ML043020508

E-mail R. Ennis, NRC, to B. Sienel and D. Pelton, NRC, Request to Confirm Info for Response to Sherman Letter

ML043020508
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	03/15/2004
From:	Richard Ennis Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	David Pelton, Beth Sienel Division of Nuclear Materials Safety I
References
FOIA/PA-2004-0362
Download: ML043020508 (1)

Text

- hick Ennis- Request to confirm ir ofor res~pqon to erman letter _ Page 1 From: Rick Ennis To: Beth Sienel; David Pelton C Date: 3/15/04 5:36PM

Subject:

Request to confirm info for response to Sherman letter Dave/Beth, In responding to Bill Sherman's letter regarding his comments on the EPU amendment request, NRR technical staff have provided me a writeup regarding VYNPS operations which I need verified. If possible, I would appreciate Ifyou could tell me if the following two paragraphs are consistent with VYNPS operation:

Containment integrity in a Mark I pressure suppression containment such as at VYNPS Is continuously monitored during normal operation since the containment is inerted, that is, air is removed and the containment is filled with nitrogen gas. Any significant increase in the amount of nitrogen that must be supplied to the containment might be a sign of degradation in containment integrity and would be observed by the reactor operators. The operators would then take the appropriate action in accordance with the VYNPS TSs. Another sign of loss of integrity would be the presence of oxygen gas in containment. Monitors provide continuous assurance that no oxygen is present. Again, ifoxygen were detected, the operators would take the appropriate action in accordance with the VYNPS TSs.

BWR emergency operating procedures, Including those at VYNPS, include a note to the reactor operators to terminate the containment sprays before the containment pressure drops below that required for adequate NPSH.

Thanks, Rick 301-415-1420 CC: Cliff Anderson; Darrell Roberts; Donald Florek