ML25197A550
| ML25197A550 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Robinson  |
| Issue date: | 06/11/1974 |
| From: | Stratton W Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Ray D NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| Download: ML25197A550 (1) | |
Text
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20545 Jtme 11, 1974 Honorable Dixy Iee Ray Chai:t:rcan U. s. Atanic Energy Camtlssion Wash:i.rgton, D. c. 20545 SUbject; REPORT 00 H. B. ROBINSQ.'l UNIT NO. 2
Dear Dr. Ray:
Dur~ its 170th meeting, June 6-8, 1974, the.Advisory Carrnittee on Reactor Safeguards reviewed the re:::IUest by the carolina FOwer arrl Light Caof8.nY for an amen::lment to License No. DPR-23 to pennit an incroo.se in the steady-state power level of the H. B. Robinson Unit i\\lO. 2 fran 2200 I',rlWt to 2300 ~vt. Dur~ this revie.w the requestei pcMer irc:ease am the operati.Ig experieooe of the H. B. Robinson Unit No. 2 were consideral at a ~amtlttee meetin;J on May 21, 1974, in Washington, D. c. During its review, the Ccmnittee had the benefit of discussions with representatives of the Applicant, the WestinJhruse Electric Corporation, and the AOC Regulatory Staff. 'Ihe Ccmnittee also had the benefit of the documents listed bel0v1.
'Ihe Ccmnittee reported on the oonstruction of this plant on February 17, 1967, an:l on its operation on April 16, 1970.
The H. B. Robinson Unit No. 2 achieved criticality on Septanber 20, 1970.
'Ihe licensel full por11er of 2200 l,lvt *was reachal on February 23, 1971, an:l ccmnercial operation startai on March 14, 1971. Robinson-2 bas opera.tel successfully for b<<> fuel ~icles. Examination of data fran startup testing ard pow-er operation by the Directarat.es of Licens~ arrl Regulato:cy Opera-tions have shcMn that design :predictions were confirma:1 in nost areas initially ard in the ranainirg areas after m:xlifications.
Although Robinson-2 was designed for operation at 2300 MWt, initial operation has been li-uited to 2200 l1Wt.
The prOJ:Osed :i.rx::rease in rnax.i-ra.:im i;:ower is based on favorable operatin:J experience, use of prepressuriza:l high density fuel, an:1 on the application of the:r:mal-hydraulic am :OCCS perfo.llt'la.We evaluation m:xlels currently approved for use for Westin:Jhouse pressurized *water reactors. on the basis of analyses, the Interi..'11.
Acceptazx::e Criteria for E:necgency Core Coolirg Systmis in Light Water 1389
F.onarable Dixy Iee Ray June ll, 1974 Reactors, incl~ ccns:ideratian of the effects of fuel densification, can be met for the fuel loadinJ proposal for Fuel Cycle 3 if the linear power generation in the fuel is linited to 15.8 kw/ft. Basei on this limit, operation up to poiler levels of 2300 mt is acceptable, provi.d.iu;J the t:otal peakin;r factor ~
is no greater than 2.65. The Applicant in-taxis to use eccare radiation detection instmnentatian to monitor the axial offset l:imits required to meet this peakin;r factor restriction.
Re-evaluation of qera.ti?Jg l.imits will be necessary as a result of the recently prcmlll.gat:ed 10 CE'R Part 50.46. The Ccmnittee wishes to be kept infa::mei.
Dur.uq Fuel Cycle 2, Robinson-2 was the first nuclear power plant to depeni upon the Westin:Jhwse Ax.i.al Power Density MonitorinJ Systan (APIMi).
as a means for monitarin:J linitinJ linear power generation rates in order to operate at full power. The operation of the systan was generally successful am enabled safe operation with peaJd:aJ factors belcM those which can be adequately monitarei usinJ eKOore instrumentation alone.
