ML20154N316

Forwards NRR to Ocre Which Ack Receipt of Petition Filed by Ocre Under 10CFR2.206 & Responds in Negative to Petitioner Request for Immediate Action Re BWRs

ML20154N316
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	09/21/1988
From:	Rooney V Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Capstick R VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP.
References
2.206, NUDOCS 8809290269
Download: ML20154N316 (4)

Text

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September 21, 1988 Docket No. 50-271  ;

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Mr. R. W. Capstick l' Vennont Yankee Nuclear

! Power Corporation

1671 Worcester Road i

Framingham. Massachusetts 01701 i I

Dear Mr. Capstick:

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! t j Er. closed for your infonnation is a copy of a letter dated August 26, 1988 from (

the Director. Office of Nuclear Peactor Regulation to the Representative of  ;

) the Ohio Citizens for Responsible Energy (0CRE). Theletter(1) acknowledges  :

4 receipt of a Petition filed by OCRE under 10 CFR 2.206 of the Comission's  !

regulations. (2) responds in the negative to the Petitioner's request for l imediate action with respect to all Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs), and (3) -

states that the Petition is being treated under 10 CFR 2.206 of the l Comission's regulations, j j Please contact me if you have questions on this issue. [

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i j Original:Igned by: l j Vernon Rooney, Project Manager i Project Directorate 1-3 i

) Division of Reactor Projects j j i i i

] EncloJure.

j As stated l cc: See next page 1

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, September 21. 1988 l Qocket No. 50-271 l

Mr. R. W. Capstick l Vemont Yankee Nuclear l Power Corporation l l

1671 Worcester Road

, Framingham, Massachusetts 01701  ;

1 r

Oear Mr. Capstick Enclosed for your infomation is a copy of a letter dated August 26, 1988 from i the Director. Office of Nuclear Peactor Regulation to the Representative of  ;

the Ohio Citi: ens for Responsible Energy (OCRE). The letter (1) acknowledges ;

receipt of a Petition filed by OCRE under 10 CFR 2.206 of the Comission's  !

regulations, (2) responds in the negative to the Petitioner's request for imediate action with respect to all Boiling Water Mactors (EWRs), and (2) -

states that the Petition is being treated under 10 CFR 2.206 of the l Comission's regulations.

Please contact me if you have questions on this issue, i

i Original signed by:

Vernon Rooney. Project Manager  !

Project Directorate 1-3  !

Division of Reactor Projects  !

t

Enclosure:

As stated  !

i cc: See next page j Distribution: i I Docket File. NRC & Local PDRs. PDI-3 r/f. RWessman. PBoger. MRushbrook, l I

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Mr.R.'W.Capstick Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Yement Yankee Nuclear Power Station CC:

Mr. J. Gary Weigand W. P. Murphy Vice President i President & Chief Executive Officer and Manager of Operations  ;

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. Vemont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. '

R.D. 5. Box 169 R.D. 5. Box 169  :

Ferry Road Ferry Road f Brattleboro. Vermont 05301 Brattleboro Vemont 05301 ,

l Mr. John CeVincentis. Vice President Mr. George Sterzinger Commissioner l Yankee Atomic Electric Compar,y Vermont Department of Public Service .

l 1671 Worcester Road 120 St4te Street. 3rd Floor i Framingham. Massachusetts 01701 Montpelier. Vermont 05602 j

New Enoland Coalition on Nuclear Public Service Board Pollution State of Vemont l Hill and Dale Farm I?0 State Street l R.D. 2. Box ?23 Hontpelier. Vermont 05602 i Futney, Vermont 05346 l

t Vermont Public Interest Research i Group. Inc. G. Dean Weyman  !

43 State Street Chaiman. Board of Selectran  ;

Montpelier. Vermont 05602 Post Office Box 116  :

Vernon, Vermont 05354 l William Russell Regional Administrator Raymond N. McCandless Region 1 Office Ven3ont Division of Occupational '

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission and Radiological Fealth >

475 Allendale Road Administration Building  !

King of Prussia. Pernsylvania 19406 Montpelier. Vermont 05602 L Mr. R. W. Capstick Honorable John J. Easton Vermont Yankee Nuclear Attorney Gereral Pcwer Corporation State of Vermont '

1671 Worcester Road 109 State Street l Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 Montpelier. Vermont 0560? j R. K. Gad !!!

Ropes & Gray Conner & Wetterhahn P.C.

