ML20210J346
| ML20210J346 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/02/1999 |
| From: | Travers W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Powers D Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| References | |
| ACRS-GENERAL, NUDOCS 9908050005 | |
| Download: ML20210J346 (6) | |
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'4 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. Saaaa raa1
.g August 2, 1999 Dr. Dana A. Powers, Chairman 3
Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED FINAL AMENDMENT TO 10 CFR 50.55a," CODES AND
' STANDARDS"
Dear Dr. Fowers:
In your letter dated July 23,1999, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) provided the results of the review of the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a, " Codes and Standards." The final rule will amend 10 CFR 50.55a to incorporate by reference a more recent edition and addenda of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPV Code) and the ASME Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants (OM Code) for construction, inservice inspection (ISI), and inservice testing (IST) of nuclear power plant components. In summary, the final rule will:
e Update the regulations to incorporate by reference the 1995 Edition with the i
1996 Addenda of the ASME BPV Code, Sections 111 and XI, and the ASME OM Code, with specific limitations and modifications.
e - Require licensees to implement either Appendix Vlli, " Performance Demonstration for
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Ultrasonic Examination Systems," as contained in the 1995 Edition with the 1996 Addenda of Section XI of the ASME BPV Code, or Appendix Vill as implemented by the Performance Demonstration Initiative conducted by the nuclear indutry.
As discussed in your letter, the ACRS recommends approval of the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a that, among other changes, will provide significant improvements in the effectiveness of inservice inspections through expedited implementation of performance
- demonstration requirements for inspectors, update IST requirements, and endorse ASME Code cases for assessment and temporary repair of Class 3 piping. The ACRS considers the NRC I
staff to have adequately addressed public comments on the proposed rule and to have sound arguments for the imposition of the modifications and limitations on the use of the ASME C,Me by licensees. The ACRS does not believe that those restrictions undermine the intended ut e of consensus industry standards.
The NRC staff is evaluating the current regulatory requirement for licensees to update their ISI and IST programs every 120 months to a recent edition and addenda of the ASME Code incorporated by reference in the NRC regulations. On April 27,1999, the NRC issued a proposed rule supplement that would eliminate the requirement to update ISI and IST programs every 120 months and would establish basetine requirements for ISI and IST programs at operating nuclear power plants. In a Staff Requirements Memorandum dated June 24,1999, the Commission directed the staff to complete expeditiously the endorsement of theyelM 040U" ME HLF CSITER CDP)
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Dr. Powers 2
1995 Edition with the 1996 Addenda of the ASME Code and to consider the proposal to eliminate the ISI and IST update requirement in a separate rutemaking. The NRC staff is reviewing the public comments received on the proposal to eliminate the ISI and IST update requirement. The NRC staff will brief the ACRS on the resolutien of'those comments anc' staff
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recommendations regarding the lSI and IST update requirement at the ACRS meeting in late September of this year.
We appreciate your assistance in reviewing the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a on an expedited schedule.
Sincerely, I
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William D. ravers Executive Director l
for Operations I
cc: Chairman Dieus Commissioner Diaz Commissioner McGaffigan Commissioner Merrifield SECY i
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1995 Edition with the 1996 Addenda of the ASME Code and to consider the proposal to eliminate the ISI and IST update requirement in a separate rulemaking. The NRC staff is reviewing the public comments received on the proposal to eliminate the ISI and IST update requirement. The NRC staff will brief the ACRS on the resolution of those comments and staff recommendations regarding the ISI and IST update requirement at the ACRS meeting in late September of this year.
We appreciate your assistance in reviewing the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a on an expedited schedule.
Sincerely, O$dcb?AE7 yg, o 'nr.1.4 t
William D. Travers Executive Director for Operations cc: Chairman Dicus Commissioner Diaz Commissioner McGaffigan Commissioner Merrifield SECY DISTRIBUTION: See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\SCARBROU\\ACRS799L.WPD To receive a copw of this document, indicate in the bor C= Copy w/o attachment / enclosure E= Copy with attachment / enclosure N = No copy
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EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROMs DUE: 08/18/99 EDO CONTROL: Gl9990370 DOC DT: 07/23/99 FINAL REPLY:
Dina A. Powers, ACRS TO:
Chairman Dicus FOR SIGNATURE OF :
- GRN CRC NO:
Travers, EDO DESC:
ROUTING:
PROPOSED FINAL AMENDMENT TO 10 CFR 50.55a, " CODES Travers AND STANDARDS" Knapp Miraglia Norry Blaha Burns DATE: 07/26/99 Thadani, RES Mitchell OEDO l
ASSIGNED TO:
CONTACT:
ACRS File i
f NRR Collins SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
Prtpare response to ACRS for EDO signature.
