Analysis Procedures

• GE Models and Procedures have been applied to VY Plant Class Specific Analyses

I

• l Cycle 20 Reload Analysis  :

• VY will Meet SER Conditions and Restrictions

• Evaluate Reload Design Core .

Changes in Accordance with 10CFR50.59

• Subniit Results to XRC for Information

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Technical Specifications  ;

Changes

• MCPR Safety Limit -

Submit 9/97 Xeeded for Cycle 20

• References ::o YAEC LAPER me: hod -Submi: 5/97 t

• References to FIBWR2 method -Submit 5/97

• Approvals needed. by Cycle 20 Startup, expected in 4/98 -

YAEC Methods -

1

, To Support Cycle 20 Operation

> Present SIMLLATE-3 SER Conditions:

I> Use spacer correction and bowed cross sections

> Restrict operating conditions to those throughout Cycles 9-13 i > Perform additional validation for new fuel designs

• Benchmarking Validates New Fuel Types and Confirms No Changes to SER Conditions

• Submit SIELATE-3 Benchmarking for Approval - 6/97

4 r

YAEC Methods t

i To Support Cycle 20 Operation t

t

• Submittec FIBWR-2 for Approval-4/97