ML20204H966

Application for Amends to Licenses NPF-37,NPF-66,NPF-72 & NPF-77,revising TSs to Support Installation of New Boral high-density SFP Storage racks.Non-proprietary & Proprietary Info Encl.Proprietary Info Withheld.Per 10CFR2.790

ML20204H966
Person / Time
Site:	Byron, Braidwood
Issue date:	03/23/1999
From:	Krich R COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML20137D740	List: ML20204H966 ML20204H978 ML20204H994
References
NUDOCS 9903290224
Download: ML20204H966 (36)

Text

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. Cmnmonwealth Edison Company.

~ 1400 0 pus Place Downers Grove. IL 60515-5701 March 23,1999 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk.

- Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-72 and NPF-77 NRC Docket Nos. STN 50-456 and STN 50-457 Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-37 and NPF-66 NRC Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455

Subject:

Request for an Amendment to Technical Specifications to Support installation of Ner Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks at Byron and Braidwood Stations In accordance with 10 CFR 50.90, Commonwealth Edison (Comed) Company is requesting a change to Appendix A, Technical Specifications (TS) of Facility Operating License Nos.

NPF-72, NPF-77, NPF-37 and NPF-66, for Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2, and Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, respectively.

The requested amendment proposes changes to Technical Specifications Sections 3.7.15, "Spert Fuel Pool Boron Concentration"; 3.7.16, " Spent Fuel Assembly Storage"; 4.3.1,

" Criticality"; and 4.3.3, " Capacity"; to support installation of new Boral high-density spent fuel pool storage racks at the Byron and Braidwood Stations. This proposed change will involve removing all 23 of the existing spent fuel pool storage racks at each station and replacing them with 24 new spent fuel pool storage racks. If this request is approved, Byron Station plans to install the new spent fuel pool storage racks starting in January 2000. Braidwood Station plans to install the new spnt fuel storage racks starting in January 2001.

The existing racks utilize Boraflex as the neutron absorber material. Degradation of Boraflex has caused water chemistry and clarity problems and has also resulted in the need to rely on soluble boron in the spent fuel pool to maintain the design basis. The new spent fuel storage racks utilize Boral as the neutron absorber material. Boral is a boron carbide aluminum cermet and has been used successfully at riumerous plants in the United States,

' Korea, Mexico, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Installation of these new racks will also increase the spent fuel pool storage capacity at Byron and Braidwood Stations from 2,870 annamblies to 2.984 assemblies.

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- U.S. Nucleer Regulatory Commission Page 2 This amendment request is subdivided as follows.'

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. 1.

' Attachment A provides a description and safety analysis of the proposed changes.

2.

' Attachments B-1 and B-2 provide the marked up TS pages with the proposed changes indicated for Braidwood and Byron Stations. Attachments B-3 and B-4 provide the typed TS pages with the proposed changes incorporated. The associated Bases

_j pages are also included for informational purposes.

1 3.

Attachment C describes our evaluation performed using the criteria in 10 CFR 50.91(a)(1) which provides information supporting a finding of no significant hazards consideration using the standard in 10 CFR 50.92(c).

4.

Attaci. ment D provides information supporting an Environmental Assessment.

5.

. Attachment E contains the Holtec International report, " Licensing Report for Spent Fuel Rack Installation at Byron and Braidwood Stations," HI-982083 (proprietary).

7.-

Attachment F contains the Holtec international report, " Licensing Report for Spent Fuel Rack Instaliation at Byron 'and Braidwood Stations," HI-982083 (non-proprietary).

Hottec Intemational is the contract company performing the design, fabrication, and safety analysis of the new high density spent fuel pool storage racks. The rack design and analysis methods employed for the new Byron and Braidwood spent fuel pool storage racks are a direct evolution of previously approved spent fuel pool rerack amendment requests.-

The new Holtec racks meet the governing requirements of the c.pplicable codes and standards, in particular, "OT Position for Review and Acceptance of Spent Fuel Storage and

- Handling ApplicCns," issued in a letter from B. K. Grimes (NRC) to All Power Reactor Licensees, dated April 14,1978. and the associated addendum, issued in a letter from B. K.

