Part 21 Report - 1998-600

 
 

LICENSEE: ABB COMBUSTION ENGINEERING         

SITE: ABB COMBUSTION ENGINEERING            EN NUMBER:34639

DOCKET:                                  EVENT DATE: 08-13-98

RX TYPE:                                 EVENT TIME: 15:08

VENDORS:                                NOTIFY DATE: 08-13-98

EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A  REGION: 1 STATE: CT      TIME: 15:08

OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN             

10 CFR SECTION: CCCC  21.21               UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH



PART 21 NOTIFICATION REGARDING METHODOLOGY TO SELECT THE LIMITING

ASSEMBLY FOR PWR THERMAL-HYDRAULIC SAFETY ANALYSES.              

                                                                 

THE FOLLOWING IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED:              

                                                                 

"COMBUSTION ENGINEERING, INC. HAS EVALUATED A DEFICIENCY IN ITS  

CURRENT SCREENING METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING THE LIMITING FUEL  

ASSEMBLY FOR DETAILED PWR THERMAL-HYDRAULIC SAFETY ANALYSES.  THE

DEFICIENCY IS THAT THE SCREENING METHODOLOGY BASED ON LOW INLET  

FLOW MAY NOT CONSISTENTLY IDENTIFY THE MOST LIMITING ASSEMBLY IN 

THE PRESENCE OF VERY FLAT CORE AND ASSEMBLY POWER DISTRIBUTIONS. 

THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVALUATION WAS THAT THE DEFICIENCY COULD,  

UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, CONSTITUTE A DEFECT AS DEFINED BY 10   

CFR 21.  THE THERMAL-HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS METHODS THEMSELVES, WHEN 

APPLIED TO THE LIMITING ASSEMBLY, YIELD VALID RESULTS AND ARE NOT

AT ISSUE."                                                       

                                                                 

"THE CURRENT ANALYSES OF RECORD FOR THE FOLLOWING U.S. NUCLEAR   

POWER PLANTS ARE AFFECTED BY THE DEFECTIVE SCREENING METHOD:     

                                                                 

ANO-2,                                                           

CALVERT CLIFFS-1/2,                                              

PALO VERDE-1/2/3,                                                

SONGS-2/3,                                                       

ST. LUCIE-2,                                                     

WATERFORD-3,                                                     

                                                                 

AND, POSSIBLY, FT. CALHOUN."                                     

                                                                 

"ABB CE DOES NOT KNOW THE APPLICABILITY FOR OTHER ABB CE DESIGNED

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE US, AS IT HAS NOT BEEN RECENTLY      

INVOLVED WITH NUCLEAR SAFETY ANALYSES OF NUCLEAR FUEL AT THOSE   

PLANTS.  FOR THESE PLANTS, ABB CE WILL ISSUE A LETTER INFORMING  

THEM OF THIS CONDITION AND ADVISING THEM TO EVALUATE THE         

APPLICABILITY OF THE SITUATION.  THESE PLANTS ARE:               

                                                                 

MILLSTONE-2,                                                     

MAINE YANKEE (SHUTDOWN),                                         

PALISADES, AND                                                   

ST. LUCIE-1."