ML110260025
| ML110260025 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Watts Bar  |
| Issue date: | 02/17/2011 |
| From: | Shawn Campbell Watts Bar Special Projects Branch |
| To: | Bhatnagar A Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Poole Justin/DORL/LPL3-1/ 301-415-2048 | |
| References | |
| TAC ME3113 | |
| Download: ML110260025 (6) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 February 17, 2011 Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar Senior Vice President Nuclear Generation Development and Construction Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2 - RELIEF REQUEST TO USE SUBSEQUENT EDITION AND ADDENDA OF ASME SECTION XI CODE FOR PRESERVICE INSPECTION ACTIVITIES (TAC NO. ME3113)
Dear Mr. Bhatnagar:
By letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated January 13, 2011 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML110140074), Tennessee Valley Authority (the applicant) submitted the proposed alternative contained in Request for Relief (RR)
WBN-2/PSI-2 in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50.55a, paragraph (a)(3)(i) for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Unit 2. In RR WBN-2/PSI-2 the applicant requested NRC approval to use the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel (ASME Code),Section XI 2001 Edition through the 2003 Addenda as the code of record for the WBN, Unit 2 Preservice Inspection (PSI) Program Plan.
The NRC staff has reviewed the applicant's proposed alternative contained in RR WBN-2/PSI-2 and has concluded that the use of the 2001 Edition through the 2003 Addenda of the ASME Code,Section XI for construction completion activities at WBN, Unit 2 and as the code of record for the WBN, Unit 2 PSI Program Plan provides an acceptable level of quality and safety.
Therefore, the staff concludes that the applicant's proposed alternative is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i) for the construction period of WBN, Unit 2.
A. Bhatnagar
-2 If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact the WBN Unit 2 Project Manager, Mr. Justin C. Poole, at (301) 415-2048.
Stephen J. Campbell, Chief Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555.()001 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO RELIEF REQUEST WBN-21PSI-2 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT. UNIT 2 DOCKET NO. 50-391
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dated January 13, 2011 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML110140074), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, the applicant) submitted the proposed alternative contained in Request for Relief (RR) WBN-2/PSI-2 in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50.55a, paragraph (a)(3)(0 for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Unit 2. In RR WBN-2/PSI-2 the applicant requested NRC approval to use the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel (ASME Code),Section XI 2001 Edition through the 2003 Addenda as the code of record for the WBN, Unit 2 Preservice Inspection (PSI) Program Plan.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
It is stated in 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(2) that for a boiling or pressurized water-cooled nuclear power facility whose construction permit was issued on or after January 1,1971, but before July 1, 1974, components (including supports) that are classified as ASME Code Class 1 and Class 2 must be designed and be provided with access to enable the performance of inservice examination of such components (including supports) and must meet the preservice examination requirements set forth in editions and addenda of ASME Code,Section XI incorporated by reference in paragraph (b) of this section (or the optional ASME Code cases listed in NRC Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.147, Revision 15, "Inservice Inspection Code Case Acceptability, ASME Section XI, Division 1," that are incorporated by reference in paragraph (b) of this section) in effect six months before the date of issuance of the construction permit. The components (including supports) may meet the requirements set forth in subsequent editions and addenda of this Code which are incorporated by reference in paragraph (b) of this section (or the optional ASME Code cases listed in NRC RG 1.147, Revision 15, that are incorporated by reference in paragraph (b) of this section), subject to the applicable limitations and modifications. The applicant's construction permit was issued January 23, 1974. The code of record is the 1971 Edition through the winter 1971 Addenda of the ASME Code,Section XI.
Enclosure
- 2 3.0 EVALUATION System/Components for which Relief is Requested ASME Code Class 1, 2, 3, IWF, and MC components including the applicable Examination Categories and Item Numbers.
Relief Requested (As Stated)
Section SO.SSa(g)(2) requires the PSI code of record to be based on the ASME Section XI Code in effect six months prior to the date of issue of the Construction Permit. Because the construction permit for WBN Unit 2, CPPR-92, is dated January 23, 1973, the applicable
[ASME] Code would be the 1971 Edition through Winter 1971 Addenda of ASME [Code,]
Section XI. Since 10 CFR SO.SSa(g)(2) also allows the use of subsequent [ASME] Code Editions/Addenda, which are incorporated by reference in 10 CFR SO.SSa(b)(2), TVA identified the 2001 Edition through 2003 Addenda as the applicable [ASME] Code of record based on the date associated with resumption of construction activities.
