ML071640310
| ML071640310 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 08/14/2007 |
| From: | Travis Tate NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIII-1 |
| To: | Balduzzi M Entergy Nuclear Operations |
| Sun, Robert NRR/DLR/RLRB 415-3421 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD3461 | |
| Download: ML071640310 (7) | |
Text
August 14, 2007 Mr. Michael Balduzzi Sr. Vice President, Regional Operations NE Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601
SUBJECT:
PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT - APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REACTOR VESSEL SURVEILLANCE CAPSULE WITHDRAWAL SCHEDULE (TAC NO. MD3461)
Dear Mr. Balduzzi:
By letter dated September 19, 2006, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML0626300710), and supplemented by letter dated, January 30, 2007, (ADAMS Accession No. ML070300405), Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC, the licensee, at the time of submittal), submitted a proposed change to reactor vessel material surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
Part 50, Appendix H. The proposed schedule was developed to accommodate the 60-year licensing period for Palisades Nuclear Plant (PNP) using the guidance of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice E-185-82, Standard Practice for Conducting Surveillance Tests for Light-Water Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc (ENO), has since become the current licensee, following a license transfer that occurred on April 11, 2007.
Our review is contained in the enclosed safety evaluation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff found that the proposed surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule for PNP is in accordance with Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50, and the recommendations of ASTM Standard Practice E-185-82.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Travis L. Tate, Acting Chief Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: See next page
ML070300405), Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC, the licensee, at the time of submittal), submitted a proposed change to reactor vessel material surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
Part 50, Appendix H. The proposed schedule was developed to accommodate the 60-year licensing period for Palisades Nuclear Plant (PNP) using the guidance of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice E-185-82, Standard Practice for Conducting Surveillance Tests for Light-Water Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc (ENO), has since become the current licensee, following a license transfer that occurred on April 11, 2007.
Our review is contained in the enclosed safety evaluation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff found that the proposed surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule for PNP is in accordance with Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50, and the recommendations of ASTM Standard Practice E-185-82.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Travis L. Tate, Acting Chief Plant Licensing Branch III-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC LPL3-1 R/F RidsNrrPMMChawla RidsNrrLATHarris RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 RidsOgcRpRidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsNrrDorlDpr MMitchell, NRR CLipa, RGN-III RidsRgn3MailCenter TBloomer, EDO, Rgn III ADAMS Accession Number: ML071640310
- Safety Evaluation dated: March 6, 2007 OFFICE NRR/LPL3-1 NRR/LPL3-1/PM NRR/LPL3-1/LA DCI/CVIB OGC NRR/LPL3-1/(A)BC NAME RSun MChawla THarris MMitchell J.Bonanno NLO TTate DATE 06/28/07 08/ 14 /07 08/ 14 /07 03/06/07 07/10/07 08/ 14 /07
Palisades Plant cc:
Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Suite 210 2443 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Supervisor Covert Township P. O. Box 35 Covert, MI 49043 Office of the Governor P. O. Box 30013 Lansing, MI 48909 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector's Office Palisades Plant 27782 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Waste and Hazardous Materials Division 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 Mr. Michael R. Kansler President & CEO/CNO Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John T. Herron Sr. Vice President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Sr. Vice President, Engineering and Technical Services Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
1340 Echelon Parkway Jackson, MS 39213 Mr. Bruce C. Williams Vice President, Oversight Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
1340 Echelon Parkway Jackson, MS 39213 Mr. Christopher J. Schwarz Site Vice President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043 General Manager, Plant Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043 Mr. Oscar Limpias Vice President, Engineering Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John F. McCann Director, Nuclear Safety & Licensing 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. Ernest J. Harkness Director of Oversight Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. William Dennis Assistant General Counsel Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Joseph DeRoy Vice President, Operations Support Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
1340 Echelon Parkway Jackson, MS 39213 Laurie A. Lahti, Manager, Licensing Regulatory Affairs Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SURVEILLANCE CAPSULE WITHDRAWAL SCHEDULE PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT NUCLEAR MANAGEMENT COMPANY DOCKET NO. 50-255
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated September 19, 2006, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML0626300710), and supplemented by letter dated, January 30, 2007, (ADAMS Accession No. ML070300405) pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50, Appendix H, Reactor Vessel Material Surveillance Program Requirements, Nuclear Management Company (NMC, the licensee, at the time of submittal), submitted a proposed reactor pressure vessel (RPV) material surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule for Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff review and approval.
