ML20205B990
| ML20205B990 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Waterford  |
| Issue date: | 10/19/1988 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20205B976 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8810260357 | |
| Download: ML20205B990 (4) | |
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION t
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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULAT10t'
.EE.L.A,T Jp,,Tp,,ApJp,DF,EN, Npf, jf,Jp FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-38 LOUISIANA p0WLR AND LIGHT COMPANY r
W AT E R F O R D,,STJ AF,,E,L,E,C,Tp],C, ST A,TJ O,N,,,,U,NJ,T,,3 00CKET NO. 50-382 f
1.0 Jp,T,R,0D_UCTION by application dated July 18, 1988, Louisiana Power and Light Coripany (LP&Lorthelicensee)requestedchangestotheTechnicalSpecifications (Appendix A to Facility Operating License No. NFF-38) for Waterford Steen t
Electric Station, Unit 3.
The prepused changes would allcw 4.10 weight percent U-235 enriched fuel to be stored in the spent fuel peol, new fuel storage vault, and containment terperary storage rack.
2.0 D I S C US.S.I.O.N.
7 In License Anendnent No. 7 dated October 16, 1986, the NRC evaluated the
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licensee's request to ir.critase the enrichrent to 4.10 wcight percent U-235 cod for all safety considerations, except the fuel handling accident, the r
staff found the 4.10 weight percent ar.alysis to be acceptable. At that I
tire the licensee's irr.ediate need was limited to 4.00 weight percent and it was decided to await or, going regulation considerations before extending the enrichment approval to 4.10 weight percent. The NRC has now progressed f
to the point where extended burnups and higher enrichtsents can be censidered l
and the licensee now requests approval to 4.10 weight percent for the next fuel cycle. The Safety Evaluation for License Ar,endment No. 7 is still
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applicable and directly applies here. This evaluation addresses the fuel handling accident and together with the safety evaluation with License
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Arendraent No. 7 constitutes the findings by the staff for 4,10 weight 2
percent U-235 enriched fuel.
3.0 EVALUATIO_N f
1 LP&L has requested authcrization for an increase of fuel enrichment to 4.10weightpercentofU-235(from4.0t)andtocentinuetoallowfuel
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burnup up to 60,000 regawatt days per retric ton (VVD/MT). The staff and licensee evaluated the potential irpact of the change on the radiological assessrent of design basis accidents (DBAs) which were previously analyzed in the licensing of the Waterford Unit 3 nuclear power plar.t.
6 8810260357 ssio39 fR ADOCK 0500o332 r
. The staff reviewed the licensee's submittal and also reviewed a publication which was prepared for the NRC entitled, "Assessment of the Use of Extended Burnup Fuel in Light Water Reactors," NUREG/CR 5009 February 1988, which included the consideration of higher enrichments. The NRC contractor, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) of Battelle Memorial Institute examined the changes that could result in the NRC Design Basis Accident (DBA) assurp-tions, described in the various appropriate sections of Standard Review Plans (SRPs) and/or Regulatory Guides, that could retult from the use of extended burnup fuel (up to 60,000 PWD/MT). The staff finds that the only DBA that could be affected by t,he use of the higher enrichment and extended burnup fuel, even in a minor way, would be the potential thyroid doses that could result from a fuel handling accident. PNL estir:ates that I-131 fuel gap activity in the peak fuel rod with 60,000 FWD /MT burnup could be as high as 12%. This value is 20% higher than the value normally used by the staff in evaluating fuel hardling accidents (Regulatory Guide 1.05, "Assurptions Used for Evaluating the Potential Radiological Consequences of a Fuel Handling Accident in the fuel Handling and Storage facilities for Boiling and Pressurized Water Reactors").
The staff, therefore, reevaluated the fuel handling accidents for the Waterford Unit 3 facility with an increase in iodine gap activity in the fuel daraced in a postulated fuel bardling accident. Table 1 presents the fuelhandTingaccidentthyroiddosespresentedintheoperatinglicensing Safety Evaluation Report dated July 1981 (NUREG-0787) and the increased (by 20%) thyroid doses resulting from the higher enrichrent. The revised doses are "wc11 within" the exposure guidelines values of 10 CFP Fart 100, Paragr.ph 11. Well within means 25% er less of the 10 CFR Part 100 exposure guideline thyroid value, i.e., less than or equal to 75 rer, to the thyroid and 6 rec. whole body.
The Cennission published a proposal deterrination of no significant hazards consideration on August 10, 1903 (53 FR 30137). Ne coct.ents were received.
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,C,0,N,T A C.T. F,1 T,H,,S,T!.,T,E, O F F 1 C I A L The NRC staff has advised the Administrator, Nuclear Energy Divisien, Office of Envirentrental Affairs, State of Louisiana of the proposed determination of no significant hazards consideration. No corments were received.
5.0 Ehv!R0bFENTAL CONSIDERATION The NRC staff has considered the environtental ic. pact of the proposed changes to the Technical Specifications. A separate environrertal assessr nt has been prepared pursuant to 10 CFR Part 51. The Notice of Issuance of Environtrental Assesseent and Finding of No Significant Ippact was published in the Federal Register on Septecter 30,19PS (53 FR 38380).
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. l Accordingly, based upon the environrental assessment, the Commission has determined that issuance of this amendnent will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
6.0 CONCLUSION
1 Bated upon its evaluation of the proposed changes to the Waturford 3 Technical Specifications. the staff has concluded that: there is reason-able assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed wanner, and such activities will be conducted in corpliance with the Commission's regulations and the issuance of the amendnent will not be intrical to the corren defense and security or to the health and safety of the public. The staff, therefore.
l concludes that the proposed changes are acceptable, and are hereby incorporated into the Waterford 3 Technical Specifications, Dated: October 19, 1989 Principal Contributor: Jarts FArtin NPR i
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Table 1 Thyroid Doses
- as a Consequence of DBA Fuel Handling Accidents (k'aterford Unit 3)
QglusionArea lowPopulation_ Lone ThyroidDose(Rem)
ThyroidDose(Rem)
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4.0% Enrichment 1.1 4 1.0 I
(NUREG-0787) 4.1% Enrichment 1.3
( 1.2
- Whole body doses reinain < 1.0 rem at both boundaries.
1 Septeeber 22, 1904 i
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