ML993420238

License Renewal Issue No. 98-0085, Reactor Vessel Surveillance Program

ML993420238
Person / Time
Site:	PROJ0690
Issue date:	12/03/1999
From:	Charemagne Grimes NRC/NRR/DRIP/RLSB
To:	Walters D Nuclear Energy Institute
References
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Download: ML993420238 (8)

Text

December 3, 1999 Mr. Douglas J. Walters Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 1Street, N.W., Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006-3708

SUBJECT:

LICENSE RENEWAL ISSUE NO. 98-0085, 'REACTOR VESSEL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM"

Dear Mr. Walters:

Enclosed is the staffs evaluation and proposed resolution for the subject issue. The staff plans to incorporate the recommended change to the Standard Review Plan for License Renewal in a future revision. Accordingly, if there are any industry comments on the evaluation basis or the proposed resolution, we request that you document those comments within 30 days following your receipt of this letter, to ensure a timely resolution of this issue. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Sam Lee at (301) 415-3109.

Sincerely, Christopher I. Grimes, Chief License Renewal and Standardization Branch Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 690

Enclosure:

As stated cq"°1i) cc wlencl: See next page DISTRIBUTION: See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:.=RLSB\GnmesX1RL85.wPd

• See previous concurrence OFFICE LA PM:RLSB SC:RLSB (A)D:DET/RES BC:SRXB NAME E Hylton* S Lee

• PT Kuo

• M Mayfield

• J Wermiel DATE 03104199 3113/16/99 j 3/16599 53/1699 316/99 OFFICE (A)BC:EMCB I D:DE I OGC I C:RLSB 1%VA,4 NAME E Sullivan

• J Strosnider* R Weisman

• C Grimes V DATE 3/17/99 3/29/99 5119/99 12/0 /99 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY f~LR tNTM COP" P14--DL'7GVb3

DISTRIBUTION:

HARD COPY:

PUBLIC RLSB RF S. Duraiswamy, ACRS - T2E26 E. Hylton E-MAIL:

R. Zimmerman D. Matthews S. Newberry C. Grimes C. Carpenter B. Zalcman J. Strosnider R. Wessman G. Bagchi E. Imbro W. Bateman J. Calvo M. Tschiltz G. Holahan T. Collins C. Gratton B. Boger R. Correia R. Latta J. Moore J. Rutberg R. Weisman M. Mayfield S. Bahadur A. Murphy D. Martin W. McDowell S. Droggitis RLSB Staff A. Thadani M. Federline C. Julian R. Gardner D. Chyu M. Modes J. Vora

Mr. Dou s J. Walters Nuclear En gy Institute 1776 1Street, .W., Suite 300 Washington, D 20006-3708

SUBJECT:

LICEN RENEWAL ISSUE NO. 98-0085, "REACTOR VESSEL SURVEIL NCE PROGRAM"

Dear Mr. Walters:

Enclosed is the staff's eva tion and proposed resolution for the subject issue. The staff plans to incorporate the recommen d change to the Standard Review Plan for License Renewal in a future revision. According if there are any industry comments on the evaluation basis or the proposed resolution, we reques at you document those comments within 30 days following your receipt of this letter, to ensure a ti ly resolution of this issue. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Sam Le at (301) 415-3109.

Sincerely, Christopher I. Grimes, Di ctor Ucense Renewal Project Di ctorate Division of Regulatory lmprov ent Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regu ion

Enclosure:

As stated Project No. 690

.*See previous concurrence Document Name: G:\working'ee~is 85.1tr OFC: LA PM:PDLR SC:PDL%, (A)D:DET/RES BC: X NAME: EHylton SLee *5~PTKuo MMayfield lI DATE: 3/4/99* 13/06/99 -13/1&99 ./99 314099

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Mr. Do las J. Walters Nuclear ergy Institute 17761 Strt, N.W., Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006-3708

SUBJECT:

LIUNSE RENEWAL PROCESS ISSUE NO. 98-0085, "REACTOR VESSEL SU EILLANCE PROGRAM"

Dear Mr. Walters:

Enclosed is the sta s evaluation and proposed resolution for the subject issue. The staff plans to incorporate the rec mended change to the Standard Review Plan for License Renewal in a future revision. A rdingly, Ifthere are any industry comments on the evaluation basis or the proposed resolution, w request that you document those comments within 30 days following your receipt of this letter, to en ure a timely resolution of this issue. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contc Sam Lee at (301) 415-3109.

