ML121370931

Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action Relief Request 3RR-19 Use of Code Case N-702

ML121370931
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	05/29/2012
From:	Sanders C Plant Licensing Branch 1
To:	Rausch T Susquehanna
Sandeers, Carleen, NRR/DORL, 415-1603
References
TAC ME8480, TAC ME8481
Download: ML121370931 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 May 29, 2012 Mr. Timothy S. Rausch Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Boulevard Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SUBJECT:

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: RELIEF REQUEST 3RR-19 USE OF CODE CASE N-702 (TAC NOS. ME8480 AND ME8481)

Dear Mr. Rausch:

By letter dated April 24, 2012,1 PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Inc. (PPL) submitted a relief request for Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (SSES 1 and 2, respectively). The proposed relief request would revise the inspection requirements for certain reactor pressure vessel (RPV) nozzle-to-vessel welds and nozzle inner radii from those based on American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code),Section XI to an alternative based on ASME Code Case N-702, "Alternative Requirements for Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Nozzle Inner Radius and Nozzle-to-Shell Welds." The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's acceptance review of this relief request. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is sufficient technical information in scope and depth to allow the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review. The acceptance review is also intended to identify whether the application has any readily apparent information insufficiencies in its characterization of the regulatory requirements or the licensing basis of the plant.

Pursuant to Sections 50.55a(a)(3)(i) and 50.55a(a)(3)(ii) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed alternatives would provide an acceptable level of quality and safety, or that compliance with the specified requirements of Section 50.55a would result in hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality or safety.

The NRC staff has reviewed your application and concluded that it does provide technical information in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review and make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed relief request in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment. Given the lesser scope and depth of the acceptance review as compared to the detailed technical review, there may be instances in which issues that impact the NRC staff's ability to complete the detailed technical review are identified despite completion of an adequate acceptance review. You will be advised of any further information needed to support the NRC staff's detailed technical review by separate correspondence.

1 Agencywide Document Access and Management System Accession No. ML12115A200

T. Rausch -2 The April 24, 2012, letter requested the NRC review be completed by June 1, 2012. The NRC staff did not find adequate justification for an expedited review. The NRC staff conveyed this to Ms. Margie Rochester, of your staff, on May 9, 2012.

If you have any questions, please contact me, at (301) 415-1603.

Sincerely,

~~4W Carleen J. Sanders, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 1-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388 cc: Distribution via Listserv

T. Rausch -2 The April 24, 2012, letter requested the NRC review be completed by June 1, 2012. The NRC staff did not find adequate justification for an expedited review. The NRC staff conveyed this to Ms. Margie Rochester, of your staff, on May 9, 2012.

If you have any questions, please contact me, at (301) 415-1603.

Sincerely, IRA by Jeffrey A. Whited fori Carleen J. Sanders, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 1-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388 cc: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC Branch Reading File RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrDorl Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsNrrDorlLpll-2 Resource RidsNrrLAABaxter Resource RidsNrrPMSusquehanna Resource RidsOgcRp Resource RidsRgn1 MailCenter Resource ADAMS Accession No. ML121370931 *via email OFFICE DORLILPLI-2/PM DORLILPLI-2/LA DE/EVIB/BC DORLILPLI-2/BC DORLILPLI-2/PM SRosenberg CSanders NAME CSanders ABaxter* MKhanna wi comments (JWhited for)

DATE 05/17/2012 05/21/2012 05/22/2012 05/23/2012 05/29/2012 OFFICIAL RECORD COpy