ML092750237

Request for Additional Information for the Review of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, License Renewal Application

ML092750237
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	11/03/2009
From:	Lisa Regner License Renewal Projects Branch 2
To:	Edington R Arizona Public Service Co
Regner L M, NRR/DLR, 415-1906
References
TAC ME0254, TAC ME0255, TAC ME0256
Download: ML092750237 (7)

Text

November 3, 2009 Mr. Randall K. Edington Executive Vice President, Nuclear Mail Station 7602 Arizona Public Service Company P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (TAC NOs. ME0254, ME0255 AND ME0256)

Dear Mr. Edington:

By letter dated December 11, 2008 and supplemented by dated April 14, 2009 and October 14, 2009, Arizona Public Service Company (APS) submitted an application pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 54 to renew Operating License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74 for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3. The staff is reviewing the information contained in the license renewal application and has identified in the enclosure areas where additional information is needed to complete the review. Further requests for additional information may be issued in the future.

Items in the enclosure were discussed with APS staff on September 16, 2009, and a mutually agreeable date for your response was determined to be 45 calendar days from the date of this letter. If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1906 or by e-mail at Lisa.Regner@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Lisa M. Regner, Sr. Project Manager Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-528, 50-529, and 50-530

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: See next page

ML092750237 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:RPB2:DLR BC:RPB2:DLR PM:RPB2:DLR NAME SFigueroa LRegner DWrona LRegner (Signature)

DATE 10/02/09 10/15/09 11/3/09 11/3/09

Letter to Randall K. Edington from Lisa M. Regner dated November 3, 2009

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (TAC NOs. ME0254, ME0255 AND ME0256)

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L. Regner B. Mizuno R. Treadway, RIV G. Pick, RIV

PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Part I. License renewal application (LRA) Time-Limited Aging Analyses (TLAAs) 4.2, Reactor Vessel Neutron Embrittlement Analysis, and 4.7.7, Absence of a TLAA for a Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel Fatigue Crack Growth Analysis.

RAI 4.2.1-1 LRA Tables 4.2-3 to 4.2-5 documented the 54 effective full power year (EFPY) upper-shelf energy (USE) values for Units 1, 2, and 3. LRA Tables 4.2-6 to 4.2-8 documented their corresponding 54 EFPY RTPTS values. The staff found mistakes in these tables and requests corrections:

1. In Table 4.2-3 for Unit 1, the 54 EFPY USE values for the intermediate shell plates M-6701-2 and M-6701-3 are incorrect.

2. In Table 4.2-4 for Unit 2, all unirradiated USE values are incorrect.

3. In Table 4.2-6 for Unit 1, the nickel content for the lower shell axial welds is incorrect.

RAI 4.2.1-2 LRA Section 4.2.1, Neutron Fluence, Upper Shelf Energy and Adjusted Reference Temperature (Fluence, USE, and ART), Tables 4.2-3 to 4.2-5 listed 54 EPPY USE values for the beltline materials of PVNGS, Units 1, 2, and 3. They are all derived in accordance with Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.99, Revision (Rev.) 2, Radiation Embrittlement of Reactor Vessel Materials, without using surveillance data. The applicant also stated, [t]he most recent coupon examination results also show that the decline in USE and increase in RTNDT [reference temperature] in plate and weld materials are less than originally predicted by RG 1.99, Revision 2. One can conservatively estimate the ART and USE values for the beltline materials without using credible multiple surveillance data only when the estimates based on all measured surveillance data in accordance with RG 1.99, Rev. 2 are lower. Please provide your basis for not considering all surveillance data. Add references (i.e., surveillance reports) to support your clarification.

