ML15030A460

Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, Request for Additional Information Regarding License Amendment Request to Support a Measurement Uncertainty Recapture Power Uprate (TAC Nos. MF4526 and MF4527)

ML15030A460
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	02/09/2015
From:	Miller G E Plant Licensing Branch II
To:	Henderson K Duke Energy Carolinas
Miller G E
References
TAC MF4526, TAC MF4527
Download: ML15030A460 (5)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Mr. Kelvin Henderson Site Vice President Catawba Nuclear Station Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC 4800 Concord Road York, NC 297 45 February 9, 2015

SUBJECT:

CA:VAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2: REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO SUPPORT A MEASUREMENT UNCERTAINTY RECAPTURE POWER UPRATE FOR CATAWBA, UNIT 1 (TAC NOS. MF4526 AND MF4527)

Dear Mr. Henderson,

By letter dated Jurie 23, 2014 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML 14176A109),

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke) submitted a license amendment request to increase the Catawba, Unit 1, authorized core power level from 3,411 megawatts thermal (MWt) .to 3,469 MWt, an increase of approximately

1. 7 percent rated thermal power. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the licensee's submittal and determined that additional information is needed in order to complete the NRC staff's review. Enclosure 1 describes this request for additional information (RAI). The NRC staff notes that, as identified in SRXR -RAI 8, your original submittal contained neutron fluence values that were calculated using a code not currently approved for Catawba.

As discussed in with your staff, the NRC can incorporate the review of a new fluence methqdology into the measurement uncertainty recapture review; however, the NRC staff estimates that this will result in an approximate 8 month delay in the review schedule.

If you have any questions, please call me at 301-415-2481.

Docket Nos. 50:-413 and 50-414

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv G. Edward Miller, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 11-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO SUPPORT THE MEASUREMENT UNCERTAINTY RECAPTURE POWER UPRATE DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-413 AND 50-414 TAC NOS. MF4328 AND MF4329 By letter dated June 23, 2014, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke), the licensee for Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (Catawba),

requested a measurement uncertainty recapture (MUR) power uprate (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML 14176 A109). The proposed revision would increase the Catawba, Unit 1, authorized core power level from 3411 megawatts thermal (MWt) to 3469 MWt, an increase of 1. 7 percent rated thermal power. Based on the review of the amendment

request, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has determined that additional information is required regarding the MUR power up rate Reactor Systems Branch (SRXB) -RAI 8 The RAPTOR3G code used to calculate fluence for MUR conditions does not appear to be approved by the NRC for use in this scenario.

The NRC staff requests that .the licensee provide justification for the use of RAPTOR3G for fluence calculations for MUR conditions, or provide an alternative fluence calculation using an NRC approved method. SRXB-RAI9 In response to SRXB-RAI 1, Duke indicated that it was Catawba's "intention" to directly trend different measurements of plant power. Please clarify the use of the word intention.

SRXB-RAI10 Please indicate whether the Leading Edge Flow Meter transducers have been evaluated for environmental qualification with respect to the radiological environment in which they will be used. Enclosure Steam Generator and Chemical Engineering Branch (ESGB)-RAJ 3 Describe the evaluations performed to assess the potential impact of the power uprate on steam generator (SG) tube vibration response and consequential wear degradation (wear at tube support locations, tube-to-tube wear) and fatigue.

This should include a description of the impact of the power uprate on average and peak thermal hydraulic parameters (e.g., gap velocities, dynamic pressures, void fractions, and steam quality) and how these were considered in assessing tube wear and fatigue performance.

This should also include a discussion of whether these thermal hydraulic conditions are within the envelope of successful experience at other plants of similar design and size. "Successful experience" in this context refers to avoiding rapidly developing degradation mechanisms that cannot be successfully managed through the SG program.

K Henderson If you have any questions, please call me at 301-415-2481.

Sincerely,

/RAJ G. Edward Miller, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 11-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.* 50-413 and 50-414

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

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