ML20216G095

Informs That Addl Info Needed to Complete Review of Licensee Proposed Amend to License of Plant,Unit 1 Revising Section 3/4.1.2 of TS to Permit,On one-time Basis,Performance of Natural Circulation Test

ML20216G095
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	09/02/1997
From:	Tam P NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Gordon Peterson DUKE POWER CO.
References
TAC-M98728, NUDOCS 9709120207
Download: ML20216G095 (4)

Text

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September 2, 1997 Mr. Gary R. Nt rson Sit] Vice Preeto:nt Catawba Nuclear Station Duke Energy Corporation

- 4800 Concord Road York, South Carolina 29745-9635

SUBJECT:

CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT REGARDING NATURAL CIRCULATION TESTING (TAC NO. M98728)

Dear Mr. Peterson:

By letter dated May 8,1997, Duke Power Company proposed an amendment to the operating license of Catawba, Unit 1, revising Section 3/4.1.2 of the Technical Specifications to parmit, on a one-time basis, performance of a natural circulation test.

The staff has reviewed your submittal, and found that the enclosed additional information is needed to complete the review. Please provide your response expeditiously such that the staff will have time to complete its review and issue an amendment by your requested date of October 1,1997. Contact me at 301-415-1451 if you have any questions regarding this request for additional infon nation.

I Sincerely, l ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

Peter S. Tam, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate 11-2 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/Il Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-413

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl: See next page '

Distribution Docket File OGC l PUBLIC .

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% September 2,1997 Mr. Gary R. Peterson Site Vice President  ;

Catawba Nuclear Station Duke Energy Corporation 4800 Concord Road York, South Carolina 29745-9635

SUBJECT:

CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNil 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL.

INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT REGARDING NATURAL CIRCULATION TESTING (TAC NO. M98728)

Dear Mr. Peterson:

l By letter dated May 8.1997, Duke Power Company proposed an amendment to the operating license of Catawba, Unit 1, revising Section 3/4.1.2 of the Technical Specifications to permit, on a one-time basis, performance of a natural circulation test.

The staff has reviewed your submittal, and found that the enclosed additional information is needed to complete the review. Please provide your response expeditiously such that the staff will have time to complete its review and issue an amendment by your requested date of October 1,1997. Contact me at 301415-1451 if you have any questions regarding this request for additional information.

Sincerely,

\

1

)

c r S. Tam, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate ll-2 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-413.

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl: See next page m

q Catawba Nuclear Station cc:-

, Mr. M. S. Kition - North Carolina Electric Membership Regulatory Compliance Manager Corporation Duke Energy Corporation P. O. Box 27306 4800 Concord Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 York, South Carolina 29745 Senior Resident inspector

,. - Mr. Paul R. Newton ' 4830 Concord Road Legal Department (PB05E) York, South Carc!ina 29745 Duke Energy Corporation L 422 South Church Street - Regional Administrator, Region ll j; Chariotte, North Carolina 28242 _ U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i

!' Atlanta Federal Center J. Michael McGarry, Ill, Esquire 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 23T85 i

Winston and Strewn Atlanta, Georgia 30303 1400 L Street, NW-Washington DC 20005 Max Batavia, Chief Bureau of Radiological Health North Carolina Municipal Power South Carolina Department of Agency Number 1 Health and Environmental Control 1427 Meadowwood Boulevard 2600 Bull Street.

P. O. Box 29513 Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Raleigh, North Carolina 27626 Mr. G. A. Copp Mr Peter R. Harden, IV - Licensing - EC050 Account Sales Manager Duke Energy Corporation Westinghouse Electric Corporation - 526 South Church Street Power Systems Field Sales Charlotte, North Carolina 28242-0001

- P. O. Box 7288 - 1 Charlotte, North Carolina 28241 Saluda River Electric P. O. Box 929 County _ Manager of York County Laurens, South Carolina 29360 -

. York County Courthouse

. York, South Carolina 29745 Ms. Karen E. Long -

Assistant Attomey General .

Richard P, Wilson, Esquire North Carolina Department of Justice

- Assistant Attomey General . P. O. Box 629 iSouth Carolina Attorney General's Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 -

' Office P. O. Box;11549 Elaine Wathen, Lead REP Planner-

- Columbia, South Carolina 29211 Division of Emergency Management 116 West Jones Street Piedmont Municipal Power Agency Raleigh, North Carolina 27603-1335 121 Village Drive Greer, South Carolina 29651

Reauest'for Additional Information-

- Catawba Nuclear Station Unit 1 Proposed Amendment on Natural Circulation j

1. Describe the test procedure and the major recovery steps in the procedures that will be used for recovery from the test. Include a list of prerequisites for the test including those related.to auxiliary feedwater system status, steam generator relief valve status,' charging /hlgh head safety injection system status, etc.

. I 2. - During the initial test, you experienced a problem with the reactor coolant pump that you described as follows: "...a reactor coolant pump could not be restarted for a period of time at the completion of the test due to a high stand pipe level." Discuss how this problem will be prevented in this test. Discuss this not only from the perspective of violating technical specifications but from the perspective of being ,

able to start the pump.

i

3. The initial test was required to be performed at cors burnups to ensure that no significant core decay heat levels are present, in this case, a reactor trip would effectively terminate the event. In your proposed test, you will use decay heat to conduct the test and therefore, there will be significant decay heat. Discuss any cor;tingencies that you will have in place to cool the core in case of unexpected system behavior.

__ 4. - - Discuss any special training (class room, briefings, simulator, etc.) that the operators -

were or will be provided prior to conducting this test. -

5. In your submittal, you provided a list of example test termination criteria. Provide a

- complete list of the test termination criteria and a list of expected values for the

- same parameters. . Also, discuss and justify your expectation of system pressure response and primary power-operated relief valve operation.

6.- -

In your submittal, you state that the operators will verify natural circulation by

' observation of the wide range loop temperatures and core exit thermocouple.

Explain how this verification is accomplished and the type of training operators

received in this regard _(i.e., how will operators know if there is natural circulation).

Enclosure u