RS-12-003, Withdrawal of License Amendment Request Regarding the Use of Neutron Absorbing Inserts in Unit 2 Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks and the Timeline for Implementation

Withdrawal of License Amendment Request Regarding the Use of Neutron Absorbing Inserts in Unit 2 Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks and the Timeline for Implementation

ML120060432
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle
Issue date:	01/06/2012
From:	Simpson P Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
RS-12-003, TAC ME6834, TAC ME6835
Download: ML120060432 (2)

Text

Exelon Generation CompanY,llC www.exeloncorp.com 4300 Winfield Road Nuclear Warrenville,Il 60555 RS-12-003 January 6, 2012 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATIN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 laSalle County Station, Unit 2 Facility Operating License No. NPF-18 NRC Docket No. 50-374

Subject:

Withdrawal of License Amendment Request Regarding the Use of Neutron Absorbing Inserts in Unit 2 Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks and the Timeline for Implementation

References:

1. Letter from P. R. Simpson (Exelon Generation Company, LLC) to U.S. NRC, "Response to Request for Additional Information Regarding Unit 2 Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks," dated September 21,2011

2. Letter from A. T. Billoch Col6n (U.S. NRC) to M. J. Pacilio (Exelon Nuclear),

"laSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2 - Request for Additional Information Related to Spent Fuel Storage Racks (TAC. Nos. ME6834 and ME6835),"

dated August 23, 2011

3. Letter from P. R. Simpson (Exelon Generation Company, LLC) to U.S. NRC, "License Amendment Request Regarding the Use of Neutron Absorbing Inserts in Unit 2 Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks and the Timeline for Implementation," dated October 26,2011 In Reference 1, Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGG) ~oposed an alternative approach of addressing the NRC's concerns with crediting BORAFLEX for the interim configuration of the LaSalle County Station (LSCS), Unit 2 Spent Fuel Pool (SFP). EGC's proposal involved accelerating the NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts loading campaign and implementing controls to ensure that no fuel is stored in spent fuel storage rack cells without NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts.

Under EGC's proposal, the insert campaign would be accelerated such that no fuel would be stored in spent fuel storage rack cells without NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts in essentially the same amount of time that would be necessary to develop and submit a new criticality analysis necessary to fully respond to the NRC's request for additional information as documented in Reference 2.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission January 6, 2012 Page 2 In Reference 3, EGC submitted a license amendment request to revise the License Conditions of Facility Operating License No. NPF-18 for LSCS, Unit 2. The proposed amendment revised license condition 2.C.(32) to require the installation of NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts to be completed no later than December 31 ,2012. In addition, it revised license condition 2.C.(31) to apply until March 31, 2012, and proposed a new license condition 2.C.(34) to prohibit fuel storage after March 31, 2012, in SFP storage rack cells that have not been upgraded with the NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts.

On December 29, 2011, EGC completed the NETCO-SNAP-IN insert loading campaign which places LSCS in compliance with license condition 2.C.(32). Specifically, Unit 2 license condition 2.C.(32) states:

(32) To ensure the ongoing Boraflex degradation will not exceed the spent fuel pool criticality limits, Exelon shall complete loading all accessible storage rack cells in the LSCS Unit 2 spent fuel pool with NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts no later than December 31,2014.

Given that the NETCO-SNAP-IN inserts have been loaded into all accessible storage rack locations and that completion of the insert campaign satisfies the NRC concerns with the interim configurations of the SFP, EGC is hereby withdrawing the request for NRC review and approval of Reference 3.

There are no regulatory commitments contained in this letter. Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact Mr. Thomas J. Griffith at (630) 657-2818.

Patrick R. Simpson Manager - Licensing cc: NRC Regional Administrator, Region III NRC Senior Resident Inspector - LaSalle County Station Illinois Emergency Management Agency - Division of Nuclear Safety