ML023600375

Ltr, Bulletin 2002-02, Response to the NRC Bulletin 2002-02, Reactor Pressure Vessel Head and Vessel Head Penetration Nozzles Inspection Programs

ML023600375
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	12/26/2002
From:	Thadani M NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4
To:	Cottle W South Texas
Thadani M, NRR/DLPM, 415-1476
References
BL-02-002, TAC MB5926, TAC MB5927
Download: ML023600375 (5)

Text

December 26, 2002 Mr. William T. Cottle President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2002-02, REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD AND VESSEL HEAD PENETRATION NOZZLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS (TAC NOS. MB5926 AND MB5927)

Dear Mr. Cottle:

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 to provide an alternative course of action, including the basis for acceptability of the proposed action, within 15 days of its issuance.

By letter dated September 11, 2002, STP Nuclear Operating Company provided a response to Item (1) of the Bulletin, indicating the plans to perform RPV head and VHP nozzle inspections at South Texas Project (STP), Units 1 and 2. The response also indicated that STP, 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 100 percent bare metal visual examination during the refueling outage of Unit 2 in October 2002, and the immediate inspection plan to perform a 100 percent bare metal visual examination during the forthcoming refueling outage of Unit 1 starting in March 2003, provides reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety.

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 pressurized water reactor RPV upper head penetrations and will comply with its requirements for conduct of bare metal visual examination. 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 program for ensuring that the applicable regulatory requirements are

W. Cottle 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 proposed inspection plan.

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.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1476.

Sincerely,

/RA by R. A. Gramm for/

Mohan C. Thadani, Senior Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.: 50-498 and 50-499 cc: See next page

South Texas, Units 1 & 2 cc:

Mr. Cornelius F. OKeefe A. H. Gutterman, Esq.

Senior Resident Inspector Morgan, Lewis & Bockius U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW P.O. Box 910 Washington, DC 20004 Bay City, TX 77414 Mr. T. J. Jordan, Vice President A. Ramirez/C. M. Canady Engineering & Technical Services City of Austin STP Nuclear Operating Company Electric Utility Department P.O. Box 289 721 Barton Springs Road Wadsworth, TX 77483 Austin, TX 78704 S. M. Head, Manager, Licensing Mr. M. T. Hardt Nuclear Quality & Licensing Department Mr. W. C. Gunst STP Nuclear Operating Company City Public Service Board P.O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 P.O. Box 1771 Wadsworth, TX 77483 San Antonio, TX 78296 Environmental and Natural Resources Mr. C. A. Johnson/R. P. Powers Policy Director AEP - Central Power and Light Company P.O. Box 12428 P.O. Box 289 Austin, TX 78711-3189 Mail Code: N5022 Wadsworth, TX 77483 Jon C. Wood Matthews & Branscomb INPO 112 East Pecan, Suite 1100 Records Center San Antonio, TX 78205 700 Galleria Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Arthur C. Tate, Director Division of Compliance & Inspection Regional Administrator, Region IV Bureau of Radiation Control U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Texas Department of Health 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 1100 West 49th Street Arlington, TX 76011 Austin, TX 78756 D. G. Tees/R. L. Balcom Brian Almon Texas Genco, LP Public Utility Commission P.O. Box 1700 William B. Travis Building Houston, TX 77251 P.O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Judge, Matagorda County Austin, TX 78701-3326 Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Bay City, TX 77414

Susan M. Jablonski Office of Permitting, Remediation and Registration Texas Commission on Environmental Quality MC-122 P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 G. R. Bynog, Program Manager/

Chief Inspector Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Boiler Division P.O. Box 12157, Capitol Station Austin, TX 78711 Mr. Ted Enos 4200 South Hulen Suite 630 Ft. Worth, Texas 76109

ML023600375 OFFICE PDIV-1/PM DLPM/PM PDIV-1/LA EMCB/SC PDIV-1/SC NAME MThadani:rkb TTate MMcAllister TChan RGramm DATE 12/12/;02 12/16/02 12/12/02 12/19/02 12/20/02