ML062490501

2006/09/07-Pilgrim, Request for Additional Information for the Review of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station License Renewal Application

ML062490501
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	09/07/2006
From:	Subbaratnam R NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRA
To:	Kansler M Entergy Nuclear Operations
Ellis, Twana, NRR/DLR/RLRA 301-415-3134
References
%dam200612, TAC MC9669
Download: ML062490501 (7)

Text

September 7, 2006 Mr. Michael Kansler President

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601-1839

SUBJECT:

REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (TAC NO. MC9669)

Dear Mr. Kansler:

By letter dated January 25, 2006, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., submitted an application pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 54), to renew the operating license for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station for review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC). The NRC staff is reviewing the information contained in the license

renewal application and has identified, in the enclosure, areas where additional information is

needed to complete the review. These requests for additional information address License

Renewal Section: 4.3.1.2 Reactor Vessel Internals.

These questions were discussed with a member of your staff, Bryan Ford, and a mutually agreeable date for this response is within 30 days from the date of this letter. If you have any

questions, please contact me at 301-415-1478 or by e-mail at RXS2@nrc.gov

. Sincerely, /RA/Ram Subbaratnam, Project Manager License Renewal Branch A

Division of License Renewal

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-293

Enclosure:

Requests for Additional Information cc w/encl: See next page

ML062490501 C:\MyFiles\Copies\EFGBectio4.3.2.1RAIsFinal.wpdOFFICEPM:RLRA:DLRPM:CFEB:DCILA:RLRA:DLRBC:REBB:DLRNAMERSubbaratnamChia-Fu ShengYEdmondsLlund DATE8/25/068/24/068/24/069/07/06

Letter to Michael Kansler from Ram Subbaratnam dated: September 7, 2006

SUBJECT:

REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (TAC MC9669)

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KGruss GWilson CAnderson, Region 1

WRaymond, Region 1

NSheehan, Region 1 Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station cc:

Regional Administrator, Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

475 Allendale Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Senior Resident Inspector U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

Post Office Box 867

Plymouth, MA 02360 Chairman, Board of Selectmen 11 Lincoln Street

Plymouth, MA 02360 Chairman Nuclear Matters Committee

Town Hall 11 Lincoln Street

Plymouth, MA 02360 Chairman, Duxbury Board of Selectmen Town Hall 878 Tremont Street

Duxbury, MA 02332 Office of the Commissioner Massachusetts Department of

Environmental Protection

One Winter Street

Boston, MA 02108 Office of the Attorney General One Ashburton Place

20th Floor

Boston, MA 02108 Director, Radiation Control Program Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Executive Offices of Health and

Human Services

174 Portland Street

Boston, MA 02114 Secretary of Public Safety Executive Office of Public Safety One Ashburton Place

Boston, MA 02108 Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Attn: James Muckerheide

400 Worcester Road

Framingham, MA 01702-5399 Mr. William D. Meinert Nuclear Engineer

Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale

Electric Company

P.O. Box 426

Ludlow, MA 01056-0426 Mr. Michael A. Balduzzi Site Vice President

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

600 Rocky Hill Road

Plymouth, MA 02360-5508 Mr. Stephen J. Bethay Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

600 Rocky Hill Road

Plymouth, MA 02360-5508 Mr. Bryan S. Ford Manager, Licensing

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

600 Rocky Hill Road

Plymouth, MA 02360-5508 Mr. Gary J. Taylor Chief Executive Officer

Entergy Operations

1340 Echelon Parkway

Jackson, MS 39213 Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station cc:

Mr. John T. Herron Sr. VP and Chief Operating Officer

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601Mr. Oscar Limpias Vice President, Engineering

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Christopher Schwarz Vice President, Operations Support

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John F. McCann Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601 Ms. Charlene D. Faison Manager, Licensing

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Michael D. Lyster 5931 Barclay Lane

Naples, FL 34110-7306 Mr. Michael J. Colomb Director of Oversight

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601 Ms. Stacey Lousteau Treasury Department

Entergy Services, Inc.

