ML20207A488
| ML20207A488 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 05/20/1999 |
| From: | Hood D NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Percival J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9905260357 | |
| Download: ML20207A488 (4) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES g
j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20665 0001 o
May 20,1909 Mr. Joseph E. Percival 603 Beverly Drive Syracuse, NY 13219
Dear Mr. Percival:
I. n a letter to me, dated April 11,1999, you expressed concern for the core shroud at Nine Mile
' Plant Nuclear Station, Unit No.1, and indicated that you "would like to see further testing of any cracks and a release of the report to the public before the plant is restarted." You believe that, with respect to the core shroud,"the NRC has been very weak in enforcing their mandate...to protect the public."
Since the date of your letter, the licensee has completed the reinspection of the shroud and has decided to repair the two shroud vertical welds (V9 and V10) that have significant cracks. The repair will use special clamps that the NRC approved by letter dated April 30,1999. The repair clamps structurally restore the design basis for the vertical welds. The licensee has verbally informed the NRC staff that the reinspection of other vertical welds during the current refueling outage indicates that repairs are not needed. The shroud horizontal welds were structurally replaced by four tie-rod assemblies that were installed in 1995 due to extensive cracking. The licensee has verbally informed the NRC staff that, based upon the inspections during the current outage, the tie rods are satisfactorily performing their intended function of maintaining a predetermined compressive force ("preload") on the shroud during power operation.
NRC inspectors are monitoring the licensee's shroud reinspection and repair activities during the current refueling outage. Their observations indicate the licensee is following the reinspection plan that the NRC approved on March 24,1999. An NRC inspection report will be issued in the near future. _ The licensee's reinspection results and the licensee's analysis to disposition these reinspection findings are required to be submitted to the NRC within 30 days of completing the reinspecthn and will be made publicly available. Therefore, the inspection results can not be made available to you before the plant restarts.
I assure you that we take our mission of ensuring public health and safety very seriously. Our
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regulatory oversight with respect to the core shroud at Nine Mile Point is no exception. Our decisions during the previous operating period to allow operation with the existing cracked O
shroud vertical welds was based upon careful engineering analyses that provided reasonable assurance that structural margins, as specified by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, would be maintained throughout that period of f0 operation. I believe that completion of this last operating cycle, and the inspection results the T E8 PdE ETER COPY 9905260357 990520 PDR ADOCK 05000220
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May 20, 1999 J. Percival licensee has reported to date, demonstrates that our decision and its bases were correct and that such operation was, indeed, safe. Again, with respect to the upcoming operating cycles, j'
the licensee's decision to repair the two vertical welds containing significant cracks will restore the design bases of the vertical welds and preclude the need for further testing before restart.
Nevertheless, you can be assured that at any time it should become necessary, the NRC will not hesitate to take an action that is appropriate to protect public health and safety.
Your concern that the NRC has been very weak in enforcing its mandate to protect the public is being forwarded to an appropriate NRC office for their consideration.
Thank you for sharing your concerns with the NRC. I trust this reply has been responsive to the concerns in your letter.
Sincerely, Original signed by:
Darl S. Hood, Sr. Project Manager, Section i Project Directorate l Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION:
"DechetfWeE3 PUBLIC P L l-1 R/F i
J. Zwolinski S. Bajwa S. Little D. Hood OGC ACRS A. Blough, Region I D. Screnci, Region l W. Bateman DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\PDi-1\\NMP1\\PERCIVAL.WPD To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy "E" = Copy "N" =
No copy OFFICE PM:PDl-1 lE LA:PDI-J()V l
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i J. Percival licensee has reported to date, demonstrates that our decision and its bases were correct and that such operation was, indeed, safe. Again, with respect to the upcoming operating cycles,
. the licensee's decision to repair the two vertical welds containing significant cracks will restore the design bases of the vertical welds and preclude the need for further testing before restart.
Nevertheless, you can be assured that at any time it should become necessary, the NRC will not hesitate to take an action that is appropriate to protect public health and safety.
- Your concern that the NRC has been very weak in enforcing its mandate to protect the public is being forwarded to an appropriate NRC office for their consideration.
Thank you for sharing your concerns with the NRC. I trust this reply has been responsive to the concerns in your letter.
Sincerely, Original signed by:
Darl S. Hood, Sr. Project Manager,Section I Project Directorate i Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION:
Docket File PUBLIC PD l-1 R/F J. Zwolinski S. Bajwa S. Little D. Hood OGC ACRS A. Blough, Region i D. Screnci, Region l W. Bateman DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\PDi-1\\NMP1\\PERCIVAL.WPD To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy "E" = Copy "N" =
No copy 0FFICE PM:PDI-1 lE LA:PDI,1()V l
D:PDl-1,, g l
l NAME DHood/rsi, DJN SuttV SBaba FcL 05/ o/99 05/4tV/99 05///f/99 DATE 1
Official Record Copy l
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J. Percival '
i licensee has reported to date, demonstrates that our decision and its bases were correct and that such operation was, indeed, safe. Again, with respect to the upcoming operating cycles, J
the licensee's decision to repair the two vertical welds containing significant cracks will restore f
the design bases of the vertical welds and preclude the need for further testing before restart.
Nevertheless, you can be assured that at any time it should become necessary, the NRC will not hesitate to take an action that is appropriate to protect public health and safety.
Your concern that the NRC has been very weak in enforcing its mandate to protect the public is being forwarded to an appropriate NRC office for their consideration.
Thank you for sharing your concerns with the NRC. I trust this reply has been responsive to the concerns in your letter.
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l Sincerely, Dd1Nrn(
Darl S. Hood, Sr. Project Manager, Section i Project Directorate l Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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