ML072480004

Evaluation of Finite Element Analysis in Support of Alloy 82/182 Pressurizer Butt Weld Inspections in 2008 as Provided by Confirmatory Letter NRR-07-009 (Tac No. MD4186)

ML072480004
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	09/07/2007
From:	Catherine Haney Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Sheppard J South Texas
Thadani, M C, NRR/DORL/LP4, 415-1476
References
TAC MD4186, NRR-07-009
Download: ML072480004 (6)

Text

September 7, 2007 Mr. James J. Sheppard President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNIT 1 - EVALUATION OF FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS IN SUPPORT OF ALLOY 82/182 PRESSURIZER BUTT WELD INSPECTIONS IN 2008 AS PROVIDED BY CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER NRR-07-009 (TAC NO. MD4186)

Dear Mr. Sheppard:

On March 27, 2007, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) No. NRR-07-009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML070790336) regarding dissimilar metal welds in the pressurizer surge, spray, and safety/relief nozzle-to-safe end welds at South Texas Project (STP), Unit 1. The CAL and the supporting commitment letter (ADAMS Accession No. ML070600123) indicate that inspection and mitigation actions may be conducted during your spring 2008 refueling outage, contingent on the industry providing an analysis that demonstrates an acceptable level of safety to the NRC for the operation of these welds until spring 2008. This letter acknowledges receipt of your letter dated August 6, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072410198), informing the NRC that the analysis referred to by this CAL and the supporting commitment letter has been completed, and that the analysis is applicable to your plant.

The NRC received MRP-216, Rev. 1, Materials Reliability Program: Advanced FEA [Finite Element Analysis] Evaluation of Growth of Postulated Circumferential PWSCC [Primary Water Stress-Corrosion Cracking] Flaws in Pressurizer Nozzle Dissimilar Metal Welds on August 13, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072410235). Based on our review of this report, the NRC concludes that the analysis provides adequate justification to permit inspections during your spring 2008 refueling outage, and that the analysis is applicable to STP, Unit 1. The results of the staffs review are contained in a safety assessment dated August 31, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072400199), and the associated contractor report (ADAMS Accession No. ML072470394).

Based on the above, the NRC concludes that a plant shutdown by December 31, 2007, is no longer required. Therefore, the pressurizer spray, and safety/relief nozzle-to-safe end Alloy 82/182 butt weld inspections for STP, Unit 1 must be performed prior to exiting your scheduled spring 2008 refueling outage. All other requirements of the CAL and the supporting commitment letter regarding enhanced inspection and leakage monitoring requirements for the reactor coolant system and associated reports remain valid.

J. J. Sheppard The CAL will remain open until all CAL commitments pertaining to STP, Unit 1 are complete.

Current NRC guidance regarding CALs is contained in the NRC Enforcement Policy and the NRC Enforcement Manual, which are available at the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement.html (click on Enforcement Policy or Enforcement Guidance) or by contacting the Government Printing Office (GPO) toll-free at 1-888-293-6498. The GPO is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2, Section 390, of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (ADAMS),

accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-498 cc: See next page

ML072480004 OFFICE DCI/CPNB DCI/CPNB LPL4/PM LPL4/LA LPL4/BC NAME TLupold TChan MThadani JBurkhardt Thiltz, BKS for DATE 9/6/07 9/6/07 9/6/07 9/6/07 9/6/07 OFFICE DCI/D DRP/D, RGN4 DORL/D NAME MEvans DChamberlain CHaney DATE 9/7/07 9/7/07 Wjones for 9/7/07 South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2 cc:

Senior Resident Inspector E. D. Halpin U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Site Vice President P.O. Box 289 STP Nuclear Operating Company Wadsworth, TX 77483 South Texas Project Electric Generating Station C. M. Canady P.O. Box 289 City of Austin Wadsworth, TX 77483 Electric Utility Department 721 Barton Springs Road S. M. Head, Manager, Licensing Austin, TX 78704 STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 J. J. Nesrsta/R. K. Temple Wadsworth, TX 77483 E. Alercon/Kevin Pollo City Public Service Board C. T. Bowman P.O. Box 1771 General Manager, Oversight San Antonio, TX 78296 STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O Box 389 INPO Wadsworth, TX 77483 Records Center 700 Galleria Parkway Marilyn Kistler Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Sr. Staff Specialist, Licensing STP Nuclear Operating Company Regional Administrator, Region IV P.O. Box 289, Mail Code 5014 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wadsworth, TX 77483 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011 Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Director Steve Winn/Christie Jacobs P.O. Box 12428 Eddy Daniels/Marty Ryan Austin, TX 78711-3189 NRC Energy, Inc.

211 Carnegie Center Jon C. Wood Princeton, NJ 08540 Cox, Smith, & Matthews 112 East Pecan, Suite 1800 Judge, Matagorda County San Antonio, TX 78205 Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Director Bay City, TX 77414 Division of Compliance & Inspection Bureau of Radiation Control A. H. Gutterman, Esq. Texas Department of State Health Services Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 1100 West 49th Street 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Austin, TX 78756 Washington, DC 20004 South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2 March 2007

cc:

Mr. Ted Enos Ken Coates 4200 South Hulen Plant General Manager Suite 422 STP Nuclear Operating Company Ft. Worth, TX 76109 South Texas Project Electric Generating Station Brian Almon P.O. Box 289 Public Utility Commission Wadsworth, TX 77483 William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 Mr. Terry Parks, Chief Inspector 1701 North Congress Avenue Texas Department of Licensing Austin, TX 78701-3326 and Regulation Boiler Division Susan M. Jablonski P.O. Box 12157 Office of Permitting, Remediation Austin, TX 78711 and Registration Texas Commission on Environmental Quality MC-122 P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 March 2007