ML050130028

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

ML050130028
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	02/03/2005
From:	Colburn T NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1
To:	Crane C AmerGen Energy Co
Colburn T G/DLPM/415-1402
References
BL-03-002, TAC MC0571
Download: ML050130028 (3)

Text

February 3, 2005 Mr. Christopher M. Crane President and Chief Executive Officer AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

SUBJECT:

THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 (TMI-1) - RESPONSE TO NRC BULLETIN 2003-02, LEAKAGE FROM REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL LOWER HEAD PENETRATIONS AND REACTOR COOLANT PRESSURE BOUNDARY INTEGRITY (TAC NO. MC0571)

Dear Mr. Crane:

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 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 22, 2003, AmerGen Energy Company, LLC, (AmerGen) provided its response to this request. AmerGen indicated it planned to perform a bare-metal visual examination of the RPV lower head surface and all 52 RPV lower head penetrations during the fall 2003 refueling outage at TMI-1. Also in that letter, AmerGen indicated that the extent and frequency of subsequent bare-metal visual examinations of the RPV lower head surface and penetrations, beyond the fall 2003 refueling outage, will depend upon the appropriate NRC and industry guidelines. There are a number of ongoing industry and NRC staff activities related to developing criteria for lower head penetration inspections. The NRC staff expect that the criteria for these inspections will involve periodic bare-metal visual examinations or their equivalent.

C. Crane The bulletin also requested that addressees provide a summary of the next RPV lower head penetration inspection to be 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 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 January 22, 2004, AmerGen provided a summary of its inspection results at TMI-1. AmerGen reported it had performed a 360-degree bare-metal visual examination of each of the 52 RPV lower head penetrations with no evidence of penetration leakage observed or RPV lower head wastage observed.

Based on its review of AmerGens responses to NRC Bulletin 2003-02, the NRC staff finds that the licensee has met the reporting requirements of the bulletin. Accordingly, TAC No. MC0571 is closed for TMI-1.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Timothy Colburn, Sr. Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-289 cc: See next page

ML050130028 OFFICE PDI-1/PM PDI-2/LA DLPM/LPM EMCB PDI-1/SC NAME TColburn MOBrien SMonarque ESullivan RLaufer DATE 2/3/05 2/3/05 01/19/05 01/31/05 2/3/05