ML081690789

Summary of Meeting with Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC to Discuss the Testing Program for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) at Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

ML081690789
Person / Time
Site:	Oconee
Issue date:	07/01/2008
From:	Olshan L NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLII-1
To:	Duke Energy Carolinas
Olshan L,NRR/DORL,415-1419
References
TAC MD8571, TAC MD8572, TAC MD8573
Download: ML081690789 (5)

Text

July 1, 2008 LICENSEE: DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC (DUKE)

FACILITY: OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 (OCONEE)

SUMMARY

OF JUNE 4, 2008, MEETING TO DISCUSS THE TESTING PROGRAM FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER (FRP) (TAC NOS. MD8571, MD8572, AND MD8573)

On June 4, 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) met with Duke (the licensee) and its contractor, North Carolina State University (NC State University), to discuss the testing program that will be used to justify the use of FRP at Oconee to strengthen certain brick walls to withstand the pressure loads resulting from a tornado. Enclosed is a list of the attendees. The handouts provided by the licensee during the meeting are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under accession numbers ML081370211 and ML081580034.

By letter dated February 21, 2008 (ADAMS accession number ML080320062), and correction letter dated March 26, 2008 (ADAMS accession number ML080720409), the NRC staff issued amendments that authorized a revision to the Oconee Updated Final Safety Analysis Report to accommodate the use of FRP to strengthen certain masonry block walls to withstand the pressure loads resulting from a tornado event. However, the NRC staff did not approve the use of FRP on brick walls due to the lack of test data. Therefore, the licensee has embarked on a program with NC State University to test the FRP on brick walls.

The following topics were discussed during the meeting:

1) The brick walls are constructed in contact with the concrete columns and beam.

Considering the interaction of the infill brick walls with the surrounding frame members, the NRC staff requested the applicant to address the following within the current licensing basis of the plant:

a) The effects of additional in-plane forces on the FRP system during a tornado event. These forces are in addition to the out-of-plane pressure loading effect.

b) The effects of FRP modification on the in-plane stiffness of the brick walls and on the overall stiffness of the Auxiliary building.

2) Based on the information presented, the FRP will only be applied to the exterior face of the brick wall to resist the atmospheric differential pressure during a tornado event. The NRC staff requested the applicant to address the condition when the inside face of the brick wall is in tension.

3) The as-built information of the existing brick walls indicates that the two wythes are connected by joint reinforcing and the mortar between the wythes cannot be accounted for full composite action. Considering this as-built condition, the NRC staff emphasized that the test setup should be adequately instrumented to capture the behavior of each wythe and the joint reinforcing.

Duke 4) The NRC staff emphasized that the construction of test specimens should simulate the as-built condition as closely as possible. This includes, but is not limited to thickness of the wall, single or double wythe construction, material properties of brick, mortar and joint reinforcing, boundary conditions, and geometry of the wall (height, width, aspect ratio).

5) Relative to the test setup, the NRC staff emphasized that the test specimen should be adequately instrumented to monitor (1) debonding of the FRP, and (2) tie rod reaction points to confirm air pressure readings and to ensure that the specimen was loaded uniformly.

The licensee expects that the test program will be completed by the end of August 2008 and expects to submit a license amendment request by the end of 2008 that will request approval of the use of FRP on certain brick walls at Oconee. Phase II of the test program is scheduled to begin July 7, 2008, and last about 2 weeks. The NRC staff stated that it might be interested in witnessing a portion of the testing.

/RA/

Leonard N. Olshan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, and 50-287

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc w/encl: See next page

Duke 4) The NRC staff emphasized that the construction of test specimens should simulate the as-built condition as closely as possible. This includes, but is not limited to thickness of the wall, single or double wythe construction, material properties of brick, mortar and joint reinforcing, boundary conditions, and geometry of the wall (height, width, aspect ratio).

5) Relative to the test setup, the NRC staff emphasized that the test specimen should be adequately instrumented to monitor (1) debonding of the FRP, and (2) tie rod reaction points to confirm air pressure readings and to ensure that the specimen was loaded uniformly.

The licensee expects that the test program will be completed by the end of August 2008 and expects to submit a license amendment request by the end of 2008 that will request approval of the use of FRP on certain brick walls at Oconee. Phase II of the test program is scheduled to begin July 7, 2008, and last about 2 weeks. The NRC staff stated that it might be interested in witnessing a portion of the testing.

/RA/

Leonard N. Olshan, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, and 50-287

Enclosure:

List of Attendees DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC LPL2-1 R/F RidsOgcRp RidsNrrDorlLpl2-1(MWong) RidsAcrsAcnw&mMailCenter RidsNrrPMLOlshan C. Tucci, NRR RidsNrrLAMOBrien RidsRgn2MailCenter (JMoorman)

M. Cox, EDO Reg II K. Manoly, NRR F. Farzam, NRR B. Titus, NRR G. Thomas, NRR Accession Number: ML081690789 OFFICE NRR/LPL-2-1/PM NRR/LPL-2-1/LA NRR/LPL2-1/BC NAME LOlshan MOBrien MWong DATE 06/24/08 06/23/08 07/01/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

MEETING ATTENDEES FROM JUNE 8, 2008, MEETING WITH DUKE ENERGY CAROLINA, LLC (DUKE)

TO DISCUSS THE TESTING PROGRAM FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER NRC K. Manoly F. Farzam B. Titus G. Thomas L. Olshan DUKE L. Llibre C. Davis S. Newman OTHER S. Rizkalla, North Carolina State University Enclosure

Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 cc:

Mr. Dave Baxter Mr. Leonard G. Green Vice President, Oconee Site Assistant Attorney General Duke Power Company LLC NC Department of Justice 7800 Rochester Highway P.O. Box 629 Seneca, SC 29672 Raleigh, NC 27602 Ms. Lisa F. Vaughn Mr. R. L. Gill, Jr.

Associate General Counsel and Managing Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Attorney Issues and Industry Affairs Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC Duke Power Company LLC 526 South Church Street - EC07H 526 S. Church St.

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 Mail Stop EC05P Charlotte, NC 28202 Manager, LIS NUS Corporation Division of Radiation Protection 2650 McCormick Dr., 3rd Floor NC Dept of Environment, Health, & Natural Clearwater, FL 34619-1035 Resources 3825 Barrett Dr.

Senior Resident Inspector Raleigh, NC 27609-7721 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 7812B Rochester Highway Mr. Peter R. Harden, IV Seneca, SC 29672 VP-Customer Relations and Sales Westinghouse Electric Company Mr. Henry Porter, Director 6000 Fairview Road Division of Radioactive Waste Management 12th Floor Bureau of Land and Waste Management Charlotte, NC 28210 Dept. of Health and Env. Control 2600 Bull St. Mr. Henry Barron Columbia, SC 29201-1708 Group Vice President, Nuclear Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer Mr. B. G. Davenport P.O. Box 1006-EC07H Regulatory Compliance Manager Charlotte, NC 28201-1006 Oconee Nuclear Site Duke Energy Corporation Mr. Charles Brinkman ON03RC Director, Washington Operations 7800 Rochester Highway Westinghouse Electric Company Seneca, SC 29672 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 330 Rockville, MD 20852 Ronnie L. Gardner, PMP Manager, Site Operations and Corporate Ms. Kathryn B. Nolan Regulatory Affairs Senior Counsel AREVA NP Inc. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC An AREVA AND Siemens Company 526 South Church Street - EC07H 3315 Old Forest Road OF -16 Charlotte, NC 28202 Lynchburg, VA 24501