ML18249A334

Closeout of Generic Letter 2016-01, Monitoring of Neutron-Absorbing Materials in Spent Fuel Pools (CAC Nos. MF9435 and MF9436; EPID L-2016-LRC-0001)

ML18249A334
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	09/26/2018
From:	Doug Broaddus Special Projects and Process Branch
To:	Gayheart C Southern Nuclear Operating Co
Wall S NRR/DORL/LSPB 301-415-2855
References
CAC MF9435, CAC MF9436, EPID L-2016-LRC-0001
Download: ML18249A334 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 September 26, 2018 0MB Control No. 3150-0231 Ms. Cheryl A. Gayheart Regulatory Affairs Director Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Inc.

3535 *colonnade Parkway Birmingham, AL 35243

SUBJECT:

EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2-CLOSEOUT OF GENERIC LETTER 2016-01, "MONITORING OF NEUTRON-ABSORBING MATERIALS IN SPENT FUEL POOLS" (CAC NOS. MF9435 AND MF9436; EPID L-2016-LRC-0001)

Dear Ms. Gayheart:

On April 7, 2016, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Generic Letter (GL) 2016-01, "Monitoring of Neutron-Absorbing Materials in Spent Fuel Pools" (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML16097A169), to address the degradation of neutron-absorbing materials (NAMs) in wet storage systems for reactor fuel at power and non-power reactors.

The generic letter requested that licensees provide information to allow the NRC staff to verify continued compliance through effective monitoring to identify and mitigate any degradation or deformation of NAMs credited for criticality control in spent fuel pools (SFPs).

By letter dated November 2, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16307A295), as supplemented by letter dated February 5, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No. ML18036A376), Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (the licensee), responded to GL 2016-01 for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Hatch 1/2). In the licensee's response to GL 2016-01, as supplemented, the licensee stated that, for Hatch 1/2, the licensee credits Boral for criticality control and has an established NAM monitoring program. The NRC staff's review determined that the provided response sufficiently addressed the five areas of information described in Appendix A of GL 2016-01 for Boral. In particular, the described monitoring program for the Boral includes the following key features:

• Neutron attenuation testing of coupons.

• Established processes to ensure that the licensee will take the appropriate corrective actions if any potentially non-conforming material is discovered.

• A testing frequency not to exceed 10 years for each SFP.

C. Gayheart

• Acceptance criteria to ensure maintenance of the 5-percent subcriticality margin for the SFP.

In its response to GL 2016-01, the licensee provided information that showed an approximately 7-year gap between installation of the Boral NAM in the SFP racks, and the installation of the Boral coupons. However, the licensee also stated that the Boral coupons were located near freshly discharged fuel each refueling outage. During a telephone call on August 9, 2018, the licensee clarified that it is a procedural requirement to place freshly discharged fuel adjacent to the coupons every outage, and that this requirement has been in place since the coupons were installed. Therefore, the NRC staff has reasonable assurance that the Boral coupons will be representative of the in-service Boral NAM.

The NRC staff found that the licensee intends to continue monitoring the condition of its NAMs as described in its response.

For Hatch 1/2, the NRC staff's review determined that the information provided sufficiently addressed the five areas of information described in Appendix A to GL 2016-01. Based on the review of the information provided, the NRC staff concludes no further information is requested regarding GL 2016-01.

Sincerely,

,:0~&7(1 Douglas A. Broaddus, Chief Special Projects and Process Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-321 and 50-366 cc: ListServ

ML18249A334 *via email OFFICE NRR/DORULSPB/PM NRR/DORULPL2-1 /PM* NRR/DORULAiT NRR/DORULSPB/LA NAME SWall JHall PTalukdar JBurkhardt DATE 09/17/18 09/13/18 09/11/18 09/12/18 OFFICE NRR/DMLR/MCCB/BC* NRR/DI RS/I RGB/BC* NRR/DSS/SNPB/BC* NRR/DORULSPB/BC NAME SBloom BPham RLukes DBroaddus DATE 09/17/18 09/13/18 09/17/18 09/26/18