ML043130364

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

ML043130364
Person / Time
Site:	Ginna
Issue date:	11/08/2004
From:	Clark R NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1
To:	Korsnick M Ginna
Clark R, NRR/DLPM, 415-2297
References
BL-03-002, TAC MC0540
Download: ML043130364 (4)

Text

November 8, 2004 Mrs. Mary G. Korsnick Vice President R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, LLC 1503 Lake Road Ontario, NY 14519

SUBJECT:

R. E. GINNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2003-02, LEAKAGE FROM REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL LOWER HEAD PENETRATIONS AND REACTOR COOLANT PRESSURE BOUNDARY INTEGRITY (TAC NO. MC0540)

Dear Mrs. Korsnick:

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 have been 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, Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E, the former licensee) provided its response to this request. RG&E stated that a bare-metal visual examination of the RPV lower head penetrations would be performed during the fall 2003 refueling outage at R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant (Ginna). In addition, RG&E committed to perform a bare-metal examination of the RPV lower head penetrations each refueling outage at Ginna until changes to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler Pressure and Vessel Code or industry recommendations justify a change in the examination frequency. As such, R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, LLC (Ginna LLC), the current licensee, is requested to notify the NRC staff in writing of any changes to this regulatory commitment prior to implementation.

The Bulletin also requested that addressees provide a summary of the RPV lower head penetration inspection that was performed at their plants, the extent of the inspection and the

M. Korsnick methods used, a description of the as-found condition of the lower head, any findings of 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, RG&E provided a summary of its inspection results at Ginna. RG&E reported it had performed a 360-degree bare-metal visual examination on all 36 RPV lower head penetrations with no evidence of penetration leakage observed.

Based on its review of RG&Es responses to NRC Bulletin 2003-02, the NRC staff finds that Ginna LLC has met the reporting requirements of the Bulletin and no further action is required.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Robert Clark, Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-244 cc: See next page

ML043130364 OFFICE PDI-1/PM PDI-1/LA LPM EMCB PDI-1/SC NAME RClark SLittle SMonarque ESullivan RLaufer DATE 10/21/04 10/21/04 10/29/04 11/1/04 11/1/04 R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant cc:

Mr. Michael J. Wallace Daniel F. Stenger President Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, LLC 601 13th Street, N.W., Suite 1000 South c/o Constellation Energy Washington, DC 20005 750 East Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Ms. Thelma Wideman, Director Wayne County Emergency Management Mr. John M. Heffley Office Senior Vice President and Wayne County Emergency Operations Chief Nuclear Officer Center Constellation Generation Group 7336 Route 31 1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway Lyons, NY 14489 Suite 500 Annapolis, MD 21401 Ms. Mary Louise Meisenzahl Administrator, Monroe County Kenneth Kolaczyk, Sr. Resident Inspector Office of Emergency Preparedness R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant 1190 Scottsville Road, Suite 200 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rochester, NY 14624 1503 Lake Road Ontario, NY 14519 Mr. Paul Eddy New York State Department of Regional Administrator, Region I Public Service U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 3 Empire State Plaza, 10th Floor 475 Allendale Road Albany, NY 12223 King of Prussia, PA 19406 Peter R. Smith, President New York State Energy, Research, and Development Authority 17 Columbia Circle Albany, NY 12203-6399 James M. Petro, Jr., Esquire Counsel Constellation Energy 750 East Pratt Street, 5th Floor Baltimore, MD 21202 Charles Donaldson, Esquire Assistant Attorney General New York Department of Law 120 Broadway New York, NY 10271