ML20196J645

Notifies That Util 880202 Proposed Startup Physics Test Program Found Unacceptable.Program Should Not Be Added to FSARs or Applied to Plants.Reasons for Decision Provided

ML20196J645
Person / Time
Site:	Mcguire, Catawba, McGuire, 05000000
Issue date:	03/11/1988
From:	Hood D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Tucker H DUKE POWER CO.
References
TAC-67204, TAC-67205, TAC-67349, TAC-67350, NUDOCS 8803140437
Download: ML20196J645 (4)

Text

,

gaCao

,,f g

c o

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION e-n WASHING TON, D. C. 20555

,o

+

March 11, 1988 Docket Nos.

50-369/370 50-413/414 Pr. H. B. Tucker, Vice President Nuclear Production Department Duke Power Company 422 South Church Street Charlotte, North Carolina 28242

SUBJECT:

Startup Physics Testing Program - McGuire and Catawba Nuclear Stations Units 1 and 2 (TAC 67204/67205 AND 67349/673501 By letter dated February 2,1988 you forwarded a proposed Startup Physics Test Program for the McGuire and Catawba Nuclear Stations.

You state there are no significant changes in this program from the testing currently being performed following refueling at these stations and that you anticipate first application of this program on McGuire ?.-Cycle 4 scheduled for restart in July 1988.

You note your intent to ultimately substitute this prngram for the initial test programs described in the FSARs and request NRC review and approval by June 30, 1988.

My letter of May 22, 1987, accepted your rod swap methodology based upon a two-level set of criteria:

(1) "review" criteria associated with meetino design criteria, and (21 "acceptance" criteria associated with meeting safety aftalyses assumptions.

Your proposed Startup Physics Test Program would use a single set of criteria for this test method. We agree, in principle, with the use of a single set of criteria for this test method. However, you propose to use the "acceptance" criteria for this single set of criteria. We find that the sinole set of criteria should be based on those proposed, for example, in the ANSI /ANS 19.6.1-1985 standard. This standard has been generated and generally accepted by the Industry and has been approved by the NRC with coments.

The stated purpose of you Program document is to specify the minimum reload physics tests necessary to ensure the reactor core can be operated as designed.

Your proposed use of only the "acceptance" criteria is inappropriate since, for example, the rod swap method depends, in part, upon an accurate reference bank measurement represented by the 10% criterion on this measurement. Use of this 10%

criterion, and other associated criteria o# the standard, are necessary to ensure a meaningful rod swap test result.

The NRC has completed review of the proposed program and finds it unacceptable.

Accordingly, we request that this program not be added to the FSARs or applied to your stations. Our reasons for this position follow:

1.

You state that there is no significant deviation in your Control Rank Worth Measurement program from the ANSI /ANS 19.6.1-1985 standard. We disagree.

Your proposed criteria on the rod swap method are not the same 8903140437 000311 PDR ADOCK 05000369 P

PDR

'T 4

Mr. H. R. Tucker 2-as those reviewed and approved by the staff for other utility and vendor rod swap programs and endorsed by the staff in the standard. We find a significant and unacceptable deviation between your proposed criteria and those in the standard concerning the Control Bank Worth Feasurement program as noted below:

ANS 19.6.1-1985 Criteria Duke Criteria Reference Bank i 10%

15%

Individual Banks 15%

30%

or 0.1% delta rho or 0.2% delta rho (whichever is greater)

(whichever is greater)

Sum of Banks 2 10%

90% of predicted Additionally, we find your program to be ambiguous regarding the number of control rod banks or groups to be measured.

The NRC staff requires that all the control rod banks or groups (including regulating and shutdown) be measured during each reload startup physics tests.

2.

You state that there is no significant deviation in your proposed Isothernal Temperature Coefficient (ITC) measurement from the ANS 19.6.1-1985 standard.

Again we disagree.

You 3 pcm/* F (note that a pcm is 10'g acceptance criterion for this test isunits of reactivity) where an arceptance criterion of 2 pcm/' F.

The staff, based on vendor supplied information, concludes that ITC predictions compare to measured data to within 1 pcm/* F.

Thus your criterion is not acceptable.

3.

