ML081050587

Relief Request PRR-RBS-2007-1 for Standby Service Water Pumps for the Third 10-Year Inservice Testing Interval

ML081050587
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend
Issue date:	04/29/2008
From:	Hiltz T NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLIV
To:	Entergy Operations
Donohew J N, NRR/DORL/LPL4, 415-1307
References
PRR-RBS-2007-1, TAC MD7521
Download: ML081050587 (7)

Text

April 29, 2008 Vice President, Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.

River Bend Station 5485 US Highway 61N St. Francisville, LA 70775

SUBJECT:

RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1 - RELIEF REQUEST PRR-RBS-2007-1 FOR STANDBY SERVICE WATER PUMPS FOR THE THIRD 10-YEAR INSERVICE TESTING INTERVAL (TAC NO. MD7521)

Dear Sir or Madam:

By letter dated November 29, 2007 (CNRO-2007-00042), Entergy Operations, Inc., the licensee, submitted relief request (RR) PRR-RBS-2007-1 for the third 10-year inservice testing (IST) program interval at River Bend Station (RBS). The licensee requested relief from certain vibration measurement requirements for vertical-line shaft pumps of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants (ASME OM Code) for this interval.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed its review of the above RR and enclosed is the NRC staff's safety evaluation (SE). Based on the enclosed SE and pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii), the Commission authorizes PRR-RBS-2007-1 on the basis that complying with the specified requirements in the ASME OM Code would result in hardship to the licensee without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety. The RR is authorized for the third 10-year IST interval at RBS, which commenced on December 2, 2007.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1307 or via e-mail at jnd@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Thomas G. Hiltz, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-458

Enclosure:

Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: See next page

April 29, 2008 Vice President, Operations Entergy Operations, Inc.

River Bend Station 5485 US Highway 61N St. Francisville, LA 70775

SUBJECT:

RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1 - RELIEF REQUEST PRR-RBS-2007-1 FOR STANDBY SERVICE WATER PUMPS FOR THE THIRD 10-YEAR INSERVICE TESTING INTERVAL (TAC NO. MD7521)

Dear Sir or Madam:

By letter dated November 29, 2007 (CNRO-2007-00042), Entergy Operations, Inc., the licensee, submitted relief request (RR) PRR-RBS-2007-1 for the third 10-year inservice testing (IST) program interval at River Bend Station (RBS). The licensee requested relief from certain vibration measurement requirements for vertical-line shaft pumps of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants (ASME OM Code) for this interval.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed its review of the above RR and enclosed is the NRC staff's safety evaluation (SE). Based on the enclosed SE and pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii), the Commission authorizes PRR-RBS-2007-1 on the basis that complying with the specified requirements in the ASME OM Code would result in hardship to the licensee without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety. The RR is authorized for the third 10-year IST interval at RBS, which commenced on December 2, 2007.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1307 or via e-mail at jnd@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Thomas G. Hiltz, Chief Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-458

Enclosure:

Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrDorlLpl4 RidsRgn4MailCenter LPLIV r/f RidsNrrLAJBurkhardt RWolfgang, NRR/DCI/CPTB RidsAcrsAcnw&mMailCenter RidsNrrPMJDonohew JAdams, NRR/DCI/CPTB RidsNrrDciCptb RidsOgcRp ADAMS Accession Nos.: ML081050587 NRR-028 OFFICE NRR/LPL4/PM NRR/LPL4/LA NRR/CPTB/BC OGC NRR/LPL4/BC NAME JDonohew:sp JBurkhardt JMcHale RHolmes THiltz DATE 4/28/08 4/16/08 03/24/2008 04/22/2008 4/29/08 OFFICIAL AGENCY RECORD

River Bend Station (2/25/2008) cc:

Senior Vice President Attorney General Entergy Nuclear Operations State of Louisiana P.O. Box 31995 P.O. Box 94095 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095 Vice President, Oversight President of West Feliciana Entergy Nuclear Operations Police Jury P.O. Box 31995 P.O. Box 1921 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 St. Francisville, LA 70775 Senior Manager, Nuclear Safety Mr. Brian Almon

& Licensing Public Utility Commission Entergy Nuclear Operations William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 31995 P.O. Box 13326 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78701-3326 Senior Vice President

& Chief Operating Officer Mr. Jim Calloway Entergy Operations, Inc. Public Utility P.O. Box 31995 Commission of Texas Jackson, MS 39286-1995 1701 N. Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78711-3326 Associate General Counsel Entergy Nuclear Operations Ms. H. Anne Plettinger P.O. Box 31995 3456 Villa Rose Drive Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Manager, Licensing Mr. Richard Penrod, Senior Environmental Entergy Operations, Inc. Scientist/State Liaison Officer River Bend Station Office of Environmental Services 5485 US Highway 61N Northwestern State University St. Francisville, LA 70775 Russell Hall, Room 201 Natchitoches, LA 71497 Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality Radiological Emergency Planning and Senior Resident Inspector Response Division P.O. Box 1050 P.O. Box 4312 St. Francisville, LA 70775 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4312 Regional Administrator, Region IV Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Environmental Compliance 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 P.O. Box 4312 Arlington, TX 76011-8064 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4312

SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO RELIEF REQUEST PRR-RBS-2007-1 FOR THE THIRD 10-YEAR INSERVICE TESTING INTERVAL FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. NPF-47 ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC.

RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-458

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By application dated November 29, 2007 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML073511442), Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee),

submitted a relief request (RR) for the third 10-year inservice testing (IST) program interval at River Bend Station (RBS). In that RR, the licensee requested relief from certain IST requirements of the 2001 Edition through 2003 Addenda of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code for Operation and Maintenance (OM Code) of Nuclear Power Plants (the ASME OM Code), which is, the licensee stated, the applicable ASME OM Code for the third 10-year IST interval. The licensee stated that the third 10-year IST interval for RBS commenced on December 2, 2007.

In the attachment to its application, the licensee submitted RR PRR-RBS-2007-1 for RBS, which addressed the difficulty in taking vibration measurements on the vertical-line shaft of the four standby service water (SSW) pumps SWP-P2A, SWP-P2B, SWP-P2C, and SWP-P2D. In the attachment, the licensee also provided RRs for Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO), Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS), and Waterford Steam Electric Station (WSES). The letter addressing the GGNS RRs was issued April 23, 2008 (ADAMS Accession No. ML081010019). The ANO and WSES RRs will be the subject of future letters to the licensee.

2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION

In Part 50, Section 50.55a, in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 50.55a), the regulations require that IST of certain ASME Code Class 1, 2, and 3 pumps and valves be performed at 120-month (10-year) IST program intervals in accordance with the specified ASME Code and applicable addenda incorporated by reference in the regulations, except where alternatives have been authorized or relief has been requested by the licensee and granted by the NRC pursuant to (a)(3)(i) or (a)(3)(ii) of 10 CFR 50.55a.

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(f)(4)(ii), licensees are required to comply with the requirements of the latest edition and addenda of the ASME Code incorporated by reference in the regulations 12 months prior to the start of the 120-month IST program interval.

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(f)(4)(iv), IST of pumps and valves may meet the requirements set forth in subsequent editions and addenda that are incorporated by reference in 10 CFR 50.55a(b), subject to the limitations in paragraph (b) of that section and NRC approval.

Portions of editions or addenda of the ASME Code may be used provided that all related requirements of the respective editions and addenda are met. In proposing alternatives or requesting relief, the licensee must demonstrate that: (1) the proposed alternatives provide an acceptable level of quality and safety, or (2) compliance would result in hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety. Section 50.55a authorizes the NRC to approve alternatives and to grant relief from ASME OM Code requirements upon making necessary findings.

NRC guidance contained in Generic Letter (GL) 89-04, Guidance on Developing Acceptable Inservice Testing Programs, and in GL 89-04, Supplement 1, provides alternatives to ASME Code requirements which are acceptable. Further guidance is given in NUREG-1482, Revision 1, Guidelines for Inservice Testing at Nuclear Power Plants.

3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION

3.1 Pump RR PRR-RBS-2007-1 3.1.1 Code Requirements The licensee requested relief from the requirements of ISTB-3540(b), Vibration, for SSW pumps SWP-P2A, SWP-P2B, SWP-P2C, and SWP-P2D. The licensee stated that the four pumps are ASME Code Class 3, vertical-line shaft, motor-driven pumps, and are classified as OM Code Category A pumps.

