NRC: News Release - 2007-123 - NRC Publishes Regulatory Issue Summary on Feedwater Flow Meter Issues

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No. 07-123

September 27, 2007

NRC PUBLISHES REGULATORY ISSUE SUMMARY
ON FEEDWATER FLOW METER ISSUES
Printable Version

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is informing nuclear power plant operators about the agency’s review of devices, called ultrasonic flow meters (UFM), currently in use at several U.S. reactors.

Plant operators measure how much water flows into a reactor or steam generators as part of the information they need to determine the reactor’s power output. UFMs have been used to increase the accuracy of this information. Currently, there are two basic NRC-approved UFM designs available to monitor this, and in some cases plants rely on the meters’ improved accuracy to request NRC approval for operating at slightly higher power levels.

The NRC's Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) informs plant operators of some instances where UFM use led to plants operating slightly above (approximately 2.5 percent) their NRC licensed power level. The plants operated safely during these instances and did not affect public health. The agency re-evaluated the justification for using UFMs and concluded one manufacturer, Westinghouse, failed to demonstrate adequately its “Crossflow” meter can consistently achieve its stated levels of accuracy.

The RIS informs plant operators they cannot use the agency’s previous evaluation of the Crossflow meter to justify future requests to operate at higher power levels. The RIS also advises operators currently relying on the Crossflow meter for increased power levels to evaluate this new information and ensure their plants continue to meet NRC regulations for safe operation.

The RIS is available on the agency's Web site, by entering accession number ML063450261 at this address:http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html. Questions should be directed to Thomas Alexion (phone 301-415-1326 or Thomas.Alexion@nrc.gov).

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