ML20141J585

Discusses 970404 & 0507 Submittals Re Assessment of FW Sparger Isi.Flaw Indications Acceptable

ML20141J585
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	05/22/1997
From:	Jabbour K NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Sumner H SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING CO.
References
TAC-M98386, NUDOCS 9705280165
Download: ML20141J585 (4)

Text

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Mr. H. L. Sumner, Jr. ,

Vice President  !

Southern Nuclear Operating )

Company, Inc. j Post Office Box 1295 i Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295

SUBJECT:

ASSESSMENT OF FEEDWATER SPARGER INSERVICE INSPECTION - EDWIN I.

HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2 (TAC NO. M98386) 4

Dear Mr. Sumner:

By letter dated April 4,1997, and supplemented May 7,1997, you submitted a description of the indications associated with the "A" feedwater sparger thermal sleeve to the tee weld, and with tack welds on two bolt locations on one of the end brackets at Hatch Unit 2.

The indications on the "A" sparger thermal sleeve are located on the bottom of  !

the pipe and are predominately axial in orientation. They are characterized I as four primary indications with minor branching. One of the indications is approximately 4 inches long and appears to traverse the sleeve to the tee  !

weld. Another indication is approximately 2 inches long within the sparger tee next to the tee weld. The two remaining indications are approximately 1.5 inches long within the thermal sleeve next to the tee weld.

The indications on one of the end brackets are located on the tack welds of the nut to the end bracket at each of the two bolt locations.

Your evaluation of the flaw indications concluded that the feedwater spargers  !

do not provide a safety-related function. However, you indicated that leakage from sparger cracks could cause thermal cycling in the feedwater nozzle blend radius and potentially cause cracking. Furthermore, you stated that the Hatch Unit 2 feedwater nozzles have been inspected and no cracking has been observed. Even if one considers the potential thermal cycling, there are no safety consequences since the feedwater nozzle has been analyzed with a ,

i 1/4-inch crack and found to be acceptable. The leakage from the indications i in the thermal sleeve to the tee weld would not result in an adverse impact to l safety-related equipment. The presence of the cracked tack welds on the end l bracket does not adversely affect the function or the structural integrity of the feedwater sparger. Therefore, Hatch Unit 2 operation for one cycle is acceptable. Also, your April 4, 1997, letter provided your commitment to perform additional inspections of the affected areas during the next Unit 2 refueling outage currently scheduled for the fall of 1998. The affected areas '

should include the feedwater nozzle blend radius, and all the cracked

components.

i DR 6 f h

l H. L. Sumner, Jr. Based on its review of your submittals, the staff is in general agreement with your evaluation, and has concluded that the flaw indications in the feedwater l sparger and the tack welds are acceptable for Hatch Unit 2 operation for one i cycle. If concerns arise during the NRC sta'ff's review of other plants, they l will be promptly communicated to you. Subsequently, if the staff determines that the flaw and the piping integrity evaluations are unacceptable, you will be expected to take prompt action to place the facility in a safe l

configuration, consistent with the requirements of NRC regulations and the Hatch technical specifications.

If you have any questions in this matter, please contact me at (301) 415-1496.

! Sincerely, WN N. h l Kahtan N. Jabbour, Project Manager l Project Directorate 11-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-366 cc: See next page i

-. . = - . =_ .- -. .

o .

j H. L. Sumner, Jr. May 22, 1997 l

l Based on its review of your submittals, the staff is in general agreement with your evaluation, and has concluded that the flaw indications in the feedwater sparger and the tack welds are acceptable for Hatch Unit 2 operation for one cycle. If concerns arise during the NRC staff's review of other plants, they will be promptly communicated to you. Subsequently, if the staff determines that the flaw and the piping integrity evaluations are unacceptable, you will

, be expected to take prompt action to place the facility in a safe I configuration, consistent with the requirements of NRC regulations and the l Hatch technical specifications.

l If you have any questions in this matter, please contact me at (301) 415-1496.

j Sincerely, i

l ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

1 l Kahtan N. Jabbour, Project Manager  !

l Project Directorate 11-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II

! Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

! Docket No. 50-366 cc: See next page l

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l Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 cc:

i Mr. Ernest L. Blake, Jr. Mr. Thomas P. Mozingo l Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge Program Manager 1 2300 N Street, NW. Nuclear Operations Washington, DC 20037 Oglethorpe Power Corporation l 2100 East Exchange Place Mr. D. M. Crowe P. O. Box 1349 Manager, Licensing Tucker, Georgia 30085-1349

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Charles A. Patrizia, Esquire ~

P. O. Box 1295 ' Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 10th Floor 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue Resident Inspector Washington, DC 20004-9500 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission )

11030 Hatch Parkway North Chairman '

Baxley, Georgia 31513 Appling County Commissioners )

County Courthouse Regional Administrator, Region II Baxley, Georgia 31513 l U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 101 Marietta Street, NW. Suite 2900 Mr. W. G. Harriston, III Atlanta, Georgia 30323 President and Chief Executive 1 l Officer l Mr. Charles H. Badger Southern Nuclear Operating Office of Planning and Budget Company, Inc.

Room 610 P. O. Box 1295 270 Washington Street, SW. Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Mr. J. D. Woodard Harold Reheis, Director Executive Vice President Department of Natural Resources Southern Nuclear Operating 205 Butler Street, SE., Suite 7252 Company, Inc.

Atlanta, Georgia 30334 P. O. Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 Steven M. Jackson Senior Engineer - Power Supply Mr. P. W. Wells Municipal Electric Authority General Manager, Edwin I. Hatch of Georgia Nuclear Plant 1470 Riveredge Parkway, NW Southern Nuclear Operating Atlanta, Georgia 30328-4684 Company, Inc.

11030 Hatch Parkway North Baxley, Georgia 31513 l

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