View source for NUREG-0619, Informs That Staff Finds PP&L 980330 Request for Relief from Requirements of Section 4.3 of NUREG-0619,exams of Feedwater Nozzle Bore & Inner Radius for Another Operating Cycle to Be Acceptable

{{Adams
| number = ML20249C658
| issue date = 04/15/1998
| title = Informs That Staff Finds PP&L 980330 Request for Relief from Requirements of Section 4.3 of NUREG-0619,exams of Feedwater Nozzle Bore & Inner Radius for Another Operating Cycle to Be Acceptable
| author name = Nerses V
| author affiliation = NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
| addressee name = Byram R
| addressee affiliation = PENNSYLVANIA POWER &amp; LIGHT CO.
| docket = 05000387, 05000388
| license number = 
| contact person = 
| case reference number = RTR-NUREG-0619, RTR-NUREG-619
| document report number = GL-81-11, TAC-MA1369, TAC-MA1370, NUDOCS 9806300536
| document type = CORRESPONDENCE-LETTERS, OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE
| page count = 5
| project = TAC:MA1369, TAC:MA1370
| stage = Other
}}

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    }~         .p.                                                                UNITED STATES g'                W                                    NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20086 4 001 Tig/                                                      April 15,1998 is , p Mr. Robert G. Byram _ _
Senior Vice President-Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer
                     . Pennsylvania Power and Light Company 2 North Ninth Street Allentown, PA 18101

==SUBJECT:==
DEFERRAL OF INSPECTIONS REQUIRED BY SECTION 4.3 OF NUREG-0619 -
SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 (TAC NOS.
MA1369 AND MA1370)-

==Dear Mr. Byram:==

In a {{letter dated|date=March 30, 1998|text=letter dated March 30,1998}}, as supplemented by {{letter dated|date=April 20, 1998|text=letter dated April 20,1998}}, Pennsylvania.
Power & Light Company (PP&L) requested relief from the requirements of Section 4.3 of NUREG-0619, "BWR Feedwater Nonle and Control Rod Drive Retum Line Nonle Cracking."
Specifically, your request for deferral only relates to the liquid penetrant (PT) examination requirements for the feedwater nozzle bore and inner radius as identified in NUREG-0619.
For the feedwater nozzle thermal sleeve configuration, Section 4.3 of NUREG-0619 requires a PT examination of the nozzle bore and inner radius areas every nine refueling cycles (or 135 startups/ shutdown cycles). The ninth refueling cycle outage for Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES), Unit 1, occurred in the fall of 1996 and for Unit 2, it occurred in the spring of         j 1997. In a {{letter dated|date=June 5, 1996|text=letter dated June 5,1996}}, the staff approved a request to defer the PT examination             '
one operating cycle until the Boiling Water Reactor Owners Group's (BWROG) generic submittal on the cracking issue is reviewed by the staff.
                    - NUREG-0619 indicates that although state-of-the-art ultrasonic (UT) techniques at the time of         i issuance in 1980 were not acceptable (in terms of resolution and sensitivity), future developments and demonstrations of the ability of UT methods to detect small thermal fatigue cracks with acceptable reliability and consistency would allow modification of the stated inspection criteria. Significant advances in automated and computer controlled UT techniques x                     for flaw detection and sizing have occurred since the issuance of NUREG-0619. For the upcoming inspection, SSES is p!anning to use the GERIS 2000 UT system (GE Reactor inspection System 2000) with specialized techniques designed specifically for feedwater nozzles.
The GERIS 2000 system possesses the ability to detect cracking that may have gone undetected               4 by previously used UT techniques. A switch from a PT to a UT examination would significantly reduce the radiation exposure to personnel during inspection of these nonlet. in addition, the UT method allows indications to be sized for depth utiile the PT method gives no depth indication.
The SSES Units 1 and 2 feedwater nonles are not clad and incorporate the triple sleeve, double piston ring thermal sleeve design. The augmented inservice inspection requirements for the SSES Units 1 and 2 feedwater nozzles, based on Section 4.3 of NUREG-0619 and the SSES Units 1 and 2 specific nozzle / thermal sleeve configuration, are as illustrated below:
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R. Bryam                                                                                                                  PARTS           TYPE OF -             EXTENT OF                 FREQUENCY EXAMINED        EXAMINATION           EXAMINATION Nozzle Safe End Ultrasonic (UT)        100% of the nozzle       every 2 refueling cycles safe er.ds Nozzle Bore     Ultrasonic (UT)        100% of the nozzle       every 2 refueling cycles bores AND 1'             .
                                                                                                               .J0% of the nozzle       every 9 refueling cycles Penetrant (PT)        bores (one sparger                              OR removed)                  135 startup/ shutdown cycles Nozzle inner    Ultrasonic (UT)       100% of the nozzle        every 2 refueling cycles Radius                                inner radii AND 100% of the nozzle        every 9 refueling cycles Penetrant (PT)        inner rrdii(one                                OR sparger removed)          135 startup/ shutdown cycles
,                                                                      Sparger -        Visual (VT-3)         100% of the spargers      every 4 refueling cycles PP&L is requesting this further deferral only of the requirements for the PT examination of the nozzle bore and inner radius. PP&L will continue to perform ultrasonic examinations of the -
nozzle bore and inner radius every 2 refueling cycles. The nozzle safe end and sparger are not affected by this request for deferral.
                                                          - NRC Generic Letter (GL) 81-11 provided amplifying information related to NUREG-0619. That GL included a limiting criterion for crack growth in reactor vessel feedwater nozzles due to combined stresses, i.e., an assumed crack will not grow to more than 1 inch in 40 years.' In PP&L's {{letter dated|date=March 30, 1998|text=March 30,1998, letter}}, the licensee stated that SSES Units 1 and 2 inspection history has provided no indication of cracking to date, in addition, an SSES plant-specific fracture                                                         1 mechanic analysis, based on utilization of the existing low flow controller and routing of the
                                                            . reactor water cleanup system to all feedwater lines, shows that stresses present in the feedwater nozzles will not result in the growth of an initial 0.25-inch crack to greater than 1 lach during the 40-yearlife of the plant.
The staff finds that the PP&L request for further deferral of PT examinations of the feedwater nozzle bore and inner radius for another operating cycle to be acceptable. The purpose of the further deferral is to continue to allow additional time for the NRC to address the generic issues.
This approvalis based upon: 1) the fact that there has been no indication of feedwater nozzle 5

