NRC Generic Letter 1990-02

NRC Generic Letter 1990-002: Alternative Requirement for Fuel Assemblies in Design Features Section of Technical Specifications

ML031140555
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Fort Saint Vrain, Washington Public Power Supply System, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Clinch River, Crane
Issue date:	02/01/1990
From:	Partlow J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
GL-90-002, NUDOCS 9001290051
Download: ML031140555 (6)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 February 1, 1990

TO ALL LIGHT-WATER REACTOR LICENSEES AND APPLICANTS

SUBJECT: ALTERNATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR FUEL ASSEMBLIES IN THE DESIGN FEATURES

SECTION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (Generic Letter 90-02)

Technical Specifications (TS) include design requirements for the fuel assemblies in Section 5, "Design Features." On a plant-specific basis, staff has approved changes to these requirements that provide flexibility for improved to fuel performance by permitting timely removal of fuel rods that are found sources be leaking during a refueling outage or are determined to be probable of future leakage. Because these improvements in a licensee's fuel performance program will provide for reductions in future occupational radiation exposure and plant radiological releases, this alternative is being made available to all plants as a line-item improvement in TS.

The requirements included in Section 5 of the TS on "Design Features" geometricaddress those features of the facility such as materials of construction and arrangements which, if altered or modified, would have a significant effect on safety and are not covered under other sections of the TS on "Safety Limits,"

"Limiting Conditions for Operation," or "Surveillance Requirements."forRecently, "Fuel the staff approved a lead-plant request to modify the requirements Assemblies." Specification 5.3.1, for the McGuire and Catawba plants. That rods or change allows the substitution of Zircaloy-4 or stainless steel filler cycle-specific open water channels for fuel rods in fuel assemblies if justified by change reload analyses using an NRC-approved methodology. In addition, the requires that a special report describing the number of rods replaced assembly, be submitted to NRC if more than 30 rods in the core, or 10 rods in any are replaced per refueling.

The enclosed guidance addresses the preparation of a license amendment request for this change to TS. Licensees and applicants are encouraged to

900129005

-4 propose changes to their TS that are consistent with the guidance in the Conforming amendment requests will be expeditiously reviewed by the NRC enclosure.

Manager for the facility. Please contact the Project Manager if you haveProject questions on this matter.

Sincerely, J es G. Partlow Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Enclosures:

1. Guidance for the Modification of the Requirements for Fuel Assemblies in the Design Features Section of Technical Specifications

2. List of Most Recently Issued NRC

Generic Letters eRH

i..

Generic Letter 9 0-.Q? Enclosure GUIDANCE FOR THE MODIFICATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FUEL ASSEMBLIES

IN THE DESIGN FEATURES SECTION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION

This enclosure provides guidance for the preparation of a license amendment request to modify the Technical Specifications (TS) requirements for "Fuel Assemblies" in the Section 5, "Design Features," of TS. This change to the TS

permits the substitution of Zircaloy-4 or stainless steel filler rods or open water channels for fuel rods in fuel assemblies if justified by cycle-specific reload analyses.

DISCUSSION

The requirements for fuel assemblies specify the quantity of fuel assemblies and the number of fuel rods per assembly. Flexibility to deviate from the number of fuel rods per assembly is desirable to permit timely removal of fuel rods that are found to be leaking during a refueling outage or are determined to be probable sources of future leakage. This improvement in the licensee's fuel performance program will provide for reductions in future occupational radiation exposure and plant radiological releases.

The substitution of filler rods or open water channels for fuel rods is accept- able when justified by cycle-specific reload analyses using an NRC-approved methodology. This reload analyses will demonstrate that existing design limits and safety analyses criteria are met in advance of the next operating cycle.

An "NRC-approved methodology" includes those methodologies acknowledged in the Final Safety Analysis Report and applied in support of the issuance of the original operating license. It also includes those subsequent methodologies that have been submitted to and accepted by the NRC staff as amendments to the operating license.

If the reconstitution of fuel assemblies through the use of filler rods or open water channels is extensive, this information should be reported to NRC.

Therefore, if more than 30 rods in the core, or 10 rods in any assembly, are replaced during a refueling, a special report describing the number of rods replaced must be submitted to NRC in accordance with the provisions of the TS

for special reports.

The attached example is a typical specification for fuel assemblies with the required modifications shown underlined. Proposed changes to plant TS should follow this guidance.

SUMMARY

The modification of the "Design Features" section of the TS on "Fuel Assemblies"

will not result in modifications to fuel assemblies that would have a signifi- cant effect on safety because of the necessity to justify such changes using an NRC-approved methodology. This requirement will confirm conformance to existing design limits and that safety analyses criteria are met before oper- ation during the next fuel cycle. A license amendment request to modify the requirements for "Fuel Assemblies" that is consistent with the guidance provid- ed will result in flexibility for improved fuel performance.

