ML20203A746

Safety Evaluation of Siemens Power Corp Topical Rept EMF-92-116(P), Generic Mechanical Design Criteria for PWR Fuel Design. Rept Acceptable

ML20203A746
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Issue date:	02/02/1999
From:	NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
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ML20203A724	List: ML20203A720 ML20203A731 ML20203A746
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NUDOCS 9902100090
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2 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 3088H001

\, .g */ ENCLOSURE 1 SAFETY EVALUATION OF SIEMENS POWER CORPORATION l TOPICAL REPORT EMF 92-116(P) l

" GENERIC MECHANICAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR PWR FUEL DESIGNS" l

1 INTRODUCTION in a letter dated August 3,1992, from D. E. Hershberger, Siemens Power Corporation (SPC),

to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), SPC submitted a Topical Report EMF-92-116(P), " Generic Mechanical Design Criteria for PWR Fuel Designs," for NRC review. EMF-92-116(P) describes an approach to fuel mechanical design criteria that SPC intends to apply to changes or improvements in existing fuel designs for pressurized-water reactor (PWR) fuel. This approach will not require the staff review and prior approval when these criteria are met. This approach is consistent with the staff position on other fuel vendors.

The NRC staff was supported in this review by its consultant, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Our consultant's technical evaluation report (TER), which is attached, provides technical findings relative to its review.

2 EVALUATION The staff has reviewed the enclosed TER, and concludes that the TER provides an adequate technical basis to approve EMF 92-116(P), except for Section 3.2, Violent Expulsion of Fuel.

With regard to Section 3.2, the staff believes that additional clarification is necessary with respect to the acceptance criteria in Regulatory Guide 1.77 and Standard Review Plan 4.2 for the rod ejection accidents. These acceptance criteria are considered nonconservative in light of some test data from foreign test reactors on reactivity-initiated accidents. However, the staff considers the fuel to be acceptable to a rod average bumup level of 62 GWd/MTU bumup because the probability of these accidents is low and generic plant transient calculations indicate that energy inputs during these transients are low and will remain below the relevant test data failure levels. This position is consistent with the Agency Program Plan for High-Bumup Fuel and the memorandum from L. Callan to the Commissioners dated July 15,1997.

With this clarification, the staff agrees with PNNL's conclusion that the fuel mechanical design criteria described in EMF-92-116(P) are acceptable for PWR licensing applications. Based on our review, the staff adopts the findings in the attached TER.

3 CONCLUSIONS The staff has reviewed the SPC's PWR fuel mechanical design criteria described in EMF-92-116(P), and finds that the design criteria are acceptable for PWR licensing applications up to 62,000 mwd /MTU rod average bumup.

9902100090 990202 PDR TOPRP ENVEXXN C PDR

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. For each application of the mechanical design criteria, SPC must document the design evaluation process demonstrating conformance to these criteria and submit a summary of the evaluation to the NRC staff for possible use in an audit to confirm that SPC is in compliance with these design criteria,

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