ML023450444
| ML023450444 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 12/04/2002 |
| From: | Donohew J NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4 |
| To: | Maynard O Wolf Creek |
| Donohew J N, NRR/DLPM,415-1307 | |
| References | |
| BL-02-002, TAC MB5938 | |
| Download: ML023450444 (4) | |
Text
December 4, 2002 Mr. Otto L. Maynard President and Chief Executive Officer Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation Post Office Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839
SUBJECT:
WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2002-02, "REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS" (TAC NO. MB5938)
Dear Mr. Maynard:
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 (ET 02-0037), you provided a response to Item (1) of the Bulletin, providing your plans to perform RPV head and VHP nozzle inspections at Wolf Creek.
The response also indicated that the plant 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 (EDY). Specifically, you stated that Wolf Creek had 2.4 EDY as of September 9, 2002, in accordance with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Materials Reliability Program (MRP) Report MRP-48.
The NRC staff has reviewed your response to Item (1) of the Bulletin. In that response, you stated a 100% bare metal visual examination of the RPV head (i.e., 100% of the carbon steel surface and 100% of the interface area between the head penetrations and the carbon steel on top of the head) was performed during Refueling Outage No. 12, which was conducted in April 2002. The staff finds that this inspection provides reasonable assurance that existing regulatory requirements are met, and there is adequate protection of public health and safety.
The staff notes that your justification for reliance on visual examinations and long-term inspection plans relies on the EPRI MRP inspection plan for pressurized water reactor RPV upper head penetrations. In your letter dated September 11, 2002, you committed to conduct a MRP inspection plan "supplemental visual examination" in Refueling Outage No. 14, which is currently scheduled for Spring 2005, and to submit the inspection scope and results within 30 days after plant restart from that outage. Because the staff has not completed its review of the MRP inspection plan, it has not made a determination on the adequacy of the program for ensuring applicable regulatory requirements are met. Therefore, the staffs assessment of your
Mr. Otto L. Maynard justification and the adequacy of your long-term inspection program plans will be determined upon completion of the staffs review of the MRP proposed inspection plan.
Also, Item (2) of Bulletin 2002-02 requested that you report to the Commission your inspection scope and results within 30 days after plant restart following the next inspection of the RPV head and VHP nozzles. The inspection conducted in Refueling Outage No. 12 was conducted in response to Bulletin 2002-01 and the results of that inspection were submitted May 24, 2002 (CT 02-0029). The staff finds that your report submitted in response to Item 2.A of Bulletin 2002-01 satisfies the report requested in Item (2) of Bulletin 2002-02.
If you have any questions on this issue or this letter, contact me at (301) 415-1307.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Jack Donohew, Senior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-482 cc: See next page
Mr. Otto L. Maynard justification and the adequacy of your long-term inspection program plans will be determined upon completion of the staffs review of the MRP proposed inspection plan.
Also, Item (2) of Bulletin 2002-02 requested that you report to the Commission your inspection scope and results within 30 days after plant restart following the next inspection of the RPV head and VHP nozzles. The inspection conducted in Refueling Outage No. 12 was conducted in response to Bulletin 2002-01 and the results of that inspection were submitted May 24, 2002 (CT 02-0029). The staff finds that your report submitted in response to Item 2.A of Bulletin 2002-01 satisfies the report requested in Item (2) of Bulletin 2002-02.
If you have any questions on this issue or this letter, contact me at (301) 415-1307.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Jack Donohew, Senior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-482 DISTRIBUTION PUBLIC BPham cc: See next page PDIV-2 Reading MMarshall RidsNrrDlpm (JZwolinski/TMarsh)
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Wolf Creek Generating Station cc:
Jay Silberg, Esq. Vice President Operations Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation 2300 N Street, NW P.O. Box 411 Washington, D.C. 20037 Burlington, KS 66839 Regional Administrator, Region IV Superintendent Licensing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 P.O. Box 411 Arlington, TX 76011 Burlington, KS 66839 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspectors Office P.O. Box 311 8201 NRC Road Burlington, KS 66839 Steedman, MO 65077-1032 Chief Engineer Utilities Division Kansas Corporation Commission 1500 SW Arrowhead Road Topeka, KS 66604-4027 Office of the Governor State of Kansas Topeka, KS 66612 Attorney General Judicial Center 301 S.W. 10th 2nd Floor Topeka, KS 66612 County Clerk Coffey County Courthouse Burlington, KS 66839 Vick L. Cooper, Chief Radiation Control Program, RCP Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Air and Radiation 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 310 Topeka, KS 66612-1366