Add Commissioners and SECY as cc's.
USE SUBJECT LINE IN RESPONSE.
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' PAPER NUMBER:'
CRC-99-0664 LOGGING DATE: Jul 26 99 i
i ACTION' OFFICE:-
EDO AUTHOR:.
DANA FOWERS AFFILIATION:
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS
~ ADDRESSEE:
CHAIRhiAN DICUS LETTER.DATE:
Jul 23 99 FILE CODE: OM-7 ACRS
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED FINAL AMENDMENT TO 10 CFR 50.55a, CODES AND STANDARDS ACTION:
Appropriate DISTRIBUTION:
RF SPECIAL HANDLING: NONE CONSTITUENT:
NOTES:
DATE DUE:
SIGNATURE:
DATE SIGNED:
AFFILIATION:
i
'o UNITED STATES 8
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
I ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS o
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 July 23,1999 The Honorable Greta Joy Dieus Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 205554001
Dear Chairman Dieus:
SUBJECT:
PRCPOSED FINAL AMENDMENT TO 10 CFR 50.55a, " CODES AND STANDARDS' During the 464* meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, July 14-16,1999, we reviewed the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a. Our Subcommittee on Materials and Metallurgy also reviewed this matter on March 25,1999. During these reviews, we had the benefit of discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and of the documents referenced.
Conclusions and Recommendations We recommend approval of the proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a. This amendment will: provide significant improvements in the effectiveness of inservice inspections through the J
expedited implementation of performance demonstration requirements for inspectors; update other requirements for inservice testing; and incorporate American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Cases for assessment and temporary repair of Class 3 piping.
Discussion The staff issued the prooosed amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a for public comment in December 1997 and has reconciled the comments it received from 65 separate sources. The proposed final amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a will:
revise the requirements for the construction, inservice inspections, and inservice testing of nuclear power plant components; update 10 CFR 50.55a to endorse the 1995 Edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the 1996 Addenda thereto, with modifications and limitations; incorporate by reference for the first time the ASME Code for Operation and Maintenance; l
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2 il Implement performance demonstrations for ultrasonic examination systems; supplement motor-operated valv~ stroke time testing with programs for demonstrating e
design-basis capabilities; and implement check valve condition monitoring on a voluntary basis.
The proposed final amendment to 10CFR 50.55a includes a number of changes in response to public comments. We believe that the staff has adequately addressed these comments. The proposed rule also contains a number of modifications and limitations on the use of the ASME Code by licensees. We believe that the staff has provided sound arguments for the imposition of these restrictions. The number of restrictions is not excessive. These restrictions do not undermine the intent of the requirement to utilize consensus industry standards.
On April 27,1999, the staff published a supplement to the proposed amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a requesting public comment on a proposal by the staff to eliminate the current requirement for licensees to update their inservice inspection and inservice testing programs to the latest approved edition of the ASME Code every 120 months. Subsequently, es directed by the Commission, the staff is addressing this proposalin a separate rulemaking. The staff is in the process of resolving public comments on this proposal and we expect to have further discussions on this matter after the staff has reconciled public comments.
Sincerely, m%k he4d Dana A. Powers
- Chairman References 1.
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Draft Final Rule,10 CFR Part 50, RIN 3150-AE26, ' Industry Codes and Standards; Amended Requirements," seceived July 1,1999.
2.
Memorandum dated June 24,1999, from Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary of the Commission, to NRC Commissioner McGaffigan,
Subject:
COMEXM-99-001 -
Reconsideration of SECY-99-017 (Proposed Amendment to 10 CFR 50.55e).
3.
Memorandum dated June 24,1999, from Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary of the Commission, to William D. Travers, Executive Director for Operations, NRC,
Subject:
Staff Requirements - COMEXM-99-001 - Reconsideration of SECY-99-017 (Proposed i
Amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a).
1 4.
Letter da.ted October 30,1998, from Gus C. Lainas, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, to Robert L. Seale, Chairman, ACRS,
Subject:
Final Amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a, ' Codes and standards."
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