ML103630735

Summary of Telephone Conference Call Held on September 16, 2010, Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and PSEG Nuclear LLC, Concerning Questions Pertaining to the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 & 2, License Renewal App

ML103630735
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	02/09/2011
From:	Bennett Brady License Renewal Projects Branch 1
To:	License Renewal Projects Branch 1
BRADY B, NRR/DLR/RPB1, 415-2981
References
Download: ML103630735 (6)

Text

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555*0001

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0 February 9,2011

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~o LICENSEE:

PSEG Nuclear, LLC FACILITY:

Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PSEG NUCLEAR, LLC, CONCERNING QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of PSEG Nuclear, LLC (the applicant), and Exelon held a telephone conference call on September 16, 2010, to discuss and clarify the staff's questions concerning the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, license renewal application. The telephone conference call was useful in clarifying the intent of the staff's questions. provides a listing of the participants, Enclosure 2 contains a brief summary of the discussion and status of the items, and Enclosure 3 contains the draft request for additional information (RAI).

The applicant had an opportunity to comment on this summary.

Bennett M. Brady, Project Manager Projects Branch 1 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311

Enclosures:

1. List of Participants

2. Summary of meeting discussion

3. Draft RAI cc w/encls: Distribution via Listserv

TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION LIST OF PARTICIPANTS September 16, 2010 PARTICIPANTS AFFILIATIONS Bennett Brady U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Allen Hiser NRC Rachel Vaucher NRC John Hufnagel Exelon Christopher Wilson Exelon Sam Speer PSEG Nuclear, LLC Albert Fulvio Exelon Ali Fakhar PSEG Nuclear, LLC ENCLOSURE 1

SUMMARY

OF MEETING ON QUESTIONS ON THE SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION SEPTEMBER 16, 2010 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of PSEG Nuclear, LLC held a telephone conference call on September 16, 2010, to discuss and clarify the NRC's request for additional information (RAI) related to potential primary water stress corrosion cracking in steam generator divider plates (RAI 3.1.1-02).

Discussion on Follow-up RAI 3.1.1-02 NRC explained that without studies that confirm otherwise we do not know, this is a safety-significant issue. We do not have data because no one has ever looked at the issue.

During the discussion NRC agreed to the following edits in the "Issue" section of the draft RAI o To delete the word "likely" In the first sentence and replace it with "potential," and o To delete the words "constitutes a condition that is adverse to quality" in the first and replace it with "could lead to the propagation of cracking" NRC will send the formal revised RAI.

ENCLOSURE 2

Draft RAI 3.1.1-02 Follow-up to RAI 3.1.1-01 on Salem Steam Generator PWSCC

Background:

Based on recent foreign operating experience, the staff's concern in RAI 3.1.1-01 was about the potential impact of primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) in steam generator (SG) divider plate assembly on adjacent components, which are part of the reactor coolant pressure boundary (channel head, tubesheet, tubesheet cladding... ). In its response to RAI 3.1.1-01, dated July 08, 2010, the applicant describes the materials of its SGs divider plate assembly, which are Alloy 600 for the stub runner and the divider plate, and Alloy 82/182 for the welds that attach the divider plate and stub runner to each other, and to the channel head and to the tubesheet. The applicant also provides additional elements in order to justify why the potential for cracking of its SG divider plate propagating into adjoining components and resulting in loss of the integrity of the reactor coolant pressure boundary would not be expected to occur, and therefore the SGs divider plate does not require an aging management program consisting of inspections for crack propagation.

Issue:

Although not considered to be an immediate safety issue, the likely presence of cracks in Alloy 600 steam generator divider plate assemblies constitutes a condition that is adverse to quality.

In addition, this condition could lead to propagation of these cracks into surrounding pressure boundary areas, such as the tube-to-tubesheet welds and the channel head. Although the applicant has provided qualitative arguments for concluding that divider plate cracking is not a concern, the RAI response does not provide a reasonable and sufficient basis for justifying the applicant's conclusions. Further, the use of analytical tools to predict the behavior of service induced cracking (in other components) has not always bounded actual service performance of these cracks.

Request:

The applicant is requested to provide an aging management program (AMP) that would demonstrate the condition of the steam generator divider plate assembly to support a conclusion that there will be no adverse consequences of divider plate assembly degradation during the renewed license period.

ENCLOSURE 3

February 9, 2011 LICENSEE:

PSEG Nuclear, LLC FACILITY:

Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PSEG NUCLEAR, LLC, CONCERNING QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of PSEG Nuclear, LLC (the applicant), and Exelon held a telephone conference call on September 16, 2010, to discuss and clarify the staff's questions concerning the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, license renewal application. The telephone conference call was useful in clarifying the intent of the staff's questions. provides a listing of the participants, Enclosure 2 contains a brief summary of the discussion and status of the items, and Enclosure 3 contains the draft request for additional information (RAI).

The applicant had an opportunity to comment on this summary.

IRAJ Bennett M. Brady, Project Manager Projects Branch 1 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311

Enclosures:

1. List of Participants

2. Summary of meeting discussion

3. Draft RAI cc w/encls: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

See next page ADAMS Accession No'.. ML103630735 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:RPB1:DLR BC:RPB1 :DLR PM:RPB1 :DLR NAME SFigueroa BBrady BPham BBrady DATE 115/11 1/28/11 2/4/11

~/9/11 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy

Memorandum to PSEG Nuclear LLC. From BI Brady dated February 9, 2011

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010, BE1WEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PSEG NUCLEAR, LLC, CONCERNING QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATION STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION DISTRIBUTION:

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