W3F1-2009-0025, Withdrawal of License Amendment Request License Condition to Support Implementation of Extended In-Service Inspection Interval

Withdrawal of License Amendment Request License Condition to Support Implementation of Extended In-Service Inspection Interval

ML091560028
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	06/03/2009
From:	Kowalewski J Entergy Operations
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
W3F1-2009-0025
Download: ML091560028 (3)

Text

Entergy Operations, Inc.

17265 River Road Killona, LA 70057 a I~fl~f'JTel 504 739 6660 Fax 504 739 6678 jkowale@entergy.com Joseph A. Kowalewski Vice President, Operations Waterford 3 W3F1-2009-0025 June 3, 2009 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Withdrawal of License Amendment Request License Condition to Support Implementation of Extended In-Service Inspection Interval Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 Docket No. 50-382 License No. NPF-38

REFERENCE:

1. Entergy letter dated September 18, 2008, Request for Alternative W3-ISI-006 Proposed Alternative to Extend the Second. 10-Year Inservice Inspection Interval for Reactor Vessel Internal Weld Examinations (W3F1-2008-0060)

2. Entergy letter dated September 17, 2008, License Amendment Request NPF-38-280, License Condition to Support Implementation of Extended In-Service Inspection Interval (W3F1-2008-0061)

Dear Sir or Madam:

In Reference 1, Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3, (Waterford 3), had proposed an alternative to the requirements of ASME Section XI, paragraph IWB-2412, Inspection Program B, to extend the In-Service Inspection (ISI) intervals for the Reactor Vessel Internal (RVI) weld inspections through the end of the facility's operating license. This proposal was based upon the Safety Evaluation (SE) for Topical Report WCAP-16168-NP-A, Revision 2. In this SE, the NRC required licensees to amend their facility operating license to provide the NRC with the information and analyses requested in Section (e) of the final rule for paragraph 10CFR 50.61(a) or the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on October 3, 2007 (72 FR 56275) within one year following completion of each ASME Code,Section XI, Category B-A and B-D weld inspection.

Accordingly, in Reference 2, Waterford 3 submitted a license amendment request to add a license condition to support the implementation of the extended RVI ISI interval.

W3F1 -2009-0025 Page 2 Subsequently, we understand the NRC has reconsidered their position on allowing licensees to extend RVI ISI weld inspections through the end of the facility's operating license and the NRC will grant ISI interval extensions on an interval-by interval basis only (i.e., only a facility's current ISI interval will be extended for up to 20 years). Based on this NRC position, the requirement in the staff's SE on WCAP-16168-NP is no longer necessary, and the license amendment requested by Waterford 3 in Reference 2 will not be issued in conjunction with the requested alternative, W3-1SI-006, in Reference 1.

In view of the foregoing information, Waterford 3 hereby withdraws the request for License Amendment Request NPF-38-280.

There are no regulatory commitments contained in this submittal.

Please contact Robert Murillo, Manager, Licensing, at (504) 739-6715, if you have any questions or require additional information.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. This submittal is executed on June 3, 2009.

Sincerely, JAK/R M/MEM/ssf

.. W3F1-2009-0025 Page 3 cc: Mr. Elmo E. Collins, Jr.

Regional Administrator U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 NRC Senior Resident Inspector Waterford Steam Electric Station Unit 3 P.O. Box 822 Killona, LA 70066-0751 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Mr. N. Kalyanam Mail Stop O-07D1 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Wise, Carter, Child & Caraway ATTN: J. Smith P.O. Box 651 Jackson, MS 39205 Winston & Strawn ATTN: N.S. Reynolds 1700 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3817 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP ATTN: T.C. Poindexter 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004