ML082100425

Browns Ferry, Unit 1, Technical Specifications Change TS-431, Proposed Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Fuels License Condition

ML082100425
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	07/25/2008
From:	West R G Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC MD5262, TVA-BFN-TS-431
Download: ML082100425 (3)

Text

July 25, 2008

TVA-BFN-TS-431

10 CFR 50.90 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

ATTN: Document Control Desk

Mail Stop OWFN, P1-35 Washington, D. C. 20555-0001 Gentlemen:

In the Matter of ) Docket Nos. 50-259 Tennessee Valley Authority )

BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT (BFN) - UNIT 1 - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TS) CHANGE TS-431 - PROPOSED EXTENDED POWER UPRATE (EPU) FUELS LICENSE CONDITION (TAC NO. MD5262)

On June 28, 2004 (ADAMS Accession No. ML041840109), TVA submitted a license amendment application for EPU operation at 3952 megawatts thermal for BFN Unit 1.

The amendment would change the Unit 1 operating license to increase the maximum authorized core thermal power level by approximately 14 percent. In a letter dated June 24, 2008 (ML070370281), NRC requested that TVA review a NRC proposed fuels methods License Condition (LC) 2.C(8) that would apply to Unit 1 EPU operation. The proposed LC from the June 24, 2008, NRC letter is repeated below. Prior to operating at thermal power greater than 3458 megawatts thermal, the limiting operating limit minimum critical power ratio shall be established using an additional margin of 0.01 to address analyses uncertainties. This additional margin shall be maintained until additional validated measurement data is provided to the NRC in order to verify the calculated void quality correlation. TVA has reviewed the proposed LC and requests it be modified to directly reference the fuel vendor, General Electric (GE), whose fuels analysis methods the LC applies to. Since Unit 1 is changing fuel vendors for operating cycle 9 in 2010, it is important that the LC be written so that it is clear the LC does not apply to the new vendor's fuels analysis methods.

This would ensure that TVA will not have to request an unnecessary future licensing action U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 July 25, 2008 to differentiate the applicability of the LC between GE's and the new vendor's fuels

analysis methods. The following revision to the LC, which is based on the corresponding Limitation and Condition from NRC's safety evaluation (ML073340214) of Licensing Topical Report NEDC-33173-P, Applicability of GE Methods to Expanded Operating Domains, is offered

below. Prior to operating at thermal power greater than 3458 megawatts thermal, the limiting operating limit minimum critical power ratio shall be established using an additional margin of 0.01 to address analyses uncertainties. This additional margin shall be maintained until such time that the NRC approves GE expansion of the experimental database supporting the Findlay-Dix void-quality correlation to demonstrate the accuracy and performance of the void-quality correlation based on experimental data representative of the current fuel designs and operating conditions during steady-state, transient, and accident conditions. This limitation applies to analyses performed using GE fuels methods. If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Tony Langley at (256)729-2636. I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on this 25 th day of July, 2008.

Sincerely, Original signed by R. G. West

Site Vice President

cc: See page 3 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 3 July 25, 2008 cc: State Health Officer Alabama State Department of Public Health RSA Tower - Administration

Suite 1552 P.O. Box 303017 Montgomery, Alabama 36130-3017 NRC Senior Resident Inspector

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant

10833 Shaw Road Athens, AL 35611-6970

Mr. Eugene F. Guthrie, Branch Chief U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Region II Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 23T85 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8931

Eva Brown, Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (MS 08G9)

One White Flint, North

11555 Rockville Pike

Rockville, Maryland 20852-2739