ML20073E974

Application for Amends to Licenses NPF-9 & NPF-17,changing Tech Specs to Use Two Demonstration Assemblies Containing Some Fuel Rods Whose Clad Compositions Fall Outside Specification Range of Zircaloy-4.Rept Withheld

ML20073E974
Person / Time
Site:	McGuire, Mcguire
Issue date:	04/18/1991
From:	Tuckman M DUKE POWER CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML19302E548	List: ML20073E974 ML20073E981
References
NUDOCS 9105010176
Download: ML20073E974 (4)

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DUKEPOWER April 18, 1991 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTH: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555

Subject:

McGuire Nuclear Station Docket Numbers 50-369 and -370 Technical Specification Change to Allow Use of Demonstration Assemblics Attached is a proposed Technical Specification change which will allow McGuire Unit 1 to use two demonstration assemblies which contain some fuel rods whose clad compositions fall outside the specification range of Zircaloy-4. These demonstration assemblies are scheduled to be loaded into Unit i during the upcoming refueling outage (September - November 1991) and irradiated through cycles 8, 9, and 10.

The purpose of the demonstration program is to explore new clad compositions which may be more resistant to corrosion and other mechanisms of fuel rod degradation, in order to improve fuel rod performance. This is expected to have safety benefits in terms of reducing incidence of fuel failure, as well as economic benefits in terms of permitting longer fuel cycles and extending fuel burnups.

The change to tho Technical Specifications is contained in Attachment I. A Justification and Safety Analysis to support the change is presented in Attachment II; an analysis pursuant to 10 CFR 50.91, to support the finding of No Significant Hazards Consideration, is presented in Attachment III. A copy of this amendment request has been provided to the State of North Carolina.

Attachment IV contains an analysis which addresses the criteria of 10 CFR S0.: 2 to permit the granting of an exemption to the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations. As discussed in the attachments, the proposed change may result in some of the fuel cladding materials to be outside the scope of "Zircaloy" as specified in 10 CFR 50.46. Therefore, an exemption to that requirement is hereby requested.

Attachment V is a B & W Fuel Company report which describes the 9105010176 910418 ,

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I April 18,U.1991 S. Nuclear Regulatory C Page 2 ommission advanced information contained in thcladding demonstration program .

Please should this proprietary be withheld designati from public sclosure. die report note that is proprietary to the and Those amendment and exemption is included inent. the attachmAn affidavit in November received by of 1991of McGuire Unit 1 Cycle 8, which ion re October Therefore, operation fabrication of the demons,tr1991.

1 we request that ths currently up scheduled for s in July; early Pleaso ose approvals be appreciated. resolution ation assemblies isnote, however, that the of this amendment scheduled to occur replaced. demonstration In that ca assembliesIn the event request would nood request is not approved, thebeamendment would scheduling could occur.se, a significant impact to be reconstituted or on critical path If there 7581. are any questions

, please call Scott Gewehr at373- (704)

Very truly yours, C Ww M. S.

Tuckman M1CBTA/ sag cc: Mr. P. K.

Van Doorn McGuire Nuclear StationSenior r Resident Inspecto Mr. R. C. Jones Reactor Systems Branch Office U. S. of Nuclear Reacto Washington, D. Nuclear C. Regulatory Commis s on ir Regulation 20555 Mr. T. A. Reed, Office U. S. Project Manager Mail Stop Nuclear 9H3, OWFN Regulatory s on Commis iof Nuclear Reactor Regu Washington, D. C.

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U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission l April 18, 1991 Page 2 . j advanced cladding demonstration program. Please note that the information contained in the report is proprietary to BWFC, and should be withheld from public disclosure. An affidavit supporting ,

this proprietary designation is included in the attachment. l l

These amendment and. exemption requc.sts are related to the operation of McGttire Unit 1 Cycle 8, which is currently scheduled for startup in November of 1991. Therefore, we request that these approvals be received by October 1, 1991. Please note, however, that fabrication of the demonstration assemblies is scheduled to occur in July; early resolution of this amendment request would be appreciated. In the event the amendment request is not approved, the demonstration assemblies would need to be reconstituted or replaced. In that case, a significant impact on critical-path scheduling could occur.

If there are any questions, please call Scott Gewehr at (704) 373-7581.

Very truly yours,

, w M. S. Tuckman M1C8TA/ sag cc: Mr. P. K. Van Doorn Senior-Resident Inspector McGuire Nuclear Station Mr. R. C. Jones Reactor Systems Branch Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 Mr. T. A. Reed, Project Manager office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 9H3, OWFN Washington, D. C. 20555

g et U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission April 18, 1991 page 3 ,

Mr. S. D. Ebneter, Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Region II 101 Marietta Stroot, NW - Suito 2900 Atlanta, Georgia 30323 Mr. Dayne Brown, Chief Radiation Protection Branch

-Division of Facility Services Department of Human Services 701 Barbour Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27603-2008 Mr. Frank McPhatter B & W Fuel Company 3315 Old Forest Road P. O. Box 10935 Lynchburg, VA 24506 l-

U. S. liuclear Regulatory Commission April 18, 1991 Page 4 ,

M. S. Tuckman, being duly sworn, states that he is Vice-President of Duke Power Company; and that he is authorized on the part of said Company to sign and file with the 11uclear Regulatory Commission this revision to the McGuire Fuclear Station Technical Specifications, Appendix A to Facility Operating License lios.11PF-9 and 11PF-17 ; and that all statements and matters set forth therein are true and correct to the best of his knowledge.

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MIh4A.LCvv M. S. Tuckman, Vice-President Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of April, 1991.

c140 10U liotary gab'lic My Commission expires:

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