ML053460170

Corrected Page for Request for Authorization to Extend the Third Inservice Inspection Interval for Reactor Vessel Weld Examination

ML053460170
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	12/14/2005
From:	Padovan L Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Harden P Nuclear Management Co
Padovan L, NRR/DLPM, 415-1423
References
TAC MC6547
Download: ML053460170 (4)

Text

December 14, 2005 Mr. Paul A. Harden Site Vice President Nuclear Management Company, LLC Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT CORRECTED PAGE FOR REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE THIRD INSERVICE INSPECTION INTERVAL FOR REACTOR VESSEL WELD EXAMINATION (TAC NO. MC6547)

Dear Mr. Harden:

Our letter of November 29, 2005, authorized Nuclear Management Company, LLC to extend the third 10-year inservice inspection interval for reactor vessel weld examinations at Palisades.

However, our safety evaluation, enclosed with that letter, contained two typographical errors.

Enclosed is a corrected page with the changes identified by vertical bars in the right margin.

Sincerely,

/RA/

L. Mark Padovan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: See next page

December 14, 2005 Mr. Paul A. Harden Site Vice President Nuclear Management Company, LLC Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT CORRECTED PAGE FOR REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE THIRD INSERVICE INSPECTION INTERVAL FOR REACTOR VESSEL WELD EXAMINATION (TAC NO. MC6547)

Dear Mr. Harden:

Our letter of November 29, 2005, authorized Nuclear Management Company, LLC to extend the third 10-year inservice inspection interval for reactor vessel weld examinations at Palisades.

However, our safety evaluation, enclosed with that letter, contained two typographical errors.

Enclosed is a corrected page with the changes identified by vertical bars in the right margin.

Sincerely,

/RA/

L. Mark Padovan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION PUBLIC OGC DWeaver MRubin CLipa, RGN-III LPLIII-1 R/F ACRS THarris RHardies LRaghavan LPadovan SDinsmore MMitchell DORL DPR ADAMS Accession Number: ML053460170 OFFICE NRR/LPL3-1/PM NRR/LPL3-1/LA NRR/LPL3-1/BC NAME LPadovan THarris LRaghavan (TKobetz for)

DATE 12/13/05 12/13/05 12/14/05 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Palisades Plant cc:

Robert A. Fenech, Senior Vice President John Paul Cowan Nuclear, Fossil, and Hydro Operations Executive Vice President & Chief Nuclear Consumers Energy Company Officer 1945 Parnall Rd. Nuclear Management Company, LLC Jackson, MI 49201 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 Arunas T. Udrys, Esquire Consumers Energy Company Jonathan Rogoff, Esquire 1 Energy Plaza Vice President, Counsel & Secretary Jackson, MI 49201 Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Regional Administrator, Region III Hudson, WI 54016 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Douglas E. Cooper Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Senior Vice President - Group Operations Palisades Nuclear Plant Supervisor Nuclear Management Company, LLC Covert Township 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway P. O. Box 35 Covert, MI 49043 Covert, MI 49043 Stephen T. Wawro, Director Office of the Governor of Nuclear Assets P. O. Box 30013 Consumers Energy Company Lansing, MI 48909 Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Covert, MI 49043 Resident Inspector's Office Palisades Plant Laurie A. Lahti, Manager 27782 Blue Star Memorial Highway Regulatory Affairs Covert, MI 49043 Nuclear Management Company, LLC Palisades Nuclear Plant Michigan Department of Environmental Quality 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Waste and Hazardous Materials Division Covert, MI 49043 Hazardous Waste and Radiological Protection Section Nuclear Facilities Unit Constitution Hall, Lower-Level North 525 West Allegan Street P.O. Box 30241 Lansing, MI 48909-7741 Michigan Department of Attorney General Special Litigation Division 525 West Ottawa St.

Sixth Floor, G. Mennen Williams Building Lansing, MI 48913 October 2005

outage and the original pattern of intervals extended accordingly for successive intervals."

NMC has taken advantage of this paragraph for a 215-day extension due to an extended maintenance outage in 2001. As a result of these ASME Code-allowed extensions, the third inspection interval currently ends on December 12, 2006.

Section 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i) states, in part, that the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) may authorize alternatives to the requirements of paragraph 10 CFR 50.55a(g). In order for the Director of NRR to authorize an alternative in accordance with 10 CFR 50.55(a)(3)(i), the licensee must demonstrate that the proposed alternative provides an acceptable level of quality and safety.

NMC proposes to extend the third ISI interval for Palisades' RV weld examinations for one refueling cycle beyond the 11 years, 215 days permitted by the ASME Code and not perform the examinations during Palisades spring 2006 refueling outage. Palisades refueling cycles last approximately 18 months, but outage scheduling is such that the authorization is requested through the end of the fall 2007 refueling outage. This request does not affect the inspection requirements of the Palisades fourth 10-year ISI interval which begins on December 13, 2006. l

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Systems/Components for Which Relief Is Requested The affected component is the Palisades Nuclear Plant RV. The ASME Code, Section Xl, examination categories, and item numbers shown in the table below, pertain to the RV.

Examination Item Description Category Number B-A B1.11 Circumferential Shell Weld B-A B1.12 Longitudinal Shell Welds B-A B1.21 Circumferential Head Weld B-A B1.22 Meridional Head Weld B-A B1.30 Shell-to-Flange Weld B-D B3.90 Nozzle-to-Vessel Welds B-D B3.100 Nozzle Inner Radius Areas l B-J B9.11 Circumferential Welds in Piping [only for the RV inlet and outlet nozzle to piping welds]

These examination categories and item numbers are from IWB-2500 and Table IWB-2500-1 of the ASME Code, Section Xl, and were provided by NMC as part of its submittal. The B-J category welds are currently included in the risk-informed ISI program as defense-in-depth exams under the augmented inspection program. For the B-J category welds, proposed alternatives can be authorized only for the RV inlet and outlet nozzle-to-pipe welds.