ML14066A130

NRR E-mail Capture - Palisades Nuclear Plant - Verbal Authorization for Relief Request RR 4-19 - MF3517

ML14066A130
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	03/06/2014
From:	Mahesh Chawla Division of Operating Reactor Licensing
To:	Erickson J Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
MF3517
Download: ML14066A130 (3)

Text

NRR-PMDAPEm Resource From: Chawla, Mahesh Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2014 5:45 PM To: ERICKSON, JEFFREY S (JERICKS@entergy.com); MIKSA, JAMES P (jmiksa@entergy.com); DOTSON, BARBARA E (bdotson@entergy.com)

Cc: Carlson, Robert; Lupold, Timothy; Tsao, John; Duncan, Eric; Taylor, Thomas

Subject:

Palisades Nuclear Plant - Verbal Authorization for Relief Request RR 4 MF3517 A teleconference was held on March 6, 2014, @ 10.00 am between the staff of Nuclear Regulatory Commission and representatives of Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Palisades Nuclear Plant (the licensee).

The purpose of this email is to document the verbal authorization provided to Palisades on the subject Relief Request RR 4-19, Proposed Alternative to the Requirements of ASME Code Case N-638-4. Following is the transcript of the verbal authorization provided to Palisades Nuclear Plant.

Technical Evaluation read by Timothy Lupold, Chief of the Component Performance, Non-Destructive Examination, and Testing Branch, NRR By letter dated February 26, 2014, with supplement dated March 5, 2014, Entergy Nuclear Operations, LLC (the licensee) requested relief from certain requirements of Section XI, IWA-4000, of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code) for the repair of degraded weld PCS PRS-1C1-1 that joins the pressurizer safety relief valve, RV-1041, mounting flange to the pressurizer safety relief nozzle at the Palisades Nuclear Plant. The licensee submitted Relief Request RR 4-19 pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii).

The licensee proposed to remove the degraded Alloy 82/182 weld, replace the valve flange, and install a completely new weld using Alloy 52M filler metal. The new weld will be installed following the requirements of the ASME Code,Section III and ASME Code Case N-638-4 with certain deviation. ASME Code Case N-638-4 with the deviation is being utilized to allow ambient temper bead welding in lieu of construction code requirements for post-weld heat treatment of the carbon steel pressurizer nozzle. On the basis of information submitted, the NRC staff determines that the proposed repair will provide reasonable assurance of the structural integrity and leak tightness of the new weld at the pressurizer safety relief valve nozzle. The NRC staff finds that complying with the specified ASME Code requirement would result in hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety due to the added radiological dose associated with conducting the postweld heat treatment required by the construction code.

Authorization read by Robert Carlson, Chief of the Plant Licensing Branch III-1, NRR As Chief of the Plant Licensing Branch III-1, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, I concur with the conclusions of the Component Performance, Non-Destructive Examination, and Testing Branch.

The NRC staff determines that the proposed alternative provides reasonable assurance of structural integrity and leak tightness of the subject weld. The NRC staff finds that complying with the specified ASME Code requirement would result in hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety. Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that the licensee has adequately addressed all of the regulatory requirements set forth in 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii) and is in compliance with the requirements of the ASME Code,Section XI for which relief was not requested. Therefore, on March 6, 2014, the NRC staff authorizes the use of Relief Request Number 4-19 at the Palisades Nuclear Plant for the fourth 10-year ISI interval which ends on December 12, 2015.

All other requirements of ASME Code,Section XI, for which relief was not specifically requested and authorized by the NRC staff remain applicable, including the third party review by the Authorized Nuclear In-service Inspector.

1

This verbal authorization does not preclude the NRC staff from asking additional clarification questions regarding the proposed relief request while preparing the subsequent written safety evaluation.

List of Participants NRC Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Robert Carlson Jeff Erickson Tim Lupold Jim Miksa John Tsao Jake Milliken Eric Duncan Jerry Nordby Mac Chawla Barb Dotson Otto Gustafson Kevin OConnor Mahesh Chawla Project Manager Phone: 301-415-8371 Fax: 301-415-1222 mahesh.chawla@nrc.gov 2

Hearing Identifier: NRR_PMDA Email Number: 1147 Mail Envelope Properties (Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov20140306174400)

Subject:

Palisades Nuclear Plant - Verbal Authorization for Relief Request RR 4 MF3517 Sent Date: 3/6/2014 5:44:41 PM Received Date: 3/6/2014 5:44:00 PM From: Chawla, Mahesh Created By: Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov Recipients:

"Carlson, Robert" <Robert.Carlson@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Lupold, Timothy" <Timothy.Lupold@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Tsao, John" <John.Tsao@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Duncan, Eric" <Eric.Duncan@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Taylor, Thomas" <Thomas.Taylor@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "ERICKSON, JEFFREY S (JERICKS@entergy.com)" <JERICKS@entergy.com>

Tracking Status: None "MIKSA, JAMES P (jmiksa@entergy.com)" <jmiksa@entergy.com>

Tracking Status: None "DOTSON, BARBARA E (bdotson@entergy.com)" <bdotson@entergy.com>

Tracking Status: None Post Office:

Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 4407 3/6/2014 5:44:00 PM Options Priority: Standard Return Notification: No Reply Requested: No Sensitivity: Normal Expiration Date:

Recipients Received: