ML20216J405

Forwards SER Authorizing Licensee 980211 & 0310 Ltrs, Requesting Approval of Alternative Reactor Weld Exam,Per Provisions of 10CFR50.55a(a)(3)(i) & 10CFR50.55a(g)(6)(ii) for Plant for Next 2 Operating Cycles

ML20216J405
Person / Time
Site:	Grand Gulf
Issue date:	03/18/1998
From:	Sullivan E NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Hannon J NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
Shared Package
ML20216J409	List: ML20216J405 ML20216J421
References
TAC-MA0859, TAC-MA859, NUDOCS 9803230433
Download: ML20216J405 (4)

Text

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UNITED STATES g.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1

WASHINGTON, D.C. speeHept l

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March 18, 1998 MEMORANDUM TO: John N. Hannon, Director Project Directorate IV-1 Division of Reactor Projects,111 & IV FROM:

Edmund J. Sullivan, Acting Chief Materials and Chemical Engineering Branch i

Division of Engineering l

l

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE TO INSPECTION OF REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL CIRCUMFERENTIAL WELDS IN

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l GRAND GULF NUCLEAR STATION (TAC NO. MA0859)

By letters dated February 11, and March 10,1998, Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy or the l

licensee) requested NRC approval of an attemative reactor vessel weld examination pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 50.55a(s)(3)(i) and 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(5) for the Grand Gulf

'i Nuclear Station (GGNS) for the next two operating cycles. Entergy has proposed inspections of j

ess,entially 100 percent of the longitudinal seam welds in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) shell and essentially 0 percent of the RPV circumferential seam welds, which will result in partial examination (2 to 3 percent) of the circumferential welds at their points of intersection with the l

longitudinalwelds.

l These inspections were proposed as an attemative to the augmented examinations specifed in l

10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(li)(A)(2) for circumkrential welds and as an attemative to the inservice l

. inspection requirements for circumferential welds in the American Society of Mechanical l

Engineers (ASME) Code,Section XI,1992 Edition, with portions of the 1993 Addenda, for l

circumferential welds.

l In Information Notice (IN) 97-63, " Status of NRC Staffs Review of BWRVIP-05," the staff indicated that it would consider such requests, when technically justified, from BWR licensees l

who are scheduled to perform inspections of the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) RPV l

circumferential welds during the fall 1997 or spring 1998 outage seasons. BWRVIP-05 L

provides BWR Owners Group recommendations for RPV shell weld inspections.

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The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's request and concluded that the Grand Gulf RPV can be operated during the next two operating periods with an acceptable level of quality and safety

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and the inspection of the circumferential welds can be delayed for two operating periods.

Therefore, the proposed attemative is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i).

I

- CONTACT: A. D. Lee, NRR (301)415-2735 9903230433 900318 PDR ADOCK 05000416 P

PDR

John N. Hannon Further details regarding the staffs evaluation and conclusions are contained in the attached Safety Evaluation. This memorandum completes the staffs effort for TAC No. MA0859.

Docket No.: 50-416

Attachment:

As stated cc:

J. N. Donohew i

Further details regarding the staffs evaluation and conclusions are contained in the attached Safety Evaluation. This memorandum completes the staffs effort for TAC No. MA0859.

' Docket No.: 50-416

Attachment:

As stated cc:

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Further details rebarding the staffs evaluation and conclusions are contained in the attached Safety Evaluation. This memorandum completes the staffs effort for, TAC No. MA0859.

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