ML17275A860

Comments on NRC Re Review of Defects in Sacrificial Shield Wall.Licensee Proposed Corrective Weld at 541-ft Elevation Const Joint Is Acceptable,But Other Actions Do Not Meet NRC Criteria

ML17275A860
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	02/25/1981
From:	Tedesco R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Ferguson R WASHINGTON PUBLIC POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM
References
NUDOCS 8103100168
Download: ML17275A860 (6)

Text

O.

FEB 35 1S81 Docket No,:

50-.397 Washington Public Power Supply System ATTN:

Mr. R. L. Ferguson Managing Director 3000 George Washington Way P. 0. Box 968

Richland, Washington 99352 DISTR IBUTIO t Docket File LBk'1 Rdg DEisenhut JYoungblood MDLynch MRushbrook SHanauer RTedesco RVollmer TMurley DRoss RHartfield, OELD OIE (3)

N'Pawl icki FSchauer bcc:

TERA NRC/PDR L/PDR NSIC TIC ACRS (16)

MPA

Subject:

Review of Defects in the WNP-2 Sacrificial Shield Wall In our letter to you dated November 20, 1980, concerning the 541 foot elevation construction joint in the WNP-2 sacrificial shield wall (SSW), <<e found your proposed corrective weld at this joint to be acceptable.

However, we stated in this letter that our findinas and conclusions were limited only to the corrective weld cited above and did not apply to any of the other welding

defects, known and unknown, in the SSW away from this joint.

The known defects to which we refer are those welding defects which you have previously determined do not meet the requirements of AWS D1.1, Rev.

1

( 1973).

This code is part of the desiqn basis for the design and fabrication of the SSW.

The unknown welding defects are those which:

(1) are located physically inside the structure of the SSW itself and are presently inaccessible since concrete has been poured into the SSW annulus; and (2) those welds which are on the inside of the annulus wall and are barely accessible through the two-foot space between the SSW and the reactor pressure

vessel, In subsequent discussions with you on these other defects, we arrived at the following conclusions regarding the welding defects in the SSW that are not associated with the 541 foot joint:

1.

For the accessible weld defects which are not in compliance with AWS D1.1 (1973), resolution shall be accomplished either; CQ (a) by bringing as many welds as possible into compliance with the requirements of the applicable version of

~g I AWS D1.1; or Ib) by MPPSS requestina a hardshIP exemption from the II 8/g Code requirements on a weld-by-weld basis.

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For those welds which are inaccessible as defined above, the adequacy of each of the welds will not be reviewed in detail.

Rather, we accept these welds based on the adequacy of the as-built structure of the SSM.

In turn, we accept the overall adequacy of the SSH structure based on our review of the fracture mechanics analysis contained in your report entitled, "Engineering Evaluation of the WHP-2 Sacrificial Shield ltall," submitted by your letter dated August 1, 1980.

In accepting the resolution of the known weld defects discussed in Item (1) above, it is our understanding that most of the weld defects will be resolved by option (a) (i.e., repair) and only a minimum number will he resolved by the second option (i.e., by requesting a hardship exemption from the applicable AWS welding code).

Further, you should submit each hardship exemption request with sufficient specificity to permit us to perform a technical review. It is our understanding that about 115 welds will be repaired under option (a) and about 21 welds defects will be resolved by option (b).

In this regard, we request that you submit these requests for code exemptions at the earliest opportunity.

So as to fully document the proposed resolution of the weld defects in the SSll encompassed by this letter, we require that you prepare and make available to the appropriate I&E personnel of Region Y, a complete tabulation of the welding defects and their proposed resolution under Item (1) above, prior to initiating any work on these weld defects.

It should be noted that our acceptance of the resolution of the welding defects in the SSl< does not super-cede any holds imposed by Region Y of I&E on further construction or on repair efforts.

Rather, our acceptance of the resolution discussed above is strictly limited to the technical considerations of deviations from the AMS D1.1 Code.

Finally, our review of the SSM welding defects will not be completed until we have reviewed and found acceptable, each of the hardship exemptions under option (b) as discussed above.

If you have any questions on these matters, please contact the Project tlanager, tl. D. Lynch, at 301/492-8413.

Sincer ely, Or)~el gtgeed %f9 Robert I cc:

See next page Robert L. Tedesco, Assistant Director for Licensing Division of Licensing OFF I L:

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Mr.

R. L. Ferguson Managing Director Washington Public Power Supply System P.

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Box 968 3000 George Washington Way Richland, Washington 99352 ccs:

Nicholas Reynolds, Esq.

Debevoise 5 Liberman 1200 Seventeenth

Street, N.

W.

Washington, D.

C.

20036 Richard Q. Quigley, Esq.

Washington Public Power Supply System P. 0.

Box 968 Richland, Washington 99352 Nicholas Lewis, Chairman Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council 820 East Fifth Avenue Olympia, Washington 98504 Mr. 0.

K. Earle Licensing Engineer P. 0.

Box 968

Richland, Washington 99352 Mr. Albert D. Toth Resident Inspector/WPPSS-2 NPS c/o U.

S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.

0.

Box 69 Richland, Washington 99352

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