ML20214R390

Affidavit of Wl Brooks Re Onsite Emergency Planning & Safety Issues.Certificate of Svc Encl

ML20214R390
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	09/08/1986
From:	Brooks W Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Shared Package
ML20214R157	List: ML20214R154 ML20214R375 ML20214R390 ML20214R393
References
OL-1, NUDOCS 8609290162
Download: ML20214R390 (6)

Text

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

)

PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF ) Docket Nos. 50-443 OL-1 NEW HAMPSHIRE, et al.

~~

) 50-444 OL-1

) On-site Emergency Planning (Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2) ) and Safety Issues AFFIDAVIT OF WALTER L. BROOKS I, Walter L. Brooks, being duly sworn, depose and state:

1. I hold the position of Nuclear Engineer in the Reactor Systems Branch of Division of Pressurized Water Reactors - A in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). I have held that and similar positions with NRC since 1974. Before that I was employed for 21 years by Gulf United Nuclear Corporation and its predecessor companies as a reactor physicist. Most of my work has been in the field of core physics.

2. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Lincoln Memorial University (1943) and Masters (1950) and Doctorate (1953) in physics from New York University.

3. The purpose of this affidavit is to address the ability to perform fuel loading and precritical testing in Seabrook without reliance on control room operations or electrical equipment for protection of the health and safety of the public.

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4. The only threat to public health and safety in the performance of the proposed testing arises from an inadvertent criticality in the core.

The unirradiated fuel does not contain any fission products and is not sufficiently radioactive to pose a threat if the fuel cladding is breached, e.g. , in a fuel handling event.

5. Criticality in the core can be avoided by maintaining a sufficiently high boron concentration in the coolant water. Calculations reported in the Seabrook FSAR (Table 4.3-2) show that the critical boron concentration for the core without control rods is 1178 parts per million (ppm) at cold zero power conditions (68oF,1!1 psia) and 1135 ppm at hot zero power conditions (557oF, 2250 psia) . These values have been calculated with standard codes and methods which have been approved by .

the NRC staff. The design value of the uncertainty in this quantity is 50 ppm. Examination of a large number of startup reports comparing predicted and measured values of hot zero power critical boron concentration yielded a value of 22 ppm for the average deviation. We thus concur with Applicants' assertion that the critical boron concentration over the range of test condition to be encountered is less than 1300 ppm. The Applicants propose to maintain a boron concentration of at least 2000 ppm in the core and makeup water. If this concentration is maintained we conclude that inadvertent criticality will not occur during the tests. This conclusion is based on the fact that the only reactivity increasing action to be taken during the tests is control road withdrawal (heating the water increases the margin to criticality). However, the quoted values of critical boron concentration were calculated with all rods

5 withdrawn from the core and this action does not reduce the quoted margin to criticality.

6. In the event that coolant is lost from the core (due to a postulated pipe break) no reduction in the margin to criticality occurs.

The core without coolant is less reactive than the core with coolant containing 2000 ppm of boron and the margin to criticality is increased.

No post-break cooling is required for the core since it contains no fission products and thus is not a heat sourec.

7. In conclusion , if the boron concentration is maintained, the reactor will not be able to reach criticality, and the public health and safety will not be threatened by activies associated with loading fuel and precriticality testing at Seabrook.

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Walter L. Brooks Subscribed and sworn to before me this 8th day of September,1986

<<d< J Notary Public My Commission expires: 7/1/90

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Enna g W Enmccianca s;cy-mic 4 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j'g 8

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BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

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PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF ) Docket Nos. 50-443 OL-1 NE17 HAMPSHIRE, et al.

) 50-444 OL-1

) On-site Emergency Planning (Seabrook Station, Units I and 2) ) and Safety Issues CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of "NRC STAFF RESPONSE TO APPLICANTS' MOTION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE AN OPERATING LICENSE TO LOAD FUEL AND CONDUCT PRECRITICALITY TESTING" in the above proceeding have been served on the following by deposit in the United State mail, first class or, as indicated by an asterisk, through deposit in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's internal mail system, this 8th day of September,1986.

