ML20151B614
| ML20151B614 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003055 |
| Issue date: | 07/13/1988 |
| From: | Mccaughey D NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20151B579 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8807210039 | |
| Download: ML20151B614 (8) | |
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JUL 13 W ~
IMUF: DAM DOCKET NO: 70-3055 APPLICANTS: Georgia Power Company Oglethorpe Power Corporation Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia City of Dalton, Georgia FACILITY: Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 2
SUBJECT:
SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT, RE LICENSE APPLICATION FOR A MATERIALS LICENSE I. INTRODUCTION.
On January 22, 1988, Georgia Power Company (GPC), acting on its own behalf and <
as agent for'the above named companies, applied for a~iicense to receive, possess, and store unirradiated nuclear' fuel assemblies and associated radioactive materials in the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant-Unit 2.
In June 1974, the NRC issued CPPR-109 for the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Unit 2, which is located in southeast Georgia in the eastern sector of Burke County, on the southwest side of'theLSavannah River, acros's from the U.S. -
Department of Energy Savannah River Plant. The VEGP, Unit 2b is a pressurized-water reactor and will use fuel supplied by Westinghouse Electric Corporation for the initial core loading.
The fuel rods consist of low enriched uranium dioxide pellets encapsulated I (clad) in Zircalloy tubing which is seal-welded at both ends. 'Each assembly contains 264 fuel rods, 24 Zircalloy-4 control rod guide thimbles, and 1 Zircalloy-4 instrumentation thimble arranged in a 17 x 17 square matrix. A fuel assembly weighs about 1,467 pounds. The applicant requests. authorization to possess 193 assemblies and 14 fission chambers for the initial core load.
II. SCOPE OF REVIEW The staff reviewed and discussed the GPC application with the NRR Project Manager, the Resident Inspector, and the applicant's staff. i III. POSSESSION LIMITS The applicant has requested authorization to receive 2,369 kg U-235 as low I enriched uranium oxide in unirradiated fuel assemblies. The applicant has also ,
requested authorization to receive 2.0692 g U-235 as high enriched uraniun' in fission chambers. To accommodate these requests, the staff recommends the following license conditions:
9 8807210039 880713 ' i PDR ADDCK 07003055 !
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2 jut 13 YM Material Form Quantity A. Uranium enriched A. U07 in reactor A. 2,370 kg U-235 up to 3.15 w/o in fuG1 assemblies (193 assemblies) the U-235 isotope B. Uranium enriched B. U3 0, and U0 p in B. 2.1 g U-235 in the U-235 isotope fTssion chamoers (14 charbers)
IV. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES The applicant requests authoriration to receive, possess, inspect, and store fuel bundles at VEGP Unit 2. The applicant has also requested authorization to receive, possess, store, and install fission chambers in the reactor. This license will not authorize fuel assembly installation into the reactor. To authorize these activities, the staff recommends the following license conditions:
The licensee is authorized to receive, possess, and use uranium in accor-dance with the statements, representations, and conditions specified in the license application dated January 22, 1988.
The authorized place of use is the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 2, located in the easterri sector of Burke County, Georgia.
V. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS The General Manager - Vogtle Nuclear Operation (GMVN0) exercises overall mana-gerial and supervisory responsibility for the safe operation of the plant and its equipment. He is responsible for compliance with the license, technical specifications, and quality assurance program.
A. Radiation Control The Health Physics Superintendent, who reports to the GMVN0, will have func-tional control of and be responsible for establishing the Health Physics Program.
B. Nuclear Criticality Safety The Operations Manager will be responsible for the operation of equipment and certain common plant systems, such as radioactive waste processing and fuel handling systems. Other responsibilities of the Operations Manager include ,
ensuring that plant operations are conducted in accordance with appropriate )
standing orders, plant operating procedures, and technical specifications.
The Reactor Engineer will be responsible for providing technical support for ,
plant operations and coordination of refueling activities. The Reactor Engi- I neer also has responsibility and control over the fission chambers included in this license. l
, 3 JUL 13 W C. Technical Qualifications The minimum technical qualifications for the GMVNO are in accordance with Section 4.2.1, "Plant Manager," of ANSI N18.1-1971.
The minimum technical qualifications of the Health Physics Superintendent are in accordance with Section 4.4.4, "Radiation Protection," of ANSI N18.1-1971.
