ML061600368

2006/06/09-June 1, 2006, Summary of Meeting with Amergen Energy Company, LLC, Representatives to Discuss the Staff'S Concerns on the Drywell Shell and the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station LRA

ML061600368
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	06/09/2006
From:	Ashley D NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRA
To:	AmerGen Energy Co
Ashley D
References
%dam200612
Download: ML061600368 (14)

Text

June 9, 2006LICENSEE:AmerGen Energy Company, LLCFACILITY:Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

SUMMARY

OF MEETING HELD ON JUNE 1, 2006, BETWEEN THEU.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC, REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS THE STAFF'S QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DRYWELL SHELL AND THE OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONOn June 1, 2006, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff met with members ofAmerGen Energy Company, LLC, (the applicant) in a public meeting to discuss the staff's questions regarding the applicant's aging management program for the drywell shell at OysterCreek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS). The staff provided AmerGen the opportunity toask for clarification concerning the staff's questions. This meeting was conducted to support the staff's review of the license renewal application for the OCNGS. The application wassubmitted by letter dated July 22, 2005. A telephone conference line was provided, to allow members of the public who could not attend the meeting, an opportunity to participate in themeeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, the staff responded to questions from a Stateofficial and members of the public. The list of attendees is provided in Enclosure 1. The summary of discussion topics areenclosed as Enclosure 2. The meeting was transcribed and a transcript of the meeting is available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System under Accession No.

ML061580242./RA/Donnie J. Ashley, Project ManagerLicense Renewal Branch A Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-219

Enclosures:

1. List of Attendees

2. Summary of Discussion Topicscc w/encls: See next page June 9, 2006LICENSEE:AmerGen Energy Company, LLCFACILITY:Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

SUMMARY

OF MEETING HELD ON JUNE 1, 2006, BETWEEN THEU.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC, REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS THE STAFF'S QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DRYWELL SHELL AND THE OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONOn June 1, 2006, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff met with members ofAmerGen Energy Company, LLC, (the applicant) in a public meeting to discuss the staff's questions regarding the applicant's aging management program for the drywell shell at OysterCreek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS). The staff provided AmerGen the opportunity toask for clarification concerning the staff's questions. This meeting was conducted to support the staff's review of the license renewal application for the OCNGS. The application wassubmitted by letter dated July 22, 2005. A telephone conference line was provided, to allow members of the public who could not attend the meeting, an opportunity to participate in themeeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, the staff responded to questions from a Stateofficial and members of the public. The list of attendees is provided in Enclosure 1. The summary of discussion topics areenclosed as Enclosure 2. The meeting was transcribed and a transcript of the meeting is available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System under Accession No.

ML061580242./RA/Donnie J. Ashley, Project ManagerLicense Renewal Branch A Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-219

Enclosures:

1. List of Atendees

2. Summary of Discussion Topicscc w/encls: See next pageDISTRIBUTION: See next pageAdams Accession No.: ML061600368DOCUMENT NAME:E:\Filenet\ML061600368.wpd

• See previous concurrence page OFFICE: LA:RLEPPM:RLEPSC:RLEPNAME:IKingDAshleyLLund DATE:06/ 07 /0606/ 07 /0606/ 09 /06OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:Site Vice President - Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731Senior Vice President of Operations AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Kennett Square, PA 19348Kathryn M. Sutton, EsquireMorgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004Kent Tosch, ChiefNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Nuclear Engineering CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625Vice President - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555Regional Administrator, Region IU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415Mayor of Lacey Township818 West Lacey Road Forked River, NJ 08731Senior Resident InspectorU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

P.O. Box 445 Forked River, NJ 08731Director - Licensing and Regulatory AffairsAmerGen Energy Company, LLC Correspondence Control

P.O. Box 160 Kennett Square, PA 19348Manager Licensing - Oyster CreekExelon Generation Company, LLC Correspondence Control

P.O. Box 160 Kennett Square, PA 19348Regulatory Assurance Manager Oyster Creek AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731Assistant General CounselAmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348Ron Bellamy, Region IU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415Correspondence Control DeskAmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 1--1 Kennett Square, PA 19348Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating StationPlant Manager AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731License Renewal ManagerExelon Generation Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, Suite 230 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:Mr. James RossNuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708Mr. Michael P. GallagherVice President License Renewal Exelon Generation Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, Suite 230 Kennett Square, PA 19348Mr. Christopher M. CranePresident and Chief Nuclear Officer AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Oyster Creek Public Meeting Summary dated: June 09, 2006

SUMMARY

OF MEETING HELD ON JUNE 1, 2006, BETWEEN THEU.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) STAFF AND AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC, REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS THE STAFF'S QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DRYWELL SHELL AND THE OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONHARD COPYDLR R/FDAshleyE-MAIL:JFairRWeisman AMurphy RPettis GGalletti CLi GBagchi SSmith (srs3)

SDuraiswamy YL (Renee) Li RidsNrrDlr RidsNrrDe RidsNrrDci RidsNrreEemb RidsNrrDeEeeb RidsNrrDeEqva RidsNrrDss RidsNrrDnrl RidsOgcMailCenter RidsNrrAdes DLR Staff