RAI 4.2.1-3 The staff found that the WCAP-15589 report (ML003764418), Analysis of Capsule 38° from the Arizona Public Service Company Palo Verde Unit 1 Reactor Vessel Radiation Surveillance Program, labeled two surveillance data from Capsule 38° as intermediate shell plate M-6701-2 and used them in the chemistry factor calculation for this limiting plate. However, the WCAP-16374 report (ML051020500), Analysis of Capsule 230° from the Arizona Public Service Company Palo Verde Unit 1 Reactor Vessel Radiation Surveillance Program, dropped the two Capsule 38° surveillance data from the chemistry factor calculation for intermediate shell plate M-6701-2. A statement on page D-3 of the WCAP-16374 report indicates a possible misidentification of specimens: [t]he lower shell plate M4311-1 also has surveillance data but only one set up to this point (from Capsule 38°), thus it will not be evaluated. Please confirm ENCLOSURE

that you misidentified surveillance specimens for PVNGS, Unit 1 in the WCAP-15589 report and explain how it happened. Or, explain the basis of discarding surveillance data from Capsule 38° in the WCAP-16374 report in calculating the chemistry factor for intermediate shell plate M-6701-2. Please confirm that Units 2 and 3, did not experience similar misidentifications as Unit 1.

RAI 4.7.7-1 The title of LRA Section 4.7.7 is Absence of a TLAA for a Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel Fatigue Crack Growth Analysis. To demonstrate that this is true, please confirm that the underlying stress and fracture mechanics analysis for the flywheels is not a part of the current licensing basis for PVNGS, Units 1, 2, and 3, or the underlying stress and fracture mechanics analysis does not contain fatigue and fatigue crack evaluations.

RAI 4.7.7-2 Discuss the evaluation of past examination results from in-place ultrasonic volumetric examination of the areas of higher stress concentration at the bore and keyway approximately every three years and from a surface examination of all exposed surfaces and complete ultrasonic volumetric examination approximately every 10 years. If a fracture mechanics analysis was performed on any indications from the examinations, provide your TLAA evaluation or explain why it is not a TLAA.

Part II. Aging Management Program (AMP) B2.1.15, Reactor Vessel Surveillance RAI B2.1.15-1 LRA Section B2.1.15 states under Program

Description:

PVNGS, Units 1, 2, and 3, determined neutron embrittlement effects, consistent with RG 1.99, Rev. 2, by option 1[b],

Neutron Embrittlement Using Surveillance Data. This is misleading. The staff found from its review of LRA Section 4.2 that, after having considered option 1b of Generic Aging Lessons Learned Report (GALL) Aging Management Program (AMP) XI.M31, you actually used the more conservative option 1a, Neutron Embrittlement Using Chemistry Tables to evaluate USE and pressure-temperature limits for 60 years. Both options are consistent with RG 1.99, Rev. 2. Please make the necessary clarification.

RAI B2.1.15-2 LRA Section B2.1.15 stated under Operating Experience what the recent examination results of the reactor vessel surveillance data revealed regarding neutron fluence, USE, and RTNDT.

Evaluation of operating experience of this PVNGS AMP should not be limited to the recent examination results. Please expand your discussion to include all tested reactor vessel surveillance data.

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 cc:

Mr. Steve Olea Mr. John C. Taylor, Director, Nuclear Arizona Corporation Commission Generation 1200 W. Washington Street El Paso Electric Company Phoenix, AZ 85007 340 E. Palm Lane, Suite 310 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Mr. Douglas Kent Porter, Senior Counsel Southern California Edison Company Mr. James Ray Law Department, Generation Resources Public Service Company of New Mexico P.O. Box 800 2401 Aztec NE, MS Z110 Rosemead, CA 91770 Albuquerque, NM 87107-4224 Senior Resident Inspector Mr. Geoffrey M. Cook U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Southern California Edison Company P.O. Box 40 5000 Pacific Coast Highway, Bldg. D21 Buckeye, AZ 85326 San Clemente, CA 92672 Regional Administrator, Region IV Mr. Robert Henry U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Salt River Project 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 6504 E. Thomas Road Arlington, TX 76011-4125 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Chairman Mr. Jeffrey T. Weikert Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Assistant General Counsel 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor El Paso Electric Company Phoenix, AZ 85003 Mail Location 167 123 W. Mills Mr. Aubrey V. Godwin, Director El Paso, TX 79901 Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency 4814 S. 40th Street Mr. Eric Tharp Phoenix, AZ 85040 Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Southern California Public Power Authority Mr. Scott Bauer, Director P.O. Box 51111, Room 1255-C Regulatory Affairs Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7636 Mr. Brian Almon P.O. Box 52034 Public Utility Commission Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034 William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 Mr. Dwight C. Mims, Vice President 1701 N. Congress Avenue Regulatory Affairs and Plant Improvement Austin, TX 78701-3326 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7605 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034