225 Franklin Street Suite 1050 Boston, Massachusetts 02110 1747 Pernsylvania Avenue. N.W.

Vashington. D.C. 20006

l Vennont Yankee Nuclear Power Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Corporation CC:

Ellyn R. Weiss. Esq. Resident hspector '

Harmon A Weiss U.S. Nuc? ear Regulatory Comission 2001 S Street. N.W. P.O. Box-D6 Washington, D.C. 20009 Vernon Vermont 05354 l

David J. Mullett. Esq. Carol S. Sneider. Esq. ,

i Special Assistant Attorney General Assistant Attorney General. l Vermont Depart. of Public Service Office of the Attorney General ,

120 State Street One Ashburton Place.19th Floor Montpelier. VT 05602 Boston. MA 02108 -

Jay Gutierrez Geoffrey M. Huntington. Esouire i Regional Counsel Of fice of the Attorney General  :

USNRC. Region ! Environmenta's Protection Bureau l 475 Allendale Road State House Annex King of Prussia. PA 19406 25 Capitol Street  !

Concord, NH 03301-6397 G. Dana Bisbee. Esq. Charles Rechhoefer. Esq.

Office of the Attorney General Administrative Judge '

Environmental Protection Bureau Atomic Safety and Licensing Board  :

State House Annex U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission 25 Capitol Street l Washington DC 20555 ,

Concord. NH 03301-6397  !

Or. James H. Carpenter [

Administrative Judge t Atorric Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board i U.$. Nuclear Regulatory Cr. mission U.S. Nuclear Pegu13 tory Cornission Washington DC 20555 Washington DC 20555 j Pr. Glenn 0. Bright Adjudicatory File (2)  :

Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Docket  ;

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington DC 20555 Washirgton. 0.C. 20555 >

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[ NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION  !

s WASHueo TON, D. C. 30846 l

,,,,, August 26, 1988 Ms. Susan L. Hiatt Representative of Ohio Citizens for Responsible Energy, Inc.

8275 Murson Road Mentor, OH 44060

Dear Ms. Hiatt:

This is in response to your Petition of July 22, 1988, requesting that the I

Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (Director), take ispediate action with respect to Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) to relieve what you allege to be undue risks to the public health and safety posed by the thermal hydraulic instability of boiling water reactors, as revealed by an event at LaSalle County Station Unit 2 on March 9, 1988 i

The specific relief requested is to order all BWR licensees to (1) place their reactors in cold shutdown, (2) develop and implement specified procedures  !

relating to the thereal hydraulic :nstability issues, (3) demonstrate that i certain specified training has been provided relating to these procedures, I (4) demonstrate the capability of instrumentation related to power oscil-lations, (5) develop simulators capable of modeling power oscillations similar ,

to those occurring at LaSalle and out-of-phase power oscillations, (6) report l to the NRC regarding all past incidents in which recirculation purps have trippedand(8 BWRs off,)(7) submit submit to thetohRC a report justification the NRC for year within one continued operation of demonstrating l

compItancewithGOC12. You also request that the Coenission reopen Generic  !

I Issues B-19, B 59, the ATW5 ruleraking and reconsider the use of End-of-Cycle l Recirculation Fump Trip on BWRs. l Your request for irrediate relief is denied because the allegations which form the basis for your Petition do not reveal any new operational safety issues which pose an irs,ediate safety concern for continued BWR operation. The staff has determined that continued operation of BWRs is justified for the following reasons:

(1) Current SWR Technical Specifications place restrictions on power operation of the reactor under condittens of natural circulation or single recirculation loop cooling such that operation in regions of low thermal hydraulic stability < s limited to infrequent, short-term transient conditions following anticipated operational occurrences, i i

(2) Neutron flux oscillations are detectable with proper monitoring and {

can be easily suppressed b If large oscillations should occur,yand inserting control a manual rods.

scram is not initiated, it i

is espected that the high power level, Average Power Range Monitor l (APRM) scram protection, whten terminated the LaSalle event, would provide backup protection as was the case during the LaSalle event.

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1 Susan L. Hiatt (3) The magnitude of neutron flux oscillations induced by thermal-hydraulic instability is considerably higher than the oscillations in the average cladding heat flux because of inherent delay in the transfer of heat through the fuel rods. The NRC Augmented Inspection Team (AIT) for the March 9, 1988 LaSalle event reported that the amplitude of the heat flux oscillations during the event were estimated to be less than 10% of the value for the neutron flux oscillations and that because of the smaller changes in heat flux, thermal limits for the fuel were not exceeded.

(4) General Electric Company has provided BWR licensees w'th guidance on the proper methods to monitor for thermal-hydraulic instabilities and on the actiont that should be tak6n to suppress such oscillations if they should occur. Most BWRs have implemented such methods in response to NRC Generic Letter 86-02 which provided for the technical resolution of Generic Issue B-19. The operating limita-tions which ensure compliance with GDC 12 are enforced by plant technical specifications.