Basis of Relief (As Stated)
Construction activities at WBN Unit 2 resumed approximately 3S years after the initial construction permit was issued. The 10 CFR SO.SSa(g)(2) method for determining the PSI code of record requires the use of the 1971 Edition though Winter 1971 (711W71) Addenda of ASME
[Code,] Section XI; however, the provision in 10 CFR SO.SSa(g)(2) to allow the use of subsequent [ASME] Code Editions/Addenda, which are incorporated by reference in 10 CFR SO.SSa(b)(2), allows the use of a technically superior PSI code of record based on 30 years of ASME Code committee knowledge and revisions. For example, Class MC, metal containment, examination was not required in the 711W71 [ASME,] Section XI Code, but it is a requirement of Subsection IWE of the 200-1 Edition through 2003 Addenda of ASME [Code,] Section XI.
The 2001 Edition through 2003 Addenda of ASME [Code,] Section XI was approved for use in 10 CFR SO.SSa(b)(2), and 10 CFR SO.SSa(g)(2) allows the use of subsequent [ASME] Code Editions/Addenda that are incorporated by reference in 10 CFR SO.SSa(b)(2). The version of 10 CFR SO.SSa(b)(2) in place in 2008 states:
(2) As used in this section, references to Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code refer to Section XI, and include the 1970 Edition through the 1976 Winter Addenda, and the 1977 Edition (Division 1) through the 2003 Addenda (Division 1)...
The 2001 Edition through 2003 Addenda of ASME [Code,] Section XI incorporates 30 years of technical lessons learned when compared to the 1971 Edition through Winter 1971 Addenda of the ASME Section XI Code. Thus, the requested relief would permit use of the code that was current at the time construction activities resumed at WBN, Unit 2.
- 3 Staff Evaluation The applicant requested to use the 2001 Edition through 2003 Addenda of ASME Code,Section XI, subject to the modifications and limitations imposed by 10 CFR 50.55a, as the WBN, Unit 2 code of record for construction completion activities at WBN, Unit 2 and WBN, Unit 2 PSI Program Plan pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i). The staff determined that since the 2001 Edition through the 2003 Addenda of the ASME Code,Section XI has been approved for general use in 10 CFR 50.55a(b)(2) and 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(2) allows an applicant to use a later Edition/Addenda of the ASME Code approved in 10 CFR 50.55a(b)(2), the applicant's proposed alternative to use the alternative ASME Code Edition/Addenda for the code of record for construction completion activities and the WBN, Unit 2 PSI Program Plan provides an acceptable level quality and safety.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The staff has reviewed the applicant's proposed alternative contained in RR WBN-2/PSI-2 and has concluded that the use of the 2001 Edition through the 2003 Addenda of the ASME Code,Section XI for construction completion activities at WBN, Unit 2 and as the code of record for the WBN, Unit 2 PSI Program Plan provides an acceptable level quality and safety. Therefore, the staff concludes that the applicant's proposed alternative is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i) for the construction period of WBN, Unit 2.
All other ASME Code,Section XI requirements for which relief was not specifically requested and approved in the subject requests for relief remain applicable, including third-party review by the Authorized Nuclear Inservice Inspector.
Principal Contributor: Thomas McLellan Date: February 17, 2011
DATE A. Bhatnagar
- 2 If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact the WBN Unit 2 Project Manager, Mr. Justin C. Poole, at (301) 415-2048.
Mitchell*
SCam bell 2/17/11 1/31/11 1/21/11 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Docket No. 50-391
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv DISTRI BUTION:
PUBLIC LPWB R/F RidsNrrDorlLpwb Resource RidsNrrLABClayton Resource RidsNrrPMWattsBar2 Resource NSanfilippo, OEDO ADAMS Accession No.: ML110260025 IPM Sincerely, IRAI Stephen J. Campbell, Chief Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation RidsOgcRp Resource RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsRgn2MailCenter Resource RidsNrrDciCvib Resource TMcLellan, NRR
- via memorandum CVIB/BC LPWB/BC