ML080740336

Evaluation of New Information Related to Alloy 82/182 Pressurizer Butt Weld Inspections Confirmatory Action Letter NRR-07-005

ML080740336
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	03/14/2008
From:	Catherine Haney Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Tynan T Southern Nuclear Operating Co
Lingam, Siva NRR/DORL 415-1564
References
TAC MD7292, NRR-07-005
Download: ML080740336 (2)

Text

March 14, 2008 Mr. Tom E. Tynan Vice President - Vogtle Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830

SUBJECT:

VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT, UNIT 1 - NEW INFORMATION RELATED TO ALLOY 82/182 PRESSURIZER BUTT WELD INSPECTIONS RE:

CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER NRR-07-005 (TAC NO. MD7292)

Dear Mr. Tynan:

On March 12, 2007, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) No. NRR-07-005 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession Number ML070660103), regarding dissimilar metal welds in the pressurizer surge, spray, and safety/relief nozzle-to-safe end welds at Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP), Unit 1. The CAL and the supporting commitment letter (ADAMS Accession No. ML070650572) indicate that inspection and mitigation actions may be conducted during your spring 2008 refueling outage, contingent on the industry providing an analysis that demonstrates an acceptable level of safety to the NRC for the operation of these welds until the spring of 2008.

The NRC received MRP-216, Rev. 1, Materials Reliability Program: Advanced FEA [Finite Element Analysis] Evaluation of Growth of Postulated Circumferential PWSCC [Primary Water Stress-Corrosion Cracking] Flaws in Pressurizer Nozzle Dissimilar Metal Welds, on August 13, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072410235). Based on our review of this report, NRC concluded that the analysis provided adequate justification to permit inspections during your spring 2008 refueling outage, and that the analysis was applicable to VEGP, Unit 1. On September 7, 2007, the NRC issued a letter to you (ADAMS Accession No. ML072410358),

informing you that a plant shutdown by December 31, 2007, was no longer needed and VEGP, Unit 1 could continue to operate until the spring 2008 outage.

On March 4, 2008, the NRC became aware of emerging information regarding certain welds in nozzles on a retired pressurizer from a pressurized-water reactor facility. This was related to new reports (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML080701017 and ML080701020) on weld examinations of those nozzles. This information raised questions regarding the technical basis for the September 7, 2007, letter. The NRC dispatched technical experts in non-destructive examination to independently review industry analyses and actions regarding this matter. On March 13, 2008, a public meeting was held in NRC Headquarters, Rockville, MD, with representatives of the eight licensees whose plants had not yet shut down for spring 2008 outages and who are subject to commitments to inspect or mitigate similar welds during spring 2008 outages.

The NRC has evaluated the non-destructive automated phased array ultrasonic examination performed since March 4, 2008, and concluded there is reasonable assurance that there is no

T. Tynan structurally significant service-related degradation in those nozzles that would alter the conclusions provided in our letter dated September 7, 2007, that allowed continued operation of VEGP, Unit 1 until the spring 2008 refueling outage. The NRC will continue to evaluate new information as it becomes available. All other requirements of the CAL and the supporting commitment letter regarding enhanced inspection and leakage monitoring requirements for the reactor coolant system and associated reports remain valid.

The CAL will remain open until all CAL commitments pertaining to VEGP, Unit 1 are complete.

Current NRC guidance regarding CALs is contained in the NRC Enforcement Policy and the NRC Enforcement Manual, which are available at the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement.html (click on Enforcement Policy or Enforcement Guidance) or by contacting the Government Printing Office (GPO) toll-free at 1-888-293-6498. The GPO is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2, Section 390, of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (ADAMS),

accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html.

Sincerely, Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-424 cc: See next page

T. Tynan structurally significant service-related degradation in those nozzles that would alter the conclusions provided in our letter dated September 7, 2007, that allowed continued operation of VEGP, Unit 1 until the spring 2008 refueling outage. The NRC will continue to evaluate new information as it becomes available. All other requirements of the CAL and the supporting commitment letter regarding enhanced inspection and leakage monitoring requirements for the reactor coolant system and associated reports remain valid.

The CAL will remain open until all CAL commitments pertaining to VEGP, Unit 1 are complete.

Current NRC guidance regarding CALs is contained in the NRC Enforcement Policy and the NRC Enforcement Manual, which are available at the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement.html (click on Enforcement Policy or Enforcement Guidance) or by contacting the Government Printing Office (GPO) toll-free at 1-888-293-6498. The GPO is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2, Section 390, of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (ADAMS),

accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html.

Sincerely,

/RA by Tim McGinty for/

Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-424 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrDirs RidsOgcRp LPL2-1 R/F RidsNrrDorl RidsRgn2MailCenter RidsAcrsAcnw&mMailCenter RidsNrrDorlLpl2-1 RTrojanowski, R-II SLO RidsEdoMailCenter RidsNrrLAJBurkhardt MCox, EDO R-II RidsNrrOd RidsNrrLAMOBrian KClark, OPA R-II RidsNrrDci RidsNrrPMSLingam TSullivan, NRR/DCI/CPNB RidsNrrDciCpnb RidsOEMailCenter ADAMS Accession No. ML080740336 (*) by e-mail (**) see previous concurrence NRR-106 OFFICE DCI/CPNB DCI/CPNB/BC DORL/LPL2-1/PM DORL/LPL4/LA NAME TSullivan TChan SLingam, RM for JBurkhardt DATE 3/14/08, w/comments 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 OFFICE DORL/LPL2-1/BC NRR/DCI/D DRP/D, R-II NRR/DORL/D NAME MWong MEvans CCastro, SWest for Chaney, TJM for DATE 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 OFFICIAL AGENCY RECORD

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 & 2 March 14, 2008 cc:

Mr. Tom E. Tynan Mr. Laurence Bergen Vice President - Vogtle Oglethorpe Power Corporation Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 2100 East Exchange Place 7821 River Road P.O. Box 1349 Waynesboro, GA 30830 Tucker, GA 30085-1349 Mr. N. J. Stringfellow Arthur H. Domby, Esquire Manager, Licensing Troutman Sanders Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Nations Bank Plaza P.O. Box 1295 600 Peachtree Street, NE Birmingham, AL 35201-1295 Suite 5200 Atlanta, GA 30308-2216 Mr. Jeffrey T. Gasser Executive Vice President Resident Inspector Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Vogtle Plant P.O. Box 1295 8805 River Road Birmingham, AL 35201-1295 Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Steven M. Jackson Office of the County Commissioner Senior Engineer - Power Supply Burke County Commission Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia Waynesboro, GA 30830 1470 Riveredge Parkway, NW Atlanta, GA 30328-4684 Mr. Bob Masse Resident Manager Mr. Reece McAlister Oglethorpe Power Corporation Executive Secretary Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Georgia Public Service Commission 7821 River Road 244 Washington St., SW Waynesboro, GA 30830 Atlanta, GA 30334 Mr. Harold Reheis, Director Department of Natural Resources 205 Butler Street, SE, Suite 1252 Atlanta, GA 30334 Attorney General Law Department 132 Judicial Building Atlanta, GA 30334