These qualifications may alternately be met by technical personnel reporting to the Health Physics Superintendent.
The minimum technical qualifications for the Operations Manager are in accor-dance with Section 4.2.2, "Operations Manager," of ANSI N18.1-1971.
The minimum technical qualifications for the Reactor Engineer are in ac'cordance with Section 4.4.1, "Reactor Engineering and Physics," of ANSI N18.1-1971.
D. Training Prior to receipt of fuel onsite, radiation safety personnel will be trained in radiation safety, as outlined in Section 13.2.2.1.1 of the VEGP FSAR. Fuel handling personnel will receive training in proper fuel handling procedures, including the related health and safety aspects of the activities prior to receipt of fuel onsite.
E. Procedures Procedures, and changes thereto, for the handling of nuclear fuel shall be reviewed and approved by the Plant Review Board (PRB). The PRB is composed of a group of plant personnel who possess the type and degree of expertise required to review procedures that affect nuclear safety.
VI. NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY A. General Fuel assemblies may be handled and stored in shipping containers in the receiv-ing area, the new fuel storage racks, and the Unit 2 spent fuel storage racks.
The fission chambers shall either be stored in the spent fuel washdown area or installed in the reactor.
Each fuel rod consists of slightly enriched uranium dioxide cylindrical pellets 1 0.3225 inches in diameter, encased in Zircalloy tubing 0.374 inches in l diameter, with a cladding thickness of 0.0225 inches. Each assembly contains l 264 fuel rods, 24 Zircalloy-4 control rod guide thimbles, and 1 Zircalloy-4 l instrumentation thimble arranged in a 17 x 17 square matrix with a fuel rod l pitch of 0.496 inches. Calculations performed by the NRC staff assumed fuel l assemblies containing uranium enriched to 3.15 w/o U-235. For conservatism, each assembly was assumed to have 289 fuel rods in a 17 x 17 array.
B. Shipping Container Storage fuel assemblies will be received ir Westinghouse Models RCC-1 or RCC-3 shipping containers (package) presently licensed under NRC Certificate of Compliance No.
5450. Certificate of Compliance No. 5450 authorizes Fissile Class I shipments i
4 JUL 13 WO6 of 250 packages, each containing 2 assemblies. The applicant has stated that no more than 40 loaded shipping containers will be temporarily stored in the receiving area of the auxiliary building. This presents no criticality safety concerns since an undamaged Fissile Class I package can be transported in unlimited numbers and in any arrangement.
C. New Fuel Storage Pit The new fuel will be stored in racks in a reinforced concrete pit. The racks are laid out in 4 groups of 32 storage cells, each in a 2 x 16 cell arrange-ment, and one group of 34 storage cells in a 2 x 17 cell arrangement for a total of 162 storage cells. The groups are fastened together by a carbon steel support structure. The individual cells are on 21-inch centers. Each cell consists of 0.075 inch annealed austenitic stainless steel square cylinders with 9.00-inch inside dimensions. The center-to center spacing between the closest of adjacent group cells is 51.75 inches. The applicant reported that the k-eff for this storage array would not exceed 0.95 with fuel of a maximum pin enrich-ment of 3.5 w/o U-235 under optimum water moderation conditions. The calcula-tions were performed using Keno IV, a Monte Carlo code, ar:d a 218 energy group cross-section library generated from ENDF/8-IV data. The staff calculated the array assuming a maximum enrichment ef 3.15 w/o U-235 and used the 16 group Hansen-Roach cross-section set which is found in the SCALE program, along with KENO-Va. The staff determined the k-eff for the array to be about 0.82. The k-eff is independent of the degree of water moderation within and between assemblies or the degree of concrete reflection surrounding the array.