(5) Compliance with the recorinnendations in NRC Bulletin No. 88-07 will ensure that any licensed reactor operator or shift technical advisor l performing shif t duties at a BWR will have been thoroughly briefed i regarding the LaSalle event; and that all BWR licensees will have  !

adequate procedures and operator training programs in place to '

address power oscillations, regardless of the results of any previous thermal-hydraulic stability analysis. The NRC will perform 1 inspections and take any necessary follow-up action to ensure that  !

procedures and training have been put in place. programs acceptable to the technical staff Your Petition is being treated under 10 CFR 2.206 of the Comission's regulations. Appropriate action will be taken within a reasonable time. A copy of the notice that is being filed for publication with the Office of the Federal Register is enclosed for your information. Copies of this letter are being sent to those named on the service lists for facilities listed in Enclosure 2.

Sincerely,

. ,e k '

Thomas E. Murley, Director l Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosures:

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1. Federal Register Notice 1

2. List of Facilities for cc 1

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[7590-01)

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i

[ DOCKET NO. 50-374]

COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY l (LaSalle County Station, Unit 2)

RECEIPT OF PETITION FOR DIRECTOR'S DECISION UNDER 10 CFR 2.206 I Notice is hereby given that by Petition dated July 22, 1988, Ohio Citizens for Responsible Energy, Inc. requested the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to take imediate action with respect to Boiling Water I Reactors to reliave what Petitioner alleged to be undue risks to the public health and safety posed by an event at LaSalle County Station, Unit 2, in )

l Illinois on March 9, 1988. Petitioner's request for imediate relief was . !

denied because the allegations which form the basis of the Petition did not reveal any new operational safety issues which pose an imediate safety concern for continued BWR operation.

The Petition is being treated pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 of the Comission's regulations. As provided by i 2.206, appropriate action will be taken on the Petition within a reasonable time.

1 A copy of the Petition is available for inspection in the Comission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20555 and in the local public document room for LaSalle County Station Unit 2 at Jacobs Memorial Library, Illinois Valley Comunity College, Rural Route One, Oglesby Illinois 61348.

I FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION D-T omas E. Murley, Director

,g uo 9h7C O @ 2!b A[/ Office of Nuclear Reactor Regu a Dated at Rockville, Maryland this23dayofAugust,1988

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Susab L. Hiatt Enclosure 2 Lis't of Facilities for cc BOSTON EDISON CO. (Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Docket No. 50-293)

)

CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO. (Brunswick Station, Units 1 & 2 Docket Nos. 50-324 & 50-325)

CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO., ET AL. (Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1, Docket No. 50-440)

COMMONWEALTH EDISION CO. (Dresden Nuclear Power Plant, Units 2 & 3, Docket Nos. 50-237 & 50-249 ; (Quad Cities Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 & 2, Docket Nos. 50-254 & 50-265 ; (LaSalle County Station, Units 1 & 2 Docket Nos. 50-373 & 50-374 CONSUMERS POWER CO. (Big Rock Point, Docket No. 50-155)

DETROITEDISONCO.(FermiUnit2,DocketNo.50-341)

GEORGIA POWER CO. (Hatch Nuclear Power Plant, Units 15 2, Docket No. 50-321&50-366)

GULF STATES UTILITIES CO. (River Bend Station, Docket No. 50-458)

ILLINOISPOWERCO.(ClintonNuclearPlant,DocketNo.50-461)

IOWA ELECTRIC LIGHT & POWER CO. (Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant, Docket 50-331)

GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES (Oyster Creek Station, Docket No. 50-219)

LONG ISLAND LIGHTING CO. (Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant, Docket No. 50-322)

MISSISSIPPI POWER & LIGHT CO. (Grand Gulf Nuclear Station Docket No. 50-416)

NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT (Cooper Station, Docket No. 50-298)

NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP. (Nine Mile Point, Units 1 & 2, Docket Hos. 50-220&50-410)

NORTHEAST UTILITIES (Millstone, Unit 1 Docket No. 50-245)

NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. (Monticello Nuclear Power Plant, Docket No. 50-263) l PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT CO. (Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 & 2, Docket No. 50-387 & 50-388).

1 PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC CO. (Peach Bottom Nuclear Station, Units 2 & 3. Docket No. I 50-277 & 50-278); (Limerick Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 Docket No. 50-352)

POWER AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (James A. Fitzpatrick Station, DocketNo.50-333)

PUBLIC SERVICE ELECTRIC & GAS CO. (Hope Creek Generating Station, Docket No. 50-354)

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY (Browns Ferry Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, & 3 Docket Nos 50-259,50-260,and50-296)

VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP. (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant, Docket No. 50-271)

WASHINGTONPUBLICPOWERSUPPLYSYSTEM(WNPUnit2,DocketNo.50-397)

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