ML20081A600
| ML20081A600 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 02/15/1984 |
| From: | Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20081A603 | List: |
| References | |
| IEB-82-03, IEB-82-3, IEB-83-02, IEB-83-2, NUDOCS 8403050341 | |
| Download: ML20081A600 (6) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
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)
COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY
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Docket No. 50-265
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(Quad Cities Nuclear Power
)
Station, Unit 2)
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ORDER CONFIRMING COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY'S COMMITMENTS RE IGSCC INSPECTION I.
The Commonwealth Edison Company, (Ceco, the licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License No. DPR-30, which authorizes the licensee to operate the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Unit 2 (the facility) at power levels not in excess of 2511 megawatts thermal (rated power). The facility is a boiling water reactor located at the licensee's site in Rock Island County, Illinois.
II.
As a result of inspections conducted at 18 operating boiling water reactors (BWRs) in conformance with recent Office of Inspection and Enforcement (IE) Bulletins (IE Bulletin No. 82-03, Revision 1, " Stress Corrosion Cracking in Thick-Wall, large-Diameter, Stainless Steel, Recirculation System Piping at BWR Plants," and IE Bulletin No. 83-02,
" Stress Corrosion Cracking in large-Diameter Stainless Steel Recirculation System Piping at BWR Plants"), a potential safety concern regarding inter-granular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in primary system piping was identified. These bulletins requested selected licensees to perform a number of actions regarding inspection and testing of pipe welds.
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.. Results of these and other inspections pursuant to IE Bulletins 82-03 and 83-02 have revealed extensive cracking in large-diameter recirculation and. residual heat removat system piping.
In almost every case, where inspections were performed, IGSCC was discovered and, iri many cases, repairs, analysis,'and additional surveillance conditions were required.
In view of the foregoing and the fact that the facility is similar in design to olants where IGSCC has occurred, there was a significant potential for IGSCC to exist in this facility. Therefore inspection was required to determine the extent of IGSCC and to ascertain, if necessary, the degree of remedial action.
On August 26, 1983 an Order was issued to the licensee which required that the facility be shutdown by September 4, 1983 and an IGSCC inspection be performed. Tha facility was shutdown on Seotember 4,1983 pursuant to Section III.B of the Order and an IGSCC inspection was performed pursuant to Section III.C of the August 26, 1983 Order.
By letter dated' December 9,1983, the' licensee provided its plan for inspection and repair of welds covered by the Order of August 26, 1983.
The plan provided that, to the extent practicable, the ultrasonic testing (UT) program of examination would encompass 100% of the Type 304 Stainless Steel piping welds of 4-inch and greater size in the recirculation system and the ASME Code Class 1 portions of the residual heat removal systems, core spray external to the' reactor pressure vessel and the reactor water cleanup system.
Specific welds which were not to be inspeved were iden-tified, and explanations for their exclusion, had previously been provided in the licensee'.s letter of September 30, 1983..0n December 20, 1983 and l
f i January _5, 1984 the staff met with the licensee to discuss its program and its findings, and to receive clarifying information. By letter of January 19, 1984', the licensee submitted its final-report on the inspection and repair
. of welds covered in the Order of August 26 1983.
The NRC staff has reviewed and evalui.ted all the above reports and information provided by the licensee. That review it. documented in our Safety Evaluation dated February 15, 1984. By letter dated February 15, 1984, the NRC notified the licensee--that the facility could be returned to power.
Although the. calculations performed by the licensee and evaluated
-by the staff indicate-that the cracks in the repaired and unrepaired welds will not progress to the point of leakage during the operating cycle, and wide margins are expected to be. maintained over crack growth which could
- compromise safety, uncertainties in crack sizing and growth rate remain.
Because of these uncertainties, we have determined that the following actions should be taken:
(1) The'ASME Code-required system pressure tests and nondestructive examinations on overlay repaired welds should be satisfactorily completed prior _to startup.
- (2) The limiting conditions for operation and surveillance requirements imposed by the August 26, 1983 Order should be continued.
These enhanced surveillance measures will provide adequate assurance that possible cracks in pipes will be detected before growing to a size that wil1~ compromise the safety of the plant.
I m
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1 e
.. The staff also has some concern regarding the long-term growth of IGSCC cracks and its effect on the long-term operation of the plant.
Therefore, we have determined that plans for inspections, corrective action and/or modification including replacement of the recirculation and other-reactor. coolant pressure boundary piping systems during the next refueling outage must be submitted at least 90 days before the start of the next refueling outage.
By letter dated February 8,1984, the licensee committed to the above
. described conditions on leakage monitoring and early submittal of inspection and/or modification plans.
I have determined that the public health' and 1
safety requires that these commitments should be confirmed by an immediately effective Order.
III.
Accordingly, pursuant to sections 103, 1611,.161o and 182 of the
. Atomic Energy. Act of 1954, as ' amended, and the Commission's. regulations in 10 CFR Parts 2 and 50, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY THAT:
A.-
Notwithstanding the current Technical Specifications for the facility the following compensatory measures 'shall be implemented:
1.
The: reactor. coolant system leakage shall be limited to a 2 gpm
-increase in unidentified leakage within any 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> period 3
, 33
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V -(leakage shall be monitored and recorded once every 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />).
Should this leakage limit be exceeded, the unit shall immediately start an orderly shutdown. The unit shall be placed in at least hot shutdown within the next 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> and in cold shutdown within the following 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.
2.
At least one primary containment sump collection and flow monitoring system shall be operable. With the primary containment sump collection and flow monitoring system inoperable, restore the inoperable system to operable status within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> or immediately initiate an orderly shutdown and be in at least hot shutdown within the next 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> and in cold shutdown within the following 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.
B.
Plans for inspection, corrective actions, and/or modification, including replacement of the tecirculation and/or coolant pressure boundary piping systems, during the next refuelir.g outage which is scheduled to begin in September 1985 shall be submitted at least three months before.the start of that outage.
C-The Director, Division of Licensing, may, in writing, relax or terminate any of the above provisions upon written request from the licensee, if the request is tinely and provides good cause for the requested actica.
I
.. IV.
The licensee may request a hearing on this Order within 20 days of the date of publication of this Order in the Federal Register. Any request for a hearing shall be addressed to the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U. S. Nucler.r Regulatory Comission, Washington, D. C.
20555.
A copy shall also be sent to the Executive Legal Director at the same address. A REQUEST FOR HEARING SHALL NOT STAY THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS ODDER.
If a hearing is to be held, the Commission will issue an Order designating the time and place of any such hearing.
If a hearing is held concerning this Order, the issue to be considered at the hearing shall be whether, on the basis of the matters set forth in Section II of the Order, the licensee should comply with the requirements set forth in Section III of this Order. This Order is effective upon issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION rg r
a {e.
-t
>u m u-nhut, Director
- Darrell G. E Division of Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
. Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 15th day of February,1984.
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