ML072360232

Summary of Telephone Conference Call Held on August 23, 2007, Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Concerning Draft Requests for Additional Information Pertaining to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station

ML072360232
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	09/07/2007
From:	Gettys E NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRA
To:	Susquehanna
Gettys Evelyn, NRR/DLR/RLRA 415-4029
References
Download: ML072360232 (10)

Text

September 7, 2007 LICENSEE: PPL Susquehanna, LLC FACILITY: Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON AUGUST 23, 2007, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC, CONCERNING DRAFT 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 August 23, 2007, to discuss and clarify the staffs draft requests for additional information (D-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 staffs D-RAIs. provides a listing of the participants and Enclosure 2 contains a listing of the D-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:

As stated cc w/encls: See next page

ML072360232 OFFICE PM:RLRA:DLR LA:DLR BC:RLRA:DLR NAME EGettys SFigueroa LLund DATE 09/4/07 09/06/07 09/07/07 TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION LIST OF PARTICIPANTS AUGUST 23, 2007 PARTICIPANTS AFFILIATIONS Evelyn Gettys U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

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

Jeff Weik PPL Mike Detamore PPL Enclosure 1

DRAFT REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION August 23, 2007 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) and representatives of PPL Susquehanna, LLC held a telephone conference call on August 23, 2007, to discuss and clarify the following draft requests for additional information (D-RAIs) concerning the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES), Units 1 and 2, license renewal application (LRA).

D-RAI 4.2.1-1 Section 4.2.1 of the Susquehanna LRA, Neutron Fluence, provides the calculated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) beltline fluence values at 54 effective full power years (EFPY) for both units. Please confirm that this fluence calculation is consistent with that associated with the current pressure-temperature (P-T) limits, valid for 35.7 EFPY for Unit 1 and 30.2 EFPY for Unit 2. Provide the fluence values and approximate expiration dates corresponding to these EFPYs for the current P-T limits.

Discussion: The discussion between the staff and the applicant eliminated this D-RAI .

Therefore, this question is withdrawn and will not be sent as a formal RAI.

D-RAI 4.2.5-1 In the July 28, 1998, SER on BWRVIP-05, the NRC staff concluded that examination of the RPV circumferential shell welds would need to be performed if the corresponding volumetric examinations of the RPV axial shell welds revealed the presence of an age-related degradation mechanism. Confirm whether or not previous volumetric examinations of the RPV axial shell welds have shown any indication of cracking or other age-related degradation mechanisms in the welds. Please also confirm whether there are any flaw evaluations performed to date on RPV flaws as a result of previous volumetric examinations of the RPVs, and, if flaw evaluations exist, why they are not considered as TLAAs.

Discussion: The applicant indicated that the question is clear. This D-RAI will be sent as a formal RAI.

D-RAI 4.7.3-1 LRA Section 4.7.3 states that, based on BWRVIP-25, BWR Core Plate Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines, the core plate hold-down bolts will have at least 81-percent preload remaining at 54 EFPY and, based on the 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:

Enclosure 2

(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 GE 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: The applicant indicated that the question is clear. This D-RAI will be sent as a formal RAI.

D-RAI 4.7.3-2 LRA Appendix C discussed the applicants response to BWRVIP report application action items.

The majority of these BWRVIP reports are related to degradation of the structural integrity of austenitic stainless steel RPV internals due to irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking, and the associated BWRVIP application action items require evaluation of TLAA for these RPV internals for the period of extended operation. Except for a couple of cases, the LRA plant-specific responses to these BWRVIP reports do not address TLAA. Please address the TLAA for RPV internals discussed in the Appendix C and demonstrate that the Susquehanna RPV internals are bounded by these BWRVIP reports. For the Susquehanna RPV internals which are not bounded by these BWRVIP reports, discuss any additional programs and activities to be implemented in the extended period of operation so that their TLAAs will be acceptable. Further, perform a similar evaluation for Susquehanna RPV core shrouds, referencing BWRVIP-76, Boiling Water Reactor Core Shroud Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines.

Discussion: Based on the discussion with the applicant, the staff agreed to revise this question as follows. The revised question will be sent as a formal RAI.

RAI 4.7.3-2 LRA Appendix C discussed the applicants 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, BWRVIP-26-A, BWR Top Guide Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines, BWRVIP-76, BWR Core Shroud Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines, and BWRVIP-47-A, BWR 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 dont 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 staffs safety evaluation on the BWRVIP-76 report.

Letter to PPL Susquehanna, from E. Gettys dated September 7, 2007

SUMMARY

OF TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL HELD ON AUGUST 23, 2007, BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND PPL SUSQUEHANNA, LLC, CONCERNING DRAFT REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION DISTRIBUTION:

HARD COPY:

DLR RF E-MAIL:

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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 cc:

Robert A. Saccone Bryan A. Snapp, Esq.

Vice President - Nuclear Operations Associate General Counsel PPL Susquehanna, LLC PPL Services Corporation 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB3 Two North Ninth Street, GENTW3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Terry L. Harpster Supervisor - Document Control Services General Manager - Plant Support PPL Susquehanna, LLC PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Richard W. Osborne Rocco R. Sgarro Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Manager - Nuclear Regulatory Affairs 212 Locust Street PPL Susquehanna, LLC P.O. Box 1266 Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Director, Bureau of Radiation Protection Walter E. Morrissey Pennsylvania Department of Supervising Engineer Environmental Protection Nuclear Regulatory Affairs Rachel Carson State Office Building PPL Susquehanna, LLC P.O. Box 8469 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSA4 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Berwick, PA 18603-0467 Senior Resident Inspector Michael H. Crowthers U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Supervising Engineer P.O. Box 35, NUCSA4 Nuclear Regulatory Affairs Berwick, PA 18603-0035 PPL Susquehanna, LLC Two North Ninth Street, GENPL4 Regional Administrator, Region 1 Allentown, PA 18101-1179 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Steven M. Cook King of Prussia, PA 19406 Manager - Quality Assurance PPL Susquehanna, LLC Board of Supervisors 769 Salem Blvd., NUCSB2 Salem Township Berwick, PA 18603-0467 P.O. Box 405 Berwick, PA 18603-0035 Luis A. Ramos Community Relations Manager, Dr. Judith Johnsrud Susquehanna National Energy Committee PPL Susquehanna, LLC Sierra Club 634 Salem Blvd., SSO 443 Orlando Avenue Berwick, PA 18603-0467 State College, PA 16803

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 cc:

Ms. Julie Keys Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708