ML031490366
| ML031490366 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Catawba  |
| Issue date: | 05/22/2003 |
| From: | Gordon Peterson Duke Power Co |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| EA-03-009 | |
| Download: ML031490366 (5) | |
Text
_ Duke L<Power V1.
A D, r, C-p-,y May 22, 2003 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN:
Document Control Desk Washington D.C.
20555
Subject:
Catawba Nuclear Station Unit 2 Docket No. 50 -414 Response to NRC Order EA-03-009:
"Order Establishing Interim Inspection Requirements for Reactor Pressure Vessel Heads at Pressurized Water Reactors" Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.54(f), this letter and the associated attached Enclosure provide Duke Energy Corporation's (Duke's) response to specific items of NRC Order EA-03-009 for Catawba Nuclear Station.
This Order requested plant-specific information as a result of NRC staff concerns regarding reactor pressure vessel head degradation and reac-tor coolant pressure boundary integrity.
Responses are provided for NRC Order EA-03-009 IV.E.
These responses provide information concerning the results of reactor vessel head inspection.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Gregory S. Kent at (704)373-6032.
G.R. Peterson ENCLOSURES INO
U.S. NRC May 22, 2003 Page 2 xc:
L.A. Reyes U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regional Administrator, Region II Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth St., SW, Suite 23T85 R.E. Martin NRC Project Manager (CNS)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 0-8 H12 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E.F. Guthrie Senior Resident Inspector (CNS)
U.S. NRC May 22, 2003 Page 3 bcc:
L.F. Vaughn M.T. Cash G.D. Gilbert M.R. Robinson G.S. Kent J.M. Shuping D.E. Whitaker K.E. Nicholson Catawba Master File CNOIDM ELL Saluda River Electric Corporation NC Municipal Power Agency No. 1 TR Puryear, NC Electric Membership Corporation -
CN03G Piedmont Municipal Power Agency
U.S. NRC May 22, 2003 Page 4 OATH or AFFIRMATION G.R. Peterson, affirms that he is the person who subscribed his name to the foregoing statement, and that all the matters and facts set forth herein are true and correct to the best of his knowledge.
ViceB President, Catawba Nuclear Site Subscribed and sworn to me:
Alay D?,
O3 Date i
, Notary Public My Commission Expires:
FLm6eY Iq 1, Date 5.
f Oeboyol
ENCLOSURE I Catawba Nuclear Station Docket No. 50 -414 Response to NRC Orders EA-03-009 Requested Information IV.E For each inspection required in Paragraph C, the Licensee shall submit a report detailing the inspections results within sixty (60) days after returning the plant to operation.
- For each inspection required in Paragraph D, the Licensee shall submit a report detailing the inspections results within sixty (60) days after returning the plant to operation if a leak or boron deposits was found during the inspection.
Response
Catawba Unit 2 conducted a complete bare metal visual inspection of the reactor pressure vessel head and the pressure retaining components located above the head on March 9, 2003. The scopes of these inspections are consistent with Catawba's response to 1D of NRC Bulletin 2002-01 and IV.C.3.a and IV.D of NRC Order EA-03-009.
These inspections indicated the presence of boron deposits on the reactor vessel head. The deposits were located predominately in the area of a conoseal penetration found leaking in the early 1990s (Reference Duke's 15 day response to NRC Bulletin 2002-01).
Isotopic analysis of the boron indicated the deposits were likely from the past conoseal leaks. The deposits were cleaned from the carbon steel head and surrounding control rod drive mechanism housings. Evaluation of the reactor vessel head after removal of the boron deposits showed no degradation. Therefore, these inspections confirm that the Catawba Unit 2 head is free of degradation due to corrosion or wastage resulting from boric acid. No further corrective action was necessary.