ML17164B006
| ML17164B006 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Susquehanna  |
| Issue date: | 04/12/1999 |
| From: | Nerses V NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Byram R PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| References | |
| TAC-M97109, TAC-M97110, NUDOCS 9904160192 | |
| Download: ML17164B006 (10) | |
Text
Mr. Robert G. Byram Senior Vice President-Gen on and Chief Nuclear Officer PP&L, Inc.
2 North Ninth Street Allentown, PA 18101 April 12, 1999
~
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONALINFORMATIONREGARDING GENERIC LETTER 96-05 PROGRAM AT SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 (TAC NOS. M97109 AND M97110)
De'ar Mr. Byram:
On September 18, 1996, the NRC issued Generic Letter (GL) 96-05, "Periodic Verification of Design-Basis Capability of Safety-Related Motor-Operated Valves," to request that nuclear power plant licensees establish a program, or ensure the effectiveness of the current program, to verify on a periodic basis that safety-related motor-operated valves (MOVs) continue to be capable of performing their safety functions within the current licensing basis of the facility.
On September 17, 1998, you submitted an updated response to GL 96-05 indicating your intent to implement the provisions of a Joint Owners Group (JOG) Program on MOV Periodic Verification. The NRC staff has encouraged licensees to participate in the industry-wide JOG program to provide a benefit in reactor safety by sharing expertise and information on MOV performance and to increase the efficiency of GL 96-05 activities at nuclear plants.
Licensee participation in the JOG program also minimizes the amount of information necessary that the NRC staff has to review for each licensee's response to GL 96-05. As a result, the NRC staff requires only limited information to complete its GL 96-05 review for Susquehanna.
Enclosed is a request for additional information regarding the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station GL 96-05 program.
In an April6, 1999, telephone conversation with representatives of your staff (Coddington, et al.), the NRC staff discussed this information and obtained agreement that PP&L, Inc., would provide the additional information requested within 90 days upon receipt of this letter.
Ifyou have any questions, contact me at (301) 415-1484.
9904i60192 9904l2 PDR ADOCK 0500038T P
PDR Sincerely, Original signed by:
Victor Nerses, Senior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I
Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information Igg M~3K% PV ccw/encl: See nextpage DISTRIBUTION:
~Docket File S. Bajwa PUBLIC T. Scarbrough J. Zwolinski/S. Black V. Nerses
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Mr. Robert G. Byram Senior Vice President-Gen tion and Chief Nuclear Officer PP&L, Inc.
2 North Ninth Street Allentown, PA 18101 April 12, 1999 ~
SUBJECT:
- REQUEST FOR ADDITIONALINFORMATIONREGARDING GENERIC LETTER 96-05 PROGRAM AT SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT NOS.
1 AND 2 (TAC NOS. M97109 AND M97110)
Dear Mr. Byram:
On September 18, 1996, the NRC issued Generic Letter (GL) 96-05, "Periodic Verification of Design-Basis Capability of Safety-Related Motor-Operated Valves," to request that nuclear power plant licensees establish a program, or ensure the effectiveness of the current program, to verify on a periodic basis that safety-related motor-operated valves (MOVs) continue to be capable of performing their safety functions within the current licensing basis of the facility.
On September 17, 1998, you submitted an updated response to GL 96-05 indicating your intent to implement the provisions of a Joint Owners Group (JOG) Program on MOV Periodic Verification. The NRC staff has encouraged licensees to participate in the industry-wide JOG program to provide a benefit in reactor safety by sharing expertise and information on MOV performance and to increase the efficiency of GL 96-.05 activities at nuclear plants.
Licensee participation in the JOG program also minimizes the amount of information necessary that the NRC staff has to review for each licensee's response to GL 96-05. As a result, the NRC staff requires only limited information to complete its GL 96-05 review for Susquehanna.
Enclosed is a request for additional information regarding the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station GL 96-05 program.
In an April6, 1999, telephone conversation with representatives of your staff (Coddington, et al.), the NRC staff discussed this information and obtained agreement that PP&L, Inc., would provide the additional information requested within 90 days upon receipt of this letter.
Ifyou have any questions, contact me at (301) 415-1484.
Sincerely, Original signed by:
Victor Nerses,'enior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I
Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information ccw/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
Docket File S. Bajwa PUBLIC T. Scarbrough J. Zwolinski/S. Black V. Nerses DOCUMENT NAME':LSUSQiRAI97109.WPD A. Blough ACRS OGC PDI-1 R/F To receive a copy of this docunent, indicate in the box:
"C" = Copy without attachment/enclosure attachment/enclosure eN" ~ No co "E" = Copy with OFFICE PH:PDI-1 LA:PD2-1 DE:EH PD I -1/SC NAHE VNerses: lcc HO'Brien Tscarb ou SBajwa DATE 04/
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 12, 1999 Mr. Robert G. Byram Senior Vice President-Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer PP8L, Inc.
2 North Ninth Street Allentown, PA 18101
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONALINFORMATIONREGARDING GENERIC LETTER 96-05 PROGRAM AT SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT NOS.
1 AND 2 (TAC NOS. M97109 AND M97110)
Dear Mr. Byram:
On September 18, 1996, the NRC issued Generic Letter (GL) 96-05, "Periodic Verification of Design-Basis Capability of Safety-Related Motor-Operated Valves," to request that nuclear power plant licensees establish a program, or ensure the effectiveness of the current program, to verify on a periodic basis that safety-related motor-operated valves (MOVs) continue to be capable of performing their safety functions within the current licensing basis of the facility.
