ML20197H569

Comment Opposing Proposed Rule Re Relicensing of Plant

ML20197H569
Person / Time
Site:	Yankee Rowe
Issue date:	09/22/1990
From:	Roberts P AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
Shared Package
ML20197H549	List: ML20197H542 ML20197H553 ML20197H557 ML20197H564 ML20197H569
References
NUDOCS 9011190087
Download: ML20197H569 (2)

Text

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NRC quest'onstaging reactor vess:eltat Rowe Jty YlCKI RITTEttilAND Mecorder Staff

! What is not known at this time is the degree of Iaineth t a,r.

<-rr.ng with the

. T,,,,ue ea,, Re,d,ato,, Comm,s..

3,,,,,,,,,s.

ouo,c,, about tw. NRc stafrs questmns about h ws- : e.m. brittlement that has already occurred on all vendition of Yorkee Rowe s reactor set. N advisory corumstfeeis made

. an,,,eaetw exputs who an inde-l th,e.'diffe.re,bt parts Of the pressure vessel.

dr vessei aner n yars of a-g, the NHC.

penure to setense radiation.

In the letter, the committee oid-

. N reactor's pressure vess2B ss a Imed the concerns it shares with the

. boiler-hke tank which holds (fie we.

NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Jer that surrounds the reactor core.

Regularmn, whane sesentists have coohng et me 1 carrymg off heat ticen studysag Yankee Rowe's reae-nme, et.we tu agreed that dur-e inW Usesee linwe has &ler tsauw.t t.se exact prnportumn of tfu-u hech as used to make steam.

Espapd to a constant bombard.

ter en antic,pation of sts rehcenssng Yankee stowe es su.pmg e.nure se' nfwhg whwh wilt sc-ment of neutrop radiat>on, the ves-appleatiost license renewaf styleatnus complet-7% g mg,nce,.s wtg vessers attoys the NRC has m-structed the plant to remake these set's stamless steel wans slowly IW)ect manager Patrick Sears.

ed by the sprmg The plant s operat-doa s that w determme the com- -

P*et n of both the bettime weld and samples and put them m a test reac-it e NftC employee who works on all _

mg heense runs out se 20n0

.sharge, graduaity becoming more wsues involvmg the Rowe plant. said "Our reactson is let's work togeth.

the $nwer plate. W M

!! m-tar to observe their behavior when hombarded wsth neistrens.

brettle. Theeretically, if stus process that while the probabshty of the re-er and do a resmrch program that l

ta "We're optimistic that when a!! of I

went en long enmgh. the steel could actor vessef actually cracking is wit! reduce the owneertamties.* "said nd e t them to

• their contents - a fittle the research is compacte. the reactor crack and coch water could belost McGee. who addrd that et was Yan-det"a"bepsy. Yankee N hke ak Ng..stl Pss. Nand McGee-

- a seriour a t.

• practically nil." the lack of knowb kee Rome that first raned the issue What as not known at this tirne is edge about some aspects of sts con-ef the reactw vessel's entegrety, I

the degree of embrittlement that has '

struction snust be remedied. Yan-knowing it would be a crucialissue uhramnic evanunaWns W

vessel which watt give the plant more i

already accurred oss all the datterent kee's reactor vessel is uneque in the in the hcenssng ocess.

infwmaten aW h W snake parts of the pressure vessel U S. although Yankee spokesperson 1he plant an he NRC part ways.

UP. auwdmg to Sean

'the comeerns ramed by the NRC.

Walham McGee said there is a de-

. however, in their analysm et how

"*'I

1. 8" ** I#

the agency that momtors nuclcar commessioned reactor in Belenun much the reactor vessef has already N 4""ht'#'"& M nfueling, said plants, come at a time when Yankee that es identical to Yankee's. The aged Atomic Electree, wtuch operates the plant plans te do research on the Bel-The NRC and an independent ma-Scay*s.