639 Loyola Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70113Mr. James Sniezek 5486 Nithsdale Drive

Salisbury, MD 21801 Mr. Travis C. McCullough Assistant General Counsel

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue

White Plains, NY 10601Mr. James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20006-3708 Plymouth Public Library Attn: Dinah O'Brien

132 South Street

Plymouth, MA 02360 Duxbury Free Library ATTN: Ms. Elaine Winquist

77 Alden Street

Duxbury, MA 02332 Kingston Public Library ATTN: Reference Librarian

6 Green Street

Kingston, MA 02364 Ms. Mary Lampert Duxbury Nuclear Advisory, Chair

Pilgrim watch, Director

148 Washington Street

Duxbury 02332 ENCLOSURE REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PILGRIM LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (LRA)

SECTION: 4.3.1.2 REACTOR VESSEL INTERNALS 4.3.1.2 Reactor Vessel Internals RAI 4.3.1.2-1 Control rod drive (CRD) return line nozzle-to-end cap weld: Regarding the CRD return line nozzle-to-end cap weld repair, your Project Report LRPD-06, "Pilgrim NPS License Renewal

Project - Time-Limited Aging Analyses, Mechanical Fatigue," Response 2.4 refers to Relief

Request PRR-36 and concludes, "This relief did not involve any analyses based on time-limited

assumptions and therefore is not a TLAA." PRR-36 was submitted by letters dated October 1, 3, and 8, 2004, and July 12, 2004, for relief from certain American Society of Mechanical

Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) requirements pertaining to the repair

of the nozzle-to-end cap weld with a detected flaw and the associated non-destructive

examinations. Alternatively, PRR-36 proposed to use ASME Code Case N-504-2, "Alternative Rules for Repair of Class 1, 2, and 3 Austenitic Stainless Steel Piping," with modifications to

perform the repair. The request was approved in a safety evaluation (SE) dated February 25, 2005. ASME Code Case N-504-2 (g)(2) requires a flaw evaluation be performed on the

repaired component such that "The evaluation should demonstrate that the requirements of IWB-3640...are satisfied for the design life of the repair, considering potential flaw growth due to

fatigue and the mechanism believed to have caused the flaw. The flaw growth evaluation shall be performed in accordance with Appendix C." Explain how Entergy meets the ASME Code

Case N-504-2 requirement on performing a flaw evaluation that considers fatigue and the

mechanism believed to have caused the flaw. If applicable, you may provide a document showing that the weld overlay region adjacent to the interface is in the compressive stress zone.

RAI 4.3.1.2-2 Reactor recirculation nozzle thermal sleeves regarding the flaws on reactor recirculation nozzle thermal sleeves, LRPD-06 Response 2.4 refers to a flaw growth analysis in NEDC-30730 and

concludes, "The NRC reviewed and accepted the analysis as documented in an SER (Ref.

4.2.21). As this analysis is only based on 18 months, it is not a TLAA." The cited SE was

issued on December 4, 1984. As you stated, the crack growth analysis is for 18 months. One

of the six criteria specified in 10 CFR 54.3(a) for classifying an analysis as a TLAA is the

analysis "[i]nvolve time-limited assumptions def ined by the current operating term, for example, 40 years." The meaning of a crack growth analysis based on 18 months is that the structural

integrity of reactor recirculation nozzle thermal sleeves is not only a concern for the extended

period of operation but also a concern for the remaining period of operation under the current

40-year license. Therefore, Entergy needs to consider this as a TLAA and address the

following:

For the License Renewal Application:

(1)Confirm whether Report PMA86-07, "Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Recirculation Inlet Thermal Sleeve Mock Up Fabrication and Evaluation," dated October 1986 had been

reviewed by NRC staff.

(2)Identify the SE which accepts use of hydrogen water chemistry as the mitigating method and as the basis for Entergy to operate with the flaws on the thermal sleeves beyond

1987.(3)Provide an analysis of the inspection results on these thermal sleeves obtained from 1987 to date.(4)Provide the end-of-extended-period-of-operation (60 years) flaw length of the circumferential through-wall flaw which was 32 percent circumference in 1987 (per the

December 4,1984, SE for the worst flaw among the detected recirculation nozzle thermal

sleeve cracks) and perform a stability analysis for this flaw.(5)If the stability analysis of effort (4) shows that the predicted end-of-extended-period-of-operation through-wall flaw length does not meet the ASME Code Section XI margin, provide an impact evaluation on operation and structural integrity of other components

due to a broken thermal sleeve piece of a reasonable size.(6)Provide an inspection plan for these detected thermal sleeve flaws in the extended period of operation.

For current operation till the end of the 40-year operation:

(7)Discuss the adequacy of the inspection plan for recirculation nozzle thermal sleeves for the remaining period of 40-year operation.(8)Provide the end of the 40-year operation flaw length of the circumferential through-wall flaw which was 32 percent circumference in 1987 and perform a stability analysis for this

flaw.