. Grimes (NRC) to All Power Reactor Licensees, dated January 18,1979. The analysis, material procurement, and febrication of the rack modules confonn to 10 CFR 50, Appendix B requirements. The design of the new Byron and Braidwood Station racks is similar to Holtec racks that have been reviewed by the NRC and are presently in service at many other nuclear plants in the United States and overseas. Among these domestic plants are Salem, Watts Bar, and Vogtle.

The NRC has recently approved the installation of new spent fuel pool racks designed and analyzed by Holtec international. License Amendment No. 6 for Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Watts Bar Nuclear Plant was issued in a letter from R. E. Martin (NRC)

. to O. D. Kingsley (TVA), dated July 28,1997. More recently, License Amendment No.144 for Entergy's Waterford Steam Electric Station was issued in a letter from C. P. Patel (NRC) to C. M. Dugger (Entergy Operations), dated July 10,1998. In addition, other plants currently requesting license amendments to replace old spent fuel pool racks with new Holtec racks include Davis Besse, Callaway, Wolf Creek, Vermont Yankee, Hatch, Shearon Harris, and Nine Mile Point.

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March 23,1999 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 3

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- The Holtec international report, " Licensing Report for Spent Fuel Rack Installation at Byron and Braidwood Stations," Hi-982083, contains information proprietary to Holtec International. Therefore, we are requesting that this information be withheld from public disclosure. Accordingly, an affidavit signed by Holtec International, the owner of the information, is provided setting forth the basis on which the information may be withheld from public disclosure by the NRC and addressing the considerations listed in paragraph (b)(4) of 10 CFR 2.790.

l These proposed changes have been reviewed and approved in accordance with the l

requirements of the Comed Quality Assurance Program.

l.

Comed is notifying the State of Illinois of this request for amendment by transmitting a copy I

of this letter and its attachments to the designated State Official.

Should you have any questions relative to this submittal, please contact Mr. J. A. Bauer at (630) 663-7287.

Respectfully, f

W R. M. Krich Vice President - Regulatory Services

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Attachments: Attachment A, Description and Safety Analysis for Proposed Changes i

Attachment B-1, Marked-up Pages Showing Proposed Changes, Braidwood Station Attachment B-2, Marked-up Pages Showing Proposed Changes, Byron Station Attachment B 3, incorporated Proposed Changes, Typed Pages, Braidwood Station Attachment B-4, Incorporated Proposed Changes, Typed Pages, Byron Station Attachment C, Information Supporting a Finding of No Significant Hazards

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Consideration Attachment D, Information Supporting an Environmontal Assessment AMachment E, Holtec Internaticaal Licensing Report, HI-982083 (proprietary) with Affidavit Attachment F, Holtec International Licensing Report, Hl-982083 (non-proprietary) cc:

Regional Administrator-Region lll NRC Senior Resident inspector - Braidwood Station NRC Senior Resident inspector - Byron Station l

Office of Nuclear Facility Safety -IDNS

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P, STATE OF ILLINOIS

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COUNTY OF DUPAGE

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IN THE MATTER OF

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COMMONWEALTH EDISON (COMED) COMPANY

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Docket Numbers BRAIDWOOD STATION UNITS 1 AND 2

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STN 50456 AND STN 50457 BYRON STATION UNITS 1 AND 2

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. STN 50454 AND STN 50455

SUBJECT:

R4 quest for an Amendment to Technical Specifications to Support the installation of New Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks at Byron and Braidwood Stations AFFIDAVIT l affirm that the content of this transmittalis true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.

R. M. Krich Vice President - Regulatory Services Subscribed and swom to before me, a Notary Public in and for the State above named, this 93 day of Jy'lfw)l

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