N "'P""

I plant is preparing its case befase tsuna reactor to gain information -

serrals in6er frorn Cahfornea both m"of' W lack of mfonnaten the NRC for extensson of its 40 year about its own, whwh is efficutt to in-that the reactor vesset es ahaut its nactor vnset D nt hcense. It's not clear what effect the spect because of the way et is con-more brittle than Yankee Rowe sci-misplaced M that detat W

e onrerns wit! have on the reticensing structed.

- entists beheve at is, accordmg to

• ''"P"tum cf the reactor ves-

'se't 'acewdmg to Meth Yankee Rowe critics have often Sears.

process.

pointed to the fact that no other oper.

Comphcating the emtirittlement

,Also, acew&ng to Scan M IM to an August 31 letter to Yarsee atmg plant uws ets reactor contaan-issue ls the fact that the copper and manw sampin of W wtsel,.s conspo Atomic. premedent Andrew Kadak.

mckel content of a weldthat is par-

' "*'5 ch were placed en ment dna.gn - a sphere on stilts -

tscutarty vulnerable to neutron arra-d""fferenf Parts of"the vessel, acciden-the Nuspar Regulatory Commission 2

the gaps in kroowledge as evidence of the contamment sys-dtatsort as not kemwn. Thrs "tiefthne tah fen to its boHorn and cannot k po the has about the snaterials tem's mienerity, ne Rowe plant weld" wraps armmd the middle of

"'d-tha up the reactor vessel, ar.

was one of the first ever bui!!.and its the vessel Its copper and encket con-Wse samples w mpans as gia that a tack of certain informa.

rmall stae made the design possste tent is emportant because both ele thern caned, am sanan plates d bier ants were much larger.

ments make a substance rnare sensi-snetal ihical to eHernt pnmons

• f 1 know waat effect a!! of tsve teembrittlement'has little infor-"I O' "8d

""**I D'I

• placed mssde and espased to m"e 8 ton about the venet's wa!!s leads to this will have on reticensing." said Yankee Rowe also annertainty about the way the vesseg. Sears. "It's a obtern that has to be matson about the makeup of the bot-same enndsteens as W nst of W E-put to bed they get a license som part of the vessef ~ called the vessel.

hen taken ont and tested.

" *8"e Adtisory Cornmtttee on Reac.

Th

. eu!rnsion I caq see at smt being put lower plate - and thus also can't be they cain snow W cundumn d omn tar Safeguards, an II member advi.

to hed The process deff attay con-sure cuartly how it rs atmg, said

% ears, t' art s.

sory board to the !ctC. recently cerns that would he brought op by-wrote a letter to NRC Chairman the most pessunastse person]

e 9

'O s

m

NRC questions aging my VICK1 IllTTEttilAND

} What is not known at t

"" "d" *'*"

The Nuclear }tegulatory Commis-k"neth Carr. concoi s mg with the t

& ion is raismg questions about the NRC staf f s questions about the ves-embrlttlement that has

' condition of Yankee flowe's reactor sel 'I,be advtsory committee is made iffereht parts of th

-pressure vessel after 30 years of ex.

up oi reactor experts who are mde- *t

'posure to intense ra iat on.

pendent of the NitC.

d i in the letter, the committee out-

, he reactor's pressure vessel is a hned the concerns it shares with the

. boiler hke tank which holds the wa.

NitC's Office of Nuclear fleactor ler that surrounds the reactor core, coohng it and carrymg off heat flegulation, whose scientists have which is used to make steam been studymg Yankee flowe's reac-Exposed to a constant bombard.

tor in anticipation of its rehcensing i,ankee Itowe a hoping m nas ment of neutron radiation, the ves.

application heense renewal apphcation com sel's stainless steel walls slowlv Project manager I*atrick Sears, ed by the spring The plant's o thange, gradually becomme mor'e the NItC employee who works on all ing beense runs out m 2000 nsues mvolving the flowe plant, said "Our reaction is 'let's work to brittle Theoretically, if this process that while the probability of the re-er and do a research program went on long enough, the steel could actor vessel actually crackmg is w ill reduce the uncertamties,' "

crack and coolmg water could be lost McGee, who added that it was

- a serious accident

" practically nil," the lack of knowl.

