RS-08-047, Withdrawal of License Amendment Request Related Steam Generator Tube Alternate Repair Criteria

Withdrawal of License Amendment Request Related Steam Generator Tube Alternate Repair Criteria

ML080950368
Person / Time
Site:	Byron, Braidwood
Issue date:	04/01/2008
From:	Simpson P Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
RS-08-047, TAC MD0197
Download: ML080950368 (2)

Text

Exelon Generation www.exeloncorp.com 4300 Winfield Road Nuclear Warrenville, IL 60555 10 CFR 50.90 RS-08-047 April 1,2008 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-72 and NPF-77 NRC Docket Nos. STN 50-456 and STN 50-457 Byron Station, Units 1 and 2 Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-37 and NPF-66 NRC Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455

Subject:

Withdrawal of License Amendment Request Related Steam Generator Tube Alternate Repair Criteria

References:

(1) Letter from K. R. Jury (Exelon Generation Corporation, LLC) to the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Application for Steam Generator Tube Alternate Repair Criteria Technical Specification Amendment," dated November 29,2007 (2) Letter from T. J. Garrett (Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation) to the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Docket No. 50-482: Withdrawal of License Amendment Request for a Permanent Alternate Repair Criteria in Technical Specification (TS) 5.5.9, 'Steam Generator (SG) Program,'" dated February 14, 2008 (3) Letter from B. K. Singal (U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) to R. A.

Muench (Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation), "Wolf Crek Generating Station - Withdrawal of License Amendment Request on Steam Generator Tube Inspections (TAC No. MD0197)," dated February 28,2008 The purpose of this letter is to withdraw the Reference 1 submittal from NRC review. In this submittal, Exelon Generation Company, LLC (EGC) requested an amendment to Appendix A Technical Specifications (TS), of Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-72, NPF-77, NPF-37, and NPF-66 for Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2, and Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, respectively to revise the TS requirements related to steam generator tube integrity.

April 1, 2008 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 Specifically, the request proposed an Alternate Repair Criteria (ARC) that would revise Technical Specification (TS) 5.5.9, "Steam Generator (SG) Program," to permanently exclude, from eddy current inspection, the portion of the tube below 17 inches from the top of the tubesheet in the Braidwood Station, Unit 2, and Byron Station, Unit 2, steam generators.

The Reference 2 Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (WCNOC) withdrawal letter summarized the issues preventing the NRC's approval of the permanent ARC in time for Spring 2008 outages. Reference 3 acknowledged the WCNOC license amendment withdrawal request and provided, as Enclosure 2, a discussion of the remaining technical issues related to the WCNOC permanent ARC submittal.

Mr. T. McGinty (NRC) during a discussion with Mr. D. Benyak (EGC) expressed that the technical issues documented in Reference 3 also impact Reference 1. EGC has reviewed the list of technical issues and concurs that many are common to the EGC Reference 1 submittal. Therefore, EGC withdraws the Braidwood Station and Byron Station ARC proposal until these issues are resolved.

EGC will continue to work with the industry, Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, and the NRC on this issue and supports the use of the expert panel to aid in the resolution of the open technical issues regarding the approval of the permanent ARC (i.e., the H*/B*

methodology).

This letter contains no regulatory commitments. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact David Chrzanowski at (630) 657-2816.

Respectfully, Patrick R. Si son Manager - Licensing