Sheldon J. Wolfe, Chairman

• Dr. Emmeth A. Luebke*

Administrative Judge Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ,

Washington, D.C. 20555 Washington, D.C. 20555 j Dr. Jerry Harbour

• Carol Sneider**

Administrative Judge Assistant Attorney General Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Office of the Attorney General  !

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One Ashburton Place,19th Floor i Washington, D.C. 20555 Boston, MA 02108 Beverly Hollingworth Stephen E. Merrill 209 Winnacunnet Road Attorney General Hampton, NH 03842 George Dana Bisbee" Assistant Attorney General Sandra Gavutis, Chairman Office of the Attorney General Board of Selectmen 25 Capitol Street RFD 1 Box 1154 Concord, NH 03301-6307 Kensington, NH 03827 Richard A. Hampe, Esq. i New Hampshire Civil Defense Agency 107 Pleasant Street Concord, NH 03301 4

Calvin A. Canney, City Manager Allen Lampert City Hall Civil Defense Director 126 Daniel Street Town of Brentwood Portsmouth, NH 03801 20 FrankHn Street Exeter, NH 03833 Roberta C. Pevear State Representative Angie Machiros, Chairman Town of Hampton Fal;s Board of Selectmen Drinkwater Road 25 High Road Hampton Falls, NH 03844 Newbury, MA 09150 Mr. Robert J. Harrison Jerard A. Croteau, Constable President and Chief Executive Officer 82 Beach Road, P.O. Box 5501 Public Service Co. of New Hampshire Salisbury, MA 01950 P.O. Box 330 Manchester, NH 03105 Diane Curran, Esq.**

Harmon & Weiss Ecbcrt A. Backus, Esq.** 2001 S Street, N.W.

Backus, Meyer & Solomon Suite 430 116 Lor cIl Street Washington , D.C. 20009 Manchester, NH 03106 Edward A. Thomas Philip Ahrens, Esq.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistant Attorney General 442 J.W. McCormack (POCH) Office of the Attorney General Boston, MA 02109 State House Station, #6 Augusta, ME 04333 H.J. Flynn , Esq. Thomas G. Dignan, Jr. , Esq.

Assistant General Counsel Ropes & Gray Federal Emergency Management Agency 225 Franklin Street 500 C Street, S.W. Boston, MA 92110 Washington, D.C. 20472 Jane Doughty Atomic Safety and Licensing Seacoast Anti-Pollution League Board

• 5 Market Street U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Portsmouth, NH 03801 Washington, D.C. 20555 Atomic Safety and Licensing Paul McEachern, Esq.

Appeal Panel

• Matthew T. Brock, Esq.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Shaines & McEachern Washington, D.C. 20555 25 Maplewood Avenue P.O. Box 360 Portsmouth, NH 03801 I

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Docketing and Service Section* William Armstrong Office of the Secretary Civil Defense Director U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Town of Exeter Washington, D.C. 20555 10 Front Street Exeter, Nil 03833 Aiaynard L. Young, Chairman Board of Selectmen Peter J. Matthews, Mayor 10 Central Rcad City Hall Rye, NH 03870 Newburyport, MA 09150 Michael Santosuosso, Chairman William S. Lord Board of Selectmen Board of Selectment South flampton, Nil 03827 Town Hall - Friend Street Amesbury, MA 01913 Mr. Robert Carrigg, Chairman Mrs. Anne E. Goodman, Chairman Board of Selectmen Board of Selectmen Town Office 13-15 Newmarket Road Atlantic Avenue Durham, NH 03824 North Hampton, NH 03862 R. K. Gad III, Esq.** Gary W. Holmes, Esq.

Ropes & Gray Holmes & Ellis 225 Franklin Street 47 Winnacunnet Road Boston, MA 02110 Hampton, NH 03842 Judith H. Mi::ner, Esq.

Silverglate, Gertner, Baker Fine and Good 88 Broad Street Boston, MA 02110 n .

f,/ s l V* W6%9' s /Cr fn Robert G. Perlis Counsel for NRC Staff s

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