ML023120377

Response to NRC Bulletin 2002-02, Reactor Pressure Vessel Head & Vessel Head Penetration Nozzle Inspection Programs.

ML023120377
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	11/08/2002
From:	Chandu Patel NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD2
To:	Gordon Peterson Duke Energy Corp
Patel C P, NRR/DLPM, 415-3025
References
BL-02-002, TAC MB5882
Download: ML023120377 (5)

Text

November 8, 2002 Mr. G. R. Peterson Site Vice President Catawba Nuclear Station Duke Energy Corporation 4800 Concord Road York, South Carolina 29745-9635

SUBJECT:

CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 2 - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2002-02, REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS (TAC NO. MB5882)

Dear Mr. Peterson:

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 6, 2002, Duke Energy Corporation provided a response to Item 1 of the Bulletin, indicating the plans to perform RPV head and VHP nozzle inspections at the Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit 2. The response also indicated that the Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit 2, is in the category of plants considered to have low susceptibility to RPV head and VHP cracking, based on a susceptibility ranking of less than 8 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 March 2003 refueling outage to be adequate for providing reasonable assurance that existing regulatory requirements will be met.

The staff notes that you indicated you will provide your future inspection plans within 4 years of the date of your response to Bulletin 2002-02. You are requested to provide your future inspection plans no later than 90 days prior to the refueling outage following the March 2003 outage. The staffs assessment of the adequacy of your long-term inspection program will be determined upon completion of a review at that time.

G. R. Peterson Also, please note that as stated in Item 2 of the Bulletin, you are to report to the Commission your inspection scope and results within 30 days after plant restart following the inspection of the RPV head and VHP nozzles.

Please contact me at (301) 415-3025 if you have any questions on this issue.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Chandu P. Patel, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate II Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-414 cc: See next page

ML023120377 *See previous concurrence OFFICE DLPM/LPM PD2-1/PM PD2-1/LA EMCB/SC* PD2-1/SC NAME TTate CPatel CHawes TChan JANakoski DATE 11/01/02 11/05/02 11/05/02 11 / 01 /02 11/05/02 G. R. Peterson Catawba Nuclear Station cc:

Mr. Gary Gilbert North Carolina Electric Membership Regulatory Compliance Manager Corporation Duke Energy Corporation P. O. Box 27306 4800 Concord Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 York, South Carolina 29745 Senior Resident Inspector Ms. Lisa F. Vaughn U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Legal Department (PB05E) 4830 Concord Road Duke Energy Corporation York, South Carolina 29745 422 South Church Street Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006 Virgil R. Autry, Director Division of Radioactive Waste Management Anne Cottingham, Esquire Bureau of Land and Waste Management Winston and Strawn Department of Health and Environmental 1400 L Street, NW Control Washington, DC 20005 2600 Bull Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201-1708 North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 Mr. C. Jeffrey Thomas 1427 Meadowwood Boulevard Manager - Nuclear Regulatory P. O. Box 29513 Licensing Raleigh, North Carolina 27626 Duke Energy Corporation 526 South Church Street County Manager of York County Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006 York County Courthouse York, South Carolina 29745 Saluda River Electric P. O. Box 929 Piedmont Municipal Power Agency Laurens, South Carolina 29360 121 Village Drive Greer, South Carolina 29651 Mr. Peter R. Harden, IV VP-Customer Relations and Sales Ms. Karen E. Long Westinghouse Electric Company Assistant Attorney General 6000 Fairview Road North Carolina Department of Justice 12th Floor P. O. Box 629 Charlotte, North Carolina 28210 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 NCEM REP Program Manager 4713 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-4713

G. R. Peterson Catawba Nuclear Station cc:

Mr. T. Richard Puryear Owners Group (NCEMC)

Duke Energy Corporation 4800 Concord Road York, South Carolina 29745 Richard M. Fry, Director Division of Radiation Protection North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources 3825 Barrett Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27609-7721