ML061230100
| ML061230100 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 05/09/2006 |
| From: | Fields M Plant Licensing Branch III-2 |
| To: | James M. Levine Arizona Public Service Co |
| Fields M , NRR/ADPT,415-3062 | |
| References | |
| TAC MC9627, TAC MC9628, TAC MC9629 | |
| Download: ML061230100 (6) | |
Text
May 9, 2006 James M. Levine Executive Vice President, Generation Mail Station 7602 Arizona Public Service Company PO Box 52034 Phoenix, Arizona 85072-2034
SUBJECT:
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING RISK-INFORMED INSERVICE INSPECTION PROGRAM REQUEST (TAC NOS. MC9627, MC9628, AND MC9629)
Dear Mr. Levine:
By letter dated January 16, 2006, Arizona Public Service (APS) submitted proposed alternatives to section 50.55a(g) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). Specifically, APS is proposing to use a risk-informed Inservice Inspection (ISI) program as an alternative to the current ISI program requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code of record for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the information provided and determined that additional information is required in order to complete the evaluation. The additional information being requested is enclosed. As discussed with members of your staff, the NRC staff is requesting a response within 30 days of this letter.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-3062.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mel B. Fields, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos: STN 50-528, STN 50-529 and STN 50-530
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encls: See next page
James M. Levine May 9, 2006 Executive Vice President, Generation Mail Station 7602 Arizona Public Service Company PO Box 52034 Phoenix, Arizona 85072-2034
SUBJECT:
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING RISK-INFORMED INSERVICE INSPECTION PROGRAM REQUEST (TAC NOS. MC9627, MC9628, AND MC9629)
Dear Mr. Levine:
By letter dated January 16, 2006, Arizona Public Service (APS) submitted proposed alternatives to section 50.55a(g) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). Specifically, APS is proposing to use a risk-informed Inservice Inspection (ISI) program as an alternative to the current ISI program requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code of record for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the information provided and determined that additional information is required in order to complete the evaluation. The additional information being requested is enclosed. As discussed with members of your staff, the NRC staff is requesting a response within 30 days of this letter.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-3062.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Mel B. Fields, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos: STN 50-528, STN 50-529 and STN 50-530
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
NONPUBLIC LPLIV Reading RidsNrrAdroDorlDpr RidsRgn4MailCenter (TPruett)
RidsNrrAdroDorlLplg RidsNrrLADJohnson RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsOgcRp ADAMS ACCESSION NO: ML061230100 OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA APLB/BC NRR/LPL4/BC NAME MFields DJohnson LMrowca DTerao JDonohew For DATE 5/9/06 5/8/06 5/9/06 5/09/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY, ET AL.
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 DOCKET NOS. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, AND STN 50-530 By letter dated January 16, 2006, Arizona Public Service (APS) submitted proposed alternatives to section 50.55a(g) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). Specifically, APS is proposing to use a risk-informed Inservice Inspection (ISI) program as an alternative to the current ISI program requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code of record for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 (Palo Verde).
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the information provided and determined that additional information is required in order to complete the evaluation. The additional information being requested is described below.
- 1.
Electric Power Research Institute Topical Report, TR-112657, Revision B-A, Revised Risk-Informed Inservice Inspection Procedure, establishes the methodology requiring inspections under the medium risk category when there are no degradation mechanisms identified and the consequence of pipe rupture is high. Explain how selection of zero welds from the medium risk Category 4 is acceptable, if a degradation mechanism were to be inadvertently overlooked.
- 2.
If the approach outlined in this request were followed, and no risk Category 4 welds were selected for the Charging System, when, if at all, would expansion examinations include any of the risk Category 4 welds in the Charging System?
- 3.
How will the specific locations be selected for the Risk Informed ISI program for the third period of the second 10-year ISI interval? Explain the process for deciding the number of locations to be selected for each risk category and system.
- 4.
Tables 5-2-1, 5-2-2, and 5-2-3 include dissimilar metal welds in the reactor coolant system that do not identify Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking as a degradation mechanism. Please provide a description of the welds, including the size and material of the base metals and weld filler material, including, if appropriate, any butter material.
5.
Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.178, "An Approach for Plant-Specific Risk-Informed Decisionmaking for Inservice Inspection of Piping," Revision 1, dated September 2003, includes guidance on what should be included in risk informed ISI submittals, particularly in dealing with probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) issues. Specifically, on page 28 of RG 1.178, the following is stated regarding the information that should be included in a submittal:
1In April 2000, the Nuclear Energy Institute submitted a process (Letter to S.J. Collins, NRC) for peer review of licensee PRAs. It was submitted for staff review in the context of its use in categorizing SSCs [structures, systems and components] with respect to special treatment requirements (i.e., supporting NRC's risk-informed proposed rulemaking to add new section 10 CFR 50.69, "Risk-Informed Categorization and Treatment of Structures, Systems, and Componenets" "Option 2" work (SECY-02-0176)). This process, when endorsed by the NRC, may also be of use in making licensing basis changes (as well as other regulatory activities not addressed here); if so, future revisions fo this regulatory guide may endorse this certification process for this purpose.
A description of the staff and industry reviews performed on the PRA1.
Limitations, weakness, or improvements identified by the reviewers that could change the results of the PRA should be discussed. The resolution of the reviewer comments, or an explanation of the insensitivity of the analysis used to support the submittal to the comment, should be provided.
The January 16, 2006, submittal lists three independent reviews of the Palo Verde PRA conducted since the Individual Plant Examination. In addition to the information submitted and based on the submittal expectations of the current revision of RG 1.178, please provide a listing of all Combustion Engineering, Inc. Owners' Group Peer Assessment A and B level Facts and Observations and any weaknesses or limitations identified by ERIN Engineering and Research and by RELCON AB (that are considered to be equivalent to the A and B level Facts and Observations from the peer review), along with the resolution of these items as they relate to the Risk-Informed ISI program analyses.
Palo Verde Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 cc:
March 2006 Mr. Steve Olea Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 W. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007 Mr. Douglas Kent Porter Senior Counsel Southern California Edison Company Law Department, Generation Resources P.O. Box 800 Rosemead, CA 91770 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. O. Box 40 Buckeye, AZ 85326 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Harris Tower & Pavillion 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-8064 Chairman Maricopa County Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003 Mr. Aubrey V. Godwin, Director Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency 4814 South 40 Street Phoenix, AZ 85040 Mr. Craig K. Seaman, General Manager Regulatory Affairs and Performance Improvement Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7636 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034 Mr. Matthew Benac Assistant Vice President Nuclear & Generation Services El Paso Electric Company 340 East Palm Lane, Suite 310 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Mr. John Taylor Public Service Company of New Mexico 2401 Aztec NE, MS Z110 Albuquerque, NM 87107-4224 Mr. Thomas D. Champ Southern California Edison Company 5000 Pacific Coast Hwy Bldg D1B San Clemente, CA 92672 Mr. Robert Henry Salt River Project 6504 East Thomas Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Mr. Jeffrey T. Weikert Assistant General Counsel El Paso Electric Company Mail Location 167 123 W. Mills El Paso, TX 79901 Mr. John Schumann Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Southern California Public Power Authority P.O. Box 51111, Room 1255-C Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100 Mr. Brian Almon Public Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P. O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701-3326
Palo Verde Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 cc:
March 2006 Ms. Karen O'Regan Environmental Program Manager City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs 200 West Washington Street Phoenix AZ 85003