The proposed schedule was developed to accommodate the 60-year licensing period for Palisades Nuclear Plant (PNP) using the guidance of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice E-185-82, Standard Practice for Conducting Surveillance Tests for Light-Water Cooled Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc (ENO), has since become the current licensee, following a license transfer that occurred on April 11, 2007.
2.0 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS The surveillance program requirements in Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50, were established to monitor the radiation-induced changes in the mechanical and impact properties of the RPV materials. Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50 requires licensees to monitor changes in the fracture toughness properties of ferritic materials in the RPV beltline region of light-water nuclear power reactors. Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50 states that the design of the surveillance program and the withdrawal schedule must meet the requirements of the edition of ASTM E-185 that is current on the issue date of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) to which the RPV was purchased.
Later editions of ASTM E-185 may be used including those editions through 1982 (i.e., ASTM E-185-82). NUREG-1801, Generic Aging Lessons Learned Report provides additional guidance for the surveillance program for the 60-year extended period of operation.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
3.1 Evaluation Criteria of ASTM E-185-82 PNP is using the requirements of ASTM E-185-82 as its basis for meeting the RPV surveillance capsule withdrawal requirements of Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50. Table 1 of ASTM E-185-82 requires that either a minimum of three, four, or five surveillance capsules be removed from each of the vessels, as based on the projected nilductility reference temperature shift (RTNDT) of the limiting material at the clad-vessel interface location of the RPV at the end-of-licensed plant life (EOL). ASTM E-185-82 establishes the following criteria for determining the minimum number of capsules that are to be removed in accordance with a withdrawal schedule and the number of capsules that are to be tested:
For plants with projected RTNDT less than 100 EF (56 EC), three capsules are required to be removed from the RPV and the first two capsules are required to be tested (for dosimetry, tensile-ductility, Charpy-V impact toughness, and alloying chemistry).
For plants with projected RTNDT between 100 EF (56 EC) and 200 EF (111 EC), four surveillance capsules are to be removed from the RPV and the first three capsules are required to be tested.
For plants with projected RTNDT above 200 EF (111 EC), five surveillance capsules are required to be removed from the RPV and the first four capsules are required to be tested.
For any of these withdrawal schedules, ASTM E-185-82 specifies that the final surveillance capsule should be withdrawn after accumulating a neutron fluence (E > 1.0 MeV) of between one and two times the peak, EOL RPV fluence.
PNP has a limiting RTNDT value greater than 200 EF. Therefore, because the RTNDT value is greater than 200 EF, ASTM E 185-82 recommends that, at a minimum, five capsules to be withdrawn. PNP has removed and tested four capsules and has proposed a change in a withdrawal schedule for the fifth capsule.
3.2 Changes Proposed to the Withdrawal Schedule for PNP In accordance with ASTM E-185-82, Table 1, the recommended withdrawal schedule for the fifth capsule, W-80, is such that the surveillance capsule fluence is not less than once or greater than twice the peak EOL vessel fluence. EOL for PNP is equivalent to 42.37 Effective Full Power Years (EFPYs) of operation based on the renewed license.
The following table summarizes PNP capsules which have already been removed and the proposed withdrawal of remaining capsules. The fifth capsule is proposed to be removed and tested between the 40th and 60th year of plant operation. Capsules W-280 and W-260 both remain available for subsequent removal and testing, if needed.
The projected peak vessel fluence at 60 years (42.37 EFPY) is estimated to be 2.998X1019 neutrons per square centimeter (n/cm2). The licensee projects a capsule fluence of 3.06X1019 (n/cm2) at 31.96 EFPY. Thus, capsule W-80 will capture the 60th year peak vessel fluence at 31.96 EFPY. Capsules W-280 and W-260 are reserved and will be withdrawn and tested in the future, if necessary.
Withdrawal Sequence Capsule (Unit shown as subscript)
Removal Time Capsule Fluence X 1019 (n/cm2)
First A-240 2.26 EFPY 4.01 Second W-290 5.21 EFPY 0.926 Third W-110 9.95 EFPY 1.66 Fourth W-100 16.93 EFPY 2.1 Fifth W-80
~ 31.96 EFPY
~ 3.06 W-280 Reserved for future use W-260 Reserved for future use T-150 Reserved for future use
4.0 CONCLUSION
Based on the NRC staffs review of the NMC submittal, the revised surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule for the PNP RPV satisfies the requirements of ASTM E-185-82. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the licensees modified surveillance capsule withdrawal schedule for PNP, as provided in the September 19, 2006, submittal and supplemental letter dated January 30, 2007, is acceptable for implementation and satisfies the requirements of Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50 for the 60-year extended license period.
Principal Contributors: Neil K. Ray Date: