ML091970549

Email Request for Additional Information Regarding Requests for Relief (RR) RBS-ISI-007, RBS-ISI-008, RBS-ISI-009, RBS-ISI-010 and RBS-ISI-011

ML091970549
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend
Issue date:	07/16/2009
From:	Wang A Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Burmeister B Entergy Operations
Wang, A B, NRR/DORL/LPLIV, 415-1445
References
RBS-ISI-007, RBS-ISI-008, RBS-ISI-009, RBS-ISI-010, RBS-ISI-011, TAC ME1466, TAC ME1469, TAC ME1470, TAC ME1471, TAC ME1472
Download: ML091970549 (2)

Text

From: Wang, Alan Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 2:43 PM To: 'BURMEISTER, BARRY M' Cc: 'David Lorfing (DLorfin@entergy.com)'; Lent, Susan; Burkhardt, Janet

Subject:

Request for Additional Information Regarding Requests for Relief (RR) RBS-ISI-007, RBS-ISI-008, RBS ISI 009, RBS-ISI-010, and RBS-ISI-011

Barry, By letter dated May 29, 2009, (Agencywide Documents Access & Management System (ADAMS) ML091560230), Entergy Operations, Inc. (the licensee), submitted its second 10-year inservice inspection (ISI) interval Requests for Relief (RR) RBS-ISI-007, RBS-ISI-008, RBS-ISI-009, RBS-ISI-010, and RBS-ISI-011 from the requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code),Section XI, for River Bend Station (RBS).

In accordance with Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.55a(g)(5)(iii), the licensee has submitted the subject requests for relief for limited examinations in multiple ASME Code Examination Categories. The ASME Code requires that 100% of the examination volumes, or surface areas, described in ASME Code,Section XI, Tables IWB-2500 and IWC-2500 be performed during each interval. The licensee stated that 100% of the ASME Code-required volumes, or surface areas, are impractical to obtain at RBS.

10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iii) states that when licensees determine that conformance with ASME Code requirements are impractical at their facilities, they shall submit information to support this determination. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will evaluate such requests based on impracticality, and may impose alternatives, giving due consideration to public safety and the burden imposed on the licensee. The NRC staff has reviewed the information provided in your submittal and determined that additional information is required in order to complete its review.

Please respond to the following request for additional information by August 15, 2009. If circumstances result in the need to revise the requested response date, please contact me at (301) 415-1445 or via e-mail at Alan.Wang@nrc.gov.

2,0 REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. General - Information Required on All Requests for Relief In most cases, the licensee has provided only general information regarding impracticality of obtaining ASME Code-required volumetric examination, as applicable. Statements such as scanning obstructions and geometric surface conditions, design configurations, nozzle-to-head configuration, and due to transition of the nozzle adjacent to the weld toe are inadequate to explain the bases for not obtaining the ASME Code-required examination volumes. No sketches with dimensional information showing the causes of limited accessibility have been included.

The staff requests that the licensee submit detailed and specific information to support the bases for limited examination in all requests for relief, and therefore, demonstrate impracticality. The licensee shall:

a) Include descriptions (written and/or sketches, as necessary) of the interferences to applied nondestructive examination (NDE) techniques.

b) As applicable, describe NDE equipment (ultrasonic scanning apparatus), details of the listed obstructions (size, shape, proximity to the weld, etc.) to demonstrate accessibility limitations, and discuss whether alternative methods or advanced technologies could be employed to maximize ASME Code coverage.

c) Fully clarify the wave modality and insonification angles used for all ultrasonic examinations.

d) Show cross-sectional coverage plots to describe ASME Code volumes examined.

e) If surface examination is required by the ASME Code in addition to the volumetric examination, state whether surface examinations were performed on any of the subject components and state examination coverage that was obtained.

f) If not included, state whether any indications were discovered as a result of Code-required examinations, and how these indications have been dispositioned.