ML20134J743

Submits Withdrawal of Plant Refueling Outage (RFO) 11 Re ISI Relief Requests 1 & 2 & Revs to RFO 11 ISI Plan Scope

ML20134J743
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	02/05/1997
From:	Boulette E BOSTON EDISON CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
BECO-2.97.010, NUDOCS 9702120272
Download: ML20134J743 (2)

Text

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s j h 10CFR50.55a Boston EeHson Pilgnm Nuclear Power staton d

Rocky Hill Road Plymouth. Massachusetts 02360 February 5, 1997  !

E. T. Boulette, PhD BECo Ltr. #2.97.010 Senior Vice President - Nuclear I

l U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Attention

Document Control Desk j Washington, DC 20555 l Docket No. 50-293 l 4

License No. DPR-35 WITHDRAWAL OF PILGRIM REFUELING OUTAGE (RFO) #11 ISI RELIEF REQUESTS #1 AND #2 (ASME SECTION XI INSPECTIONS)

AND REVISION TO THE RFO #11 ISI PLAN SCOPE I

References:

1. BECo Letter No.96-105, dated December 12,1996

2. BECo Letter No.97-003, dated January 20,1997

3. BECo Letter No.96-091, dcted October 30,1996 Boston Edison Company (BECo) requested relief from RFO #11 inservice inspection (ISI) excminations (Reference 1) to avoid unnecessary exposure due to elevated radiation levels in the drywell. The letter requested relief from ASME Section XI inspections related to nozzle-to-reactor pressure vessel welds (Relief Request #1), ASME Class I piping welds (Relief Request

1. 2), and Generic Letter 88-01 Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC) related examinations (Relief Request #3). The letter stated that we planned to implement chemical decontamination of the recirculation system during RFO #12, and the deferred ISI examinations were to be completed during RFO #12 after the decontamination and dose reduction strategies were implemented.

Subsequently, we informed the NRC (Reference 2) that we decided to perform chemical I decontamination of the recirculation system piping during RFO #11. The chemical i decontamination project has unexpectedly increased the outage scope and complexity of scheduling of additional tasks in RFO #11. As such, we are adopting the ASME Section XI, Subarticle IWB-2412(b) allowed extension of the inspection period by one year, such that the current inspection period will now end on June 30,1999. The extended inspection period will i include both RFO #11 and RFO #12. This allows us to transfer the ISI examinations covered by Relief Requests #1 and #2 to RFO #12 as allowed by the ASME code percentages specified in ASME Section XI, Table IWB-2412-1. Thus, by adopting the ASME code allowed extension to l the inspection period, Relief Requests #1 and #2 become unnecessary. Accordingly, BECo )

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, hereby withdraws them. This withdrawal was discussed with the NRC staff on January 31, 1997.

Relief Request #3 relates to the IGSCC examinations of Category D N2A and N2B nozzle safe-end welds. The inspection frequency for Category D welds is governed by Generic Letter 88-01 and not by the ASME code. Therefore, we still require NRC approval of Relief Request #3. The reason for this request remains the same, to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.

The examination of nozzles N2A and N2B safe-ends requires partial removal of shield blockouts, which otherwise would be fully removed for the ASME code required examinations of N2A and N2B nozzle-to-vessel welds and inner radius area. Since these ASME code required examinations of N2A and N2B welds will be performed in RFO #12, we wish to defer the Category D safe-end weld inspections of those nozzles to RFO #12 as well. This will allow us to save dose since shield blockouts would need to be removed and reinstalled once instead of

~ twice. As explained in Reference 1, approximately 60 man-rem dose c.cn be avoided by performing both Generic Letter 88-01 and ASME code required examinations for nozzles N2A and N2B and class 1 piping welds in RFO #12. Accordingly, we request the NRC approve Relief Request #3 expeditiously and issue the safety evaluation before RFO #11 starts on February 15,1997.

We have extended the inspection period for ASME code required inspections. The RFO #11 ISI inspection plan (Reference 3) is hereby amended to exclude the ASME code inspections covered by Relief Requests #1 and #2. These ISI inspections will now be performed during RFO #12. Should the NRC grant approval to defer the safe-end welds to RFO #12, our RFO #11 inspection plan will change accordingly and all examinations described in Relief Requests #1,2 and 3 will be included in the RFO #12 ISI scope.

If you have any questions regarding the information contained in this letter, please contact Walter Lobo at (508) 830-7940.

• • I L E. T. Boulette, PhD PMK/WGUdmc/rfoisi6 cc: Mr. Alan B. Wang, Project Manager Project Directorate 1-1 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Mail Stop: 1482 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1 White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region I 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Senior Resident inspector Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station