Sin erely, Christoph 1.Grimes, Director License Re wal Project Directorate Division of R ulatory Improvement Programs Office of NucI r Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

As stated Project No. 690 Document Name: G:\workinag1ee\Is 85.1tr OFC: LA PM:PDLR SCPL (A)D:D ES BC:SRXB NAME: SLee  %'%, PTKuo MMayfield JWermiel DATE: 1 3/

• 999 13 S kl /99 r//99 OFC: (A)BC:EMCB D:DE I OGC ID:PD NAME: ESullivan JStrosnider CGrime I DATE: /199 / /99 1 /99 199 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE (License Renewal Steering Committee)

Project No. 690 cc:

Mr. Dennis Harrison Mr. Robert Gill U.S. Department of Energy Duke Energy Corporation NE-42 Mail Stop EC-12R Washington, D.C. 20585 P.O. Box 1006 Charlotte, NC 28201-1006 Mr. Ricard P. Sedano, Commissioner Mr. Charles R. Pierce State Liaison Officer Southern Nuclear Operating Co.

Department of Public Service 40 Inverness Center Parkway 112 State Street BIN B064 Drawer 20 Birmingham, AL 35242 Montipelier, Vermont 05620-2601 Mr. Douglas J. Walters Carl J. Yoder Nuclear Energy Institute Baltimore Gas and Electric Company 1776 1Street, N.W., Suite 400 Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant Washington, DC 20006-3708 1650 Calvert Cliffs Parkway DJW@NEI.ORG NEF 1st Floor Lusby, Maryland 20657 National Whistleblower Center 3233 P Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20007 Chattooga River Watershed Coalition P. 0. Box 2006 Mr. Garry Young Clayton, GA 30525 Entergy Operations, Inc.

Arkansas Nuclear One Mr. David Lochbaum 1448 SR 333 GSB-2E Union of Concerned Scientists Russellville, Arkansas 72802 1616 P. St., NW Suite 310 Washington, DC 20036-1495

LICENSE RENEWAL ISSUE NO. 98-0085 REACTOR VESSEL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM BACKGROUND Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50 requires a reactor vessel material surveillance program to monitor changes in the fracture toughness properties of ferritic materials in the reactor vessel beltline region of light water nuclear power reactors which result from exposure of these materials to neutron irradiation and the thermal environment. Under the program, fracture toughness test data are obtained from material specimens exposed in surveillance capsules, which are withdrawn periodically from the reactor vessel. Appendix H to 10 CFR Part 50 requires the reactor vessel material surveillance program to meet the appropriate edition of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E185 standard.

The surveillance program in ASTM E185 is based on plant operation during the current license term. Additional surveillance capsules may be needed for the period of extended operation.

Section 4.1.11.A.2 of the draft Standard Review Plan for License Renewal (SRP-LR) indicates that specific acceptance criteria for the surveillance program during the period of extended operation have yet to be developed. In a telephone call on February 5, 1999, Mr. Douglas Walters of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) clarified that License Renewal Issue No. 98-0085 was to address the need for acceptance criteria for the reactor vessel surveillance program.

Since the publication of the draft SRP-LR, the staff has reviewed a topical report submitted by the B&W Owners Group addressing aging management of the reactor vessel. In addition, the staff is reviewing the Calvert Cliffs and Oconee license renewal applications. Based on this review experience, the staff has developed guidance for an acceptable reactor vessel material surveillance program for license renewal.

EVALUATION Reactor vessel material surveillance program requirements vary with the plant vintage.

Appendix H of 10 CFR Part 50 requires the surveillance program and withdrawal schedule to meet the requirements of the edition of ASTM E185 that is current on the issue date of the ASME Code to which the reactor was purchased. Later editions of ASTM E185 may be used, but including only those editions through 1982. Surveillance programs earlier than ASTM El 85-73 did not require standby capsules, and therefore, there may be no capsules remaining in the surveillance program after the current operating term. Surveillance programs later than ASTM E185-73 required standby capsules and that one capsule be withdrawn and tested at a neutron fluence equivalent to the design life of the reactor vessel.

The surveillance data are used by licensees to project the extent of reactor vessel embrittlement based on the staff guidance in Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2, "Radiation Embrittlement of Reactor Vessel Materials. The Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2, estimation procedures are valid within certain bounds, such as cold leg operating temperature and neutron fluence, based on the database which formed the basis for the regulatory guide. For plants operating within these specific bounds, the procedures in Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2, could be used to project the extent of reactor vessel embrittlement for the period of extended operation based on data from the existing surveillance program; and a new surveillance program for license renewal should be

2 unnecessary. Thus, the staff has determined that the existing surveillance program, with slight modifications, is acceptable for license renewal provided that the applicants are operating within these specific bounds. The following is an itemized list describing details of the staff guidance:

1. An applicant may project the extent of reactor vessel embrittlement for upper-shelf energy and pressure-temperature limits for 60 years in accordance with Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2, "Radiation Embrittlement of Reactor Vessel Materials.' When using Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2, an applicant has a choice of the following:

a. Neutron Embrittlement Using Chemistry Tables An applicant may use the tables in Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2, to project the extent of reactor vessel neutron embrittlement for the period of extended operation.

This is described as Regulatory Position I in the Regulatory Guide.

b. Neutron Embrittlement Usina Surveillance Data When credible surveillance data are available, the extent of reactor vessel neutron embrittlement for the period of extended operation may be projected according to Regulatory Position 2 in Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev. 2. The credible data could be collected during the current operating term. The applicant may have a plant specific program or an integrated surveillance program during the period of extended operation to collect additional data.

2. For an applicant that determines embrittlement using the Regulatory Guide 1.99 tables (see item l.a above), the applicant should use the applicable limitations in Regulatory Position 1.3 of the regulatory guide.

3. For an applicant that determines embrittlement using surveillance data (see item I.b above), the applicant should define the applicable bounds of the data, such as cold leg operating temperature and neutron fluence. These bounds should be specific for the referenced surveillance data and would be more restrictive than the bounds for the Regulatory Guide in item 2 above. For example, the plant-specific data could be collected within a smaller temperature range than that in the regulatory guide.

4. All pulled and tested capsules, unless previously discarded, should be placed in storage.

(Note: These specimens are saved for future reconstitution use, in case the surveillance program needs to be re-established.)

3

5. If an applicant has a surveillance program which consists of capsules with a projected fluence of less than the 60-year fluence at the end of 40 years, at least one capsule should remain in the reactor vessel and should be tested during the period of extended operation.

The applicant should either delay withdrawal of their last capsule or withdraw a standby capsule during the period of extended operation to monitor the effects of long-term exposure to neutron irradiation.

6. If an applicant has a surveillance program which consists of capsules with a projected fluence exceeding the 60-year fluence at the end of 40 years, the applicant should pull these capsules when they reach the 60-year fluence and test one capsule to meet the requirements of ASTM E185 and place the remaining capsules in storage without testing.

Any changes in anticipation of additional renewals, however, should be discussed with the staff.

7. Applicants without in-vessel capsules should have alternative dosimetry to monitor neutron fluence during the period of extended operation, as part of the aging management program for reactor vessel neutron embrittlement.

8. The reactor vessel monitoring program should include that, when future plant operations exceed the limitations or bounds in item 2 or 3 above (as applicable) such as operating at a lower cold leg temperature or higher fluence, the impact of plant operation changes regarding the extent of reactor vessel embrittlement will be evaluated and the NRC will be notified. For an applicant without capsules in their reactor vessel, the applicant could propose re-establishing the reactor vessel surveillance program to assess the extent of embrittlement. This program may consist of (1) capsules from item 6 above; (2) reconstitution of specimens from item 4 above; and/or (3) capsules made from any available archival materials. This program could be a plant-specific program or an integrated surveillance program.

RESOLUTION Based on the above evaluation, the staff concludes that the existing surveillance program, with the modifications described above, is acceptable for managing the neutron embrittlement and thermal aging of the reactor vessel materials. The guidance in Section 4.1.11.A.2 of the draft SRP-LR will be revised to include this guidance.