'1hi.s Applicant does not expa::t to use the APDMS system in Fuel Cycle 3 tm:ler the Inter.im Acceptance Criteria. Hoilever, the systan may be pro-possl for use in this am. other West:i.n;house plants in the future. Con-seqiently the Comu.ttee reccmnerds that the use of Al:DMS be reviewed, givirq attention to the experience in Robinson-2 ard to the evaluation of possible scur;ces of un:::ertainties in us.in"; APCMS to monitor peaJd:aJ factors whose magnib.Jdes are belcM those which can be monitored using excore sur-veillarlCe techniques. The Ccmnittee wishes to be kept infcm:aa:i.
'llie Applicant has installed a stmirJ motion recomer to monitor horizontal aIXl vertical groom accelerations am has established the L,spection and corrective actions required in the event of a seisnic al.axm. 'llie carmi.ttee corairs with the Re:Ju].atory Staff that the reactor he requjred to be shut down if the operat:irq basis earthquake is exceeded am remain shut dcMrl until inspection shows that oo danage has been incurred which would jeopntlize safe operation of the facility, or until such damage is repaired.
This matter slnild be resolvei to the satisfaction of the RegUlatory Staff.
T'ne Ccmnittee reccmnerds that the Applicant ard the Re;Ju].atory Staff re-via,, the design of the ra:1~-xlant 'b.lrbine overspeed control systan to assure proper functionin; un:ier all fault comitions. This matter should be resolvai to the satisfaction of the Regulatory.Staff.
'1he camdttee believes the Applicant aIXl the Regulatory Staff shculd re-view i:ossible swrces of debris, such as pnti.cles of loose insulation in the conta.imtent, as well as the possible effect of such debris on the fwlC'tia1:i.rg of engineerai ~
systans.
1390
F.onorable D.ixy lee Ray June 11, 1974 T"ne Ccmnittee reocmnexns that the T~bnical Specifications far H. B.
Robinson-2 specify heatup am cooldo:,m pressure-t.anperature l:iinits that can be sllOW'll to be as conservative as practical with respect to 10 CFR Part 50, Appeniix G.
Other generic problans relatirg to large water re:1Ctors identified by the Re;Julatory Staff am the ACRS have been discussed in the Ccmnittee' s r~ dated Febt.uary 13, 1974. These problems should be dealt with appropriately by the ReJula.tx>ry Staff arx1 the Applicant.
The Advismy carmittee on Reactor 5afe:JU,am5 believes that, if due re-gam is given to the itens mentioned above a.tx:I. in its previous reports, there is resonable assurarx::e that the H. B. Robinson Unit No. 2 can be operatai at power levels up to 2300 MWt withrut wxlue risk to the health ani safety of the p.lblic.
References:
W. R. Stratton Chairnan
- l. Safety Evaluation by the Directorate of Licensin:J, USAEX:! (DRL),
H. B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant Unit No. 2, Pa-ier Increase, dated May 201 1974
- 2. l-CAP-8243, "H. B. Robinson Unit 2 - JUst:ification of Operation at 2300 MW'tu, dated December 1973
- 3. Application by Carolina Pcmer & Light Caqpany (CP&L) dated February 1.,
1974, ra:iuestin;J amen:lment No. DPR-23 to permit operation at steady-state p:,wer levels oot in excess of 2300 MW't
- 4. Letter dated ?Jf.a:roh 12, 1974, CP&L to DRL, subnittin;J additional infacmation pertinent to 2300 MWt operation
- 5. Letter dated A:pril 12, 1974, CP&L to DRL, sul:mittirxJ additional infoz:roation pertinent to 2300 1'1I'lr operation
- 6. Letter datai April 29 1 1974, CP&L to DRL, sul::mitt.L,g-additional infcmnation pertinent to 2300 MWt opr.=-...rati.on
- 7. Letter dated Septanber 7, 1973, V. Stello (DRL) to D. Skovholt (DRL) ooncerning use of R' technique 1391