ML003689045

Request for Assistance from NEI on Callaway Event

ML003689045
Person / Time
Site:	Callaway
Issue date:	03/02/2000
From:	Collins S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Ralph Beedle Nuclear Energy Institute
Lazevnick J
References
99-005-00
Download: ML003689045 (18)

Text

March 2, 2000Mr. Ralph BeedleSenior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, N.W., Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20006-3708

Dear Mr. Beedle:

A U.S. nuclear power plant (Callaway) reported an August 12, 1999 occurrence that, althoughnot safety significant due to the actual plant conditions at the time, highlighted potential vulnerabilities of a generic nature that we would like your assistance in addressing. (See enclosed Licensee Event Report.)The licensee for Callaway reported that with the plant in hot standby following a plant trip, theplant switchyard voltage was observed to decrease below the minimum operability limit established in the station procedures. This low voltage was attributed to the service territory loading that was near peak levels and to the magnitude of power being transported across the grid that had not been previously observed and was far in excess of typical levels. The licensee stated that the deregulated wholesale power market contributes to conditions in which higher grid power flows are likely to occur.The licensee indicated that two days earlier, before the plant trip, similar grid loading conditionswere present, but the low switchyard voltages were not observed at that time since Callaway generation was locally supporting grid voltage. As a result, the true capability of the offsite source could not be verified through direct readings when the unit was in operation.The low switchyard voltages observed at Callaway did not result in insufficient safety busvoltages due to the electrical bus loading conditions at the time. However, had a larger complement of safety loads been required (such as those credited for mitigating a loss-of-coolant accident), safety bus voltages from the offsite power system may have been less than adequate to power those loads. This would result in actuation of the safety bus degraded voltage protection, separation from offsite power, and restarting of the safety loads onto the onsite diesel generators.Other licensees have also identified situations in which a plant could be operating in a regionthat would result in insufficient offsite system voltages to safety equipment following a plant trip associated with a design basis event. The post-trip voltages cannot be directly monitored before the event because they are the result of the plant trip and various automatic switching actions R. Beedle- 2 -that take place at the time of the event. These switching actions include the starting of safetyloads responding to the event, the transfer of nonsafety loads to the same source (transformer) that is feeding the safety loads, and the separation of the plant generator from the switchyard when it is providing voltage support to the yard. Because the post-trip voltages cannot be read directly before a plant trip, they must be derived from the plant and grid conditions that exist during operation of the plant.In this regard, NRC Information Notice 95-37, September 7, 1995, addressed the potential thata failure to periodically update a plant's voltage analysis as the result of changing offsite grid or plant conditions could result in unintentional operation outside regulatory requirements. NRC Information Notice 98-07, February 27, 1998, addressed a potential concern relating to electric power industry deregulation that could adversely affect the reliability of the offsite power sources. It reiterated the need to ensure that the design bases with respect to the reliability and stability of the offsite power sources do not degrade during the life of the nuclear facility. We are also currently in the process of issuing an Information Notice and Inspection Report on the issues surrounding the Callaway event.Our staff found from its work (ORNL/NRC/LTR/98-12, August 1998) on utility industryderegulation that there is significant variation between control areas, and utilities within control areas, regarding the amount of attention paid to this subject. The safety consequences that would result if an event, albeit unlikely, occurred during a period of degraded grid voltage are difficult to assess because most licensees have not analyzed all of their systems for the double-starting and degraded-voltage operation they might undergo in such a scenario. Maintaining adequate offsite power is a requirement of General Design Criterion (GDC) 17 and plant technical specifications.We would like to better understand the risk implications of electrical system designs underdegraded voltage conditions, including information on plant-specific risks of degraded-voltage and double-starting scenarios. Because of the variable nature of this scenario's initiating frequency and effect on safety equipment, a wide range of risk across the population of nuclear plants appears possible. We have found from our work (NUREG/CR-6538, July 1997) on this subject that these scenarios have not been evaluated in the majority of plant-specific probabilistic risk assessments.We believe that our licensees are in the best position to assess this situation, understand therisks, and decide what, if any, actions need to be taken to assure continued compliance with GDC 17. Therefore, we propose that this subject be addressed as a voluntary industry initiative. Your help on these matters would be appreciated. We would like to schedule a public meeting R. Beedle- 3 -in the near future to discuss this issue and an approach for interaction with the industry. Pleasecontact José A. Calvo of my staff at (301) 415-2774.Sincerely,(/RA by S. J. Collins)Samuel J. Collins, DirectorOffice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

