ML20203C897

Informs That NRR Contracted with PNNL to Evaluate Storage of Spent Fuel at Number of Decomissioning Nuclear Power Facilities.Forwards Request for Info Re Spent Fuel Storage at Big Rock NPP

ML20203C897
Person / Time
Site:	Big Rock Point File:Consumers Energy icon.png
Issue date:	02/08/1999
From:	Harris P NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Powers K CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.)
References
TAC-MA0998, TAC-MA998, NUDOCS 9902120285
Download: ML20203C897 (7)

Text

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Mr. K;nn:th P. Pow::rs Plant General Manager Big Rock Nuclear Plant Consumers Energy Company 10269 US-31 North Charlevoix, Michigan 49720

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR STAFF EVALUATION OF SPENT FUEL SUSCEPTABILITY TO RAPID ZlRCALOY FUEL CLAD OXIDATION (TAC NO. MA0998)

Dear Mr. Powers:

As part of an NRC initiative to better understand the likelihood and safety significance of the rapid oxidation of zircaloy fuel cladding in a dry environment, we have contracted with Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) to evaluate the storage of spent fuel at a number of decommissioning nuclear power facilities. Your BRP facility is one of three facilities that we plan to evaluate.

The information obtained by the staff will contribute to informed decisions regarding the safety bases associated with spent fuel storage and Commission rulemaking. Our efforts in this area are not licensee fee recoverable and are for the purpose of generic research, if you have any questions regarding the enclosed request for information, please contact me at 301-415-1169. This request affects nine or fewer respondents and, therefore, is not subject to Office of Management and Budget review.

Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

Paul W. Harris, Project Manager Non-Power Reacters and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-155 if

Enclosure:

As stated

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'f WASHINGTON, D.c. 20555-4001 February 8, 1999 Mr. Kenneth P. Powers Plant General Manager _.

Big Rock Nuclear Plant Consumers Energy Company 10269 US-31 North Charlevoix, Michigan 49720

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR STAFF EVALUATION OF SPENT FUEL SUSCEPTABILITY TO RAPID ZlRCALOY FUEL CLAD OXIDATION (TAC NO. MA0998)

Dear Mr. Powers:

As part of an NRC initiative to better understand the likelihood and safety significance of the rapid oxidation of zircaloy fuel cladding in a dry environment, we have contracted with Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) to evaluate the storage of spent fuel at a number of decommissioning nuclear power facilities. Your BRP facility is one of three facilities that we plan to evaluate.

The information obtained by the staff will contribute to informed decisions regarding the -

safety bases associated with spent fuel storage and Commission rulemaking. Our efforts in this area are not licensee fee recoverable and are for the purpose of generic research.

if you have any questions regarding the enclosed request for information. please contact me c 301-415-1169. This request affects nirie or fewer respondents and, therefore, is not subject to Office of Management and Budget review.

Sinc,er r'

h Paul W. Harris,x !ProjecfiVlanager

/

o Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-155

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ enclosure: See next page

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Mr. Kenneth Powers Big Rock Point Nuclear Plant Docket No. 50-155 cc:

Mr. Thomas A. McNish, Secretary Lake Michigan Federation Consumers Energy Company.

ATTN: E. Roemer, Attorney 212 West Michigan Avenue

59. E. Van Buren #2215 '

' Jackson, MI 49201 Chicago, IL 60605 Judd L.' Bacon, Esquire Michigan Department of Attorney Consumers Energy Company General 212 West Michigan Avenue Special Litigation Division Jackson, MI 49201 630 Law Building P.O. Box 30212 Ms. Jane E. Brannon, County Clerk Lansing, MI 48909 County Building Annex 203 Antrim Street Mr. James S. Rang

- Charlevoix, MI 49720 '

Consumers Power Company 10269 U.S. 31 North Office of the Governor Charlevoix, MI 49720 Room 1 - Capitol Building Lansing, MI 48913 Mr. John W. Campbell Executive Director Regional Administrator, Region 111 Eastern U.P. Regional Planning U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

& Development Commission 801 Warrenville Road 524 Asnmun Street Lisle,IL 60532-4351 P.~ O.~ Box 520 Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Drinking Water and Radiological Lake Michigan Federation Protection Division Attn: T. Cabala, Director 3423 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

425 W. Western Avenue P.O. Box 30630 Muskegon, MI 49440 Lansing, MI 48909-8130 Mr. Robert A. Fenech U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Senior Vice President

' Resident inspector Office Nuclear, Fossil Operations Big Rock Point Plant Consumers Energy Company

10253 U.S. 31 North 212 W. Michigan Ave.

Charlevoix, MI 49720 Jackson, MI 49201

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ENCLOSURE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION BIG ROCK POINT NUCLEAR PLANT DOCKET 50-155 S_pl.fcal Enclosure / Pool BP 1 is the area above the aluminum pool cover common to the rest of the open spherical enclosure (SE) or is it enclosed? Provide a schematic or picture of this covering and a brief written description of any partitions enclosing the area directly above the spent fuel pool cover.

BP 2 Reference 1, Variable (33) gives a dimension of 0.75 inches for the wall thickness of the SE. Provide a schematic and/or describe the location of the 0.75 inches wall / walls of the SE, if not symmetric.

BP 3 Provide the ventilation system specifications for the SE (air flow rate, controlling temperatures, etc.) and for the fuel storage pool enclosure (i.e., the aluminum pool cover) if ventilation exists, include a schematic indicating approximate location and elevation of the SE ventilation supply and discharge vents.

