ML20006D231

Responds to NRC Bulletin 89-003 Re Potential Loss of Required Shutdown Margin During Refueling Operations. Refueling Procedures Will Be Revised to Incorporate Guidance That Will Preclude Inadvertent Loss of Shutdown

ML20006D231
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	01/31/1990
From:	Hairston W ALABAMA POWER CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
IEB-89-003, IEB-89-3, NUDOCS 9002120271
Download: ML20006D231 (2)

Text

[Op & I g 7; ; 4 L ,

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id - . Alab*.rna Power Comp:ny L '

/, f. ~ 40 inverness CInt r Parkway t

'e . Post Office Box 1295 .

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%, BirminDham, Alabama 35201'-

Telephone 205 868 5581 i

W. G. Hairston, til . '

Senior Vice President -

wuciear operations Alabama Power t the southom electrc system January 31, 1990 10CFR50.54(f).

Docket Nos. 50-348'

~50-364 IU.'S.'NuclearRegulatoryCommission s ATTN: Document Control Desk 1

Vashington,-D.--C. 20555 '

Gentlemen:

Joseph M. Parley Nuclear Plant - Units 1 and 2 Potential Loss.of= Required Shutdown Margin During Refueling-Operations (NRC Bulletin 89-03) -

On November 21, 1989 the NRC issued Bulletin 89.-03, " Potential Loss of

? - Required. Shutdown Margin During Refueling Operations." .This~ letter discusses m' potential criticality concern when fuel assemblies are.

temporarily placed in locations other than their final analyzed positions. .l The NRC requested a written response from each licensee which describes the '

actions ~taken to assure-that adequate shutdown margin is maintained during

all refueling operations.

l Iniresponse:to the requested actions of NRC Bulletin 89-03, Alabama Power L'

Company. commits _to. complete the following items-prior to entering the next  :!

refueling outage '

.NRC Request l'

E 1. Assure that any: intermediate fuel assembly configuration (including

. control rods) intended to be used during refueling is identified. '

and evaluated.to maintain sufficient refueling boron concentration U to result in a minimum shutdown margin of approximately 5%.

APCo Response lu H 1. Analysis vill be obtained that will assure that the procedural i: guidance provided for refueling operations vill preclude an inadvertent loss of shutdown margin as defined by technical specifications due to temporary storage of fuel assemblies in intermediate locations. This analysis vill apply to full core offloads which is the current refueling method used at Farley Nuclear Plant. Should another means of refueling operation be used '

O at Farley Nuclear Plant (i.e., fuel shuffling), the provisions of this bulletin vill be addressed such that assurance is provided l- that the allowable shutdown margin is not exceeded.

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Nuclbar. Regulatory Commission ~!

Response to Bulletin 89-03

-Page 2 P

l. NRC Request l -. 2. Assure that fuel loading procedures only allow those intermediate fuel assembly configurations that do not violate the allowable  ;

shutdown margin and that these procedures are strictly adhered to. '

APCo Response-

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2. Refueling procedures vill be revised to incorporate guidance that vill. preclude an inadvertent loss of shutdown as defined by technical specification due to temporary storage of fuel assemblies

-in intermediate locations.

NRC Request

- 3. Assure that the staff responsible for refueling operations is trained in the procedures recommended in Item 2 above and understand the potential consequences of violating these procedures. This training should include the fundamental aspects of' criticality control with higher enriched fuel assemblies.

APCo Response

3. ' Senior reactor operators and supervisory personnel responsible for refueling operations vill be trained on the procedures described above and the potential consequences of violating these procedures.

> Vith the items listed above completed, Alabama Power Company considers this to be a full and complete response to'NRC Bulletin 89-03. The information provided herein is true.to the best of my knowledge and* belief. _If there are any questions, please advise. -

Respectfully submitted,-

, ME ). l$w >

V. G. Hairston, III SVORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME.

THIS 3l " DAY OF O hus&Ah , 1990 11w Y

/ Notary Public My Commission Expires: / J!/f!9

/ /

WGH, III/BHV md 13.02 cc: Mr..S. D. Ebneter Mr. E. A. Reeves Mr. G. F. Maxwell

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