Information Notice 1998-42, Implementation of 10 CFR 55.55a(g) Inservice Inspection Requirements
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UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001
December 1, 1998
NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 98-42: IMPLEMENTATION OF 10 CFR 50.55a(g) INSERVICE
INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
Addressees
All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors.
Purpose
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Is Issuing this Information notice to alert
addressees to certain aspects of requesting relief from American Society of Mechanical
Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) examinations that received less than
essentially 100 percent" coverage. ("Essentially 100 percent" examination is defined as more
than 90 percent of the specified examination volume.) It Is expected that recipients will review
the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid
similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this Information notice are not NRC
requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
Description of Circumstances
It became evident to the NRC staff while it was conducting Inservice inspections (ISI) reviews of
licensees' 90-day ISI reports that some licensees were unaware of, uncertain of, or had
misinterpreted the Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 50.55a(g)(4) (10 CFR
50.55a(g)(4)) requirements regarding the examination of components to the extent practical
within the limitations of design, geometry, and materials of construction of the components.
Licensees should be cognizant of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iii) which requires submittal of requests
for relief from paragraph 50.55a(g)(4) when complete examination coverage(s) Is impractical.
Because of the scope and extent of ISI examinations, significant planning Is necessary to
address the technical and regulatory Issues associated with the examinations required by the
ASME Code, to the extent practical, of Class 1, 2, and 3 systems and components.
This information notice contains a discussion of certain areas of misinterpretation that the NRC
staff has dealt with In the Implementation of the 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) rule.
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UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001
December 1, 1998
NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 98-42: IMPLEMENTATION OF 10 CFR 50.55a(g) INSERVICE
INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
Addressees
All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors.
Purpose
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Is Issuing this Information notice to alert
addressees to certain aspects of requesting relief from American Society of Mechanical
Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) examinations that received less than
essentially 100 percent" coverage. ("Essentially 100 percent" examination Is defined as more
than 90 percent of the specified examination volume.) It Is expected that recipients will review
the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid
similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this Information notice are not NRC
requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response Is required.
Description of Circumstances
It became evident to the NRC staff while it was conducting inservice Inspections (ISI) reviews of
licensees' 90-day ISI reports that some licensees were unaware of, uncertain of, or had
misinterpreted the Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 50.55a(g)(4) (10 CFR
50.55a(g)(4)) requirements regarding the examination of components to the extent practical
within the limitations of design, geometry, and materials of construction of the components.
Licensees should be cognizant of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iii) which requires submittal of requests
for relief from paragraph 50.55a(g)(4) when complete examination coverage(s) Is impractical.
Because of the scope and extent of ISI examinations, significant planning is necessary to
address the technical and regulatory Issues associated with the examinations required by the
ASME Code, to the extent practical, of Class 1, 2, and 3 systems and components.
This information notice contains a discussion of certain areas of misinterpretation that the NRC
staff has dealt with In the Implementation of the 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) rule.
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December 1, 1998 Discussion
In 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iil), It is requested that requests for relief from limited examinations be
submitted when it Is Impractical to complete the examination coverage requirements of Section
Xl of the ASME Code. Recent NRC reviews found that several licensees did not submit
requests for relief from examinations of less than essentially 100 percent coverage. The
licensees correctly interpreted 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) for Class 1, 2, and 3 components to mean
that they were required to perform the ASME Code examinations to the extent practical.
However, the licensees misinterpreted the requirement to mean that they were not required to
submit requests for relief from examinations that received less than essentially 100 percent
coverage because they had examined the component to the extent practical.
At least one licensee quoted 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) as a basis for not seeking relief when unable
to obtain the required examination coverage. In 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4) it Is stated, in part, that
components... must meet the requirements... to the extent practical within the limitations of
design, geometry and materials of construction of the components." However, when
incomplete or partial ISI examination coverage required by the ASME Code Is obtained, NRC
relief Is required pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iii).
During discussions with the NRC staff regarding Its review of a 90-day ISI summary report, It
was determined that a licensee had obtained "essentially 100 percent" coverage for most
examinations but had obtained coverage of 90 percent or less on several components.
Contrary to the requirements of the rule, the licensee did not submit requests for relief to the
NRC on the basis of Impracticality before 1 year after the end of the effective Interval as
required by 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iv), unti the NRC pointed out this omission.
