Text

Weekly Info Rept for Wk Ending 921120
	ML20128C485
Person / Time
Issue date:	11/25/1992
From:	Blaha J; NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	;
References
	SECY-92-396, WIR-921120, NUDOCS 9212040445
	Download: ML20128C485 (35)
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j November 25, 1992 ist: The Commissioners

[tp3: James L. Blaha, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO Suldect : WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 20, 1992 E9&ati Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B Nuclear Regulatory Research C Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data D General Counsel E*

Administration F Information Resources Management G Controller H*

Personnel I 52 711 & Disadvantaged Bustriess Utilization & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K Consolidation L State Programs M Policy Planning H Public Affairs 0*

International Programs P Congressional Affairs Q*

Regional Offices R Executive Director for Operations S*

Meeting Notices T

No input this week.

Qg&tNo f ames L. Blaha Assistant for Operations OEDO Loren Plisco, OEDO 504-1725 9212040445 921125 PDR COMMS NRCC ,

WEEKLYINFOREPT POR \

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Items of Interest Week Ending November 20, 1992 Turkey Point Unit 3 - Cycle 13 Refuelina Outaae and Hurricane Andrew The Unit 3 Cycle 13 refueling outage is in progress and is nearing completion, Most of the hurricane-related damage repairs to Unit 3 were completed prior tn the Unit 4 restart and the licensee is implementing the remaining Unit 3-specific storm damage repsirs.

On November 16, 1992, NRR and Region 11 st*ffs held a meeting with the licensee's representatives at the Turkey Point site to discuss issues relating to the Unit 3 restart. The licensee presented details of the Unit 3 rcstart plan and the current status of its restart activities. Based on the presentation, the staff agreed with the licensee's restart actions. The licensee indicated that its restart activities are on schedule and the reactor is expected to reach criticality on November 25, 1992. The staff also toured the plant to review the >rogress of the restart activities. Prior to achieving criticality, tie licensee will inform the staff of its readiness to restart the unit.

By letter dated November 6,1992, NRR informed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Headquarters of the Unit 3 restart schedule. On November 4,1992, Region 11 also infer:ad the FEMA Region IV offices of the Unit 3 restart schedule. To address Unit 3 restart activities, Region 11 and NRR issued Task Interface Agreement (TIA) 92-33 on November 18.

tilli stone 1 H111 stone 2 is in the 170th day of the outage for replacement of the steam generators. The replacement project is approximately 72 days behind the original schedule with startup (reactor heatu)) projected for approximately December 9, 1992. Both old steam generators Tave been-successfully removed from the containment. One has been delivered to the burial site in South Carolina and is ready for burial. The other is waiting return of the barge and transporter for transportation to the burial site. Both new steam generators are in place in the containment. On December 10-11, 1992, the Mechanical Engineering Branch will perform an audit at the plant site, of the licensee's stress analysis relating to the springing of the cold leg piping to the steam gencrators. The licensee is presently moving fuel back into the reactor vessel. Also, the licensee has completed the disassembly and reassembly of the reactor coolant pump that was found to have a missing bolt on the-impeller. The core reload amendment and the amendment concerning the technical s)ecifications for inspection of the concrete adjacent to the tendon anchorages lave been issued. The request for technical specification changes related to the main steam line break reanalysis and the loss of normal power event are under review. These are required before startup.

Transition of Offsite Emeroency Preoaredness at Seabrook The Emergency Preparedness Branch (PEPB) attended a meeting in Tewksbury, MA on November 13, 1992, with licensee, Federal Emergency Management Agency i

NOVEMBER 20, 1992 ENCLOSURE A

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(FEMA) (Headquarters and Regicaal), and Massachusetts Emergency Management A.gency (MEMA) representatives regarding the transfer of offsite emergency preparedness from the Seabrook licensee to the MEMA. This was another in a series of meetings between FEMA. uEMA, and the licensee to discuss issues which may impact the transfer. ';.e i transfer should take place by January 1, 1993. A meeting with senit representatives of FLMA, MEMA and the NRC (PEPB) t is scheduled for November 30, 1992, in Maynard, MA.

Meetina With hUMARC on FOAKF, On November 10, 1992, the NRC staff met with the Nuclear Management Resources Council Marylandto(NUMARC) discuss the and its representatives, first-of-a-kind engineeringin(FOAKE) the NRCplanned officesfor in Rockville, standardized advanced light water reactor (ALWR) plants. The purposes of the meeting were to provide an information exchange on the f0AKE a)proach and to discuss the potential issues arising Lnoer the F0AKE process t1at might need early consideration. The goals of the FOAKE program are to complete the engineering of certified designs of standard /dWR plants in sufficient detail to define the cost estimates, and prepare for ccustruction as well as to define the process to achieve commercial standardization.

The two specific issues selected for discussion with the NRC staff for this meeting were. (1) piping design improvements; and (2) seismic equipment qualification. NUMARC discussed the need for piping design improvements in ALWR plants since it bell ;es that the ASME Builer and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code), Section !!! design requirements for piping are overly conservative and not reflective of current technical knowledge. The NRC staff noted that several changes to the NRC regulations and guidelines for piping design have already beer, proposed for implementation in the ALWR lead plant piping design. These changes include the elimination of the operating basis earthquake from design and an increase in the functional capability tress limits for piping. The staff requested that the NUMARC assess the reasonableness of the total package of piping design criteria proposed for the ALWR lead plant and its impact on piping system design before it proposes to reduce the safety margin further.

