ML15357A350

Email, Verbal Authorization of Relief Request 4ISI-03, Relief from ASME Code Requirements to Allow Use of Existing Procedures That Implement Repair/Replacement Activities, for the Fourth 10-Year ISI Interval

ML15357A350
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	12/23/2015
From:	Balwant Singal Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Linda Williams Energy Northwest
Singal B
References
CAC MF7205
Download: ML15357A350 (1)

Text

Burkhardt, Janet From: Singal, Balwant Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 1:46 PM To: 'Williams, Lisa L.'

Cc: 'Gregoire, Donald W.' (dwgregoire@energy-northwest.com); Alley, David; Pascarelli, Robert; Alexander, Ryan; Bradley, Dan; Cumblidge, Stephen

Subject:

Columbia Generating Station - Relief Request 4ISI-03 Associated with Fourth Ten Year Insrvice Inspection Program (CAC MF7205)

By letter dated December 22, 2015 Energy Northwest (the licensee) submitted Relief Request (RR) 4ISI-03 to request authorization to continue to use the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code),Section XI, Edition and Addenda, the plant repair/replacement program, and plant inspection procedures which were in use during the third ten-year inservice inspection (ISI) interval until January 31, 2016.

Columbia Generating Station (CGS) entered the fourth ten-year ISI interval on December 13, 2015. Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.55a(g)(5) requires licensees to have an ISI program in place according to the requirements described in 10CFR0.55a(g)(4). The licensee was unable to implement a new ISI program prior to the expiration of the third ten year interval.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(z)(1), the licensee proposes to utilize the 2001 Edition, 2003 Addenda of the ASM Code,Section XI, as approved under the third ten-year interval plan for performing emergent repair/replacement and ISI activities. The licensee also proposes to use the 2001 Edition of ASME Section XI for Appendix VIII as modified by 10 CFR 50.55a. Energy Northwest uses the Performance Demonstration Initiative (PDI) as its Appendix VIII program. The proposed alternative corresponds to the Code Edition and Addenda utilized during the third ten-year ISI interval. The licensee is requesting the use of this ISI program until January 31, 2016. The ISI program would only be used for inspections or repair/replacement activities conducted prior to issuance of the ISI program plan for the fourth ten-year interval. No Code repair/replacement or ISI work is currently scheduled to occur between now and January 31, 2016.

The 2001 Edition with 2003 Addenda of the ASME Code, using the 2001 Edition of Appendix VIII, is incorporated by reference in 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(1)(ii). The NRC staff considers that use of this edition and addenda of the ASME code by the licensee during its third ISI interval, which ended on December 12, 2015 provided an acceptable level of quality and safety. The NRC staff finds that continued use of the plants current programs and ASME code of record will provide reasonable assurance of the leak tightness and structural integrity of any components that may be inspected between now and January 31, 2016. Therefore, the NRC staff has determined that authorizing the alternative inspection program to January 31, 2016 provides an acceptable level of quality and safety.

The NRC staff has determined that the proposed alternative ISI program provides reasonable assurance of the leak tightness and structural integrity of the components that may be inspected. The NRC staff has concluded that using the proposed ISI program until January 31, 2016 provides an acceptable 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(z)(1). Therefore, effective December 23, 2015, the NRC authorizes the use of Relief Request 4ISI-03 to allow the use of the proposed ISI program at the CGS until January 31, 2016.

The NRC staff notes that all other ASME Code,Section XI requirements for which relief was not specifically requested and approved in the subject request for relief remain applicable, including third party review by the Authorized Nuclear Inservice Inspector.

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

Balwant K. Singal Senior Project Manager (NRR/DORL/LPL4-1)

Columbia Generating Station and Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant 301-415-3016 2