ML062130163

Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Large Transient Testing (TS-431)

ML062130163
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	07/31/2006
From:	Crouch W D Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC MC3812, TAC MC7208, TS-431
Download: ML062130163 (4)

Text

July 31, 2006

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 10 CFR 50.90

ATTN: Document Control Desk

Washington, D.C. 20555

Gentlemen:

In the Matter of ) Docket No. 50-259 Tennessee Valley Authority )

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY - BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT (BFN) -

UNIT 1 - EXTENDED POWER UPRATE (EPU) LARGE TRANSIENT TESTING (TAC NOS. MC3812 AND MC7208) (TS-431)

NRC's June 28, 2006, letter to TVA on this subject proposed a

license condition which NRC deemed necessary in association

with the granting of an EPU license amendment for BFN Unit 1.

By this letter TVA was requested to submit, by July 31, 2006, a supplement to TVA's TS-431 license amendment application

which accepts this proposed license condition.

The license condition as proposed by NRC is restated here:

During the extended power uprate (EPU) power ascension

test program and prior to exceeding 60 days of plant

operation above a nominal 3293 Megawatts thermal power

level (100 percent original licensed thermal power) or

within 30 days of satisfactory completion of steam dryer

monitoring and testing (whichever is longer), with plant

conditions stabilized at approximately the EPU full power

level, TVA shall perform a main steam isolation valve

closure test and a generator load reject test. Following

each test, TVA shall confirm that plant response to the

transient is as expected in accordance with previously

established acceptance criteria. The evaluation of the

test results for each test shall be completed, and all

discrepancies resolved, prior to resumption of power

operation.

TVA accepts the scope of testing stated above, however, this

testing can be more efficiently integrated into the other

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Page 2 July 31, 2006

operational activities already planned for Unit 1 after its

restart. In particular, TVA intends to perform a planned

shutdown of Unit 1 in the Fall of 2007 to establish a noble

metal water chemistry operating environment. Therefore, TVA

proposes the following revision to the proposed license

condition (added text is shown in bold italics , and deleted text is indicated by strik through): During the extended power uprate (EPU) power ascension

test program and prior to exceeding 60 days of plant

operation above a nominal 3293 Megawatts thermal power

level (100 percent original licensed thermal power (OLTP)) or within 30 days of satisfactory completion of steam dryer monitoring and testing (whichever is longer), with

plant conditions stabilized at approximately the EPU full

power level (105 - 120% OLTP), TVA shall perform a main steam isolation valve closure test.

As part of the planned shutdown to establish a noble metal water

chemistry operating environment, but no later than 180

days of power operation above 3293 Megawatts thermal power, TVA will perform and a generator load reject test.

Following each test, TVA shall confirm that plant response to the transient is as expected in accordance with

previously established acceptance criteria. The evaluation

of the test results for each test shall be completed, and

all discrepancies resolved, prior to resumption of power

operation.

TVA can take credit for an unscheduled MSIV closure or generator load reject scram from greater than

105% OLTP to fulfill this license condition should such an

event occur prior to the scheduled test.

The revised license condition accomplishes the desired

testing, while utilizing one of the tests as the means to

shutdown the unit for the noble metal water chemistry

establishment. It is recognized that the revised testing

schedule will allow uprated power operations for longer than

the originally specified timeframe prior to completion of the

generator load reject test. It is TVA's position that the

good operating experience of Units 2 and 3 in response to

actual load reject events, in conjunction with the design and

operational fidelity which Unit 1 will have with these units

upon its restart, provides high confidence that Unit 1 will

respond similarly. Therefore, delaying the test by the

requested time frame is not significant. Additionally, the

revised license condition allows the removal of a

shutdown/restart evolution from the Unit 1 schedule, and this

removal carries with it a small, but non-zero, safety benefit.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Page 3 July 31, 2006

TVA is also evaluating alternate means of demonstrating

integrated plant response to meet the objective of the MSIV

closure test specified in the General Electric EPU Licensing

Topical Report(NEDC-32424P-A).

If this proposed revision is acceptable to NRC, then this

letter constitutes the Unit 1 EPU license amendment supplement

requested by NRC in the June 28, 2006, letter.

Sincerely,

Original signed by:

William D. Crouch

Manager of Licensing

and Industry Affairs

cc: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II

Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center

61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 23T85

Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3415

Mr. Malcolm T. Widmann, Branch Chief U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 23T85 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8931

NRC Senior Resident Inspector Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant

10833 Shaw Road

Athens, AL 35611-6970

Margaret Chernoff, Senior Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (MS 08G9)

One White Flint, North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2739

Eva A. Brown, Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (MS 08G9)

One White Flint, North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2739

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Page 4 July 31, 2006

DTL:PSH:BAB

cc: B. M. Aukland, POB 2C-BFN A. S. Bhatnagar, LP 6A-C

J. C. Fornicola, LP 6A-C

R. G. Jones, NAB 1A-BFN

R. F. Marks, PAB 1C-BFN

F. C. Mashburn, BR 4X-C

M. Bajestani, NAB 1A-BFN

K. W. Singer, LP 6A-C

B. J. O'Grady, PAB 1E-BFN

E. J. Vigluicci, ET 11A-K NSRB Support, LP 5M-C EDMS WT CA - K

S:lic/submit/subs/U1 large transient testing - July.doc