ML20203G416

Discusses Completion of Licensing Action for Bulletin 96-003, Potential Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling Suction Strainers by Debris in Bwrs

ML20203G416
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	02/17/1999
From:	Olshan L NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Sumner H SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING CO.
References
IEB-96-003, IEB-96-3, TAC-M96148, TAC-M96149, NUDOCS 9902190299
Download: ML20203G416 (4)

Text

r-I pR 8;f C yo 21 UNITED STATES g i

~t j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.c. 20555-0001 February 17, 1999

\ . . . . . /"

Mr. H. L. Sumner, Jr.

Vice President - Nuclear Hatch Project Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295

SUBJECT:

COMPLETION OF LICENSING ACTION FOR BULLETIN 96-03, " POTENTIAL PLUGGING OF EMERGENCY CORE COOLING SUCTION STRAINERS BY DEBRIS IN BOILING-WATER REACTORS," DATED MAY 6,1996 - EDWIN 1.

HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (TAC NOS. M96148 AND M96149)

Dear Mr. Sumner:

On May 6,1996, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Bulletin (BL) 96-03,

" Potential Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling Suction Strainers by Debris in Boiling-Water Reactors" to all holders of operating licenses or construction permits for boiling-water reactors (BWRs). The NRC issued BL 96-03 to ensure that the emergency core cooling systems (ECCSs) in BWRs can perform their intended safety function to mitigate the effects of a postulated loss-of-coolant accident. The BL provided three options for resolving this issue including (1) installation of large capacity passive strainers, (2) installation of self-cleaning strainers, or (3) installation of a backflush system.

In BL 96-03, the NRC staff specifically requested that licensees submit the following reports for each of their facilities:

1. A description of planned actions and mitigative strategies used, the schedule for implementation, and proposed technical specification, if appropriate.

2. A report confirming completion and summarizing actions taken.

In response to BL 96-03, you provided a letter dated October 29,1998, for Edwin 1. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. You stated that you planned to installlarge capacity passive strainers that would be designed using the guidance in the Boiling Water Reactors Owners Group Utility Resolution Guidance (URG). The staff reviewed the URG and issued a safety evaluation on August 20,1998. By letter dated October 29,1998, you informed the staff that l you had completed all actions requested by the bulletin. These actions included installation of \

new strainers.

0 j

1 The staff has reviewed your response and has determined that the actions taken should minimize the potential for clogging of ECCS suction strainers and ensure the capability of the Y< oh ECCS to provide long-term cooling following a loss-of-coolant accident as required by 9902190299 990217

, PDR ADOCK 05000321 P PDR f h h.[_h. @. ~lT.] []l ..

H. L. Sumner, Jr. 10 CFR 50.46. The staff considers your actions responsive to the concerns raised in BL 96-03.

Therefore, BL 96-03 is closed for your facilities. The staff notes that GE Topical Report NEDC-32721P," Application Methodology for the General Electric Stacked Disk ECCS Suction Strainer,"is still undergoing staff review. Part I of the staff's safety evaluation was issued on February 3,1999, approving GE's methodology for determining strainer head loss. However, the GE methodology for calculating strainer and associated penetration structural loadings due to hydrodynamic forces is still under staff review. Part 11 of the staff's safety evaluation will be issued upon completion of this review. Detailed reviews of your strainer design and 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation may be performed on a plant-specific basis in the future, if you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact me at (301) 415-1419.

Sincerely,

. di Leonard N. Olshan, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate ll-2 Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-321 and 50-366 cc: See next page l

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H. L. Sumner, Jr. February 17, 1999 10 CFR 50.46. The staff considers your actions responsive to the concerns raised in BL 96-03.

Therefore, BL 96-03 is closed for your facilities. The staff notes that GE Topical Report NEDC-32721P," Application Methodology for the General Electric Stacked Disk ECCS Suction Strainer," is still undergoing staff review. Part I of the staff's safety evaluation was issued on February 3,1999, approving GE's methodology for determining strainer head loss. However, the GE methodology for calculating strainer and associated penetration structural loadings due to hydrodynamic forces is still under staff review. Part il of the staff's safety evaluation will be issued upon completion of this review. Detailed reviews of your strainer design and 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation may be performed on a plant-specific basis in the future.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact me at (301) 415-1419.

Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

Leonard N. Olshan, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate ll-2 Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-321 and 50-366 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

C Docket File ' P. Skinner, Ril PUBLIC R. Elliot PD 11-2 Rdg. ACRS J. Zwolinski C. Berlinger H. Berkow L. Olshan L Berry OGC DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ HATCH \BL193-03.WPD T3 receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without enclosures "E" = Copy with enclosures "N" = No copy *See previous concurrence OFFICE IW:PDil-2 LA:PDll-2( ) il_ Q BC:SCSB D:PDHildh PDill-3:DRPW NAME R 1 Olshan:en LBerry V (\ ' CBerlinger* HBirkch// DSkay*

DATE Z/iT/ D .4 @/$ 6 02/05/99 $//7/'9$ 01/08/99 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant I -

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Mr. Ernest L. Blake, Jr. Charles A. Patrizia, Esquire Shaw, Pittman, Potts Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker ,

and Trowbridge 10th Floor 2300 N Street, NW. 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20037 Washington, DC 20004-9500 >

Mr. D. M. Crowe Chairman Manager, Licensing Appling County Commissioners Southern Nuclear Operating County Courthouse i Company, Inc. Baxley, Georgia 31513 P. O. Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 Mr. J. D. Woodard Executive Vice President Resident inspector Southern Nuclear Operating  :

Plant Hatch Company, Inc. l 11030 Hatch Parkway N. P. O. Box 1295 '

Baxley, Georgia 31531 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 Mr. Charles H. Badger Mr. P. W. Wells Office of Planning and Budget General Manager, Edwin 1. Hatch Room 610 Nuclear Plant 270 Washington Street, SW. Southern Nuclear Operating Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Company, Inc.

U.S. Highway 1 North Harold Reheis, Director P. O. Box 2010 Department of Natural Resources Baxley, Georgia 31515 205 Butler Street, SE., Suite 1252 Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Mr. R. D. Barker Program Manager l Steven M. Jackson Fossil & Nuclear Operations  !

Senior Engineer - Power Supply Oglethorpe Power Corporation  !

Municipal Electric Authority 2100 East Exchange Place of Georgia P. O. Box 1349 1470 Riveredge Parkway, NW Tucker, Georgia 30085-1349 Atlanta, Georgia 30328-4684 i

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