ML13084A218

(Catawba) - Review of the 2012 Steam Generator (SG) Tube Inspections During Refueling Outage 18 End-of-Cycle (EOC 18)

ML13084A218
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	04/02/2013
From:	Jacqueline Thompson Plant Licensing Branch II
To:	Henderson K Duke Energy Carolinas
Thompson J NRR/DORL/LPL2-1
References
TAC ME9122
Download: ML13084A218 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D.C. 20555-0001 April 2, 2013 Mr. K. Henderson Site Vice President Catawba Nuclear Station Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC 4800 Concord Road York. SC 29745

SUBJECT:

CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 2 (CATAWBA) - REVIEW OF THE 2012 STEAM GENERATOR (SG) TUBE INSPECTIONS DURING REFUELING OUTAGE 18 END-OF-CYCLE (EOC 18) (TAC NO. ME9122)

Dear Mr. Henderson:

By letter dated July 10, 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access Management System Accession No. ML12195A346), Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (the licensee), submitted information summarizing the results of the 2012 SG tube inspections at Catawba 2. These inspections were performed during EOC 18. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff conducted a conference call with the licensee on January 10, 2013, a summary of which is enclosed within, to clarify a few items in this letter.

The NRC staff has completed its review of the submittal and concludes that the licensee provided the information required by the Catawba 2 Technical Specifications. No additional follow up is required at this time.

If you have any questions, please call me at 301-415-1119.

Sincerely, Jon Thompson, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 11-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-414

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv

STAFF EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO RESULTS OF 2012 STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INSPECTIONS PERFORMED DURING REFUELING OUTAGE 18 CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 2 DOCKET NO. 50-414 By letter dated July 10. 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS)

Accession No. ML12195A346), Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (the licensee). submitted information summarizing the results of their spring 2012 steam generator (SG) tube inspections performed during end-of-cycle 18 refueling outage at Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (Catawba 2).

The licensee provided the scope. extent. methods and results of their SG tube inspections in the document referenced above. In addition. the licensee described corrective actions (i.e., tube plugging) taken in response to the inspection findings. The tubes in all four SGs were inspected this outage.

After reviewing the information provided by the licensee, the NRC staff has the following comments/observations:

• The only crack-like indications detected were at the tube-ends.

On January 10, 2013, the licensee clarified the following during a conference call:

o Two tubes in SG C (row 46, column 79; and row 46, column 80) and one tube in SG 0 (row 29, column 64) were plugged due to possible foreign objects. Two tubes in SG C (row 47, column 79; and row 47, column 80) were preventatively plugged since they were downstream of possible foreign objects.

o The licensee performed tube-end inspections and identified 178 indications. The licensee stated that of the 178 indications only 5 were new. Included in the 5 indications is 1 indication that was considered to be not reportable. The licensee stated that some of the indications have increased in voltage while others have decreased or stayed the same.

Based on a review of the information provided, the NRC staff concludes that the licensee provided the information required by the Catawba 2 Technical Specifications. In addition, the NRC staff concludes that there are no technical issues that warrant follow-up action at this time since the inspections appear to be consistent with the objective of detecting potential tube degradation and the inspection results appear to be consistent with industry operating experience at similarly designed and operated units.

Enclosure

ML13084A218 *no si nificant chan e to memo: ML103160358 OFFICE NRR/LPL2-1/PM NRR/LPL2-1/LA NRR/CSGB/BC NRR/LPL2-1/BC NRR/LPL2-1/PM GKulesa* RPascarelli JThompson

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