ML20129C957

Responds to 960910 Memo Re Request That NRC Ensure That Extensive SG Testing at Plant Performed Using state-of-art Plus Point Probes

ML20129C957
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	10/23/1996
From:	Miraglia F NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Bassilakis R AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
Shared Package
ML20129C961	List: ML20129C957 ML20129D056
References
NUDOCS 9610240163
Download: ML20129C957 (5)

Text

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"*%4 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION If WASHINGTON, D.C. 2055tM001

\...../ October 23, 1996 Ms. Rosemary Bassilakis 54 Old Turnpike Road Haddam, CT 06438

Dear Ms. Bassilakis:

I am responding to your memorandum to Chairman Jackson of September 10, 1996, in which you 7equested that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ensure that extensive steam generator (SG) testing at the Haddam Neck Plant is performed using state-of-the-art plus point probes.

By way of background, there are four Westinghouse Model 27 SGs in use at the Haddam Neck Piant. Each SG contains 3,794 alloy 600 steam generator tubes.

The major forms of degradation affecting the SG tubes at Haddam Neck include primary water stress corrosion cracking within the tubesheet (mostly in the hot leg ro' _ransition region) and outside diameter initiated corrosion (e.g., pi" 'n; and wastage) just above the secondary face of the tubesheet.

To date, o total of 1253 tubes have been plugged in the four SGs (255 in SG 1 (6.7%); 426 in SG 2 (11.2%); 111 in SG 3 (2.9%); and 461 in SG 4 (12.2%)).

Additional details regarding the major types of degradation affecting the SG tubes and information related to the 1995 SG tube inspections are discussed in the licensee's May 24, 1995, letter (Enclosure 1).

After weaknesses were noted in the SG tube inspection findings at Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station and after considering the safety significance of this issue, the NRC issued Generic Letter (GL) 95-03, "Circumferential Cracking of Steam Generator Tubes," on April 28, 1995. GL 95-03 requested licensees to develop plans for their next SG tube inspections as they pertain to the detection of circumferential cracking.

Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company, the licensee for Haddam Neck, responded to GL 95-03 by letters dated June 27, 1995, and February 16, 1996.

In these letters, the licensee described its inspection plans for the refueling outage that had recently begun at Haddam Neck. The licensee stated that the tube locations susceptible to circumferential cracking would be inspected using equipment " qualified for crack detection in accordance with Appendix H of the EPRI [ Electric Power Research Institute) PWR [ Pressurized Water Reactor] Steam Generator Examination Guidelines, Revision 3, EPRI Report NP-6201."

Both the plus point coil and the pancake coil are qualified for detecting cracks in accordance with the EPRI report. As evidenced by operating experience throughout the industry, either coil can detect SG tube cracks at an early enough stage to ensure SG tube integrity provided that plant-specific conditions, which may affect the capabilities of the coils, are con idered and evaluated. These plant-specific conditions include such items as the interval between inspections and the presence of conditions that cause interfering 7

9610240163 961023

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, Ms. Rosemary Bassilakis October 23, 1996

. s'ign al s . With respect to your specific concern regarding the use of the plus point coil, the licensee has used this coil in the past for monitoring certain locations susceptible to cracking as documented in the licensee's June 16, 1995, letter (Enclosure 2). The licensee's responses to GL 95-03 are also enclosed for your information (Enclosures 3 and 4). As indicated in the ,

enclosures, the licensee has used a combination of qualified probe types for i SG tube crack detection. The probe type used is dependent en the type of I degradation being assessed. The staff concludes that no additional regulatory action is required at this time to ensure the safe operation of the Haddam Neck SGs. The NRC has no basis on which to require the licensee to include l any particular SG assumptions in its economic analysis of the viability of Haddam Neck's continued operation. Nevertheless, we would assume that the  ;

licensee would make realistic assumptions about future costs to maintain safe  ;

operation of th9 facility. l On October 9, 1996, the owners of Haddam Neck said that an economic analysis  !

of operations, expenses, and the cost of replacement power indicated that a permanent shutdown of the plant seemed likely. As a result of the analysis, restart related plant work (including SG inspections) has been postponed i pending a final decision by the licensee's Board of Directors. The licensee  ;

has informed the staff that the planned SG inspection will not take place if I the plant is permanently shutdown. ,

Sincerely, original sisned by  ;

Frank J. Miraglia l Frank J. Miraglia, Acting Director .

