NRC Bulletin 96-03, Potential Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling Suction Strainers by Debris in Boiling-Water Reactors

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

NRC Bulletin 96-03, Potential Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling

Suction Strainers by Debris in Boiling-Water Reactors

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of issuance.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Bulletin

96-03 to request boiling-water reactor (BWR) licensees to implement

measures to ensure the capability of the emergency core cooling system

(ECCS) to perform its safety function following a loss-of-coolant

accident (LOCA), and require that BWR licensees report to the NRC

whether and to what extent the requested actions will be taken and to

notify the NRC when the actions associated with the bulletin are

complete. This bulletin is available in the NRC Public Document Room

under accession number 9605020119. This bulletin is discussed in

Commission information paper SECY-96-087 which is also available in the

NRC Public Document Room.

DATES: The bulletin was issued on May 6, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert B. Elliott, (301) 415-1397 or

Internet: [email protected], or M. David Lynch, (301) 415-3023 or Internet:

[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC issued this bulletin to request BWR

licensees to implement appropriate procedural measures and plant

modifications to minimize the potential for clogging of ECCS

suppression pool suction strainers by debris generated during a LOCA.

The NRC has identified three potential resolution options, which

include (1) the installation of a large capacity passive strainer

design, (2) the installation of a self-cleaning strainer, and (3) the

installation of a backflush system. However, licensees may propose an

alternative course of action provided it offers an equivalent level of

assurance that the ECCS will be able to perform its safety function

following a LOCA. The actions requested by this bulletin are considered

backfits in accordance with NRC procedures and are necessary to ensure

compliance with existing NRC rules and regulations. In particular,

Section 50.46 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR

50.46) requires that adequate ECCS flow be provided to maintain the

core temperature at an acceptably low value and to remove decay heat

for the extended period of time required by the long-lived

radioactivity remaining in the core following a design basis accident.

Therefore, this bulletin was issued as a compliance backfit under the

terms of 10 CFR 50.109(a)(4)(i).

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day of May, 1996.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Brian K. Grimes,

Acting Director, Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 96-11875 Filed 5-10-96; 8:45 am]

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