BP 4 The ambient air temperature within the SE is assumed to be a constant 80"F for the analysis presented in Reference 3. Section 3.2.3 of Reference.3 provides a reference for this assumption, Consumers Energy letter from Harry Linsinbigler to Gerry Purciarell, dated February 4,1998, "Zircaloy Oxidation Analysis."

Pages C17 through C20 of Reference 3 contain a portion of the Consumer Energy letter from Harry Linsinbigler. Answer number two of the letter gives 80*F as the pool temperature prior to drain down. Answer number three of the letter states that the free air volume of the SE is to be isolated and that a i

constant temperature heat sink is available.

It is unclear as to what the heet sink is to which heat from the spent fuel pool is transferred under normal operating conditions, is the SE ventilation system the system by which decay heat from the pool is transferred to the ambient environment?

l Clarify whether the SE ventilation system is operable or not following a drain down event and if a maintainable temperature for the containment free air i

volume has been determined. If a maintainable temperature has been identified, provide a reference and the value of the conster* air temperature boundary.

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V 2

Racks R1 Reference 1 mentions that the terms "old racks" and "new racks" having center-to-center bundle pitches of 12 inches and 9 inches, respectively. The drawings provided center-to-center bundle pitches of 7.25 inches and 9 inches. Provide schematics which show the plan views at the top of the racks, the mid-point of the racks, and the base of the racks for each rack design that exists within the pool. Provide any additional schematics necessary to display the potential flow paths through the racks from the bottom to the top. Provide a written description to accompany each schematic. The detail required for each schematic is that which dimensions the basic geometry and describes the paths for thermal heat transfer and fluid flow. Structural detail required for fabrication is not required.

R2 Provide schematics of a profile center cross section of a typical cell for each rack design that exists within the pool. The schematics should include dimensions and detail to the plane of symmetry for the adjacent cells and from the pool space above the racks to the floor of the spent fuel pool. Provide a written description to accompany each schematic. The detail required for each schematic is that which dimensions the basic geometry and describes the paths for thermal heat transfer and fluid flow. Structural detail required for fabrication is not required.

R3 Reference 1 describes the fuel cells of the "old racks" as having a 1 inch slit on each face for cross flow and no penetration through the base plate of the rack.

Confirm this c-onfiguration and describe the orientation and elevations of the 1 inch slit.

R4 Describe and indicate on the appropriate schematics the location of any lateral cross-flow penetrations for each rack design.

R5 Ensure the following items are clarified by the schematics provided iN response to items R 1 and R 2.

a.

Section A-A of Reference Sg indicates the tops of the gaps between the j

cells may be covered preventing air flow out the top of the gaps.

b.

Section J-J and K-K of Reference Sg indicate a lateral flow port (s) exist in the fuel cells of the new design racks. How many exist in each cell and are all of the ports oriented the same direction through out the racks?

c.

The "old rack" design has no clearance between the floor of the pool and the rack base plate. Do the outer walls of the "old rack" design also contain the 1 inch slits? Does an open path exist to allow cross flow of air to occur at the bottom (base) of the "old rack" design?

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R6 in Reference 4, Table 7.1 pages C20 through C22 are missing. Provide copies of these pages.

R7 Indicate the rack design type for each rack indicated on Reference Sh.

Fuel / Assemblies FA 1 Reference 1, attachment 5, appears to provide the decay heat for individual fuel assemblies. The assemblies appear to be identified by a global identification i

scheme within the pool. However, no readable source indicating the identification scheme for the individual cells is available in the material. Provide the cell designation scheme used to identify the individual assembly locations within the pool.

FA 2 Provide the decay heat load / assembly for each batch of fuel within the pool.

FA 3 Provide the loading scheme for the pool so that a value for individual decay heat loads may be assigned to each cell location within the pool.

References (References 2 and Sa through 5f are provided for information only) j 1.

Consumers letter dated March 31,1998, from Kenneth E. Pallagi, Acting Site General Manager, to NRC Document Control Desk regarding offsite emergency preparedness.

2.

Consumers letter dated April 29,1998, from Kenneth P. Powers, Site General Manager, to NRC Document Control Desk regarding zircaloy oxidation analysis.

3.

Handrick, M., Maximum Cladding Temperature for Uncovered Spent Fuel Rod, Revision 3, Sargent and Lundy, Calculation number 1998-00300, October 20, 1997.

l 4.

Rich J., Spent Fuel Decay Heat, Revision 0, Sargent and Lundy, Calculation

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number Mech.-0150, April 16,1998.

l 5.

Drawings, Bechtel Corporation, for the BRP facility:

a. Reactor Bldg - New DWG No. 0740G10101, Rev. D

b. Rear. tor Bldg - New DWG No. 0740G10102, Rev. D

c. Reactor Bldg - New DWG No. 0740G20117, Rev. A, sheet 1

d. Reactor Bldg - New DWG No. 0740G10113, Rev. B, sheet 1 4

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4 4

e. Reactor Bldg - New DWG No. 0740G10114, Rev. A, sheet 1 f.

R&D Attachment and Spent Fuel Storage Racks - CPCO DWG No.

0740G20137, Rev. E, sheet 1

g. Rack Assembly and Details - DWG No. 0740G20331, Rev. 4, sheet 1

h. Spent Fuel Storage Racks Arrangements - DWG No. SF-16408, Rev. A, sheet 5.