ML050840074
| ML050840074 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Point Beach  (DPR-024) |
| Issue date: | 05/21/2004 |
| From: | - No Known Affiliation |
| To: | NRC/OCM |
| References | |
| BL-01-001, EA-03-009, FOIA/PA-2004-0282 | |
| Download: ML050840074 (2) | |
Text
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To:
Callegation ~nrc.gov>'
Date:
5/21/04 8:56AM
Subject:
Point beach Nuclear Plant May 21, 2004 To: Nuclear Regulatory Commission In view of the ideritif led In the recent GAO assessment),such as t e Davis Besse RPV head degradation, and ff.D I wish to express a safety concern about the operation of the Point Beach Nuciear Plant.
NRC Bulletin 2001 -01 was Issued when circumferential cracks were discovered In the Alloy 600 C.RDM head penetration nozzles and In the Alloy 182'J-groo~ve welds at several PWRs. Also, as a result of the severe head corrosion discovered at the Daviis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, the NRC Issued Bule'tin`2'0'02-02, -whIch requested that PWRs d'etdrmirid If supplementary reactor vessel examlnations are necessary.
Finally, the NRC Issued Order EA-03-009, which spedified the f requency and t~'pa of reactor vessel head examinations that Were necessary to en'sure tliat plant operations do not'pose undue rlik to the public health an'd'safety. 'To comply with NRC Order EA-03-009,P.BNP performed bare mea viulisetosad'rdrhead~
'examinations of tfieve'ssel head peedt'ration'n'ozzle's'du'ring the Unit 1 spring 2004 ref uelinj outage.
The 'UT' examinations revealed an anomaly In the root of the penetration 26 JM groove weld. The anomatly was bellieve~d to belmanufacturing related. The presienrce of the.
indication lead to the performance of a surface pehetrant (PT) examination of the penetration 26 "Jo groove Weld. The 'PT' examrinra't'ionwas' not 'required by NRC Order EA-03-009. The "PTO examIination revealed numrero6us crack like surface indications.
Follow Lip grindin' and me-examination revealed the' Indications had depth. The indications were not sized or characterized. The lindicatlorii were deemed to be not acceptable for continued operation. The indications were not detectable with the' UT exam that was performed to cobmply with NRC Orde'r EA-03-009.
Although not identical to other Industry experience, the indications are likely PWSCC of the Inconel weld material.
Since the surface PT examination was not required by NRC Order EA.03-009, the NMC Is not performing additional PT examinations of any of the other RPV head penetrations.
The NMC will obviously not pursue the PT examinations In view of the potential for finding additional evidence of PWSCC damage.
My concern Is that the UT examination was not capable of finding the damaged discovered Within the penetration 26 "J' groove weld, and that PWSCC damage lnormatbon in VgRW~&L t~e penetration OX groove welds In the PBNP Unit 1 RPV head.
In ncedmwith th Fmedom of nformafim Mc, exemns-le-S%
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me,
In the Interest of public safety, please provide technical justification why the NRC has not required PBNP to OPTS a reasonable sample of the other high stress penetraton's "J" groove welds (outer periphery penetrations, and the mechanically straightened penetrations during manufacture of the subject head). Please provide your response In writing, and Include the technical justification for Ignoring the potential for Inconel 182 cracking that was not detectable by the mandated examinations.
Your prompt attention to this Issue would be appreciated since the NMC Is planning on Installing the degraded RPV head and returning PBNP.Unit I to service In the Immediate future.
Sincerely cc:
Chairman Nils J. Diaz
,Canyon, Representative Thomas E. Petri
- 4.
b K
. II.Senator Hierb Kohl Senator Russell FeIngold