ML072640134

Summary of Telephone Conference Call with PPL Susquehanna, LLC Concerning Requests for Additional Information

ML072640134
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	10/24/2007
From:	Gettys E NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRA
To:	Susquehanna Steam Electric Co
Gettys Evelyn, NRR/DLR/RLRA 415-4029
References
Download: ML072640134 (9)

Text

October 24, 2007 LICENSEE: PPL Susquehanna, LLC FACILITY: Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2007, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC, CONCERNING REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of PPL Susquehanna, LLC held a telephone conference call on September 12, 2007, to discuss and clarify the staff=s requests for additional information (RAIs) concerning the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2, license renewal application. The telephone conference call was useful in clarifying the intent of the staff=s RAIs. provides a listing of the participants and Enclosure 2 contains a listing of the RAIs discussed with the applicant, including a brief description on the status of the items.

The applicant had an opportunity to comment on this summary.

/RA/

Evelyn Gettys, Project Manager License Renewal Branch A Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388

Enclosures:

1. List of Participants

2. List of Requests for Additional Information cc w/encls: See next page

ML072640134 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:RLRA:DLR BC:RLRA:DLR NAME IKing EGettys LLund DATE 10/01/07 10/02/07 10/24/07 TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION LIST OF PARTICIPANTS September 12, 2007 PARTICIPANTS AFFILIATIONS Evelyn Gettys U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Simon Sheng NRC Duane Filchner PPL Susquehanna, LLC (PPL)

Jeff Weik PPL Bruce Swoyer PPL Neil Coddington PPL Mike May PPL Enclosure 1

REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION September 12, 2007 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of PPL Susquehanna, LLC held a telephone conference call on September 12, 2007, to discuss and clarify the following requests for additional information (RAIs) concerning the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES), Units 1 and 2, license renewal application (LRA).

RAI 4.7.3-1 LRA Section 4.7.3 states that, based on Boiling Water Reactor Vessel and Internals Project (BWRVIP)-25, ABWR Core Plate Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines,@ the core plate hold-down bolts will have at least 81-percent preload remaining at 54 effective full-power year and, based on the General Electric Co. (GE) extended power uprate (EPU) analyses of the core plate hold-down bolts, the preload at the end of 60 years would be adequate to prevent lateral motion of the core plate for the period of extended operation. This conclusion is not supported by any Susquehanna plant-specific evaluation. Please provide the following additional information:

(1) Demonstrate the applicability of the BWRVIP-25 loss of preload analysis to the Susquehanna units. Identify the temperature of the bolts during the normal operation and the projected bolt neutron fluence at the end of the period of extended operation for the Susquehanna units. Provide a plant-specific evaluation demonstrating that the loss of preload due to stress relaxation for the Susquehanna RPV core plate hold-down bolts is bounded by the value of 19 percent from Appendix B of BWRVIP-25.

(2) Perform a plant-specific core plate hold-down bolt analysis using the BWRVIP-25 Appendix A methodology, demonstrating that the axial and bending stresses for the mean and highest loaded hold-down bolts will not exceed the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III allowable stresses for Pm (primary membrane) and Pm + Pb (primary membrane plus bending) as a result of a plant-specific reduction in the bolt preload at the end of the extended period of operation.

State clearly the assumptions on which the plant-specific analysis was based.

(3) Provide sufficient information regarding the AGE EPU analyses@ on the core plate hold-down bolts so that the staff can determine whether the Susquehanna hold-down bolts are adequate to prevent lateral motion of the core plate for the period of extended operation.

Discussion: Based on the discussion with the applicant the applicant agreed to amend Section 4.7.3 of the LRA and removing the reference to the GE analysis since the applicant is making a commitment to perform a plant-specific analyses.

Enclosure 2

RAI 4.7.3-2 LRA Appendix C discussed the applicant=s response to the BWRVIP report application action items. The BWRVIP reports addressing the time-limited aging analysis (TLAA) regarding irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) in austenitic stainless steel RPV internals are BWRVIP-25, BWR Core Plate Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines, BWRVIP-26-A, ABWR Top Guide Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines,@ BWRVIP-76, ABWR Core Shroud Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines,@ and BWRVIP-47-A, ABWR Lower Plenum Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines.@ Although managing TLAA using aging management programs or other measures is stated in Appendix C in your response to BWRVIP report application action items, IASCC in austenitic stainless steel RPV internals should be discussed in the TLAA section to build the connection between LRA Section 4.0 and Appendix C. Further, the fact that BWRVIP-47 is under the NRC staff review doesnt imply that you don=t need to address it. In addition to your plant-specific evaluation using BWRVIP-76, you need to make a commitment to follow all BWRVIP-76 requirements and limitations, as adjusted by the NRC staff=s safety evaluation on the BWRVIP-76 report.

