ML20205P548

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Responds to NRC Bulletin 88-009, Thimble Tube Thinning in Westinghouse Reactors. During Unit 1 Seventh & Eighth Refueling Outages & Unit 2 Fifth Outage,All Thimble Tubes Inspected & Corrective Actions Taken
ML20205P548
Person / Time
Site: Farley  Southern Nuclear icon.png
Issue date: 11/02/1988
From: Hairston W
ALABAMA POWER CO.
To:
NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
IEB-88-009, IEB-88-9, NUDOCS 8811080207
Download: ML20205P548 (3)


Text

-_.

  • Q.1
  • Alabama PowerCompany 600 North 18th Street Post Office Box 2641 Birmingham, Alabama 352914400 Telephone 2o5 2501837 W. G. H4Irston,Ill SeniorVice President NuclearOperabons.

Docket Nos. 50-348 the soahem electnc system 50-36/,

November 2, 1988 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Vashington, DC 20555 Gentlemen:

L Joseph H. Farley Nuclear Plant - Units 1 & 2 Thimble Tube Thinning in Vestinghouse Reactors NRC Bulletin No. 88-09 NRC Bulletin No. 88-09 requests that each addressee establish and implement an inspection program to monitor thimble tube performance and take appropriate corrective actions should the thimble tube fail to meet the established acceptance criterion. This program should include the establishment and technical justification of an appropriate thimble tube

-acceptance criterion and inspection frequency and the establishment of an inspection methodology. Holders of operating licenses that already had an established inspection program to monitor thimble tube integrity consistent with that requested by this bulletin and, based upon the results of the last inspection, took appropriate corrective actions for the thimble tubes that failed to satisfy the established acceptance criterion, are requested to implement the inspection program in accordance with their established inspection frequency.

Alabama Pover Company began to utilize the services of an eddy current vendor to perform incore flux measuring system thimble tube eddy current testing (ECT) at Farley Nuclear Plant in 1986.

In order to be able to identify a vide range of defects, the ECT vendor developed a calibration standard to include ASH Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code standard E

defects, typical vear patterna, and service defects. The current program includes performing ECT at each refueling outage until adequate confidence is established in vear rate projections. Thimble tubes that do not meet the current acceptance criteria are either slightly vi:t. drawn, in order to align the vear scar to a new location and provide an undamaged thimble tube vear surface at locations where the degradation had been previously identified, or capped, depending upon tne percentage of vall loss.

During the Unit 1 seventh and eighth refuelirig outages and the Unit 2 fifth refueling outage, all thimble tubes (except those blocked or capped) were inspected full length and appropriate corrective actions vere taken.

In the future, thimble tubes that cannot be eddy current inspected due to blockages vill be preventively capped.

g gr%nnMMyhe

'j GI

0.

Yb U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 Alabama Power Company vill ~ continue to monitor thimble tube vear by periodic testing and vill participate in Vestinghouse Ovners Group (V0G) activities to establish recommended testing options, acceptance criteria, and recommended corrective actions. When issued, the V0G recommended actions vill be reviewed and the Alabama Power Company

. program modified, as appropriate.

In the interim period prior to issuance of the V0G recommendations, Alabama Power Company vill continue with its currently established program which is consistent with the requirements of NRC Bulletin 88-09.

If there are any questions, please advise.

Respectfully submitted, tr).

.$h W

V. G. Hairston, III VGH/AEH Svorn to and subscribed before me th

' day of Na tebed, 1988 H

E t

~ -

IIC Hr. E. A. Reeves

/

NOTARY PUBLIC Hr. G. P. Maxwell M/ commission expires W CoWWON DPHtC3lAARCH 23,1900

1,*

?,'

~

bc: Mr. Bill'M. Guthrie

-Mr. R. P. Mcdonald Mr. J. D. Voodard Mr. J. E. Carlington Mr. J. V. McGowan Mr. D. N. Morey Mr. R. D. Hill Mr. C. D. Nesbitt.

Mr. R. G. Berryhill=

Mr. Sect,t Fulmer Mr. D. E. Mansfield Mr. b. D. McKinney Mr. J. R. Crane Mr. K. C. Gandhi

'Mr.

, T. Brantley Commitment Tracking System (2)

FNP Document Control File: A-5001, IEB 88-09 4

_