ML022830478
| ML022830478 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Byron  |
| Issue date: | 11/05/2002 |
| From: | Mahesh Chawla NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD3 |
| To: | Skolds J Exelon Generation Co |
| Chawla M, NRR/.DLPM, 415-8371 | |
| References | |
| BL-02-002, TAC MB5876, TAC MB5877 | |
| Download: ML022830478 (5) | |
Text
November 5, 2002 Mr. John L. Skolds, President Exelon Nuclear Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
SUBJECT:
BYRON STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2002-02, "REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS" (TAC NOS. MB5876 AND MB5877)
Dear Mr. Skolds:
On August 9, 2002, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Bulletin 2002-02, "Reactor Pressure Vessel Head and Vessel Head Penetration Nozzle Inspection Programs."
The Bulletin requested addressees to provide information related to their reactor pressure vessel (RPV) head and vessel head penetration (VHP) nozzle inspection programs for their respective facilities, including a summary discussion of inspection program plans to supplement their required visual inspections with non-visual nondestructive examination methods, or justification for reliance on visual examinations as the primary method to detect degradation.
Addressees were requested to respond to Item 1 of the Bulletin within 30 days of its issuance, or within 15 days of its issuance, to provide an alternative course of action, including the basis for acceptability of the proposed action.
By letter dated September 11, 2002, Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon) provided a response to Item 1 of the Bulletin, indicating the plans to perform RPV head and VHP nozzle inspections at Byron Station, Units 1 and 2. The response also indicated that Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 are in the category of plants considered to have low susceptibility to RPV head and VHP cracking, based on a susceptibility ranking of less than eight effective degradation years.
The NRC staff has reviewed your response to Item 1 of the Bulletin. The staff finds your immediate inspection plan to perform a 100 percent bare metal visual examination during the September 2003, Byron Station, Unit 1 outage and the Byron Station, Unit 2 refueling outage, completed in October 2002, to be adequate for providing reasonable assurance that existing regulatory requirements will be met.
The staff notes that your justification for reliance on visual examinations and long-term inspection plans refer to the Electric Power Research Institute Materials Reliability Program (MRP) inspection plan for PWR RPV upper head penetrations. The staff has not completed its review of the MRP inspection plan and, as such, has not made a determination on the adequacy of the plan for ensuring applicable regulatory requirements are met. The staffs assessment of your justification and the adequacy of your long-term inspection program plans will be determined upon completion of the staffs review of the MRP inspection plan.
John L. Skolds Also, please note that as stated in Item 2 of Bulletin 2002-02, you are to report your inspection scope and results to the Commission within 30 days after plant restart following the inspection of the RPV head and VHP nozzles.
Please contact me at (301) 415-8371 if you have any questions on this issue.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mahesh Chawla, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate III Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455 cc: See next page
Byron Station Units 1 and 2 cc:
Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Facility Safety 1035 Outer Park Drive Springfield, IL 62704 Document Control Desk-Licensing Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Ms. C. Sue Hauser, Project Manager Westinghouse Electric Corporation Energy Systems Business Unit Post Office Box 355 Pittsburgh, PA 15230 Joseph Gallo Gallo & Ross 1025 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1014 Washington, DC 20036 Howard A. Learner Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest 35 East Wacker Drive Suite 1300 Chicago, IL 60601-2110 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Byron Resident Inspectors Office 4448 North German Church Road Byron, IL 61010-9750 Ms. Lorraine Creek RR 1, Box 182 Manteno, IL 60950 Chairman, Ogle County Board Post Office Box 357 Oregon, IL 61061 Mrs. Phillip B. Johnson 1907 Stratford Lane Rockford, IL 61107 Attorney General 500 S. Second Street Springfield, IL 62701 Byron Station Manager Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4450 N. German Church Road Byron, IL 61010-9794 Site Vice President - Byron Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4450 N. German Church Road Byron, IL 61010-9794 Senior Vice President - Nuclear Services Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Vice President Mid-West Operations Support Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Senior Vice President Mid-West Regional Operating Group Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
Byron Station Units 1 and 2 Director Licensing Mid-West Regional Operating Group Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Regulatory Assurance Manager - Byron Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4450 N. German Church Road Byron, IL 61010-9794 Senior Counsel, Nuclear Mid-West Regional Operating Group Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Vice President Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Manager Licensing - Braidwood and Byron Exelon Generation Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555
John L. Skolds Also, please note that as stated in Item 2 of Bulletin 2002-02, you are to report your inspection scope and results to the Commission within 30 days after plant restart following the inspection of the RPV head and VHP nozzles.
Please contact me at (301) 415-8371 if you have any questions on this issue.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mahesh Chawla, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate 3 Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
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- TTate CRosenberg
- TChan AMendiola DATE 11/04/02 10/25/02 10/31/02 10/28/02 11/04/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY