ML20216E950

Approves 980120 Request to Extend Deferral Period for Implementation of NRC Bulletin 96-003 Requested Actions Re ECCS Suction Strainer Activities from Dec 1998 to Apr 1999 Refeuling Outages for Lgs,Unit 2

ML20216E950
Person / Time
Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	03/06/1998
From:	Buckley B NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Hunger G PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
References
IEB-96-003, IEB-96-3, TAC-MA0689, TAC-MA689, NUDOCS 9803180208
Download: ML20216E950 (5)

Text

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 30e86-0001

+,..... March 6, 1998 Mr. George A. Hunger, Jr.

Director-Licensing, MC 62A-1 PECO Energy Company Nuclear Group Headquarters Correspondence Control Desk P.O. Box No. 190 Wayne, PA 19087-0195

SUBJECT:

DEFERRAL OF IMPLEMENTATION OF NRC BULLETIN 96-03 REQUESTED I ACTIONG FOR LIMERICK GENERATING STATION (LGS), UNIT 2  !

(TAC NO. MA0689) l Dear Mr. Hunger.

By letter dated January 20,1998, you requested to extend the deferrr' period for implementation of the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) suction strainer activities from December 1998 to l the April 1999 refueling outages for LGS, Unit 2.

You stated that to date, PECO Energy has completed installation of the new large-capacity, passiva, ECCS pump suction strainers at its Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (PBAPS), ,

Unit 3 facility during its last refueling outage in October 1997. Moreover, you stated that based l on your experience with regard to the planning, design, fabrication, and installation activities  ;

associated with this modification, it will be extremely difficult to complete the modification work at i LGS, Unit 2, during 1998, since this modification work is planned for two (2) other PECO Energy I nuclear units (LGS, Unit 1, and PBAPS, Unit 2) during 1998. l In support of your request to extend the deferral period for LGS, Unit 2 from December 1998 to April 1999. you identificd certain activities, including but not limited to the following, that were completed during the January 1997 LGS, Unit 2 refueling outage (2RO4) or will continue to be performed until the new strainers are installed:

l A suppression pool "as found" inspection was conducted prior to commencing any cleaning activities to estimate the level of debris / sludge accumulation. This inspection included a visual examination of the accessible horizontal and vertical i surfaces of the suppression pool, ECCS suction strainer surfaces, and the Safety Relief Valve (SRV) tee quencher areas. The inspection results were consistent with the expectations prior to outage (2804), conceming the amount of debris / sludge that would be found. General suppression pool conditions were considered good with little sludge accumulation prevnt. There was minimal sludge accumulation on some of the ECCS suction strainers. The SRV tee quencher areas were in excellent conditio.; with only a light dusting of sludge en ff the horizontal surfaces, h[g' 4 m -, e c ,

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9803180208 980306 PDR ADOCK 05000353

Tr George A. Hun 0er, Jr. During the outage (2R04) a thorough suppression pool cleaning and desludging was conducted. All accessible areas above the water, including the catwalk area, were evaluated for cleanliness and vacuumed. The areas inside the downcomers were inspected and a minimal amount of floating debris was removed. Horizontal surface areas of the suppression poolwere vacuumed to remove any sludge accumulation. The submerged vertical surfaces were sludge free, and therefore, did not require vacuuming.

in conjunction with suppression pool cleaning activities during the outage (2R04),

a liner coating inspection was performed. The results of this inspection were satisfactory and revealed some minimal pitting of the liner coating. Allidentifed pit locations were recorded. These pit locations will be re-examined and repaired, as necessary, during a future LGS, Unit 2, outage.

Upon completion of all work in the suppression pool at the end of the outage (2R04), a final closeout inspection was conducted. The "as-left" pool condition / cleanliness was considered excellent. There were no appreciable deposits of sludge material remaining or foreign material identified. The water j clarity was excellent. The suction strainer, too quenchers, and pool bottom leak i chases were all visible from the catwalk. j 1

A final closeout inspection of the drywell area was performed at the end of the outage (2R04) to ensure that equipment and material used during the outage was  ;

removed and that no foreign material remained.

Foreign Material Exclusion (FME) controls were established and maintained in support of all work activities in the suppression pool and drywell areas. The Unit 2 suppression pool and drywell areas have not been entered since the beginning of this fuel cycle, and FME control has been maintained.

in view of the precautionary activities completed and contemplated, your commitments to continue to evaluate and trend ECCS pump suction strainer pressure drop data, and monitoring the LGS, Unit 2 suppression pool water for the presence of fibrous material, we agree with your request to defer installation of the ECCS suction strainers at Limerick Unit 2 until April 1999.

1 G. Hunger Based on all of the above, and the low probsNtity of a significant loss-of-coolant accident during the 4-month extension of the deferral period from December 1998 to April 1999, we find the requested delay in the implementation of the strainers at LGS, Unit 2, to be reasonable and is, therefore, approved.

This concludes our effort on this request and we are, therefore, closing out TAC No. MA0689.

Sincerely, g ab .i CP Bartholomew C. Buckley, Senior Project Manager j Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-353 cc: See next page 1

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' G. Hunger, .

Based on all of the above, and the low probability of a significant loss-ofecoolant accident during the 4-month extension of the deferral period from December 1998 to April 1999, we find the requested delay in the implementatum of the strainers at LGS, Unit 2, to be reasonable and is, therefore, approved.

This concludes our effort on this request and we are, therefore, closing out TAC No, MA0689.

Sincerely,

/S/

Bartholomew C. Buckley, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate 1-2 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-353 cc: See next page DiSTRISUTION.

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Mr. George A. Hunger, Jr. Umerick Generating Station, Units 1 & 2 PECO Energy Company cc:

J. W. Durham, Sr., Esquire Chief-Division of Nuclear Safety Sr. V.P. & General Counsel PA Dept. of Environmental Resources PECO Energy Company P.O. Box 8469 2301 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17105 6469 Philadelphia, PA 19101 Manager-Umerick Ucensing,62A-1 Director-Site Engineering PECO Energy Company Umerick Generating Station 965 Chesterbrook Boulevard P.O. Box A '

Wayne, PA 19087-56g1 Senatoga, PA 19464 Mr. Waher G. MacFarland, Vice President Umorick Generating Station Manager-Experience Assessment Pat Office Box A umorick Generating Station Sanatoga, PA 19464 P.O. Box A Senatoga, PA 19464 Plant Manager Umorick Generating Station Ubrary P.O. Box A U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Sanatoga, PA 19464 Region 1 475 Allendale Road -

Regional Administrator, Region i King of Prussia, PA 19406 i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Senior Manager-Operations King of Prussia, PA 19406 Umerick Generating Station .

P.O. Box A l Senior Resident inspector Sanatoga, PA 19464 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i Umerick Generating Station Dr. Judith Johnsrud l P.O. Box Sg6 National Energy Committee '

Pottstown, PA 19464 Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue Director-Site Support Services State College, PA 16803  !

Umorick Generating Station i P.O. Box A 1 Sanatoga, PA 19464 l Chairman Board of Supervisors of Umerick Township 646 West Ridge Pike  !

Unfield, PA 19468 l