ML20210P638

Comments on Statement That NRC Has Already Authorized Three Utils to Load & Use Fuel Intended for Burnup,Per 840222 Memo.Authorization Not Yet Granted.Forwards Paper Presented at ANS Meeting

ML20210P638
Person / Time
Site:	Calvert Cliffs, Surry, North Anna, 05000000
Issue date:	03/08/1984
From:	Tokar M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Conti E NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
Shared Package
ML20197F859	List: ML20197F854 ML20197G279 ML20197H750 ML20210P567 ML20210P638
References
FOIA-86-78 NUDOCS 8605130458
Download: ML20210P638 (3)

Text

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k~o UNITED STATES NUCLE AR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

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W "A Al0 :53 MEMORANDUM FOR: Enrico F. Conti, Chief DRh, j ,g y ,

Waste Management Branch >

Division of Health, Siting and Waste Management FROM: Michael Tokar Engineering Branch Division of Waste Management i y

SUBJECT:

EXTENDED FUEL BURNUP Regarding your February 22, 1984 memorandum to Robert E. Browning concerning extended burnup, I feel a need to comment on your statement that "the NRC has alreadyauthorizedthreeutilities,NorthAnna,SurryandCalvertCliffsto It is true that some load and use fuel intended for burnup to 45 GWd/MTU. 'l plants, including those youWhile mention, have announced some fuel currently in operation an intentio .!

approved an extension to 45 GWd/MTU. -

(in Calvert Cliffs, for example) may be scheduled to accumulate 45 GWd/MTU batch average discharge burnup, NRR is currently reviewing vendor topical reports that are supposed to provide the technical support for such an extension. That review has not been completed, and the reports have not been approved. Therefore, authorization for 45 GWd/MTU has not, to my knowledge, been granted anywhere as yet. Since it usually takes three or more cycles of operation before 36-38 GWd/MTU burnup is achieved, and since in the Calvert Cliffs case the fuel is still only in the second cycle of operation, there should be sufficient time for NRR to complete its review before the fuel reaches the 36-38 GWd/MTU burnup range. .

I had the lead responsibility for the extended burnup technical review while I At the time I left NRR, our was in the Core Perfomance Branch in NRR.

position was that we believed extended burnup to.he licensible and that there' did not appear to be a particular burnup limit at which some catastrophic .

damage mechanism would occur.

Weu~ elieved that it was necessary to document o the information with appropriate safety _ analyses to support that conclusion.

It is my understanding that Battelle Northwest Laboratories is reviewing ,

topical reports containing such information from each of the 5 fuel vendors ,

(B&W, C-E, ENC, GE, & W), on extended burnup under a technical assistance .

l o program for NRR that ends this fiscal year.

.I an enclosing for your information a copy of a paper I co-authored with Lester Rubenstein (the Assistant Director for Core and Plant Systems, NRR) that we presented at a special ANS meeting on extended burnup in Williamsbur0, VA two

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860513045'8 860417 PDR FDIA GUIGG96-78 PDR f;

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2- MAP, P S 1984 years ago. The paper presented NRR's position on the licensibility of extended burnup fuel. I also initiated NRR's response NRR to the PEPI petition for an information on that subject Environmental Assessment on extended burnup.

was provided to RES in February 1983 via a memorandum that I prepared from Roger Mattson to Frank Arsenault.

As you can see, I am reasonably familiar with the background and current status of extended burnup as a licensing issue in NRR. If I can be of assistance in providing you information on this subject, please let me know.

Michael Tokar Engineering Branch Division of Waste Management ,

Enclosure:

As stated cc: R. E. Browning e

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e '. . Volume 2 Proceedings: The American Nuclear Society  :

Topical Meeting on LWR EXTENDED BURNUP - FUEL PERFORMANCE AND UTILIZATION Sponsored by ..

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ANS Virginie Section ANS Fuel Cycle & Waste Management Division ANS Material Science & Technology Division The U. S. Department of Energy

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THE WILLIAMSBURG Williamsburg, HOSPITALITY Virginia' HOUSE ,

April 4-8,1982 1 l .

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