ML20133D715

Discusses 961213 & 1217 Telcons Re BWR Vessel & Internals Project Activities in Response to GL 92-01,rev 1,suppl 1, Reactor Pressure Vessel Structural Integrity

ML20133D715
Person / Time
Issue date:	01/07/1997
From:	Wichman K NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Rozier Carter ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
References
GL-92-01, GL-92-1, NUDOCS 9701100040
Download: ML20133D715 (4)

Text

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f% 'a UNITED STATES

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l o g WASHINGTON, D.C. 20666 0001 January 7, 1997 Mr. Robert G. Carter Electric Power Research Institute l Nuclear Power Division 1300 Harris Blvd. l Charlotte, NC 28262 1

SUBJECT:

BWR VESSEL AND INTERNALS PROJECT BEST ESTIMATE CHEMISTRY DETERMINATION

Dear Mr. Carter:

This letter is a follow up to the telephone conversations we had on December 13. 1996 and December 17, 1996 regarding the BWR Vessel and Internals Project (BWRVIP) activities in response to Generic Letter (GL) 92-01, ,

Revision 1. Supplement 1 " Reactor Pressure Vessel Structural Integrity." '

In the way of background, by letter dated November 15, 1995, the BWRVIP i submitted the proprietary Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) report l TR-105908P, "BWR Vessel and Internals Project, Bounding Assessment of BWR/2-6 Reactor Pressure Vessel Integrity (BWRVIP-08)," dated November 1995. This report was supplemented by letter dated June 27, 1996, which forwarded the non proprietary version of this report (TR-105908NP). The report was provided as a generic response to the information recuests 2 through 4 in GL 92-01, Revision 1. Supplement 1. The report statec that, as part of a longer term effort to address reactor vessel integrity issues identified in the Generic Letter, the BWRVIP would continue to investigate the possible existence of l vessel fabricator data not previously provided to nuclear steam su)pl system vendors or utilities and to resolve data discrepancies. The BWRVI) a so committed to report progress on this ongoing work to the NRC as the work is completed. The final response to GL 92 01, Revision 1, Supplement 1 is still expected by mid 1997, and the search should not be limited to just fabricator data, The possible existence of all new data should be investigated. (e.g.,

surveillance data that may have been generated by General Electric).

During our teleconference on December 13, 1996, you indicated that the BWRVIP has concerns regarding the cost of searching for possible additional data and believes that these cost may not be justified based on the BWRVIP's belief that the best estimate chemistry for BWRs can be bounded by using conservative chemistry values as described in BWRVIP-08.

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During the December 13. teleconference, the NRC staff reiterated that, per l GL 92-01. Revision 1. Supplement 1, the BWRVIP is required to provide a

(, description of those actions taken or planned to be taken to locate all data relevant to the determination of RPV integrity. The staff also restated its position on best estimate chemistry to you and other members of the BWRVIP

, during a teleconference on December 17, 1996. Specifically the staff stated i that although use of bounding values for licensing actions would be l acceptable, it is necessary to collect available data in order to demonstrate

, that the values used are, in fact, bounding and to provide an accurate I integrated basis upon which reactor vessel integrity can be assessed.

Therefore, it is our expectation that an effort will be made to provide reasonable assurance that previously unidentified chemistry data are identified and considered in BWR vessel evaluations.

Please contact C. E. (Gene) Carpenter Jr. of my staff at (301) 415-2169 or Andrea D. Lee at (301) 415-2735 if you have any further questions on this subject.

Sincerely.

Original Signed by:

K. Wichman Keith R. Wichman, Acting Branch Chief l Materials and Chemical Engineering Branch Division of Engineering Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation cc: see next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC BSheron MMayfield MMitchell Central Files GLainas EHackett JMedoff EMCB Reading JStrosnider SSheng KKarwoski DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ LEE \BWRVIPBC.LTR

• See previous concurrence.

