ML022480317
| ML022480317 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 08/26/2002 |
| From: | Cooper D Nuclear Management Co |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| BL-02-002 | |
| Download: ML022480317 (4) | |
Text
NMC Committed to Nuclear Excellence Palisades Nuclear Plant Operated by Nuclear Management Company, LLC August 26, 2002 10 CFR 50.54(f)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT DOCKET 50-255 LICENSE No. DPR-20 NRC BULLETIN 2002-02: REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS DAY RESPONSE On August 9, 2002, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) transmitted Bulletin (BL) 2002-02, "Reactor Pressure Vessel Head and Vessel Head Penetration Nozzle Inspection Programs." The NRC required that specific information be provided within 30 days of the date of the bulletin. For addressees who chose not to provide the information requested or could not meet the requested completion date, the NRC required a written response within 15 days of the date of the bulletin. In accordance with this requirement, Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC) is providing the attached 15-day response for the Palisades Plant.
This letter contains the following commitment and no revisions to existing commitments:
NMC will continue to evaluate non-visual nondestructive examination (NDE) of the reactor pressure vessel head and vessel head penetration nozzles. NMC will complete this review and select appropriate NDE method(s) and, at least nine months prior to the refueling outage that follows the next refueling outage, provide the remaining requested information as described in BL 2002-02.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and accurate. Executed on Augus 26, 2002.
Doug s E. Cooper Site Vi e-President, Palisades CC Regional Administrator, USNRC, Region III Project Manager, Palisades Plant, USNRC, NRR NRC Resident Inspector-Palisades Plant Attachment 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway 0 Covert, MI 49043 Telephone: 616 764.2000
ATTACHMENT I NUCLEAR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLC PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT DOCKET 50-255 August 2002 NRC BULLETIN 2002-02: PALISADES PLANT 15-DAY RESPONSE 2 Pages Follow
NRC BULLETIN 2002-02: REACTOR VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS PALISADES PLANT 15-DAY RESPONSE Required Response 2.
(2)
Addressees who choose not to provide the information requested or can not meet the requested completion dates are required to submit written responses within 15 days of the date of this bulletin. The responses must address any alternative course of action proposed, including the basis for the acceptability of the proposed alternative course of action.
Response
Background The effective degradation year (EDY) value for the Palisades Plant will be less than ten at the start of the next refueling outage, which is scheduled to start in Spring 2003. Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC) has estimated that the EDY for Palisades Plant will not exceed 12 until at least calendar year 2007.
By letter dated March 29, 2002, NMC committed to perform a 100% effective visual examination of the reactor vessel head upper metal surface for the Palisades Plant in accordance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Bulletin (BL) 2001-01, "Circumferential Cracking of Reactor Pressure Vessel Head Penetration Nozzles," during the next (Spring 2003) refueling outage. This commitment meets the suggested supplemental inspection in BL 2002-02 for the next refueling outage for plants with Ž8 EDY and _!12 EDY values. Therefore, NMC meets the requested schedule of BL 2002-02, "Reactor Pressure Vessel Head and Vessel Head Penetration Nozzle Inspection Programs," for activities to be conducted during the Spring 2003 refueling outage for Palisades Plant. The remaining two inspection items noted in BL 2002-02, "Example Supplemental Inspections," table would not apply to Palisades Plant until the refueling outage that follows the Spring 2003 refueling outage.
Alternate Course of Action NMC will continue to evaluate non-visual nondestructive examination (NDE) of the reactor pressure vessel head and vessel head penetration nozzles. NMC will complete this review and select appropriate NDE method(s) and, at least nine months prior to the refueling outage that follows the next refueling outage, provide the remaining requested information as described in BL 2002-02.
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NRC BULLETIN 2002-02: REACTOR VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS PALISADES PLANT 15-DAY RESPONSE Basis for the Acceptability of the Proposed Alternative Course of Action The two remaining issues of BL 2002-02 do not require an immediate commitment. Palisades Plant is not expected to reach 12 EDY until at least calendar year 2007, and the refueling outage subsequent to the Spring 2003 refueling outage is not expected to occur until at least Fall 2004. NMC's commitment to respond will provide NMC and the NRC the opportunity to evaluate and develop any changes to the inspection program for the reactor pressure vessel head and vessel head penetration nozzles based on industry experience and inspection and repair technology advancements that are expected to be gained in this interim period.
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