kee flowe that first raised the i What is not known at this time is edge about some aspects of its con.

of the reactor vessel's mteg the degree of emhnttlement that has struction must be remedied Yan-knowmg it would be a crucial i already occurred on all the dillerent kee's reactor vessel is unique in the in the bcensmg process.

parts of the pressure vessel U.S, although Yankee spokesperson The plant and the NitC part w The concerns raised by the NitC, Wilham McGee said there is a de-howeser, in their analysis of the agency that mamtors nuclear commissioned reactor in Belgium much the reactor vessel has alt plants, come at a ume when Yankee that is identical to Yankee's. The aged Atomic Electrec, which operates the plant plans to do research on the Bel-The NitC and an mdependent plant, is preparmg its case before gium reactor to gam information lenals engineer from California the NltC for extension of its 40 year about its own, which is difficult to in-concluded that the reactor vess beense It's not clear w hat effect the spect because of the w ay it is con-more brittle than Yankee flowe concerns will have on the relicensmg structed entists believe it is, accordm process Yankee flowe critics have often Sears Pomted to the fact that no other oper-Comphcatmg the embrittlen in an August JI letter to Yankee atmg plant uses its reactor contam-issue is the fact that the copper Atomic president Andrew Kadak, mckel content of a weld that is the Nuetear Itegulatory Commission ment design - a sphere on stilts -

ticularly vulnerable to neutron i pomted t the gaps in knowledge as evidence of the contamment sys-diahon is not known This " bell the has about the materials tem s infenonly. De Itowe plant weld" wraps around the middl tha up the reactor vessel, ar.

w as one of the first ever built, and its the vessel its copper and mckel guigthat a lack of certain informa.

small size made the design possible tent is important because both 1.ater plants were much larger ments make a substance more se

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"I don't know what effect all of live to embrittlement hon about the vessel s walls leads to this will have on rehcensing,' said Yankee Itowe also has httle in

)

uncertainty about the way the vessel Sears "It's a problem that has to be mation about the makeup of the is agmg.

put to bed before they get a heense tom part of the vessel - called The Advisory Committee on iteac.

extension I can't see it not being put lower plate - and thus also can' tor Safeguards, an Il. member advi.

to bed The process will allay con-sure exactly how it is agmg' sory board to the NitC recently cerns that would be brought up by scars wrote a letter to N!tC Chairman the most pessimistic person '

s.

a e*-

N 4,no

eactor vessel at Rowe time is the degree of already occurred on all pressure vessel.

i ankee Itowe h.is agreed that dur-t hice Yankee Itown has deter nig the next refuelmg, which will oc-inmed the exact proportions of the

,g, let-cur in February iw2, engmeers will vessel's alloys, the NitC has in-at, do tests that will determine the com.

structed the plant to remake these positi n of both the bel;lme weld and samples and put them in a test reac-th, the I wer plate. The tests will in-tor to observe their behavior when hat elude taking out samples of the bombarded with neutrons.

id heltime weld - and testing them to "We'r? optimistic that when all of determine their contents - a little the research is complete, the reactor an-sue hke a biopsy. Yankee Howe will also vessel will pass," said McGee ity sue' do ultrasonic examinations of the vessel which will give the plant more mformation about the vessel make-ygof up, accordmg to Sears i

The reactor vessel can safely op-dy crate until the 1992 refueling, said Sears.

na, Yankee Itowe is responsible for th some of the lack of information

$[

l i3

.itniut its reactor vessel The plant ci, misplaced records that detailed the APERTURE t

exact composition of the reactor ves-sel, according to McGee.

A CARD ent nd Also, according to Sears, m 1164 some samples of the vessel's compo f

a r.

nent metals, which were placed in different parts of the vessci, acciden-Also Available Or, ra, ine og tally fell to its bottom and cannot be Aperttirt b,, M retrieved on le These sampth or coupons as i,

they're called, are small plates of metal identical to different portions of the reactor vessel They are or-placed mside and exposed to the ij t,

same conditions as the rest of the he vessel When taken out and tested, be id they can show the condihon of other parts t

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