ML18249A178

Closeout of Generic Letter 2016-01, Monitoring of Neutron-Absorbing Materials in Spent Fuel Pools (CAC No. MF9438; EPID L-2016-LRC-0001)

ML18249A178
Person / Time
Site:	Grand Gulf
Issue date:	09/26/2018
From:	Doug Broaddus Special Projects and Process Branch
To:	Entergy Operations
Wall S
References
CAC MF9438, EPID-L-2016-LRC-0001
Download: ML18249A178 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 September 26, 2018 0MB Control No. 3150-0231 Vice President, Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station P.O. Box 756 Port Gibson, MS 39150

SUBJECT:

GRAND GULF NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 -CLOSEOUT OF GENERIC LETTER 2016-01, "MONITORING OF NEUTRON-ABSORBING MATERIALS IN SPENT FUEL POOLS" (CAC NO. MF9438; EPID L-2016-LRC-0001)

Dear Sir or Madam:

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 1, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16306A433), as supplemented by letter dated February 8, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No. ML18039A843), Entergy Operations, Inc.

(the licensee), responded to GL 2016-01 for Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (GGNS). In the licensee's response to GL 2016-01, as supplemented, the licensee stated that, for GGNS, the licensee credits Boraflex 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 Boraflex. In particular, the described monitoring program for the Boraflex includes the following key features:

Neutron attenuation testing in-situ material.

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 5 years.

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

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

For GGNS, 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.

Docket No. 50-416 cc: Listserv Sincerely, Douglas A. Broaddus, Chief Special Projects and Process Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

ML18249A178 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LSPB/PM NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM*

NAME SWall LRegner DATE 9/25/18 9/17/18 OFFICE NRR/DMLR/MCCB/BC* NRR/DIRS/IRGB/BC*

NAME SBloom BPham DATE 9/25/18 9/17/18 NRR/DORL/LAiT PTalukdar 9/12/18 NRR/DSS/SNPB/BC*

Rlukes 9/17/18