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                                 ' R. Byram                                     -3.
cracking at SSES Units 1 and 2; 2) PP&L's commitment to continue to perform ultrasonic examinations per NUREG-0619; and 3) the hardship posed by personnel exposure that would be incurred by the performance of the PT examinations with little compensating increase in safety.
Sincerely,
                                                                                   /S/
Victor Norses', Senior Project Manager Project Directorate 1-2 Division of Reactor Projects -1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387/50-388
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                                              - R. Byram                                                                                                           cracking at SSES Units 1 and 2; 2) PP&L's commitment to continue to perform ultrasonic examinations per NUREG-0619; and 3) the hardship posed by personnel exposure that would be incurred by the performance of the PT examinations with little compensating increase in safety.
Sincerely, Victor Nerse , Senior Project Manager Project Directorate 1-2 Division of Reactor Projects - t/Il Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387/50-388 cc: See next page p
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1 Mr. Robert G. Byram                                Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Pennsylvania Power & Light Company                  Units 1 & 2 l
cc:
0 Jay Silberg, Esq.                                  Regional Administrator, Region i Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge                  U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2300 N Street N.W.                                 475 Allendale Road Washington, D.C. 20037                             King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Bryan A. Snapp, Esq.
Assistant Corporate Counsel                        General Manager Pennsylvania Power & Light Company                 Susquehanna Steam Electric Station                                                   .) i 2 North Ninth Street                               Pennsylvania Power and Light Company                                                    I Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101                      Box 467 Berwick, Pennsylvania 18603                                                            ,
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Licensing Group Superviser                        Mr. Herbert D. Woodeshick Pennsylvania Power & Light Company                Special Office of the President 2 North Ninth Street                               Pennsylvania Power and Light Company Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101                      Rural Route 1, Box 1797 Berwick, Pennsylvania 18603 Senior Resident inspector                          George T. Jones U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission                Vice President-Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 35                                        Pennsylvania Power and Light Company Berwick, Pennsylvania 18603-0035                   2 North Ninth Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101 Director-Bureau of Radiation Protection                                       Dr. Judith Johnsrud Pennsylvania Department of                         National Energy Committee Environmental Resources                          Sierra Club P. O. Box 8469                                     433 Orlando Avenue Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8469                State College, PA 16803 Mr. Jesse C. Tilton,111                            Chairman Allegheny Elec. Cooperative, Inc.                  Board of Supervisors 212 Locust Street                                  738 Eart Third Street                                                                    ;
P.O. Box 1266                                      Berwick, PA 18603                                                                        l Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108-1266 1
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