The NRC staff further )ointed out that the piping methods used in the F0AKE must be consistent wit 1 the methods described in the standard plant design certification, if changes to the ASME Code ?iping criteria are proposed for F0AKE, then it might be a long time before tiose changes are finally adopted by the Code and endorsed by the NRC. The time factor could be a deterrent to the incorporation of the proposed changes into the design certification process for the ALWR evolutionary plants.

NUMARC discussed its proposed approach for the seisnic qualification of safety-related equipment. It intends to develop guidelines for equipment i seismic qualification that would encompass all qualification methodologies I

(i.e., analyses, tests, and experience). The proposed approach for equipment i seismic qualification would use traditional seismic qualification methods on l equipment types with the highest seismic uncertainty but allow lessons learned from actual earthquake experience. With respect to an experience-based l

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3 approach, NUMARC noted that there is a need for more definitive guidance on how this approach may be used on a case-by-case basis.

The NRC staff noted that the proposed approach might not be viable for FOAK6 at this time based on the information currently submitted by the ALWR vendors for design certification. The staff stated that it would re-review the design certification applications to assess whether the description of the equipnient seismic qualification methods would encompass such an approach. NUMARC also agreed to discuss this approach with the Al.WR vendors to confirm whether they believe such an approach is encompassed by their submittal.

NUMARC concluded that it plans to consider the NRC staff's comments and will discuss further with the NRC staff any improvemuts in its FOAKE approach in mid-January 1993.

Maintenance Rule Industry Guideline Verification and Validation Meetina NRR, RES, Region IV, and AE00 were the NRC representatives it the fourth maintenance rule industry guideline verification and valioation (V&V) meeting.

The meeting was held at the Nuclear Utilities Management and Resources Committee (NUMARC) offices in Washington, D.C. on November 17-19, 1992, with representatives from NUMARC, the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations, and eight utilities that form the task force involved with the verification and validation effort. Among the issues discussed was the use of various Probabilistic Risk Assessment methodologies to identify and prioritize maintenance activities, in July 1992, the NRC Maintenance Rule Steering Group accepted the NUMARC Guideline in principal and agreed to participate in the V&V effort. The goal of the Steering Group is to endorse the NUMARC Guideline in a regulatory guide. The current schedule calls for the completion of the V&V in December 1992 to su) port the regulatory guide review cycle. The Commission has directed tie staff to have a maintenance rule implementation regulatory guide issued by July 1993.

NOVEMBER 20, 1992 ENCLOSURE A

l Office of Nuclear Waterial Safety and Safeguards Items of Interest i Week Ending November 20, 1992 ligetina Reaardina Uranium Oxidt Powder and Pellet Transoort Packaag On November 12, 1992, Transportation Branch staff met with General Electric Company (GE) regarding the Mo6el No. BU-7 transport package. The BV-7 consists of an inner container surrounded by insulating mas .*ial contained within an outer 55-gallon drom, and is used to transport low .nriched uranium oxides in the form of pellett. or powder. GE discussed design upgrades which they may include with their request for certification renewal in January 1993.

Transoort of Radioactive._tWrials Film The Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) recently completed th film "The Transport of Radioactive Materials" through the Argonne Film and Video Group. The film was produced to acquaint the general public with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of Transporti. tion safety system for radioactive material transportation. NMSS plans to provide copies of the film to the Regions and the Office of State Programs, and to coordinate external distribution of the film through the Office of Public Affairs.

Meetina with Japanese Qglenliga On November 13, 1992, Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff participated in interagency b:'iefings and technical information exchanges with a Japanese delegation representing the Japanese Nuclear Material Centrol Center, Atomic Energy Research Institute, the National Police Agency and the nuclear industry. The intaragency Phrical Protection Exchange Team, which includes representatives from the D,. nts of Energy (00E), Defense and State, and the Nuclear Regulatory C0 :on, visited Japan in April 1992.

The brl'fings, which were held at the 00E forrestal Building, provided overviews of DOE a'nd NRC physical protection programs. The di.cussions focur J on effectiveness evaluation programs-and international topics.

Ohio Sitina Commission The Ohio Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on developing siting criteria for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility met on November 16, 1992, in olumbus, ONio. Ohio is the host State for low-level radioactive waste disposal within the Mi<iwest Compact. The Blue Ribbon Commission. is developing.

i a report on specific reccmmendations for siting criteria. The report, which l

is scheduled te. be coropleted within six months, will be provided to the State General Assembly for their use in developing leaislation on siting require-ments. The State General Assembly must- pass legislation providing Ohio statutory authority to host the LLW site; and siting reauiremerts will be a subelement of this legislation. Staff members of tha Mvision of Low-level Waste Management and Cecommissioning made presentations to the Blue Ribbon Commission on 10 CFR Part 61 and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's specific

, siting requirements. The Blue Ribbon Commission is scheduled to hold 12 l public meetings over the next six months to solicit comments from the public.

In aadition, they will be holding a number of working meetings to formulate l NOVEMBER 20, 1992 ENCLO5URE B l

2 the report t.o the State General Assembly. The Commission ex)ressed a need for additional assistance from the NRC in support of their L.W development activity. .

NOVEMBER 20, 1992 ENCLOSURE B

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Office of Nuclee Regulatory Research Items of Interest Week Ending November 20, 1992 Recently Issued Publications Draft Reguidory Guide DG-1015, " Identification and Characterization of Seismic Sources, Deterministic Source Earthquakes, and Ground Motion."