ML20149E639
| ML20149E639 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07001201 |
| Issue date: | 07/13/1997 |
| From: | Elliot G FRAMATOME COGEMA FUELS (FORMERLY B&W FUEL CO.) |
| To: | Weber M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9707180262 | |
| Download: ML20149E639 (2) | |
Text
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't ' I F R AMATOM E COG EMA F U E LS July 13,1997 Mr. Michael F. Weber, Branch Chief Licensing Branch (T8D14)
Division of Fuel Cycle Safety & Safeguards Office of Nuclear Materials Safety & Safeguards United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Mr. Weber:
Reference:
FNMC Plan, SNM-1168, Docket 70-1021 The purpose of this letter is to provide the information requested July 11,1997 in regard to the second 60 day extension requested by Framatome Cogema Fuel Company as it pertains to the 30-day requirement specified in 10 CFR 74.15 for completion of receipt measurements and distribution of Form 741's for material associated with the VVER assemblies presently being down loaded.
Of the 345 total assemblies received by FCF, 271 assemblies were from the Greifswald facility. The nominal clearance between the pellets of these assemblies and the cladding walls resulted in non-aggressive, easily downloaded pellets.
Airborne activities were conducive to the performance of the rod severing and pellet removal tasks without the use of respiratory protection. Downloading production I
rates averaged 5 assemblies per day. All of the assemblies from Greifswald have 0
been downloaded.
The remaining 74 assemblies were from Rheinsberg. The design and/or as-built tolerance for pellet to cladding clearance for these assemblies is more restrictive. The previous lot required little more than upending the. severed rods to remove the pellets, with minimal damage to the pellets.
This lot however requires far more than upending, and often individual rods must be removed from the upender and down-loaded through alternate, more aggressive rnethods. In most cases, the pellets are broken, wedged into the cladding and result in a greater production of dust than previously experienced. Airborne rates began to exceed the FCF action limit of 4 DAC-hours per day on a regular basis.
9707180262 970713 PDR ADOCK 07001021 k igg C
PDR 4
Framatome Cogema Fueis FRAMATOME eo Box 11s48. ty,e es. v4 2450s.ie4s T E C H #4 O L o G 1 E 5 Telephone-804-832 5v00 Fax: 804 832 5167
The process has received continuous attention, incorporating process and system 4
modificatina.s as practicable, but to little avail. Finally, a work stoppage was issued by tiealth-Safety, and work was resumed with respirators.
Subsequently, the previous production rate of 5 assemblies per day has been reduced to 1 assembly per i'
. day.
The first extension request was based on the previous production rates, learning curves, and difficulties. It would not have been practical to assume an 80%
reduction in our capability, as nothing provided to FCF indicated the change of tolerances, or the resultant wide ranging difficulties. The fuel rods from each of the 345 fuel assemblies received have been removed and stored in channels. Of these, the fuel rods from 324 assemblies (94% of the total) have been downloaded as of this morning.
Tveanty-one assemblies (6%) remain in channels awaiting pellet removal. These assemblies are comprised of 2,457,871.8 grams of Uranium, and 47,838.80 grams of U-235. The enrichment for 20 of the remaining assemblies is 2.00%. The enrichment for the final assembly is.71%.
I The additional 60 days should be more than adequate to complete the pellet removal, obtain required analyses, and issue the final reports as required. As per the request dated July 2,1997, this information should be held from public disclosure in accord with the provisions of 10 CFR 2.790.
Should you have any questions regarding this request, please feel free to contact me at (804) 832-5202.
Sincerely, FRAMATOME COGEMA FUELS Lynchburg Manufacturing Facility
~
Gayle F. Elliott Manager, Safety & Licensing c:
A.D. McKim, Manager, Quality, Health / Safety & Licensing