Your description of the Flux Symmetry Check at low power does not indicate that the comparison of measured normalized reaction rates of F" with predictions will be made fcr symmetric core locations. Thus. N is not clear how your proposed test nethod would accomplish this flux symetry check using symmetric detector or core locat'ons.

If you have any questions regarding the results of our review, contact me at (301) 492-1442.

Sincerely, Original signed by:

Darl S. Food, Project Manager Project Directorate II-3 Division of Reactor Projects-I/II cc:

DISTRIBUTION:

See next page

' Docket File v D. Hood F. Miraglia NRC POR "

PDII-3 Reading ACRS (10) local PDR M. Rood J. Partlow S. Varga 0GC E. Jordan G. Lainas SW h M1 wuf b w/ M' N

PD-II3/DPP-I/II PD-IL3/DRP-I/I!

PD-II3/DRP-I/II PD;II3/DRP-I/II gard PRood DHood:pw KJabbour Acting PD WP 3, / c /88 3 / f/88 3//0 N

/

J /g /88 3 /q /88

/

/

i u

Mr. H. B. Tucker Duke Power Company McGuire Nuclear Station cc:

Mr. A.V. Carr, Esq.

Dr. John M. Barry Duke Power Company Department of Environmental Health P. O. Box 33189 Mecklenburg County 422 South Church Street 1200 Blythe Boulevard Charlotte, North Carolina 28242 Charlotte, North Carolina 28?03 County Manager of Mecklenburg County Mr. Dayne H. Brown, Chief 720 East Fourth Street Radiation Protection Branch Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 Division of Facility Services Department of Human Resources 701 Barbour Drive Mr. Robert Gill Paleich, North Carolina 2760?-2008 Duke Power Company Nuclear Production Department P. O. Box 33189 Charlotte, North Carolina 78242 J. Michael McGarry, III, Esq.

Bishop, Libeman, Cook, Purcell and Reynolds 1700 Seventeenth Street, N.W.

Washington, D. C.

20036 Senior Resident Inspector c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Route 4 Box 5?9 Hunterville, North Carolina 28078 Regional Administrator, Region II U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 101 Marietta Street, N.W., Suite ?900 Atlanta, Georgia 30323 S. S. Kilborn Area Manager, Mid-South Area ESSD Projects Westinghouse Electric Corporation MNC West Tower - Bay 239 P. O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230 l

q as Mr. H. B. Tucker Duke Power Company Catawba Nuclear Station cc:

A.V. Carr, Eso.

North Carolina Electric Membership Duke Power Company Coro.

422 South Church Street 3400 Sumner Boulevard Charlotte, North Carolina 2824?

P.O. Box ?7306 Paleiah, North Carolina ?7611 J. Michael McGarry, III, Esq.

Bishop, Liberman, Cook, Purcell Saluda River Electric Concerative, and Peynolds Inc.

1900 Seventeenth Street, N.P.

P.O. Box 929 Washington, D. C.

20036 Laurens, South Carolina 29360 North Carolina PPA-1 Senior Resident Inspector Suite 600 Route 2 Box 179N 3100 Smoketree Ct.

York, South Carolina 99745 P.O. Box 29513 Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0513 Regional Administrator, Region II U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, S. S. Kilborn 101 Parietta Street, NW, Suite 2900 Area Panager, Mid-South Area Atlanta, Georgia 30323 ESSD Projects Westinghcuse Electric Corp.

MNC West Tower - Bay 239 P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Penrsylvania 15230 Mr. Heyward G. Shealy, Chief Bureau of Radiological Health South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control T600 Bull Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 County Manager of York County York County Courthouse Karen E. Long York South Carolina 29745 Assistant Attorney General N.C. Department of Justice Richard P. Wilson, Esq.

P.O. Box 69.9 Assistant Attorney General Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 S.C. Attorney General's Office P.O. Box 11549 Spence Perry, Esautre Columbia, South Carolina 29211 General Counsel Federal Emergency Management Agency Piedmont Municipal Power Agency Poom 840 100 Memorial Drive 500 C Street Greer, South Carolina 29651 Washington, D. C.

PO47?

Mr. Michael Hirsch Federal Energency Management Agency Office of the General Counsel Room 840 500 C Street, S.W.

Washington, D. C.

20472 Brian P. Cassidy, Regional Counsel Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region I J. W. McCormach POCH Spiten, Massachusetts 02109

,