RBG-47552, Notification of Nsf Enhanced Lead-Use Channel (Luc) Program
| ML15146A052 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | River Bend  |
| Issue date: | 05/12/2015 |
| From: | Clark J Entergy Operations |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| RBG-47552 | |
| Download: ML15146A052 (5) | |
Text
SEntergy Entergy Operations, Inc.
River Bend Station 5485 U.S. Highway 61 N St. Francisville, LA 70775 Tel 225-381-4177 Joseph A. Clark Manager, Licensing May 12, 2015 RBG-47552 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555
Subject:
Notification of NSF Enhanced Lead-Use Channel (LUC) Program River Bend Station - Unit 1 Docket No. 50-458 License No. NPF-47
Dear Sir or Madam:
In accordance with NEDE-2401 1-P-A, "General Electric Standard Application for Reactor Fuel (GESTAR II)," Entergy Operations Incorporated (EOI) is making notification to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the intended use of lead-use channels (LUC) at the River Bend Station (RBS).
A letter dated September 23, 1981 from the NRC to the General Electric Company, referenced in GESTAR II, indicates the notification should include a description of the LUCs, a statement of applicability to GESTAR II, the objectives of the LUC program, and an outline of the measurements to be made on the LUCs. The attachment provides this information.
This letter contains no new commitments.
Lit'L~
RBG-47552 Page 2 of 2 For further information, please contact me at (225) 381-4177.
Sincerely, JAC/bmb Attachments
- 1.
NSF Lead-Use Channels at River Bend Station cc: Regional Administrator U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region IV 1600 East Lamar Blvd.
Arlington, TX 76011-4511 NRC Senior Resident Inspector P. 0. Box 1050 St. Francisville, LA 70775 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Mr. Alan Wang MS O-8B1 One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Compliance Radiological Emergency Planning and Response Section JiYoung Wiley P.O. Box 4312 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4312 Public Utility Commission of Texas Attn: PUC Filing Clerk 1701 N. Congress Avenue P. O. Box 13326 Austin, TX 78711-3326 RBF1-15-0044 LAR 2015-01
Attachment NSF Lead Use Channels at River Bend Station
RBG-47552 Attachment Page 1 of 2
Background
Entergy is required to provide an information letter to the NRC describing the lead-test assemblies (LTA) or in this case the 8% lead-use channel (LUC) program per Section 1.2.1.b. of GESTAR (REF. 1). Specifically, the agreed content includes a description of the LUCs, a statement of applicability of GESTAR, a description of the objectives of the LUC program, and an outline of the kinds of measurements that will be made on the LUCs (REF.
2). This letter is intended to communicate the content required in the notification for Entergy's use in preparing the information letter.
The use of this LUC process for inserting NSF channels on up to 8% of the bundles in a core was requested and approved in References 3 and 4, respectively.
Description of Lead-Use Channels Fourty-nine NSF Channels will be loaded into River Bend at the beginning of Cycle 19. The GNF supplied assemblies contain standard GNF2 components and fuel with the exception of the channel. The channels will be manufactured with a distortion-resistant material known as NSF. The term NSF reflects the presence of Niobium (Nb), Tin (Sn) and Iron (Fe) as the primary alloying metals combined with Zirconium. Similar zirconium-niobium alloys are commonly used in PWR and Russian plants, but not commercially used in BWR's.
The NSF alloy is resistant to channel bow. The mechanical properties of NSF (including in-reactor creep) are similar to the standard Zircaloys, and are considered adequate for reactor service. Corrosion performance of NSF is adequate based on visual and hot-cell examinations after six years of operation. The material properties of NSF have been documented in Reference 5 - a licensing topical report that the NRC is currently reviewing.
The surface condition of these NSF channels is different from the current standard channel.
The NSF channels to be inserted in River Bend Cycle 19 will have a pre-oxidized surface condition similar to the pre-oxidized surface condition that was standard on Zircaloy-4 channels prior to 1990. Currently there are more than 80 pre-oxidized NSF channels operating in different BWRs.
Applicability of GESTAR GNF has reviewed the properties of the NSF channels relative to the properties of Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4 in the context of required functions, including safety, of fuel channels as described in GESTAR and the relevant LTRs. GNF has concluded that the use of NSF as a channel material meets the approved criteria of GESTAR and may be used in an LUC or LTA.
Objectives of NSF LUC Program The objectives of this program are to expand the experience base for NSF channels to provide a better understanding of the inherent statistical variability in the performance of this new material. Channel distortion will be monitored to confirm previous measurements that indicate NSF is resistant to channel bow. Standard analyses will be performed to assure that the safety and licensing bases are maintained.
RBG-47552 Attachment Page 2 of 2 Outline of Measurements In addition to the monitoring and inspection plan required in Reference 3, the corrosion performance will be evaluated visually during fuel outages and after discharge.
REFERENCES:
- 1. NEDE-2401 1-P-A-20 & NEDE-2401 1-P-A-20-US, General Electric Standard Application for Reactor Fuel & Supplement for United States, (GESTAR II, Licensing Topical Report).
- 2. Letter from T.A. Ippolito (NRC) to R.E. Engel (GE), Lead TestAssembly Licensing, September 23, 1981.
- 3. MFN 12-074, "Enhanced Lead-Use Channel (LUC) Program for NSF Fuel Bundle Channels," September 25, 2012.
- 4. Letter from Sher Bahadur (NRC) to A. A. Lingenfelter (GNF-A),
Subject:
Final Safety Evaluation for Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas Topical Report (TR) Enhanced Lead-Use Channel Program for NSF Fuel Bundle Channels (TAC No. ME9829), MFN 13-020, March 29, 2013.
- 5. MFN 13-008/NEDE-33798P, "Application of NSF to GNF Fuel Channel Designs," February 13, 2013.