ML19308C759

Advises That Util Will Cooperate W/B&W in Implementing Fuel Surveillance Program.Involvement Dependent on Agreement Re Respective Responsibilities for Surveillance.Fuel Surveillance Program Encl

ML19308C759
Person / Time
Site:	Bellefonte
Issue date:	10/05/1976
From:	Gilleland J TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:	Parr O Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Shared Package
ML19308C760	List: ML19308C759
References
10182, NUDOCS 8002010289
Download: ML19308C759 (3)

Text

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1. llf , 'Gp!, q Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Attention: Mr. Olan Parr, Chief b] kfg /Sg N3J Branch No. 3 [Q Qg $ t.,,Efl'y: .

U.S. Nucicar Regulatory Commission M *%( O Washington, DC 20555 N3 M

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Dear Mr. Parr:

Our letter of June 30, 1976, indicated that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) would conduct a fuel surveillance program at the Bellefonte Nuclear P! mt unit 1 if this plant were the first to use the Babcock & Wilcoz Jompany (B&W) Mark C 17 x 17 fuel assembly design. A summary description of the program is provided in the i enclosure. Further details will be provided in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR).

We are aware that correspondence has been exchanged between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and B&W over the past few years concerning agreements for out-of-pile and in-pile proof testing and verification surveillance of Mark C 17 x 17 fuel assemblics.

The in-pile testing of four special Mark C demonstration asse:nblics, each with four precharacterized fuel rods, in Oconce 2 should be essentially completed and analyzed in time to influence the scope of verification surveillance required for confirmatory performance evaluation in the first total core of the Mark C 17 x 17 design. If Bellefonte unit 1 is the first total core of these assemblics, TVA will endeavor to cooperate with B&W in implementing the surveillance program which has been proposed by them and approved by NRC or some reasonable modification thereof. Such TVA involvement, of course, is dependent on reaching satisfactory agreement with B&W concerning respective responsibilities for the surveillance as well as TVA's operational considerations in utilizing the Bellefonte unit.

For planning purposes it would be worthwhile to clarify what is meant by "the first plant that has a total core of the Mark C 17 x 17 design."

Is the first to be determined by date of operating license receipt, date of commercial operation, date of first refueling shutdown or by some other criterion? Is verification surveillance performed on a foreign plant acceptable? Some guidance on these aspects would be appreciated.

Very truly urs, AAA 4])

J. E. G111 eland Assistaht Manager of Power Enclosure An Equal Opportunity Emp' oyer u

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'tr. Olan Parr October 5, 3 976 CC: Mr. James ?!cFarland Senior Project D nager Babcock & Wilco:. Company P.O. Box 1260 tynchburr., Virginia 24505 I

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EI.C,hpSURE BELLEFONTE UNIT 1

'tARK C 17 X 17 FUEL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM To provide verification of the reliable performance of Babcock and Wilcox

!! ark C 17 X 17 fuel assemblics, a supplemental fuel surveillance program will be conducted at Bellefonte unit 1 if this unit is the first to use a total core of the fuel. The program will consist of a visual inspection of peripheral rods in the inital core fuel assenblies.

A nininum of 24 assemblics discharged during each of the first three refueling outages will be selected for examination in the spent fuel pool during the outage. Selection will be nade to provide a representa-tive range of fuel duty conditions. The renaining fuel assenblies will g.

be visually examined as soon as practicable af ter resumption of g operations. The visual inspection will include observations for cladding defects, fretting, rod bowing, corrosion, crud deposition, g

and geometric distortion.

If any significant anomalies in the discharged fuel are detected during the visual exanination, further investigation may be performed if it is believed that the anomalics could be clarified through such exanination. Depending on the nature of the observed condition, the further exanination could include appropriate surface, dinensional, or ganaa inspections of the fuel assemblies. Undcr unusual circunstances, destructive exanination of a fuel assembly or individual fuel rods nay be required, but this would not be accomplished on site or within the tine of the refueling outage. ,

Six fuel assenblics in the initial core, two in each region, will be precharacterized for rod-to-rod spacing when manufactured.

The NRC will be advised of the normal refueling schedule and will be notified at least 10 days in advance of fuel surveillance inspections so that it may observe the inspections and the resultant evaluations of the fuel assenbly performance. If NRC representatives are present, an exit interview will be scheduled between the NRC representatives and the plant staff to discuss the results of the inspection. Following inspections an oral report of the results and conclusions will be made to NRC. Within 60 days of completion of the inspection, a written report will be submitted to NRC.

If a similar fuel surveillance program is completed, through the second and third refueling shutdowns, on another B&W reactor before the conpletion of the Bellefonte program, the remaining Bellefonte surveillance program n;.y be cancelled. Cancellation of the program will be subject to the review and approval of the NRC staff.

A ne s  ;

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JAN 11 1980 1