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HAshar MYoung DShum CColleli RKWild JStorch RLaufer GMiller VRodriguez RBellamy, RI RCureton, RI JLilliendahl, RIMModes, RI MSykes, RI RidsOpaMail RidsNrrDorl RidsOcaMail PMNS Attendance List for Meeting Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff and AmerGen Energy Company, LLC, RepresentativesJune 1, 2006Enclosure 1NameOrganizationFrank GillespieNRC/NRR/DLRP.T. KuoNRC/NRR/DLR Louise LundNRC/NRR/DLRDonnie J. AshleyNRC/NRR/DLRJim DavisNRC/NRR/DLR Kiyoto TanabeNRC/NRR/DLRTommy LeNRC/NRR/DLR Ken ChangNRC/NRR/DLRDaniel MerzkeNRC/NRR/DLR Linh TranNRC/NRR/DLR Michael J. MorganNRC/NRR/DLRRaj AuluckNRC/NRR/DLR Maurice HeathNRC/NRR/DLR Jonathan RowleyNRC/NRR/DLRKent HowardNRC/NRR/DLR Roy MathewNRC/NRR/DLR Noel DudleyNRC/NRR/DLR Rebecca KarasNRC/NRR/DE Hans AsharNRC/NRR/DE Tomeka TerryNRC/NRR/DE Cayetano SantosNRC/ACRSMitzi YoungNRC/OGCSteve HamrickNRC/OGC Randy BloughNRC/RIJohn SegalaNRC/RI NameOrganizationMichael ModesNRC/RIBob ShewmakerNRC/NMSS/SFPO Herman GravesNRC/RES Michael P. GallagherExelon/AmerGen Fred PolaskiExelon/AmerGen Don WarfelExelon/AmerGen Peter TambernoExelon/AmerGen Howie RayExelon/AmerGen John HufnagelExelon/AmerGen Don SilvermanMorgan Lewis/AmerGen Steven DolleyInside NRC/Platts Paul GunterNIRS Dennis ZannoniNJDEP Ron ZakNJDEP **

Rich PinneyNJDEP **

Tom QuintenzExelon/AmerGen **

Jim LairdExelon/AmerGen **

Richard WebsterRutgers Environmental Law Clinic **

Nick ClunnAsbury Park Press **

Jeff BrownGRAMMES **

Paula GotschGRAMMES **

Edith GburJersey Shore Nuclear Watch **

Don WarrenJSNW **

Peter James AthertonJSNW **** Members of the public who participated in the meeting using the teleconference line. Summary of Discussion Topics Between theU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff andAmerGen Energy Company, LLC, Representatives June 1, 2006On March 10, 2006, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued AmerGen requests foradditional information concerning its review of the drywell corrosion time-limited aging analysis (TLAA), which is contained in the Oyster Creek license renewal application Section 4.7.2, "Drywell Corrosion." AmerGen responded to the requests in a letter dated April 7, 2006. On the basis of the AmerGen responses, the NRC requested a meeting to clarify the followingissues related to the TLAA.

Uncertainties in Ultrasonic Test (UT) Results

Attachment 1A of the GPU Nuclear Corporation's letter dated November 26, 1990, contains astatistical evaluation of the UT measurement data taken up to 1990. On the cover page of thereport, GPU Nuclear Corporation made a disclaimer that,The work is conducted by an individual(s) for use by GPU. Neither GPU nor theauthors of the report warrant that the report is complete or accurate. The NRC requested the applicant to clarify the disclaimer or explain how the UT measurementdata were evaluated, and used in the drywell analysis.

Use of ASME Sec. III, Subsection NE-3213.10 for Localized Corroded Areas

The applicant used the provisions in ASME Code Section III, Subsection NE-3213.10, for areasof localized thinning. This provision, though not directly applicable to the randomly thin areas caused by corrosion, can be used with care and adequate conservatism. The NRC requestedthe applicant to clarify how NE-3213.10 was applied to the areas of localized thinning.UT Results Indicating Increased Drywell Shell Thickness

Information provided by the applicant indicates that the UT measurements taken from inside thedrywell after 1992 show a general increase in metal thickness. In at least one case, the increase is as much as 50 mils in a two-year period. The NRC requested the applicant to clarifywhat steps will be taken to verify the accuracy of UT measurements.Use of ASME Code Case 284

The applicant used the methods and assumptions contained in ASME Code Case-284-1 in thebuckling analysis of the Drywell shell in the sand-pocket area. The staff has not yet endorsed ASME Code Case 284. The staff does not take exception to the use of average compressive stress across the metal thickness for buckling analysis of the as-built shell. However, if corrosion has reduced the strength of the remaining metal through the cross section, this assumption may not be valid. The NRC requested the applicant to clarify its use of ASMECode Case 284.

Junctions Between Plates of Different Thicknesses

The UT measurements taken in the spherical portion of the drywell shell adequately representthe upper spherical area. However, there are no measurements taken in the lower portion of the spherical area above the sand-pocket area. To ensure that the spherical portion of the drywell shell is properly represented in the database, additional UT measurements taken approximately at or above the junction of the 0.722 inch and 1.154 inch thick plates would bedesirable. Likewise, additional UT measurements taken on the cylindrical portion of the drywell shell at about 71 feet 6 inches (i.e. at the junction of the 0.640 inch plate and the thickenedplate in the knuckle area) may be desirable. The NRC requested the applicant to clarify its UTsampling plan in context of the entire drywell shell assessment. Inspection of Inaccessible Regions

It is not clear to the NRC whether the junction between the 1.154 inch plate and the 0.676 inchplate at the elevation 6 foot 101/4 inches is represented in the UT sampling plan. This area isbelow the bottom of the sand-pocket area, and is in contact with the concrete alkaline environment. However in the past, before sealing of the junction between the steel and the concrete, this area would have been subjected to the same type of contaminated water as the drywell shell in the sand-pocket area. The NRC considers this junction to be an area forpossible corrosion. The NRC requested the applicant to incorporate this area in the samplingplan or justify why it should not be part of the sampling plan.Sand Bed Region Inspection Increments

In a letter dated April 4, 2006, AmerGen committed to perform UT measurements of the sandbed region every 10 years. In view of the uncertainty regarding the long-term effectiveness of the coating and water leakage, the NRC requested the applicant to clarify the commitment forUT measurement frequency in the sand bed region.-2-