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" - Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" - No copy 0FFICE DE:EMCB C DE:EMCB C DE:EMCB C DE:EMCB C DE:DD c (ACTINO NAME Alee CECarpenter BElliot KWichman JStrosnYder DATE 12/18/96* 12/18/96* 12/23/96* 12/23/96* 12kd9fr I/3N 7 l

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During the December 13 teleconference. the NRC staff reiterated that, per

' GL 92-01. Revision 1, Supplement 1, the BWRVIP is required to provide a description of those actions taken or planned to be taken to locate all data

, relevant to the determination of RPV integrity. The staff also restated its

position on best estimate chemistry to you and other members of the BWRVIP during a teleconference on December 17, 1996. Specifically, the staff stated that although use of bounding values for licensing actions would be acceptable, it is necessary to collect available data in order to demonstrate that the values used are, in fact, bounding and to provide an accurate integrated basis upon which reactor vessel integrity can be assessed.

Therefore, it is our expectation that an effort will be made to provide reasonable assurance that previously unidentified chemistry data are identified and considered in BWR vessel evaluations.

Please contact C. E. (Gene) Carpenter, Jr. of my staff at (301) 415-2169 or Andrea D. Lee at (301) 415-2735 if you have any further questions on this subject.

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Sincerely, gj @Md Vit K.'h" "

l Keith R. Wichman. Acting Branch Chief Materials and Chemical Engineering Branch 4

Division of Engineering 3 Office of Nuclear Reactnr Regulation

. cc: see next page 1

DISTRIBUTION:

) PUBLIC BSheron MMayfield MMitchell Central Files GLainas EHackett JMedoff EMCB Reading JStrosnider SSheng KKarwoski DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ LEE \BWRVIPBC.LTR

• See previous concurrence .

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" - Copy without 1

attachment / enclosure "E" - Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" = No copy

/ OFFICE DE:EMCB C DE:EMCB C DE:EMCB C DE:EMCB C DE:DD ,

' c (ACTIN

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NAME Alee CECarpenter BElliot KWichman JStrosr[ der DATE 12/18/96* 12/18/96* 12/23/96* 12/23/96* 42,L [9C I/34 7

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• cc:

John Hosmer, Executive Chairman Vaughn Wagoner, Technical Chairman BWRVIP Integration Task BWRVIP Integration Task Commonwealth Edison Carolina Power & Light Company 1400 Opus Place One Hanover Square 8C1 Downers Grove, IL 60515 P.O. Box 1551 Raleigh, NC 27612 Robert Keaten Executive Chairman Steve Leonard, Technical Chairman BWRVIP Inspection Task BWRVIP Inspection Task GPU Nuclear Niagara Mohawk Power Company ESB1 One Upper Pond Road. Bldg F Post Office Box 63 Parsippany. NJ 07054 Lycoming. NY 13093 i

Carl Terry, Executive Chairman Robin Dyle. Technical Chairman BWRVIP Assessment Task BWRVIP Assessment Task Niagara Mohawk Power Company Southern Nuclear Operating Co.

Post Office Box 63 Post Office Box 1295 Lycoming, NY 13093 40 Inverness Center Parkway Birmingham, AL 35201 George Jones. Executive Chairman John Wilson, Technical Chairman BWRVIP Mitigation Task BWRVIP Mitigation Task Pennsylvania Power & Light Public Service Electric & Gas Co.

A61 N51 i Two North Ninth Street Post Office Box 236 l Allentown, PA 18101 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 I Bill Campbell. Executive Chairman Bruce McLeod, Technical Chairman l BWRVIP Repair Task BWRVIP Repair Task Carolina Power and Light Company Southern Nuclear Operating Co. l 411 Fayetteville Street Post Offfce Box 1295 I Raleigh, NC 27602 40 Inverness Center Parkway

, Birmingham. AL 35201 1

l J. T. Beckham, Jr., BWRVIP Chairman Warren Bilanin. EPRI BWRVIP Manager l l Southern Nuclear Operating Company Electric Power Research Institute i 42 Inverness Center Parkway 3412 Hillview Ave.

Birmingham, AL 35242 Palo Alto, CA 94304 l

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