IR 05000424/1986039

Advises That Based on Results of Insp Repts 50-424/86-39 & 50-425/86-19 Re Failure of Util to Provide Accurate Info in Obtaining NRC Acceptance of Alternative Pipe Break Criteria, No Formal Enforcement Action Being Taken

ML20215D103
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	12/08/1986
From:	Grace J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	John Miller GEORGIA POWER CO.
References
CON-#486-1937 EA-86-127, OL, NUDOCS 8612160209
Download: ML20215D103 (4)

Text

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DEC 0 81986 Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425 -

License Nos. CPPR-108 and CPPR-109 EA 86-127 Georgi Power Company ATTN: VMr. J. H. Miller, J President P. O. Box 4545 Atlanta, GA 30302 Gentlemen:

SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT NOS. 50-424/86-39 AND 50-425/86-19 This refers to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection conducted by Mr. G. Hallstrom at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant on May 5-9 and June 23, 1986. This inspection included a review of circumstances surrounding inaccurate information that had been submitted to the NRC concerning criteria for the elimination of intermediate pipe breaks on high energy piping and associated whip restraints. The report documenting this inspection was sent to you with a letter dated July 30, 198 NRC concerns regarding the inspection findings were discussed by Mr. R. D. Walker, Acting Deputy Regional Administrator, NRC, Region II, with Mr. R. E. Conway, Vogtle Project Director, Georgia Power Company (GPC) and other members of your staft, in an Enforcement Conference held in the Region II Office on June 23, 198 The inspection identified the circumstances associated with a failure by GPC to provide accurate information in obtaining NRC acceptance of alternative pipe break criteria. GPC's commitment to NRC Mechanical Engineering Branch Technical Position MEB 3-1 in section 3.6 of the Plant Vogtle Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) required the postulation of arbitrary intermediate pipe breaks (AIPB) in high energy piping in the design of the Vogtle facility. Pipe whip restraints were required at the AIPB locations to mitigate the severity of potential damage due to unanticipated transients during plant operation By letter dated November 11, 1983, GPC requested approval for the application of alternative pipe break criteria which would eliminate the need to postulate AIPBs. The change would allow omission of approximately 182 AIPB locations and 110 associated pipe whip restraints for each unit at the Vogtle facilit GPC's technical bases in support of the requested changes were provided by letter dated April 26, 1984. The letter stated that GPC had reviewed all arbitrary intermediate break locations to be elimina+.ed and had determined that in no cases were welded attachments closer than five pipe diameters from postulated break location The statement that no welded attachments were closer than five pipe diameters from postulated break locations was inaccurate in that welded attachments were identified later that were located within five pipe diameters of main steam line breaks P-1054-C and P-1055-C at the Vogtle facility. Similar "five pipe diameter" criteria had been accepted by the NRC for other plants as a reasonable 8612160209 861200 \ 0 PDR ADOCK 05000424 i

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Georgia Power Company 2 DEC 0 81986 requirement to assure that welded supports would not be located close enough to postulated break points to contribute to potential damage from unanticipated transients. Therefore, the statement had the capability to influence a reasonable agency expert in the NRC decision to allow GPC's requested chang Based on the results of our inspection and statements made during the Enforcement Conference, the inaccurate statement did not involve willfulness. Therefore, no formal enforcement action is being taken against you in this instanc However, the inaccuracies in the April 26, 1984 submittal are inconsistent with the necessary careful attention to detail and technical competence expected of a licensee and generally exhibited by GPC in the design and construction of the Vogtle facility. The NRC relies on communications by licensees in carrying out its regulatory responsibilitie Inaccurate or incomplete information is not acceptable. You are expected to take all actions necessary to ensure that in the future, all communications with the NRC are complete and accurate in all signifi-cant respects. Attention should also be given to ensuring formality and discipline in controlling engineering studies used as a basis for submittals to the NR In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document Roo

Sincerely, original sind !J J. Nelson Graw J. Nelson Grace Regional Administrator cc: J. P. O'Reilly, Senior Vice

/ President Nuclear Operations VR. E. Conway, Senior Vice President j & Project Director

/D. O. Foster, Vice President N.ProjectSupport D. Rice, Vice President Project Engineering

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. H. Pinson, Vice President Construction l

/J. T. Beckham, Vice President Plant Hatch

/R. A. Thomas, Vice President Licensing

/D. S. Read, General Manager M.QualityAssurance W. Hayes, Vogtle Quality

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/G. B. Bockhold, General Manager Nuclear Operations

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