L-77-178, Letter Furnishing Information Concerning Refueling Surveillance Testing

Letter Furnishing Information Concerning Refueling Surveillance Testing

ML18127B254
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	06/16/1977
From:	Robert E. Uhrig Florida Power & Light Co
To:	Desiree Davis Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
L-77-178
Download: ML18127B254 (4)

Text

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FILE NUMBER NRC DISTRIBUTION FoR PART 50 DOCKET MATERIAL FROM: DATE OF DOCUMENT TO: 6-16-77 D K Davis Florida Pwr G Light Co Miami, Fla DATE RECEIVED R E Uhri PROP INPUT FORM NUMBER OF COPIES RECEIVED BETTE R Cl N OTO R I Z E D ORIGINAL OCOP Y SUNCLASSIFIED

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FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY June 16, 1977 RegIIIetory Docket ge L-77-178 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Attention: Mr. Don K. Davis, Acting Chief Operating Reactors Branch I2 Division of Operating Reactors U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555

Dear Mr. Davis:

Re: St. Lucie Unit 1 Docket No. 50-335 Refuelin Surveillance Testin Our continuing efforts to plan and schedule surveillance zesting in compliance with St. Lucie Unit, 1 license reauirements have led to a problem that. could seriously impact the Unit's availability. This problem concerns the scheduling of 18-month/refueling surveillance tests.

At the time of initial fuel loading, we were given the interpretation that all surveillance intervals began at the time of licensing (March 1, 1976, for DPR-67), which would bring the 18-month/refueling surveillances due between Sept-ember, l977 and January, 1978. This interpretation was given by the plant's principal inspectors from the Region II Office of Inspection and Enforcement at'*about. the. time'he operating license was iss'ued, and, until recently, planning for their conduct proceeded on this basis. Approximately two weeks ago, however, a new interpretation was given by Region II. Under the new interpretation, the 18-month/refueling surveillance interval begins at the time oj pre-operational testing.

Our evaluation of the impact of this has prompted us to reexamine the overall scheduling requirements for these tests, since in either case they must be performed prior to the Cycle 2 refueling outage.

The underlying problem in the conduct of these surveillances is that they will require a unit shutdown and an outage of the magnitude of a normal refueling outage. Because of a lengthy (5-month) outage during 1976 for poison shim replacement we have been forced to defer the Cycle 2 refueling outage until the late summer of 1978. If the unit has to be shut down before this refueling to perform the 18-month/refueling surveillances, the total down-time, including the forced surveillance outage and the scheduled 1978 refueling outage, would be twice the normal amount.

771800111 PEOPLE... SERVING PEOPLE

Mr. D.K. Davis L-77-178 June 16, 1977 page 2 Therefore, for the reasons described above,'e request that the end of the first 18-month/refueling surveillance period be extended to the first scheduled refueling outage for St.

Lucie Unit l. PPZ would perform subsequent l8-month/refueling surveillances during each subsequent refueling outage in order to preclude the excessive down-time associated with the existing l8-month schedule. Our future efforts are dependent upon your response to our request because many of the outstanding surveillances require outside contractors and this increases the scheduling difficulties. Your prompt response in this matter will bc apprec'at-d.

We are reviewing our surveillance program in light, of the new interpretation from Region II and the revised refueling schedule in an effort to satisfy technical specification requirements without affecting unit availability. We will be available to discuss this issue with you in order that we may reach a mutually acceptable solution.

Very truly yours, Robert E. Uhrig Vice President REU.:RLH:MAS:dm cc: Norman. C. Moseley, Region Robert Lowenstein, Esquire II