Generic Letter 90-02 Enclosure MODEL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE

(CHANGES SHOWN UNDERLINED)

5.0 DESIGN FEATURES

5.3 REACTOR CORE

FUEL ASSEMBLIES

5.3.1 The core shall contain 193 fuel assemblies with each fuel assembly nominally containing 264 fuel rods clad with Zircaloy-4, 3except that substitu- tibini577ircaloy-4 or stainless steel filler rods or open water channels for fuel rods may be ma-de in fuel assemblies if justified by cycle-speciffic Rreoad analyses using an NRC-a-pproved methodolo y. Should more than 30 rods in-the core. or 10 rods in any assembly be replaced per-refuel ing a secialreo~rt describing tenumber o rodsreplaced shal besubmited to te Commission pursuant to Specification 6.9.2 within 30-days after c cle startup Each fuel rod shal have a nomina active fuel lengt of 14 nches. Reload fuel shall be similar in physical design to the initial core loading and shall have a maximum enrichment of 4.0 weight percent U-235.

Specification 6.9.2 of the Standard Technical Specifications (STS) states:

Special reports shall be submitted to the Regional Administrator of the Regional Office of the NRC within the time period specified for each report.

Plants whose Technical Specifications do not include STS 6.9.2 should ensure that the revised Specification 5.3.1 includes reporting requirements equivalent to the combination of STS 5.3.1 and 6.9.2 above.

A..

LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED GENERIC LETTERS

Generic Date of Letter No. Subject Issuance Issued To Issued To

90-01 REQUEST FOR VOLUNTARY 01/18/90 ALL LICENSEES OF

PARTICIPATION IN NRC OPERATING REACTORS &

REGULATORY IMPAC SURVEY CONSTRUCTION PERMITS

FOR LWR NUCLEAR POWER

PLANTS

89-23 NRC STAFF RESPONSES TO 10/23/89 ALL HOLDERS OF

QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO OPERATING LICENSEES

IMPLEMENTATION OF 10 CFR AND CONSTRUCTION

PART 26 - GENERIC LETTER PERMITS FOR NUCLEAR

89-23 POWER PLANTS

89-22 POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED ROOF 10/19/89 ALL LICENSEES OF

LOADS AND PLANT AREA FLOOD OPERATING REACTORS AND

RUNOFF DEPTH AT LICENSED HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS DUE TO PERMITS (EXCEPT BYRON

RECENT CHANGE IN PROBABLE BRAIDWOOD, VOGTLE,

MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION SOUTH TEXAS, AND RIVER

CRITERIA DEVELOPED BY THE BEND)

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

(GENERIC LETTER 89-22)

89-21 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 10/19/89 ALL HOLDERS OF

CONCERNING STATUS OF OPERATING LICENSES

IMPLEMENTATION OF UNRESOLVED AND CONSTRUCTION

SAFETY ISSUE (USI) REQUIREMENTS PERMITS FOR NUCLEAR

POWER REACTORS

89-20 PROTECTED AREA LONG-TERM 09/26/89 ALL FUEL CYCLE

HOUSEKEEPING FACILITY LICENSEES

WHO POSSESS, USE,

OR PROCESS FORMULA

QUANTITIES OF

STRATEGIC SPECIAL

NUCLEAR MATERIAL

89-19 REQUEST FOR ACTION RELATED TO 09/20/89 ALL LICENSEES OF

RESOLUTION OF UNRESOLVED OPERATING REACTORS,

SAFETY ISSUE A-47 "SAFETY APPLICANTS FOR

IMPLICATION OF CONTROL OPERATING LICENSES

SYSTEMS IN LWR NUCLEAR AND HOLDERS OF

POWER PLANTS" PURSUANT TO CONSTRUCTION PERMITS

10 CFR 50.54(f) FOR LIGHT WATER

REACTOR NUCLEAR

POWER PLANTS

89-18 RESOLUTION OF UNRESOLVED 09/06/89 ALL HOLDERS OF

SAFETY ISSUE A-17, "SYSTEMS OPERATING LICENSES

INTERACTIONS IN NUCLEAR OR CONSTRUCTION

POWER PLANTS PERMITS FOR NUCLEAR

POWER PLANTS

- 2 -

propose changes to their TS that are consistent with the guidance in the enclosure.

Conforming amendment requests will be expeditiously reviewed by the NRC Project Manager for the facility. Please contact the Project Manager if you have questions on this matter.

Sincerely, Original signed by James G.Partlow James G. Partlow Associate Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Enclosures:

1. Guidance for the Modification of the Requirements for Fuel Assemblies in the Design Features Section of Technical Specifications

2. List of Most Recently Issued NRC

Generic Letters Distribution:

See Attached Concurrence:

The following individuals concurred in this Generic Letter by their concurrence in the May 10, 1989 memorandum forwarding the Generic Letter to CRGR:

TGDunning, OTSB:DOEA; RLEmch, OTSB:DOEA; EJButcher, C:OTSB:DOEA;

BCalure, TECH EDITOR; CHBerlinger, C:GCB:DOEA; CERossi, D:DOEA:NRR;

FJCongel D:DREP:NRR; LCShao, D:DEST; SATreby, OGC; FJMiraglia, ADT:NRR;

JHSniezek, DD:NRR.

In a memorandum from ELJordan, Chairman, CRGR, to JHSniezek, Deputy Director, NRR, dated August 11, 1989, CRGR waived their review of this Generic Letter.

Jose A. Calvo, Chief Technical Specifications Branch Division of Operational Events Assessment, NRR

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