ML20197H826

Provides Confirmation Re ISI Request for Relief Re semi- Elliptical Circumferential Reactor Vessel nozzle-to-pipe Welds IAW SER Based on Review of Topical Rept BAW-2228P-A Rev 1,dtd Sept 1996.Specific Written Relief Is Requested

ML20197H826
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	12/19/1997
From:	Langenbach J GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
6710-97-2098, NUDOCS 9801020003
Download: ML20197H826 (2)

Text

_ _ _ _ - _ _ _. _

l e

I 4

l 4

GPO Nuclear,Inc.

G U

Route 441 South NUCLEAR P* * " B " ***

Mddistown, PA 170'74480 Tel717444 7621 December 19, 1997 6710-97-2098 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

Dear Sir:

Subjeu:

1 hree Mile bland Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (TMI-1)

Operating License No. DPR 50 Docket No. 50-289 Inservice inspection - Request for Relief Regarding Semi-Elliptical Circumierential Reactor Vessei Nozzle-To-Pipe Welds Resetence:

B&W Nuclear Technologies Topical Report, B AW-2228P-A, Revision 1 -

" Fracture Mechanics Assessment of Postulated Outer Surface, Semi Elliptical Circumferential RV Nonzle-to-Pipe Weld Flaws " dated September 1996 included with the April 19,1991 GPU Nuclear submittal of Inservice inspection Plans and Schedules for the second ten year interval was a request for relief from the Section XI Code requiremems' to perform external surface examinations of the reactor vessel nozzle-to-piping if welds connected to the Core Flood and the Reactor Coolant System hot leg and cold leg piping.

//

GPU Nuclear requested relief to perf rm an alternative examination of the outer diameter (OD) h)

surface from the inner diameter (ID) using an it!!rasonic technique which can be accomplished with a remote manipulator. Use of the alternate technique results in substantial dose savings since fj it would result in minimal personnel exposure compared with our estimate of 87 person-rem to y'

perform the examinations in accordance with the Code. This relief request, which was pursued through the Babcock and Willcox Owners Group (BWOG), was granted generically by the NRC in a letter to the NDE Committee Chairman, Gene Navratil, dated March 21,1996. The purpose

-of this letter is to provide this confirmation in accordance with the SER and to request specific

. written relief required by TMI-l Technical Specification 4.2.1.

The NRC's Safety Evaluation Report (SER) approved the proposed ultrasonic examination from the ID of the nozzles as an acceptable alternative to penetrant testing (PT) surface examination of the OD to satisfy the Code requirement based on their review of the Topical Report (TR) referenced above. The SER states that each licensee which references the TR as the basis for relief must confirm the plant-specific applicability by demonstrating that 1) the input stresses under normal / upset and emergency / faulted conditions shown in the tables I to 4 for its plant are

' ASME Section XI, Table IWB-2500-1, Category B-F, item B5.130 and Category B-J, item B9. I 1 -

9001020003 971219

~

l PDR ADOCK 05000209 0

PDR c

s :.-' -

6710-97-2098 Page 2 of 2 '

! h' result of using the bounding transient in the analysis and (2) the rnaterial in itsinlet, outlet, and te core flood nozzles is either A508 Class 2 carbon steel or SA 336 (316) stainless steel.

GPU Nuclear has confirmed that 1) the analysis approved by the NRC in Reference 1 considers the bounding normal / upset condition transients and emergency / faulted condition transients from i

. the TMI.1 plant specific analysis, and 2) the materials used for the analysis of nozzles in Reference I were found to be the aame materials used for TMI-l nozzles. The Reactor Vessel

. inlet and outlet nozzles are ASTM A508 class 2, the Core flood nozzles are ASTM A508 class 2, and the Core flood safe end is SA336 F8M. ASTM-A-508 Class 2 is low allow steel and SA 336-F8M is Type 316 stainless steel; Therefore, based on our review of TMI 1 design -

documentation, GPU Nuclear concludes that B AW 2228P.A, Revision 1 is applicable to TMI-1.

In accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(5)(iv), GPUN must obtain the requested relief applicable to inspections performed during the current ISI interval by April 19,2002, Sincerely, 144fl4 l

James W. Langenh 1

Vice President and Director, TMI MRK cc:

Administrator, NRC Region I TMI Senior NRC Resident inspector fMI Senior NRC Project Manager 1

-s

.I.

~ '

'\\

.. _ _