ML080740356
| ML080740356 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 03/14/2008 |
| From: | Catherine Haney Plant Licensing Branch III-2 |
| To: | Sheppard J South Texas |
| Thadani, M C, NRR/DORL/LP4, 415-1476 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD7296, NRR-07-009 | |
| Download: ML080740356 (3) | |
Text
March 14, 2008 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 NEW INFORMATION RELATED TO ALLOY 82/182 PRESSURIZER BUTT WELD INSPECTIONS RE:
CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER NRR-07-009 (TAC NO. MD7296)
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.
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, NRC concluded that the analysis provided adequate justification to permit inspections during your spring 2008 refueling outage, and that the analysis was applicable to STP, Unit 1. On September 7, 2007, the NRC issued a letter to STP Nuclear Operating Company (ADAMS Accession No. ML072480004), informing you that a plant shutdown by December 31, 2007, was no longer needed and STP, Unit 1 could continue to operate until the spring 2008 outage.
On March 4, 2008, the NRC became aware of emerging information regarding certain welds in nozzles on a retired pressurizer from a pressurized-water reactor facility. This was related to new reports (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML080701017 and ML080701020) on weld examinations of those nozzles. This information raised questions regarding the technical basis for the September 7, 2007, letter. The NRC dispatched technical experts in non-destructive examination to independently review industry analyses and actions regarding this matter. On March 13, 2008, a public meeting was held in NRC Headquarters, Rockville, MD, with representatives of the eight licensees whose plants had not yet shut down for spring 2008 outages and who are subject to commitments to inspect or mitigate similar welds during spring 2008 outages.
J. Sheppard The NRC has evaluated the non-destructive automated phased array ultrasonic examination performed since March 4, 2008, and concluded there is reasonable assurance that there is no structurally significant service-related degradation in those nozzles that would alter the conclusions provided in our letter dated September 7, 2007, that allowed continued operation of STP, Unit 1 until the spring 2008 refueling outage. The NRC will continue to evaluate new information as it becomes available. 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.
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 by Tim McGinty for/
Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. STN 50-498 cc: See next page
J. Sheppard The NRC has evaluated the non-destructive automated phased array ultrasonic examination performed since March 4, 2008, and concluded there is reasonable assurance that there is no structurally significant service-related degradation in those nozzles that would alter the conclusions provided in our letter dated September 7, 2007, that allowed continued operation of STP, Unit 1 until the spring 2008 refueling outage. The NRC will continue to evaluate new information as it becomes available. 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.
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 by Tim McGinty for/
Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. STN 50-498 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC RidsNrrDirs RidsRgn4MailCenter LPL4 R/F RidsNrrDorl WMaier, RIV SLO RidsAcrsAcnw&mMailCenter RidsNrrDorlLpl4 DPelton, EDO RIV RidsEdoMailCenter RidsNrrLAJBurkhardt VDricks, OPA RIV RidsNrrOd RidsNrrPMMThadani TSullivan, NRR/DCI/CPNB RidsNrrDci RidsOEMailCenter RidsNrrDciCpnb RidsOgcRp ADAMS Accession No. ML080740356 (*) by e-mail (**) see previous concurrence NRR-106 OFFICE DCI/CPNB DCI/CPNB/BC DORL/LPL4/PM DORL/LPL4/LA NAME TSullivan TChan MThadani, MTM JBurkhardt DATE 3/14/08, w/comments 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 OFFICE DORL/LPL4/BC NRR/DCI/D DRP/D, R-III NRR/DORL/D NAME THiltz MEvans DChamberlain, e-mail Chaney, TJM for DATE 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 OFFICIAL AGENCY RECORD
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 12/5/2007 cc:
Senior Resident Inspector S. M. Head, Manager, Licensing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289 P.O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 Wadsworth, TX 77483 Wadsworth, TX 77483 C. M. Canady C. T. Bowman, General Manager, Oversight City of Austin STP Nuclear Operating Company Electric Utility Department P.O Box 289 721 Barton Springs Road Wadsworth, TX 77483 Austin, TX 78704 Ms. Marilyn Kistler J. J. Nesrsta/R. K. Temple Senior Staff Specialist, Licensing E. Alercon/Kevin Pollo STP Nuclear Operating Company CPS Energy P.O. Box 289, Mail Code 5014 P.O. Box 1771 Wadsworth, TX 77483 San Antonio, TX 78296 Environmental and Natural Resources INPO Policy Director Records Center P.O. Box 12428 700 Galleria Parkway Austin, TX 78711-3189 Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Mr. Jon C. Wood Regional Administrator, Region IV Cox, Smith, & Matthews U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 112 East Pecan, Suite 1800 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 San Antonio, TX 78205 Arlington, TX 76011 Director, Division of Compliance & Inspection Steve Winn/Christie Jacobs Bureau of Radiation Control Eddy Daniels/Marty Ryan Texas Department of State Health Services NRC Energy, Inc. 1100 West 49th Street 211 Carnegie Center Austin, TX 78756 Princeton, NJ 08540 Mr. Ted Enos Mr. Nate McDonald 4200 South Hulen County Judge for Matagorda County Suite 422
\1700 7th Street, Room 301 Ft. Worth, TX 76109 Bay City, TX 77414 Mr. Brian Almon A. H. Gutterman, Esq. Public Utility Commission of Texas Morgan, Lewis & Bockius P.O. Box 13326 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Austin, TX 78711-3326 Washington, DC 20004 E. D. Halpin, Site Vice President STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 12/5/2007 Ms. Susan M. Jablonski Mr. Anthony P. Jones, Chief Boiler Inspector Office of Permitting, Remediation Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and Registration Boiler Division Texas Commission on Environmental Quality E.O. Thompson State Office Building MC-122 P.O. Box 12157 P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711 Austin, TX 78711-3087 Mr. Ken Coates, Plant General Manager STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483