ML010780094
| ML010780094 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/27/2001 |
| From: | Pulsifer R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Balduzzi M Vermont Yankee |
| Pulsifer R M, NRR/DLPM, 415-3016 | |
| References | |
| TAC MB0468 | |
| Download: ML010780094 (4) | |
Text
March 27, 2001 Mr. Michael A. Balduzzi Vice President, Operations Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation 185 Old Ferry Road P.O. Box 7002 Brattleboro, VT 05302-7002
SUBJECT:
VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION - REVIEW OF REQUEST TO DISCONTINUE INTERGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION CRACKING INSPECTION OF RWCU PIPING WELDS OUTBOARD OF THE SECOND CONTAINMENT ISOLATION VALVES (TAC NO. MB0468)
Dear Mr. Balduzzi:
By letter dated November 3, 2000, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (Vermont Yankee) requested U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval as an alternative measure to discontinue intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) inspection of the non-nuclear safety-related, reactor water cleanup (RWCU) piping welds outboard of the second containment isolation valves at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY). The VY Technical Specifications 4.6.E state; Inservice inspection of piping, identified in NRC Generic Letter (GL) 88-01, shall be performed in accordance with the staff positions on schedule, methods, and personnel and sample expansion included in the Generic Letter or in accordance with alternative measures approved by the staff. Vermont Yankee has been inspecting about 10 percent of the population of these welds every refueling outage. The licensee proposed to discontinue the IGSCC inspection of these welds based on meeting the following three criteria:
(1)
Satisfactory completion of GL 89-10.
(2)
No IGSCC detected in RWCU piping welds inboard of the second isolation valves (ongoing GL 88-01 inspection).
(3)
No IGSCC detected in RWCU piping welds outboard of the second isolation valves after inspecting a minimum of 10 percent of the susceptible piping welds.
The bases provided by the licensee to support their request are summarized below:
(1)
Vermont Yankee has implemented a GL 89-10, Safety-Related Motor-Operated Valve (MOV) Testing and Surveillance, program. In NRCs Inspection Report (IR) 50-271/97-08, dated November 28, 1997, regarding Vermont Yankees implementation of GL 89-10, it is stated that Vermont Yankee has adequately established a program to verify the design basis of safety-related MOVs.
(2)
No IGSCC was detected in RWCU piping welds inboard of the second isolation valve. The subject piping and welds are made of IGSCC resistant low carbon austenitic stainless steel materials.
M. Balduzzi (3)
A minimum of 10 percent of the subject welds were inspected during each of the 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, and 1999 outages. No IGSCC was detected.
A closure inspection for the purpose of verifying that VY completed its commitments to develop and implement a safety-related MOV program as described in GL 89-10 and its supplements was performed in May 1996 (IR 96-05) and in October 1997 (IR 97-08). The NRC staff verified that VY had completed all program actions as required by GL 89-10 and the staff review of the VY GL 89-10 program, therefore, had been completed.
Based on the staffs review of the licensees submittal, the staff has determined that the licensees request to discontinue the IGSCC inspection of RWCU piping welds outboard of the second containment isolation valves is acceptable, as an alternate measure, because it meets the staffs criteria as delineated above.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert M. Pulsifer, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271 cc: See next page
M. Balduzzi March 27, 2001 (3)
A minimum of 10 percent of the subject welds were inspected during each of the 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, and 1999 outages. No IGSCC was detected.
A closure inspection for the purpose of verifying that VY completed its commitments to develop and implement a safety-related MOV program as described in GL 89-10 and its supplements was performed in May 1996 (IR 96-05) and in October 1997 (IR 97-08). The NRC staff verified that VY had completed all program actions as required by GL 89-10 and the staff review of the VY GL 89-10 program, therefore, had been completed.
Based on the staffs review of the licensees submittal, the staff has determined that the licensees request to discontinue the IGSCC inspection of RWCU piping welds outboard of the second containment isolation valves is acceptable, as an alternate measure, because it meets the staffs criteria as delineated above.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Robert M. Pulsifer, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC PDI-2 R/F EAdensam J. Clifford R. Croteau K. Wichman T. Clark OGC ACRS G. Meyer, RI ACCESSION NO. ML010780094 *Input received on 3/12/01. No major changes were made OFFICE PDI-2/PM PDI-2/LA EMCB:DE*
PDI-2/SC NAME RPulsifer TClark KWichman JClifford DATE 3/22/01 3/22/01 03/12/01 3/26/01 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:
Regional Administrator, Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Mr. David R. Lewis Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge 2300 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037-1128 Ms. Christine S. Salembier, Commissioner Vermont Department of Public Service 112 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2601 Mr. Michael H. Dworkin, Chairman Public Service Board State of Vermont 112 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2701 Chairman, Board of Selectmen Town of Vernon P.O. Box 116 Vernon, VT 05354-0116 Mr. Richard E. McCullough Operating Experience Coordinator Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station P.O. Box 157 Governor Hunt Road Vernon, VT 05354 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.
Deputy Attorney General 33 Capitol Street Concord, NH 03301-6937 Chief, Safety Unit Office of the Attorney General One Ashburton Place, 19th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Ms. Deborah B. Katz Box 83 Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 Mr. Raymond N. McCandless Vermont Department of Health Division of Occupational and Radiological Health 108 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05402 Mr. Gautam Sen Licensing Manager Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation 185 Old Ferry Road P.O. Box 7002 Brattleboro, VT 05302-7002 Resident Inspector Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 176 Vernon, VT 05354 Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency ATTN: James Muckerheide 400 Worcester Rd.
Framingham, MA 01702-5399 Jonathan M. Block, Esq.
Main Street P. O. Box 566 Putney, VT 05346-0566