Licensee Event Report dated September 13, 1999 cc w/enc:See attached lists R. Beedle- 3 -in the near future to discuss this issue and an approach for interaction with the industry. Pleasecontact José A. Calvo of my staff at (301) 415-2774.Sincerely,(/RA by S. J. Collins)Samuel J. Collins, DirectorOffice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

Licensee Event Report dated September 13, 1999 cc w/enc:See attached listsDISTRIBUTION

File Center/ADAMS EEIB R/F Callaway S/F

ERossi JRosenthal HMiller, RI LReyes, RII JDyer, RIII EMerschoff, RIVDISK/DOCUMENT NAME: C:\Letter to NEI.wpd See previous concurrencesTo receive copy, indicate: "C" = Copy w/o attachment/enclosure; "A" = Copy with attachment/enclosure; "N" = None OFCEEIBATech EdNSC:EEIBAC:EEIBADD:DEAD:DEAADPT:NRRAD:NRRNAMEJJLazevnick:jcBCalureDFThatcherJACalvoRHWessmanJRStrosniderBWSheronSJCollinsDATE12/01/9912/01/9912/02/9912/02/99 12/06/9901/20/0002/14/00 03/02/00OFFICIAL RECORD COPY R. Beedle- 4 -Nuclear Energy Institute cc:Mr. Joe F. Colvin President and Chief Executive Officer Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708Ms. Lynnette Hendricks, DirectorPlant Support Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708Mr. Alex Marion, DirectorPrograms Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708Mr. David Modeen, DirectorEngineering Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708Mr. Anthony Pietrangelo, Director Licensing Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708Mr. Jim Davis, DirectorOperations Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708Boiling Water Reactor Owners Group R. Beedle cc:Mr. W. Glenn Warren BWR Owners' Group Chairman Southern Nuclear Company 42 Inverness Parkway PO Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201Mr. James M. KennyBWR Owners' Group Vice Chairman PP&L, Inc.

Mail Code GENA6-1 Allentown, PA 18101-1179Mr. Thomas J. RauschRRG Chairman Commonwealth Edison Company Nuclear Fuel Services 1400 Opus Place, 4th Floor Downers Grove, IL 60515-5701Mr. Drew B. FettersPECO Energy Nuclear Group Headquarters MC 61A-3 965 Chesterbrook Blvd.

Wayne, PA 19087-5691Mr. H. Lewis SumnerSouthern Nuclear Company 40 Inverness Parkway PO Box 1295 Birmingham, GA 35201Mr. Carl D. TerryVice President, Nuclear Engineering Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Nine Mile Point - Station OPS Bldg/2nd Floor PO Box 63 Lycoming, NY 13093Mr. George T. JonesPP& L, Inc.

MC GENA6-1 Two North Ninth Street Allentown, PA 18101Mr. John KellyNew York Power Authority 14th Floor Mail Stop 14K Centroplex Building 123 Main Street White Plains, NY 10601Mr. Thomas G. HurstGE Nuclear Energy M/C 182 175 Curtner Avenue San Jose, CA 95125Mr. Thomas A. GreenGE Nuclear Energy M/C 182 175 Curtner Avenue San Jose, CA 95125CE Owners Group cc:

R. Beedle- 6 -Mr. Gordon C. Bischoff, Project DirectorCE Owners Group ABB Combustion Engineering Nuclear Power M.S. 9615-1932 2000 Day Hill Road Post Office Box 500 Windsor, CT 06095Mr. Ralph Phelps, ChairmanCE Owners Group Omaha Public Power District P.O. Box 399 Ft. Calhoun, NE 68023-0399Mr. Ian C. Rickard, DirectorNuclear Licensing ABB Combustion Engineering Nuclear Power 2000 Day Hill Road Post Office Box 500 Windsor, CT 06095Mr. Charles B. Brinkman, ManagerWashington Operations ABB Combustion Engineering Nuclear Power 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 330 Rockville, MD 20852 R. Beedle- 7 -Westinghouse Owners Group cc:Mr. H. A. Sepp, Manager Regulatory and Licensing Engineering Westinghouse Electric Corporation P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, PA 15230-0355Mr. Andrew Drake, Project ManagerWestinghouse Owners Group Westinghouse Electric Corporation Mail Stop ECE 5-16 P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, PA 15230-0355Mr. Jack Bastin, DirectorRegulatory Affairs Westinghouse Electric Corporation 11921 Rockville Pike Suite 107 Rockville, MD 20852 R. Beedle- 8 -B&W Owners Group cc:Randy Hutchinson, Chairman B&WOG Executive Committee Vice President Operations Arkansas Nuclear One Entergy Operations, Inc.