'Essentially 100 Percent" Examination Standard
After many inquiries and interpretations, ASME Issued ASME Code Case N-460, "Alternative
Examination Coverage for Class 1 and 2 Welds," Section Xi, Division 1, dated July 27, 1988.
ASME Code Case N-460 states, In part, that "when the entire examination volume or area
cannot be examined. . . a reduction In examination coverage ... may be accepted provided the
reduction in coverage for that weld Is less than 10 percent. The NRC has adopted and further
refined the definition of "essentially 100 percent" to mean 'greater than 90 percent" in 10 CFR
50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(2) for required examination coverage of reactor pressure vessel welds. This
standard has been applied to all examinations of welds or other areas required by ASME
Section Xi.
Most licensees are finding that although the overall average examination coverage for all welds
may be more than 90 percent, examination coverage for other Individual welds may be
substantially less than 90 percent. When a licensee Is unable to examine "essentially 100
percent" of each weld, It must seek relief frorn the NRC In accordance with 10 CFR
50.55a(g)(5)(iii).
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reminded that they are required to consider Industry-wide operating experience (including NRC
Information notices), where practical, when setting goals and performing periodic evaluations
under 10 CFR 50.65, Requirements for monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear
power plants." If you have any questions about the Information In this notice, please contact
the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
(NRR) project manager.
Jt
W. Roe, Acting Director
!on of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical contact: Thomas K. McLellan, NRR
301- 415-2716 E-mail: tkm@nrc.gov
Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
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December 1, 1998
Page 1 of I
LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
Information
Date of
Notice No.
Subject
Issuance
Issued to
98-41 Spurious Shutdown of Emergency
11/20/98
All holders of operating licenses
Diesel Generators from Design
Oversight
for nuclear power reactors, except
for those who have ceased
operations and have certified that
fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor vessel
98-40
98-39
98-38
98-37
Design Deficiencies Can Lead
Reduced ECCS Pump Net Positive
Suction Head During Design-Basis
Accidents
Summary of Fitness-for-Duty
Program Performance Reports for
Calendar Years 1996 and 1997 Metal-Clad Circuit Breaker
Maintenance Issued Identified
By NRC Inspections
Eligibility of Operator License
Applicants
Inadequate or Poorly Controlled
Non-Safety-Related Maintenance
Activities Unnecessarily Challenged
Safety Systems
10/26/98
10124/98
10/15/98
10/01/98
9/18198
All holders of operating licenses
for nuclear power reactors, except
those licensees who have
permanently ceased operations
and have certified that fuel has
bee permanently removed from
the vessel
All holders of operating licenses
for nuclear power reactors
All holders of operating licenses
for nuclear power reactors.
All holders of operating licenses
for nuclear power reactors, except those who have
permanently ceased operations
and have certified that fuel has
been permanently removed from
the reactor vessel.
All holders of operating licenses
for nuclear power reactors
98-36 OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
IN 98-42 December 1, 1998 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. However, recipients are
reminded that they are required to consider industry-wide operating experience (including NRC
information notices), where practical, when setting goals and performing periodic evaluations
under 10 CFR 50.65, Requirements for monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear
power plants." If you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact
the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
(NRR) project manager
Original signed by
Jack W. Roe, Acting Director
Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical contact: Thomas K. McLellan, NRR
301- 415-2716 E-mail: tkm@nrc.gov
Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
DOCUMENT NAME: S:\\drpmsec\\98-42.in
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IN 98-XX
November XX, 1998 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. However, recipients are
reminded that they are required to consider industry-wide operating experience (including NRC
information notices), where practical, when setting goals and performing periodic evaluations
under 10 CFR 50.65, Requirements for monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear
power plants." If you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact
the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
(NRR) project manager
Jack W. Roe, Acting Director
Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical contact: Thomas K. McLellan, NRR
301- 415-2716 E-mail: tkm@nrc.gov
Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\TAGINISI
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To receive a coDY of this document. indicate in the box C=Coov wlo attachmentlenclosure E=Copwwith ditachmentlenclosure N = No copy
OFFICE
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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DOCUMENT NAME:
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[OFFICE
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J. Stolz
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DATE
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