D. Spent Fuel Pool Storage The spent fuel storage racks consist of eight free standing modules. The modules are arranged in an 11 x 9 or 11 x 10 array. The cell walls and structural components are fabricated from type 304L stainless steel. The cell pitch is 10.58 inches in the northsouth direction and 10.40 inches in the eastwest direction. The thickness of the cell walls is 0.075 inches, and attached to each of the four sides is a Boraflex sheet. The Boraflex sheet is 0.078-inches thick, 7.5-inches wide, and 139-inches long. The Boraflex is encased in a steel sheating 0.02-inches thick. The poison in the Boraflex is by B C particles with a boron-10 loading of 0.029/cm2 . Because of seismic considerations,only40assembliescanbeloadedintothespentfuelrackswhen dry storage is used. The applicant reported that the k-eff for this storage array would not exceed 0.95 with fuel of a maximum pin enrichment of 4.55 w/o U-235 under optimum-water moderation consideration. The calculations were performed using the AMPX-KEN 0 computer package and the 27 group cross-section set found in SCALE. Using SCALE, the staf f calculated that the k-ef f would be less than 0.85 for the 3.15 w/o U-235 fuel. Both the applicant and the staff calculated k-effective for full racks, the most reactive case.
E. Handling of Fuel Assemblies To ensure that fuel assemblies outside of storage remain safely subcritical, the applicant has committed to have no more than one fuel assembly out of a shipping container or a storage rack at a time, j The plastic dust wrapper on each fuel assembly in the pit or the pool must be removed from the fuel assembly or must he open at the bottom so that water will l I
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not collect in the wrapper. If the storage array were to become floodeo, the dust wrappers filled witit water, and then the pool or pit drained, the fuel ,
assemblies could be well-moderated and effectively coupled to other well-mour-ated fuel assemblies because the isolating water between the fuel assemolies had drained away. The applicant is aware of this situation and has committed f to having the wrapper open or : lit at the bottom to permit drainage. This action is sufficient, but very necessary to prevent inadvertent nuclear r criticality.
F. Exemption The applicant requests an exemption from the monitoring requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a) as provided in 70.24(d). The applicant's reason for requesting the exemption is that the procedures and storage facilities provide assurance tht inadvertent criticality cannot occur during receipt, handling, and storage of nuclear fuel assemblies.
The applicant's reason for exemption is valid, and good cause exists for' the exemption. The storage racks provide physical protection to ensure'subcriti-cality. The procedural controls provide reasonable assurance that nuclear criticality will not occur during fuel handling, and monitoring is not needed.
- Even if procedural controls were violated, opt hum conditions of neutron moderation, physical spacing, and neutron reflection would be required for assemblies to be in a critical situation.
The procedural controls, considering the limited activities and material l handling methods, are deemed adequate to grant the exemption. 7his exemption is authorized by law, will not endanger life or property or.the common defense and security, and is othe Nise in the public interest. Therefore. the follow-ing license condition is recommended:
The licensee is hereby exempt from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, !
insofar as this requirement applies to materials possessed under this i license.
VII. RADIATION SAFETY A. Control of Personnel Exposure The uranium to be received by the applicant is unirradiated and fully encapsu" I lated. As a result, only low levels of radiation will exist in the fuel hand-ling areas when the uranium is present. l t
Personnel external expesures are evaluated and controlled on the basis of data .
from thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD's), direct reading dosimeters, and/or survey instrumentation as required by 10 CFR 20.202. TLD's are used to monitar i beta gamma personnel exposure and will be read and evaluated at least monthly, i Direct-reading dosimeters will be read and evaluated at least daily to provide j a day-to-day estimate of personnel exposure. Film badges will not be used for ,
personnel monitoring. 1 Since the radioactive materials authorized under this license are sealed )
sources and fresh twel asse.blies for storage purposes, an individual receiving j internal exposure would be unlikely, i
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, 6 JUL 13 W B. Control of Surface Contamination Upon receipt, all unirradiated fuel assemblies are surveyed for surface contamination by wipe tests and direct beta gamma surveys.
The applicant did not commit to a specific method or frequency for leak testing the fission chambers containing enriched uranium. Accordingly, staff recom-mends the following condition regarding leak testing the fission chambers:
The licensee shall leak test the fission chambers in accordance with the enclosed, "License Condition for Leak Testing Fission Chambers."
The applicant has a program for contamination control of personnel, equipment, and fac#'ities. Health Physics Department personnel perform radiation and contcmination surveys in accordance with plant procedures. In the application, limits on contamination of areas or facilities were presented. However, the applicant did not present contamination limits for tools and equipment which must be met prior to release for unrestricted use. In addition, the applicant stated that special coatings may be applied to walls :nd floors of areas con-taining radioactive fluids but did not specify limits on removable surface con-tamination prior to epplication of coatings. The NRC has developed guidelines for the decontamination and survey of surfaces or premises and equipment prior to release for unrestricted use. The guidelines also specify residual contamination levels prior to application of special coatings. Staff has determined that the applicant's contamination limits for areas or facilities are consistent with the NRC guidelines.
Personnel contamination is detected through the use of portal monitors, fris-kers, or G-M type instruments. The applicant stated that decontamination is performed by washing with varying strengths of detergent.
C. Calibration of Instruments Radiolegical protection instruments are calibrated semiannually when in use or followilg repair prior to use. This frequency is consistent with the recommer.ded frequency specified in Regulatory Guide 8.24, "Health Physics Surveys iuring Enriched Uranium-235 Processing and Fuel Fabrication."
Direct-reaaing dosimeters are tested for calibration and leak rate in accordance with Regulatory Guide 8.4, Sections C.1 and C.2.
D. Management of Radioactive Waste Since this license authorizes only storage of fuel assemblies arid sealed sources, very little radioactive waste, if any, will be generated. However, if there is any radioactive waste generated, the waste will be collected, compac-ted, and stored until it is shipped to an offsite licensed disposal site.
VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION The NRC staff prepared an Environmental Assessment for the proposed activities at Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 2. Based on the Assessment, a Finding of No Significant Impact was made pursuant to 10 CFR 51. The Finding was published in the Federal Register on June 3, 1988.
, 7 Jul 1319hb IX. FIRE SAFETY The fire protection measures for the Fuel Handling Building and the Receiving Area of the Auxiliary Building, with some exceptions, consist of separation of the areas from the rest of the facility by fire boundaries. Exceptions to the fire boundaries will be subject to a fire watch when new fuel is present in the area. Portable fire extinguishers and manual hose stations constitute the fire protection equipment. Manual fire alarm ~ stations and smoke detectors,owhich annunciate locally and in the control room, are provided. If any. required fire protection equipment is inoperable, compensatory actions will be established in accordance with plant administrative procedures.
X. CONCLUSION A. After reviewing the application, the staff finds that:
- 1. GPC meets the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, and the Commission's regulations;
- 2. Issuance of the license would not be inimical to the common defense and security; and
- 3. Issuance of the license would not constitute an unreasonable risk to the health and safety of the public.
B. With the recommended license conditions, the NRC staff finds that:
- 1. GPC is qualified by reas )f training and experience to use the material for the purpose requestea accordance with regulations in 10 CFR Part 70.
- 2. GPC's proposed equipment, facilities, and procedures are adequate to protect health and minimize danger ta life or property.
XI. RECOMMENDATION The staff recommends issuance of the special nuclear material license provided the conditions identified above are incorporated into the license.
David McCaughey Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS Approved by:
Jerry J. Swif t, Section Leader Uranium Fuel Section
Enclosure:
As stated
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
o LICENSE CONDITION FOR LEAK TESTING JUL f 3 gigg FISSION CHAMBERS
, A. Each fission chamber shall be tested for leakage at intervals not to exceed 6 months. In the absence of a certificate from a transferor indicating that a test has been made within 6 months prior to the ,
transfer, the sealed source shall not be put into use until tested, i l
B. The test shall be capable of detecting the presence of 0.005 microcurie of alpha contamination on the test sample. The test sample shall be taken from the source or from appropriate accessible surface of the device in which the sealed source is permanently or semipermanently mouitted or stored. Records of leak test results shall be kept in units of microcuries and maintained for inspection by the Comission.
C. If the test reveals the presence of 0.005 microcurie or more of removable alpha contaminacion, the licensee shall immediately withdraw the sealed source from use and shall cause it to be decontaminated and repaired by a perso9 appropriately licensed to make such repairs or to be disposed of in accordarce with the Commission's regulations. Within 5 days after determining th.t any source has leaked, the licensee shall file a report with the Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, DC 20555, describing the source, test results, extent of contamination, apparent or suspected cause of source failure, and corrective action taken. A copy of the report shall be sent to the Administrator of the appropriate NRC Regional Office listed in Appendix D of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.
D. The periodic leak test required by this condition does not apply to fission chambers that are stored and not being used. The chambers excepted from this test shall be testeo for leakage prior to any use or transfer to another person unless they have been leak tested within 6 months prior to the date of use or transfer.
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