ML13038A144

Request for Additional Information Regarding Relief Request No. 2-ISI-29

ML13038A144
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	02/20/2013
From:	Farideh Saba Plant Licensing Branch II
To:	James Shea Tennessee Valley Authority
Saba, Farideh
References
TAC ME8854
Download: ML13038A144 (4)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 February 20, 2013 Mr. Joseph W. Shea Vice President, Nuclear Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority 3R Lookout Place 1101 Market Street LP 3D-C Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING RELIEF REQUEST NO. 2-ISI-29 (TAC NO. ME8854)

Dear Mr. Shea:

By letter dated May 25,2012 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML12150A368), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA or the licensee), submitted Relief Request 2-ISI-29. Pursuent to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),

Part 50, Section 50.55a(g)(5)(iii), the licensee requested a relief from the weld examination coverage requirements specified in American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (Code),Section XI, 1995 Edition with the 1996 Addenda, as amended by 10 CFR 50.55a(b )(2)(xv)(A)(2), for obtaining essentially 100 percent coverage for four welds. This relief was requested for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, third 10-year Inspection Interval, which began on May 25,2001, and ended on May 24,2011.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iii), the licensee should have notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prior to May 24, 2012, of its inability to meet the ASME Code requirements for these examinations that are required to be completed in the third 10-year inspection cycle. By letter dated July 18, 2012, the NRC informed the licensee that because of the failure to request relief consistent with the 10 CFR 50.55a requirements, the NRC staff's review will be limited to a determination of the adequacy of the achieved coverage as it relates to the functionality and structural integrity of the affected piping and associated systems.

A response to the enclosed request for additional information is needed before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff can complete the review. This request was discussed with Mr. Tom Hess of your staff on February 8, 2013, and it was agreed that TVA would respond within 30 days of issuance of this letter.

J. Shea - 2 If you have any questions, please contact me by phone at (301) 415-1447 or e-mail at Farideh.Saba@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

~(t.~ ~r Farideh E. Saba, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 11-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-260

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information cc: Distribution via Listserv

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION REGARDING RELIEF REQUEST NO. 2-ISI-29 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2 DOCKET NO. 50-260 For All Welds:

1. The piping and components are described as being constructed from "Stainless" or "Carbon" steel, but the alloys are not identified. For each weld, provide the materials of construction for the pipes, weld metals, and welded components.

2. These welds are covered by a risk-informed inservice inspection program. Address whether any additional welds in the same segments were examined to compensate for the missed volume.

For Weld RCRD-2-50:

3. Provide the operating temperature at the dissimilar metal weld RCRD-2-50.

4. Address whether any of the stress corrosion cracking mitigation methods, such as Mechanical Stress Improvement, have been applied to RCRD-2-50.

For Welds RCRD-2-50 and GR-2-09:

5. The provided coverage map does not clearly show where coverage is being claimed for the inspection and where coverage was missed. Please provide a coverage map showing the regions that were not inspected.

For weld DRHR-2-03

6. The exact inspection process proposed for this weld is unclear to the NRC staff. Please confirm or correct the following:

a. The weld was inspected using 45° shear waves

b. The weld was inspected from both sides

c. Only coverage on the flued side of the weld is counted Enclosure

J.Shea -2 If you have any questions, please contact me by phone at (301) 415-1447 or e-mail at Farideh.Saba@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, IRA by Siva Lingam fori Farideh E. Saba, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 11-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-260

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information cc: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

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