ML20236S257
| ML20236S257 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 07/21/1998 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236S246 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9807240228 | |
| Download: ML20236S257 (4) | |
Text
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j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 30eeH001 g..(..e /
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO AMENDMENT NO.103 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NPF-88 AND AMENDMENT NO. 81 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NPF-81 SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY. INC.. ET AL VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT. UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-424 AND 50-425
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated May 8,1998 Southem Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., et al. (the licensee) proposed license amendments to change the Technical Specifications (TS) for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Units 1 and 2. The proposed changes would revise VEGP TS 5.5.7,
" Reactor Coolant Pump [RCP] Flywheel inspection Program," to provide an exception to the examination requirements of Regulatory Position C.4.b of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.14, Revision 1, dated August 1975.
2.0 DISCUSSION The function of the RCP in the reactor coolant system (RCS) of a pressurized-water reactor (PWR) plant is to maintain an adequate cooling flow rate in the primary coolant system by circulating a large volume of primary coolant water at high temperature and pressure through the RCS. A concern regarding overspeed of the RCP and its potential for failure led to the issuance of RG 1.14, " Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel integrity,"in 1971. Since then, licensees for PWR plants, with very few exceptions, have adopted the guidelines of RG 1.14 to conduct their RCP flywheel examinations. These requirements are specified in VEGP TS 5.5.7, in that, "This program shall provide for the inspection of each reactor coolant pump flywheel per the recommendations of Regulatory Position c.4.b of Regulatory Guide 1.14, Revision 1, August 1975." The recommendations of Regulatory Position C.4.b are as follows:
- b. Inservice inspection should be performed for each flywheel as follows:
(1) An in-place ultrasonic volumetric examination of the areas of higher stress concentration at the bore and keyway at approximately 3-year intervals, during the refueling or maintenance shutdown coinciding with the inservice inspection schedule as required by Section XI of the ASME Code.
(2) A surface examination of all exposed surfaces and complete ultrasonic volumetric examination at approximately 10-year intervals, during the plant shutdown coinciding with the inservice inspection schedule as required by Section XI of the ASME Code.
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l (3)1 Examination procedures should be in accordance with the requirements of Subarticle IWA-2200 of Section XI of the ASME Code.
(4) Acceptance criteria should conform to the recommendations of regulatory position C.2.f.
(5) If the examination and evaluation indicate an increase in flaw size or growth rate greater than predicted for the service life of the flywheel, the results of the examination and evaluation should be submitted to the staff for evaluation.
In Westinghouse Topical Report WCAP-14535A, " Topical Report on Reactor Coolant Pump i
Flywheel Inspection Elimination," November 1996, information intended to eliminate examination of the RCP flywheels was provided. The staff reviewed this report a ocmented in a safety evaluation (SE) forwarded by a letter from Brian W. Sheron (USN'10) to Mr. Sushil C. Jain, dated September 12,1996, " Acceptance for Referencing of Topical Report WCAP-14535, ' Topical Report on Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel inspection Elimination'."
This SE concluded that a revised inspection schedule was justified for (1) flywheels made of SA 533 B material that do not belong to Groups 10 and 15 and (2) flywheels made of SA 533 B material that belong to these two groups if justified by some additional analyses. To justify a change in the flywheel inspection interval for flywhee's not made of SA 533 B material, an assessment must be made using a methodology similar to that in WCAP-14535.
On the basis of the recommendations of WCAP-14535, the licensee submitted a proposed change to VEGP TS 5.5.7. The revised TS would require the following with regard to the RCP flywheelinspection program:
This program shall provide for the inspection of each reactor coolant pump flywheel at least once per 10 years by conducting either;
- a. An in-place ultrasonic examination over the volume from the inner bore of the flywheel to the circle of one-half the outer radius; or
- b. A surface examination (magnetic particle and/or liquid penetrant) of exposed surfaces of the disassembled flywheel.
The provisions of SR [ Surveillance Requirement] 3.0.2 and SR 3.0.3 are applicable to the Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel Inspection Program.
3.0 EVALUATION Gudence for submitting plant-specific requests for attemate RCP flywheel inspection requirements is contained in Section 4.0, " Conclusions," of the September 12,1996, NRC SE concoming WCAP-14535. The guidance that pertains to VEGP is as follows:
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f (1) Licensees who plan to submit a plant-specific application of this
' topical report for flywheels made of SA 533 8 material need to confirm that their flywheels are made of SA 533 B material.
The May 8,1998, application contains confirmation that the RCP flywheels at VEGP are
- fabricated from SA 533 8 material.' Since the VEGP RCP flywheel material is SA 533 B material, position "(2)" of Section 4.0 of the NRC stars SE of September 12,1996, is not applicable to VEGP.
(3) Licensees meeting either (1) or (2) above should either conduct a l
qualified in-place ultrasonic testing (UT) examination over the volume from the inner bore of the flywheel to the circle of one-half the outer L
radius or conduct a surface examination (MT [ magnetic particle) and/or PT [ liquid penetrant]) of exposed surfaces defined by the volume of the disassembled flywheels once every 10 years.
The May 8,1998, application proposes an attemate inspection, in proposed VEGP TS 5.5.7,
" Reactor Coolant Pump Flywheel Inspection Program," that substantially conforms to the guidance of the preceding item (3). Furthermore, since the VEGP pump flywheels are not in either Groups 10 or 15, as defined by WCAP-14535, the additional guidance of Section 4.0 of the NRC staff's SE of September 12,1996, is not applicable to VEGP.
On the basis of the licensee's referencing of WCAP-14535, the substantial conformance to the positions in the associated NRC staff's SE, and the previous RCP pump flywheelinspections, which did not reveal any indications, the NRC staff finds the licensee's proposed TS to be acceptable.
4.0 STATE CONSULTATION
in accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Georgia State official was notified of the proposed issuance of the amendments. The State official had no comments.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
The amendments change the surveillance requirements. The NRC staff has determined that the amendments involve no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and that there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. The Commission has previously issued a proposed finding that the amendments involve no significant hazards consideration, and there has been no public comment on such finding (63 FR 33108 dated June 17,1998).
I Accordingly, the amendments meet the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of the amendments.
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6.0 CONCLUSION
Tne Commission has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner; (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations; and (3) the issuance of the amendments will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
PrincipalContributor: D. H. Jaffe l
Date:
July 21, 1998 l
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