ML042580379

Response to NRC Bulletin 2003-02, Leakage from Reactor Pressure Vessel Lower Head Penetration and Reactor Coolant Pressure Boundary Integrity.

ML042580379
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	10/05/2004
From:	Mahesh Chawla NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD3
To:	Solymossy J Nuclear Management Co
Chawla M, NRR/.DLPM, 415-8371
References
BL-03-002, TAC MC0559
Download: ML042580379 (4)

Text

October 5, 2004 Mr. Joseph Solymossy Site Vice-President Nuclear Management Company, LLC 1717 Wakonade Drive East Welch, MN 55089

SUBJECT:

PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT, UNIT 2 - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2003-02, LEAKAGE FROM REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL LOWER HEAD PENETRATIONS AND REACTOR COOLANT PRESSURE BOUNDARY INTEGRITY (TAC NO. MC0559)

Dear Mr. Solymossy:

On August 21, 2003, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued NRC Bulletin 2003-02, Leakage from Reactor Pressure Vessel Lower Head Penetrations and Reactor Coolant Pressure Boundary Integrity, to the industry. This Bulletin informed addressees that current methods of inspecting the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) lower heads may need to be supplemented with bare-metal visual inspections in order to detect reactor coolant pressure boundary leakage and requested these addressees to provide the NRC with information related to inspections that will be performed to verify the integrity of the RPV lower head penetrations.

The Bulletin requested that addressees provide a description of the RPV lower head penetration inspection program that would be implemented at their respective plants during the next and subsequent refueling outages. This description was to include the extent of the inspection, the inspection methods to be used, the qualification standards for the inspection methods, the process used to resolve the source of findings of boric acid deposits or corrosion, the inspection documentation to be generated, and the basis for concluding that their plant satisfied applicable regulatory requirements related to the structural and leakage integrity of the RPV lower head penetrations.

By letter dated September 19, 2003, Nuclear Management Company (NMC) provided its response to this request. As part of its response, NMC indicated that it planned to perform a bare-metal visual inspection of all RPV lower head penetrations during the fall 2003 refueling outage at Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit 2. This included a commitment to perform a 100 percent bare-metal visual inspection of the lower RPV dome up to and including each bottom-mounted instrumentation penetration to the RPV junction. NMC also stated that this inspection would be performed during future refueling outages, subsequent to the fall 2003 refueling outage at Prairie Island, Unit 2. NMC is requested to notify the NRC staff in writing of any changes to this commitment prior to implementation.

The Bulletin also requested that addresses provide a summary of the RPV lower head penetration inspection that was performed at their plants, the extent of the inspection and the methods used, a description of the as-found condition of the lower head, any findings of

J. Solymossy relevant indications of through-wall leakage, and a summary of the disposition of any findings of boric acid deposits and any corrective actions taken as a result of indications found.

By letter dated December 9, 2003, NMC provided a summary of its inspection results. NMC indicated that it had performed a bare-metal visual inspection of all 36 RPV lower head penetrations. NMC concluded that there were no leaking RPV lower head penetrations at Prairie Island, Unit 2.

Based on its review of NMCs reponses to NRC Bulletin 2003-02, the NRC staff finds that NMC has met the reporting requirements of the Bulletin. Accordingly, TAC Number MC0559 is closed for Prairie Island, Unit 2.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Mahesh Chawla, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate III Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-306 cc: See next page

ML042580379 OFFICE PDIII-1/PM PDIII-1/LA DLPM/LPM EMCB PDIII-1/SC NAME MChawla THarris SMonarque ESullivan LRaghavan DATE 09/23/04 09/21/04 09/27/04 09/30/04 10/05/04 Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 cc:

Jonathan Rogoff, Esquire Tribal Council Vice President, Counsel & Secretary Prairie Island Indian Community Nuclear Management Company, LLC ATTN: Environmental Department 700 First Street 5636 Sturgeon Lake Road Hudson, WI 54016 Welch, MN 55089 Manager, Regulatory Affairs Nuclear Asset Manager Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Xcel Energy, Inc.

Nuclear Management Company, LLC 414 Nicollet Mall, R.S. 8 1717 Wakonade Drive East Minneapolis, MN 55401 Welch, MN 55089 John Paul Cowan Manager - Environmental Protection Division Executive Vice President & Chief Nuclear Minnesota Attorney Generals Office Officer 445 Minnesota St., Suite 900 Nuclear Management Company, LLC St. Paul, MN 55101-2127 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector's Office Craig G. Anderson 1719 Wakonade Drive East Senior Vice President, Group Operations Welch, MN 55089-9642 Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Regional Administrator, Region III Hudson, WI 54016 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Administrator Goodhue County Courthouse Box 408 Red Wing, MN 55066-0408 Commissioner Minnesota Department of Commerce 121 Seventh Place East Suite 200 St. Paul, MN 55101-2145 November 2003