ML20195K347
| ML20195K347 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Calvert Cliffs  |
| Issue date: | 06/17/1988 |
| From: | Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Mikulski B SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20195K351 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8806290405 | |
| Download: ML20195K347 (5) | |
Text
"
gg OAb 0
'o UNITED STATES
'8 g
pg. 3,773g g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
7, rE W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
%.....,/
June 17,1988 The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20510-
Dear Senator Mikulski:
By letter dated May 26, 1988, you requested information about pipe erosion /
corrosion problems at the Calte_rt Clif_fs and other nuclear power stations.
e The request was in response to concerns expressed in an undated letter from your constituent, Dr. Michael S. Glaser.
Dr. Glaser sent the. same letter to the Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes. We responded by letter dated May 10, 1988. The response provided to Senator Sarbanes continues to be valid and is provided below. We have updated paragraph five to reflect the June 1,1988 status of inspections for erosion / corrosion.
On December 9, 1986, Unit 2 at the Surry Power Station experienced a catastrophic failure of a main feedwater pipe that resulted in fatal injuries to four workers.
The failure occurred in a nonradioactive portion of the facility and there was no release of radiation. The NRC imediately dispatched an investigation team, who determined that the feedwater pipe had been reduced in thickness because of erosion / corrosion. On December 16, 1986 the NRC issued an information notice to all nuclear power plant licensees, describing the event so it could be reviewed for applicability to their facilities.
Subsequently, extensive investigations at Surry revealed that erosion / corrosion had also occurred in other piping systems and locations. Repairs were made by replacing the piping.
During the investigation, the NRC issued supplemental information notices to all nuclear power plant licensees on February 13, 1987 and March 18, 1987.
These notices provided the information developed through the investigation so that power station operators could determine if it was applicable to their facilities.
During the Surry investigation, the NRC met with industry groups and received preliminary information from other utilities that indicated erosion / corrosion existed at other plants. On July 9, 1987 the NRC issued a bulletin requiring all power plants to provide information on erosion / corrosion at their facilities.
i The resulting information confirmed that erosion / corrosion was being detected at many plants where investigations were being conducted to determine if the l
conditions found at Surry were present.
' Coincident with the NRC actions, industry representatives formed a group i
to formulate uniform criteria for the inspection and repair of piping for erosion / corrosion. By June 1987, preliminary inspection criteria were formulated by the industry and approved by the NRC. As of June 1, 1988, 81 of 113 plants will have completed inspections. An additional 17 plants
(
8806290405 880617 i
PDR ADOCK 05000317 H
4 M
/
The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski.
will complete inspections by October 1988. The remaining 15 plants are pre-connercial, in extended outages, or have an older sister plant that will conduct inspections by October 1988. These remaining 15 plants will complete inspections before start-up following their next refueling outage or prior to initial plant operations, as applicable.
By letter dated September 9,1987, Baltimore Gas and Electric, the licensee for Calvert Cliffs, submitted a response to the bulletin indicating that erosion / corrosion has been detected. A formal inspection and repair program for erosion / corrosion had been established at Calvert Cliffs Unit 1 and 2 in 1984 After the failure at Surry Unit 2, the Calvert Cliffs program was expanded to include inspections of additional piping. These inspections at Calvert Cliffs are procedurally scheduled as a part of routine maintenance; the most recent inspection was conducted in March 1988 at Unit 2.
The licensee has a program that ensures that when an inspection at Calvert Cliffs shows that erosion / corrosion is present, the piping is replaced or repaired where necessary to ensure that it continues to r.cet design standards. The inspection program at Calvert Cliffs is consistent with the NRC approved criteria.
The NRC is independently conducting reviews of the inspections at a number of plants to determine if implementation of the industry-developed program is adequately addressing the erosion / corrosion issue.
The inspections will be completed by October 1988.
By December 1988 the NRC will determine if the industry programs are sufficient and will implement new requirements if necessary.
We trust that this letter fully responds to your constituent's concerns.
Sincerely, Orl:1nal sig Victprste m,,g Victor Stello, Jr.
Executive Director for Operations cc: Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes
~
e
~,
a The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski DISTRIBUTION:
Docket Files (50-317/50-318)
NRC PDR Local PDR ECEB Reading ECEB Subject ED0 Reading VStello WRussell, Region I TEMurley JSniezek TTMartin FMiraglia FGillespie LShao (GT-003743)
JRichardson CMcCracken SECY(88-0501)
'CA DMossburg (ED0-003743)
CPaul 88-29 DMorris(ED0-003743) n>
)
OFc EST 5
- DEST:DIR' / :l4 P
- llR DT
- lRR:DIR
- EDO, f s---
(b---------: - f l o
--:----.c --J..
e
,'llEMu ley
- VS NAME :CMcCracken :
ichardson :LSha
- ii as
. TF rtin
----:........ -- -- p/88
:------------:------------:--f88
- 6/[/88
- 6/ /
- 6/P/8 DATE:6/7/88
- 6//l/88
- 6/1
- 6/ / 88 0FG
- 0CA
(':
NAME DATE :6//6/88
e.
e,;,%,
UNITED STATES t'
8 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
~
,E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
[9
\\
/
EDO Principal Correspondence Control h h h y FROM:
DUE: 06/16/88 EDO CONTROL: 0003743 DOC DT 05/26/88 FINAL REPLY Sun. Barbara A.
Mikulski TO:
John Bradburne, OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF:
- GRN CRC NO: 88-0501
. Exccutive Director DESC:
ROUTING:
ENCLOSES LETTER FROM MICHAEL S.
GLASER CONCERNING Russell CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DATE: 06/03/88 ASSIGNED TO:
CONTACT:
NRR Murley V
~~_
b SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
c n
\\x-NRR RECEIVT:D: JUNE 3, 1988 k
y\\"
\\
-CTION *-
+ ' ~
wraso f
h"RR ROUTING:
MURLEY/SNIEZEK f
f MIRAGLIA MARTIN d
g GILLESPIB i4 MOSSBURG ACTION DUE TO NRR DIRECTOR'S OFFIC BY 0<
' 38#
tl
~',
[
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE - CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
CRC-88-0501 LOGGING DATE: Jun 2 88 ACTION OFFICE:
EDO AUTHOR:
B.A. Milkulski--Const Ref AFFILIATION:
U.S.
SENATE LETTER DATE:
May 26 88 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Calvert C
SUBJECT:
Pipe corrosion at the Calvert Cliffs nuc power plant ACTION:
Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION:
OCA to Ack, Docket SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES:
Michael Glaser DATE DUE:
Jun 16 88 SIGNATURE:
DATE SIGNED:
. AFFILIATION:
gg'd 0ff. 8)0 mie 6_a-j)g
> 3 0 f _ -n;.
w-L IO --- 0 0 3 7 4 J
-