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosures:

As stated DISTRIBUTION:

DOCKET File (50-213) (w/ original incoming) HMiller, R-1 PUBLIC (w/ incoming) JRogge, R-I ED0# GT96703 OPA EDO Reading OCA JTaylor SECY CRC 96-0978 JMilhoan CNorsworthy HThompson SDembek (w/ incoming) i JBlaha JMoore, 0GC  ;

FMiraglia/AThadani RZimmerman i TMartin PDI-3 Plant (w/ incoming)

SVarga/JZwolinski PMcKee PMilano JStrosnider NRR Mailroom (EDO #GT96703 (w/inc))

CNorsworthy

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TECH ED l LA:NUPQ } C PD:NUPD] / I BE:NRR l NAME SDembekjhECalure* LBerry W) PMcKee l , JStrosnider*

DATE 10g/96 09/24/96 10/i p96' \ 10/p/96 i 09/26/96 OFFICE D:DRPE ADPR p4lB/f6 D:EDO OC NAME SVarga* HZimmerman* FN}n$F JTaylor* SJackson DATE 09/27/96 10/01/96 10p/36 10/08/96 09/ /P6 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY

October 18,1996 4

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Attached is the proposed response to Rosemary Bassilakis. Please;j note'the last'two1 sentences (in bold).that;have been added at the 3 l suggestion of the Chairman and Commissioner lMcGaffigan. Ghe La Chairman's officebould also'like to have a coupleLsentences?added: ,

about:.Haddam' Neck's recent decision 1to stay shutdown.. There is no need for further Commission review.e CDO.

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)1 FROM: DUE: 10,02/96  :

EDO CONTROL

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DOC DT: 09/10/96 -

j Rosemary Bassilakis FINAL REPLY:

Citizens Awareness Network 1

i TO:

1 Chairman Jackson i FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** PRI ** 1 CRC NO: 96-0978

Russell

. DESC:

. ROUTING: I ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF HADDAM NECK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Taylor Milhoan Thompson Blaha HMiller, RI j DATE: 09/19/96  !

ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

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NRR Russell s

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!. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

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Put EDO and Chairman on for concurrence. '

4 Chairman's Office to review response prior

, to dispatch.

1 NRR RECEIVED: SEPTEMBER 19, 1996 NRR ACTION: DRPE:VARGA ACTION 1 NRR ROUTING: RUSSELL MIRAGLIA r Cm i DIRECTOR,S OFn; DUE TO NR THADANI ZIMMERMAN MARTIN BY ' g61 rg --

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

!** CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET l PAPER NUMBERi CRC-96-0978 '"' - '~ ~~~~~- T.X)GGING~ DATE : Ssp 13 D6 " l l

l ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: ROSEMARY BASSILAKIS AFFILIATION: CONNECTICUT '

ADDRESSEE: CHAIRMAN JACKSON LETTER DATE: Sep 11 96 FILE CODE: IDR-5 HADDAM NECK

SUBJECT:

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF HANDDAM NECK NUCLEAR POWER

PLANT l ACTION

Direct Reply  ;

DISTRIBUTION: CHAIRMAN SPECIAL HANDLING: SECY TO ACK CONSTITUENT:

l 1 NOTES: CHAIRMAN SHOULD REVIEW RESPONSE PRIOR TO DISPATCH i DATE DUE: 96 j SIGNATURE: d.er3 DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

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