Discussion: Based on the discussion with the applicant, the staff has revised RAI 4.7.3-2 to the following:

LRA Appendix C discussed the applicant=s response to BWRVIP report application action items. The BWRVIP reports addressing the TLAA regarding irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) in austenitic stainless steel RPV internals are BWRVIP-25, BWR Core Plate Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines, BWRVIP-26-A, ABWR Top Guide Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines,@ BWRVIP-76, ABWR Core Shroud Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines,@ and BWRVIP-47-A, ABWR Lower Plenum Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines.@ Although managing TLAA using aging management programs or other measures is stated in Appendix C in your response to BWRVIP report application action items, IASCC in austenitic stainless steel RPV internals should be discussed in the TLAA section to build the connection between LRA Section 4.0 and Appendix C.

The safety evaluation for BWRVIP-76 was issued on July 28, 2006. Therefore, you need to perform a plant-specific evaluation using BWRVIP-76, and make a commitment to follow all BWRVIP-76 requirements and limitations, as modified by the NRC staff=s safety evaluation on the BWRVIP-76 report. Also, the statement in Appendix C, ABWRVIP-76 is not included because the SER has not yet been issued,@ needs to be revised.

During your plant-specific evaluation using BWRVIP-76, please address the following:

Section 4.1 item 5 of the BWRVIP-100-A report, AUpdated Assessment of the Fracture Toughness of Irradiated Stainless Steel for BWR Core Shrouds,@ dated August 2006 states that fracture toughness values of stainless steel materials that are exposed to neutron fluence values greater than 1 X 1021 n/cm2 (E > 1 MeV) are lower than those used in Appendix C of the BWRVIP-76 report. It is likely that during the license renewal period, core shroud welds and base materials will be exposed to neutron fluence values exceeding 1 X 1021 n/cm2 (E > 1 MeV). Since the inspection frequency in the BWRVIP-76 report is based on fracture toughness values which are not consistent with the BWRVIP-100-A report, the staff requests that you reevaluate the inspection frequency and the inspection methods that are specified in Section 3 of the BWRVIP-76 report, taking into account the lower fracture toughness values identified in the BWRVIP-100-A report for core shroud welds that would be exposed to a neutron fluence value greater than 1 X 1021 n/cm2 (E > 1 MeV).

Memo to Susquehanna, PPL from E. Gettys dated October 24, 2007 DISTRIBUTION:

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2007, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC, CONCERNING REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION HARD COPY:

DLR RF E-MAIL:

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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 cc:

Cornelius J. Gannon Luis A. Ramos Vice President - Nuclear Operations Community Relations Manager, PPL Susquehanna, LLC Susquehanna 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 PPL Susquehanna, LLC Berwick, PA 18603-0467 634 Salem Blvd., SSO Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Robert M. Paley General Manager - Plant Support Bryan A. Snapp, Esq.

PPL Susquehanna, LLC Associate General Counsel 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB2 PPL Services Corporation Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Two North Ninth Street, GENTW3 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Rocco R. Sgarro Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Affairs Supervisor - Document Control Services PPL Susquehanna, LLC PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Walter E. Morrissey Richard W. Osborne Supervising Engineer Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Nuclear Regulatory Affairs 212 Locust Street PPL Susquehanna, LLC P.O. Box 1266 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Director, Bureau of Radiation Protection Michael H. Crowthers Pennsylvania Department of Supervising Engineer Environmental Protection Nuclear Regulatory Affairs Rachel Carson State Office Building PPL Susquehanna, LLC P.O. Box 8469 Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Senior Resident Inspector Ronald E. Smith U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission General Manager - Site Preparedness P.O. Box 35, NUCSA4 and Services Berwick, PA 18603-0035 PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Regional Administrator, Region 1 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Steven M. Cook King of Prussia, PA 19406 Manager - Quality Assurance PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB2 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 cc:

Board of Supervisors Salem Township P.O. Box 405 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee Sierra Club 443 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803