On September 17, 1998, you submitted an updated response to GL 96-05 indicating your intent to implement the provisions of a Joint Owners Group (JOG) Program on MOV Periodic Verification. The NRC staff has encouraged licensees to participate in the industry-wide JOG program to provide a benefit in reactor safety by sharing expertise and information on MOV performance and to increase the efficiency of GL 96-05 activities at nuclear plants.
Licensee participation in the JOG program also minimizes the amount of information necessary that the NRC staff has to review for each licensee's response to GL 96-05. As a result, the NRC staff requires only limited information to complete its GL 96-05 review for Susquehanna.
Enclosed is a request for additional information regarding the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station GL 96-05 program.
In an April6, 1999, telephone conversation with representatives of your staff (Coddington, et al.), the NRC staff discussed this information and obtained agreement that PP&L, Inc., would provide the additional information requested within 90 days upon receipt of this letter.
Ifyou have any questions, contact me at (301) 415-1484.
Sincerely, Victor Nerses, Senior Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate I
Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388
Enclosure:
Request for Additional Information ccw/encl: See next page
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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 &2 Bryan A. Snapp, Esq.
Assoc. General Counsel PP&L, Inc.
2 North Ninth Street, GENTW3 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Terry L. Harpster Manager-Nuclear Licensing PP&L, Inc.
2 North Ninth Street, GENA61 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 35, NUCSA4 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Director-Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Richard W. Osborne Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.
212 Locust Street P.O. Box 1266 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266 Regional Administrator, Region I
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Robert F. Saunders Vice President-Nuclear Site Operations Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Box 467, NUCSA4 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Mr. Herbert D. Woodeshick Special Office of the President PP&L, Inc.
Rural Route 1, Box 1797 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 George T. Jones Vice President-Nuclear Engineering & Support PP&L, Inc.
2 North Ninth Street, GENA61 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803 Board of Supervisors Salem Township P.O. Box 405 Berwick, PA 18603-0035
RE UEST FOR ADDITIONALINFORMATIONON RESPONSE TO GENERIC LETTER 96-05 SUS UEHANNASTEAM ELECTRIC STATION UNITS 1 AND 2 In NRC Inspection Report No. 50-387 8 388/96-11, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff closed its review of the motor-operated valve (MOV) program implemented at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (Susquehanna) in response to Generic Letter (GL) 89-10, "Safety-Related Motor-Operated Valve Testing and Surveillance."
In the inspection report, the NRC staff discussed certain aspects of the licensee's MOV program to be addressed over the long term. For example, the inspectors noted that (1) use of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) MOV Performance Prediction Model (PPM) for 28" Lunkenheimer gate valves needed to be validated; (2) the licensee was expected to obtain the necessary internal dimensions for all valves that the EPRI MOV PPM had identified as having "unpredictable" performance characteristics; and (3) valves with less than 10% design margin were to be modified to increase their available margins.
In addition, the inspectors noted two general areas that needed improvement, including the valve factor justification for 42 Anchor/Darling flex-wedge gate valves and the statistical methods used to address load
'ensitive behavior performance.
The licensee should address these long-term aspects of the MOV program at Susquehanna noted in the NRC inspection report.
In a letter dated September 17, 1998, the licensee updated its commitment to implement the Joint Owners Group (JOG) MOV Periodic Verification Program.
After review of the licensee's letter, it was unclear ifthe Susquehanna interim MOV static diagnostic test program was consistent with the program described in the Boiling Water Reactor Owners'roup (BWROG) Topical Report NEDC-32719, "BWR Owners'roup Program on Motor-Operated Valve (MOV) Periodic Verification," (Revision 2, dated July 30, 1997). For example, the licensee noted differences in the manner that margins are calculated and used to establish MOV static diagnostic test frequencies.
Where a licensee that has committed to implement the JOG program proposes to implement a different approach, the licensee willbe expected to provide justification for the proposed alternative approach.
The Susquehanna licensee should provide its static'est matrix and justify any differences between its MOV interim static diagnostic test program and the program contained in the BWROG Topical Report, including consideration of the methods used to determine the MOV risk;ranking and margin criteria applied to the static test matrix.
The licensee's MOV periodic verification program states that static diagnostic tests for rising-stem valves are typically performed every three to five refueling outages (with 2-year operating cycles) dependent on available margin, known degradation, valve safety significance, and potential for aging.
In the NRC safety evaluation dated October 30, 1997, on BWROG Topical Report NEDC-32719 describing the JOG program, the NRC staff stated that MOVs with scheduled test frequencies beyond 5 years willneed to be grouped with other MOVs that willbe tested on frequencies less than 5 years in order to validate assumptions for the longer test intervals. The NRC staff stated that this review must include both valve thrust (or torque) requirements and Enclosure
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~ actuator output capability. The licensee should describe how its MOV static diagnostic testing program willsatisfy this condition of the NRC safety evaluation.
The licensee reported that all butterfly valves (with the exception of the "E" Diesel Generator butterfly valves) at Susquehanna willuse a periodic verification program developed by the licensee instead of using the JOG MOV periodic verification program.
The licensee should provide additional details regarding its butterfly valve periodic verification program, including (1) the grouping to establish specific static and dynamic test frequencies for the program's butterfly valves; (2) the instrumentation used to identify butterfly valve degradations; and (3) the process to feed back test data into the established torque requirements.
The JOG program focuses on the potential age-related increase in the thrust or torque required to operate valves under their.design-basis conditions.
In the NRC safety evaluation dated October 30, 1997, on the JOG program, the NRC staff specified that licensees are responsible for addressing the thrust or torque delivered by the MOV motor actuator and its potential degradation.
The licensee should describe the plan at Susquehanna for ensuring adequate ac and dc MOV motor actuator output capability, including consideration of recent guidance in Limitorque Technical Update 98-01 and its Supplement 1.
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