ML20151W269

Forwards Application to Amend Operating License NPF-3, Permitting Use of Framatome Cogema Fuels M5 Advanced Alloy for Fuel Rod Cladding & Fuel Assembly Spacer Grids

ML20151W269
Person / Time
Site:	Davis Besse
Issue date:	09/08/1998
From:	Jeffery Wood CENTERIOR ENERGY
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML20151W272	List: ML20151W269 ML20151W281 ML20151W307
References
2552, NUDOCS 9809150246
Download: ML20151W269 (2)

Text

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E= - nm= Dans-Besse Nuclear Power Station EE 5501 North State Route 2 m Oak Harbor. Ohuo 43449-9760 John K.n%od 419-249-2300 Vice President Nuclear Fax:419-321-8337 Docket Number 50-346 License Number NPF-3 Serial Number 2552 September 8, 1998 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

License Amendment Application to Revise Technical Specifications and Bases to Permit Use of"M5" Advanced Alloy (License Amendment Request No. 98-0006)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Enclosed is an application for an amendment to the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station (DBNPS), Unit Number 1 Operating License Number NPF-3, Appendix A, Technical Specifications. The proposed changes involve Technical Specification (TS) 5.3.1, Design Features - Reactor Core - Fuel Assemblies, and TS Bases Section 2.1, Safety Limits.

These changes are proposed to permit the use of the Framatome Cogema Fuels (FCF)

"M5" advanced alloy for fuel rod cladding and fuel assembly spacer grids. Technical Specification 5.3.1 presently limits the fuel rod cladding material to either zircaloy or ZIRLO. Bases 2.1 presently refers to only zircaloy spacer grids. The M5 alloy is a proprietary zirconium-based alloy which provides for improvements in fuel cladding corrosion and hydrogen pickup, fuel assembly and fuel rod growth, and fuel rod cladding creep relative to the zircaloy cladding currently in use at the DBNPS.

As described in its March 3,1998 letter (TE Serial Number 2516), Toledo Edison intends to use the M5 alloy in operating Cycle 13. Fuel assemblies for Cycle 13 are l/

presently scheduled to be delivered to the DBNPS in February of 2000 and loaded into the core in April of 2000. As noted in the March 3 letter, inability to obtain reload fuel utilizing M5 cladding for the DBNPS will result in significantly larger reload batches in /

future operating cycles and may restrict cycle lengths to less than the currently NRC- I approved twenty-four months. As further noted in the March 3 letter, use of M5 99091502 % 990900 I PDR ADOCK 050003%

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, Docket Number 50-346 -

License Number NPF-3 Serial Number 2552 Page 2 l adding at the DBNPS will require NRC review and approval, by December 31,1998, l - of FCF Topical Report BAW-10227P," Evaluation of Advanced Cladding and Structural Material (M5) in PWR Reactor Fuel." This Topical Report was submitted to the NRC by FCF on September 30,1997.

It is noted that Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 50.44,

" Standards for Combustible Gas Control System in Light-Water-Cooled Power Reactors," Section 50.46," Acceptance Criteria for Emergency Core Cooling Systems for Light Water Nuclear Power Reactors," and associated Appendix K, "ECCS Evaluation Models," presume the use of Zircaloy or ZIRLO cladding. Since the

l. chemical composition of the M5 alloy differs from the specifications for Zircaloy or ZIRLO, a plant-specific' exemption will be required, in addition to this License Amendment, to allow the use of the M5 alloy as a cladding material at the DBNPS. The associated exemption request is being transmitted to the NRC by separate letter.

. Toledo Edison requests that this license amendment application be approved by April 1,1999.

l Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Mr. James L. Freels, Manager - Regulatory Affairs, at (419) 321-8466.  ;

, i Very truly yours, l l

l MKL/laj Enclosure cc: J. L. Caldwell, Acting Regional Administrator, NRC Region III S. J. Campbell, NRC Region Ill, DB-1 Senior Resident Inspector A. G. Hansen, NRC/NRR Project Manager  !

J. R. Williams, Chief of Staff, Ohio Emergency Management Agency,  !

State of Ohio (NRC Liaison)

Utility Radiological Safety Board  ;

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