1448 S.R. 333 Russellville, AK 72801-0967

Mr. W. W. Foster, Chairman B&WOG Steering Committee Director of Safety Assurance Duke Power Company Oconee Nuclear Station P.O. Box 1439 Seneca, SC 29679Mr. J. J. Kelly, ManagerB&W Owners Group Services Framatome Technologies, Inc.

P.O. Box 10935 Lynchburg, VA 24506-0935Mr. F. McPhatter, ManagerFramatome Cogema Fuels 3315 Old Forest Road P.O. Box 10935 Lynchburg, VA 24506-0935 Mr. R. Schomaker, ManagerFramatome Cogema Fuels 3315 Old Forest Road P.O. Box 10935 Lynchburg, VA 24506-0935 Mr. Michael Schoppman Licensing Manager Framatome Technologies, Inc.

1700 Rockville Pike, Suite 525 Rockville, MD 20852-1631 R. Beedle- 9 -Electric Power Research Institute cc:Mr. Gary L. Vine Senior Washington Representative Electric Power Research Institute 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 805 Washington, DC 20036Mr. James F. LangElectric Power Research Institute Post Office Box 217097 1300 W.T. Harris Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28262Mr. Bindi ChexalElectric Power Research Institute Post Office Box 10412 Palo Alto, CA 94303Mr. Raymond C. TorokProject Manager, Nuclear Power Group Electric Power Research Institute Post Office Box 10412 Palo Alto, CA 94303 R. Beedle- 10 -BWR Vessel & Internals Project Group cc:Bill Eaton, Executive Chair BWRVIP Inspection Committee Entergy Operations, Inc.

PO Box 756, Waterloo Rd Port Gibson, MS 39150-0756Harry P. Salmon, Executive ChairmanBWRVIP Integration Task New York Power Authority 123 Main St., M/S 11 D White Plains, NY 10601-3104James P. Pelletier, BWRVIP Liaison to EPRI Nuclear Power Council Nebraska Public Power District 1200 Prospect Avenue PO Box 98 Brownville, NE 68321-0098Robert Carter, EPRI BWRVIP Assessment Manager Greg Selby, EPRI BWRVIP Inspection Manager EPRI NDE Center P. O. Box 217097 1300 W. T. Harris Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28221Joe Hagan, BWRVIP Vice ChairmanPEPCO Energy Co.

MC 62C-3 965 Chesterbrook Blvd Wayne, PA 19807-5691Steve Lewis, Technical ChairmanBWRVIP Assessment Task Entergy P. O. Box 756 Waterloo Road Port Gibson, MS 39150Carl Larsen, Technical ChairmanBWRVIP Inspection Task P.O. Box 157 Vernon, VT 05354John Wilson, Technical ChairmanBWRVIP Mitigation Task Clinton Power Station, M/C T-31C P.O. Box 678 Clinton, IL 61727Vaughn Wagoner, Technical ChairmanBWRVIP Integration Task Carolina Power & Light Company One Hannover Square 9C1 P.O. Box 1551 Raleigh, NC 27612Bruce McLeod, Technical ChairmanBWRVIP Repair Task Southern Nuclear Operating Co.

Post Office Box 1295 40 Inverness Center Parkway Birmingham, AL 35201Tom Mulford, EPRI BWRVIP Integration Manager Raj Pathania, EPRI BWRVIP Mitigation Manager Ken Wolfe, EPRI BWRVIP Repair Manager Electric Power Research Institute P. O. Box 10412 3412 Hillview Ave.

Palo Alto, CA 94303Mr. Ray Shadis, StaffNew England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution P. O. Box 76 Edgecomb, Maine 04556BWR Vessel & Internals Project Group (cont.)

R. Beedle cc:Mr. David Kraft Nuclear Energy Information Services P. O. Box 1637 Evanston, IL 60204