ML022420239

Draft Ltr from Samuel Collins Re Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 - Issuance of Order for Responses to Bulletin 2001-01

ML022420239
Person / Time
Site:	Davis Besse
Issue date:	08/29/2002
From:	Collins S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Campbell G FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co
References
BL-01-001, FOIA/PA-2002-0229, TAC MB2626
Download: ML022420239 (4)

Text

E -* UNITED STATES 0 *NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Mr. Guy G. Campbell, Vice President - Nuclear FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company 5501 North State, Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760

SUBJECT:

DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNIT 1 - ISSUANCE OF ORDER RE: RESPONSES TO BULLETIN 2001-01, "CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACKING OF REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLES," (TAC NO.

MB2626)

Dear Mr. Campbell:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff issued Bulletin 2001-01, Circumferential Cracking of Reactor Pressure Vessel Head Penetration Nozzles," on August 3, 2001, to address the generic safety implications of pressure boundary leakage recently observed at several facilities due to circumferential cracking of vessel head penetration (VHP) nozzles resulting from primary water stress corrosion cracking. In the Bulletin, the NRC staff recommended timely performance of a qualified visual examination of 100 percent of the VHP nozzles for those plants that either already have identified the existence of, or are considered to have high susceptibility to, primary water stress corrosion cracking of VHP nozzles. To assess the prevalence and severity of VHP nozzle cracking and determine plant-specific compliance with NRC regulations, the NRC staff requested that addressees submit information regarding the scope, timing, and results of completed inspections and the scope and schedule of future inspections of their VHP nozzles. The Bulletin requested that licensees not planning to perform inspections prior to December 31, 2001, provide a technical basis for their planned inspection schedules. When the Bulletin was issued, the staff considered that performance of the recommended inspections by December 31, 2001, was a timely action given the very limited knowledge, experience, and observations regarding this cracking phenomenon and the associated safety implications. December 31, 2001, was chosen based on the need to acquire additional information in a timely manner and to allow licensees time to plan and perform the recommended inspections, and to make needed repairs.

Since issuance of the Bulletin, the importance of performing the recommended inspections by this date to support continued operation has been reinforced by the identification of VHP nozzle cracking, including circumferential cracking, at several facilities. While the results of these inspections have not revealed conditions of incipient failure, the inspections have identified conditions supporting the need to perform inspections in the near term to verify the absence of conditions worse than those found to date. In light of these results, the staff believes that operation of facilities, that are considered to be highly susceptible to this cracking phenomenon or that have already experienced VHP nozzle cracking, beyond December 31, 2001, is unacceptable unless the recommended inspections to identify this potentially hazardous condition are completed and found acceptable by the NRC staff.

You provided your response to the Bulletin by letters dated September 4, October 17, October 30, and November 1, 2001. These letters documented the "high susceptibility" ranking of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1. (DBNPS), and described your basis for deferral

"-Z) of performance of the VHP inspections until you shutdown for the next refueling outage on March 31, 2002.

Based on the information provided in your responses, you have not, at any time, performed a qualified visual examination of 100 percent of the VHP nozzles at DBNPS. In addition, the plant is ranked as having a high susceptibility to cracking in the VHP nozzles. Due to this high susceptibility and the extent of cracking found in other plants, it is reasonable to expect that DBNPS could have significant cracking, which would violate the reactor coolant pressure boundary and result in a loss-of-coolant accident. You have not provided an adequate basis to operate beyond December 31, 2001, without performing inspections to verify the integrity of the reactor coolant pressure boundary. Consequently, I find that a potentially hazardous condition exists and warrants the issuance of the attached Order that modifies the operating license for DBNPS, to require (1) that the facility be shut down by December 31, 2001, and proceed to the cold shutdown or lower mode, and (2) the performance of inspections to demonstrate to the NRC staff that there is reasonable assurance that the VHP nozzles are free of significant defects prior to subsequent plant operation. I further find that the assurance of public health and safety requires that this Order be effective immediately.

Sincerely, Samuel J. Collins, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-346

Enclosures:

Order Modifying License No. NPF-3 cc w/encls: See next page

Mr. Guy G. Campbell Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 F.

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company cc:

Mary E. O'Reilly Harvey B. Brugger, Supervisor FirstEnergy Radiological Assistance Section 76 South Main Street Bureau of Radiation Protection Akron, OH 44308 Ohio Department of Health P.O. Box 118 Columbus, OH 43266-0118 Manager - Regulatory Affairs FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Carol O'Claire, Chief, Radiological Branch Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Ohio Emergency Management Agency 5501 North State - Route 2 2855 West Dublin Granville Road Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Columbus, OH 43235-2206 Jay E. Silberg, Esq. Director Shaw, Pittman, Potts Ohio Department of Commerce and Trowbridge Division of Industrial Compliance 2300 N Street, NW. Bureau of Operations & Maintenance Washington, DC 20037 6606 Tussing Road P.O. Box 4009 Regional Administrator Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Lisle, IL 60523-4351 DERR--Compliance Unit ATTN: Zack A. Clayton Michael A. Schoppman P.O. Box 1049 Framatome Technologies Incorporated Columbus, OH 43266-0149 1700 Rockville Pike, Suite 525 Rockville, MD 20852 State of Ohio Public Utilities Commission Resident Inspector 180 East Broad Street U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Columbus, OH 43266-0573 5503 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Attomey General Department of Attorney Plant Manager 30 East Broad Street FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Columbus, OH 43216 Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station 5501 North State - Route 2 President, Board of County Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Commissioners of Ottawa County Port Clinton, OH 43252

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