The licensee stated that the applicable ASME OM Code for RBS during the third 10-year IST interval is the 2001 Edition with addenda through OMb Code-2003 Addenda. For this ASME Code, ISTB-3540(b) requires that for vertical-line shaft pumps, vibration measurements shall be taken on the upper motor-bearing housing in three approximately orthogonal directions. One of the three directions shall be in the axial direction.

3.1.2 Licensees Basis for Requesting Relief In the attachment to its application, for RR PRR-RBS-2007-01, the licensee stated the following:

The Code-required vibration measurements on the upper motor bearing housing on these vertical line shaft pumps are impractical because the standby service water pump motors are totally enclosed, weather-proof induction motors that are equipped with housing covers which completely enshroud the upper motor bearing housing. The housing cover precludes vibration measurements from being taken directly on the upper bearing housing.

3.1.3 Licensees Proposed Alternative Testing Also, in the attachment to its application, for RR PRR-RBS-2007-01, the licensee stated the following:

Vibration measurements will be taken in three orthogonal directions in a location that provides valid indication of motor vibratory motion in close proximity of the upper motor bearing housing.

On the standby service water pumps[,] the upper measurements will be taken on a lifting lug that is integral to the motor stator housing. The lifting lug is structurally rigid and provides transmissibility of the motor vibratory motion. The vibration measurements will be taken in three orthogonal directions on the lifting lug. This location has demonstrated the ability to provide repeatable vibration data and will provide readings that are at least as representative of pump mechanical condition as those required by the ASME OM Code-2001 Edition with addenda through OMb Code-2003 Addenda. Therefore, application of the ASME OM Code-2001 Edition with addenda through OMb Code-2003 Addenda hydraulic testing criteria along with radial and axial vibration monitoring on the lifting lug should provide adequate data for assessing the condition of the subject pumps and for monitoring [the pumps] for degradation.

The above proposed alternative provides reasonable assurance of the operational readiness since vibration measurements will be taken in three orthogonal directions on the lifting lug. These readings will provide information as to the mechanical integrity of the pumps.

3.1.4 Evaluation The applicable ISTB-3540(b) requires that vibration measurements be taken on the upper motor-bearing housing in three approximately orthogonal directions, one of which is the axial direction on vertical-line shaft pumps, such as the four subject SSW pumps, during the regular IST of the pumps. However, the licensee stated that access to the upper motor-bearing housing for the four SSW pumps is impeded by the housing covers. The pump motors are weatherproof induction motors, which are equipped with housing covers that completely enshroud the upper motor-bearing housing. Based on this, the NRC staff concludes that it would be a hardship without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety for the licensee to modify the pumps to perform the vibration measurements on the upper motor-bearing housing to collect the required vibration data.

In its application, the licensee has proposed to take the required vibration measurements from an alternate location that would provide vibration data that are not attenuated from the upper motor-bearing housing. The licensee will take the vibration measurements from a lifting lug that is integral to the motor stator housing. The measurements will also be taken in three orthogonal directions on all the SSW pumps as required by the Code.

As stated in the RR, the licensees alternate location for taking vibration measurements provides rigid structural contact to the motor-bearing housing and, thus, the location should not be subject to dampening effects that could mask potential degradation of the pumps. Therefore, based on

this, the NRC staff concludes that the licensees proposed alternative location for taking vibration measurements provides a reasonable assurance of the operational readiness for the SSW pumps.

4.0 Conclusion Based on its evaluation of RR PRR-RBS-2007-1 above, the NRC staff concludes that the licensees proposed alternative to the ASME Code IST requirements for the four SSW pumps SWP-P2A, SWP-P2B, SWP-P2C, and SWP-P2D is acceptable on the basis that the licensees proposed alternative provides reasonable assurance of the operational readiness of the pumps.

Therefore, the NRC staff further concludes that complying with the specified requirements in the ASME OM Code would result in hardship to the licensee without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety. The alternative is for the third 10-year IST program interval.

Principal Contributor: Robert Wolfgang Date: April 29, 2008