ML18151A106

Responds to NRC 870908 Ltr Re Violations Noted in Insp Rept 50-281/86-36.Corrective Actions:Util Intends to Provide Technical Basis for Determining That Specific Penetrations Do Operate Under Accident Conditions & Filled W/Water

ML18151A106
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	10/08/1987
From:	Stewart W VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
87-570, NUDOCS 8710150243
Download: ML18151A106 (3)

See also: IR 05000281/1986036

Text

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY RICHMOND, VIBGINIA 23261 W. L. STBWABT VxcB PREBIDE>l'T

NUCLBAB 0PEBAT10"8

• October 8, 1987 U. s. Nuclear Regulatory

O'mni ssim Attn: I)*x:nment

cart:rol Desk Washirgtm, D.C. * 20555 Gentlemen:

VIRID{IA ET& :IRLC AND R'.JrlER SCllm RNm smTiaf tmTS 1 AND 2 . NRC INSPECl'Iaf

REEtRl! R>. 50-28U86-36

Serial.No.

NO/En'S :vlh Dx:ket Nos. License Nos.87-570 R3 50-280 50-281 m:R-32 DPR-37 We have reviewed ya.ir letter of Septeni:>er

8, 1987, in refererx:e

to the Notice of Violation

is.sued with Inspection

Report 50-281/86-36

an Mardi 2, 1987. additional

response to the Notice of Violation

is in the attachment.

We :request that ya.ir :reevaluatim

of this violation

be postponed, perrlin;J

resolution

of the tedmical issue by NRR. '!he basis for our :request is provided in the attadmlent.

If you have arr:/ further questions, please contact. us. Very truly yoors, W. L. stewart Attachment

c:x:: u. s. Nuclear Regulatory

o:mnissim

Region II 101 Marietta street, N. W. SUite 2900 . Atlanta, GeoJ:gia 30323 Mr. W. E. Hollarn NRC Senior Resident Inspector

SUrcy Pael:' station ~bJ0150243

871008 Q ADOCK 050002St PDR

1987 NRC ClHo!ENI':

DlrJ.DJ the Nuclear Regulato:cy

o:,m,i ssion (NRC) inspection

corxlucted

on Noveni:>er

13-20, 1986 an::l Februa:cy

9, 1987, a violation

of NRC requirements

was * identified.

'!he violation

involved failure to prq>erly establish

ccnlitians

to perfonn the Type A IlRI'. In acooi:darx:le

with the "General statement

of Policy ani Procedure

for NRC Enforcement

Acticms," 10 cm Part 2, AR;>ernix

c (1986), the violatiai

is listed below: 10 cm 50 AR;>ernix

J, Paragrai:n

II defines a Type A test as a test . interned to measure the primary containment

overall integrated

leakage rate obtained by a sumration

of leakage thralgh * all potential

leakage paths irx:l~ valves, fittin;Js

,--ani carp:>nents

• which * penetrate

contaimnent.

Paragraii1

III.A.1. (d) :requires

that fluid systems that are part of the reactor coolant pressure bcurrlary

an::l are directly to the oontai.rnnent

at:IoosJ;nere

tm:ler post-acx:ident

oonlitions

shall be q:ened or vented to the oontainnent

a~ prior to an::l duri.rg the Type A test. All vented systems nust be drained of water to the extent necessacy

to assure exposure of the contairment

isolation

valve to canta.i.nment

air test pressure an::l to assure they will be subjected

to the post-acx:ident

differential

pressure.

systerrs that are nonnal.ly

filled with water am operating

un::ler post-acx:ident

con:litions

are not required to be vented; however, their c:x>ntairnnent

isolation

valves nust be Type C _tested. . Paragraiil

III. c :requires

that contairnnent

isolation

valves be Type C tested to neasure their leakage rate by pressurizin:J

with air or nitrogen unless the valve is pressurized

with fluid fran a seal system. Tedmical Specification, Table 3. 8-2, lists the contaimnent

isolation

valves ani specifies

whidl ones are exenpt fran Type c testin:J.

SUdl exerption

signifies

that the valves have :received

credit for a water seal ani are not CX11Siderm

a credible leakage path for the oontainment

atna;plere.

Table 3.8-2 irx:lmes the isolation

valves for Penetrations

No. 46, 63, an::l 66 through 71 ani does not exenpt them fran Type C testiDJ. * Calt:rai:y

to the above, the licensee failed to either properly vent an::l drain Peneb:aticms

No. 46, 63, 64, an::l 66 thralgh 71 durin;J the pe.rfcmnarx:ie

of the NoYaliJer

1986, * Type A test ai Unit 2, or to d.etennine

the overall integrated

leakage rate by the sunmation

of the leakages cbtained duriD:J the Type C testi.rg of such penetrations

to the* results cbtained durin;J the CIIRl'. 'I.his is a Severity level 'IV violation (SUR;>lement

I).

• _ 1. Admission

or denial of the alleged violation:

We believe a differerx:e

in intel:pretation

has created an issue requirirg

resolution

by NRR. To :resolve this issue will* require a sul:lnittal

to the Offiee of Nuclear . Reactor Regulation (NRR) for tedmical evaluatiai.

Until that su1:lnittal

an:i NRR's tectmical

evaluation

are ccuplete, '{,i,18 feel that your :reevaluation

of the violation

shcw.d be p:stpJned.

2. Reason for the violation:

'lhe tedmical issue cited in the violation

is the requirement

to vent am drain penetrations

durirg Type A leak rate testirg or il'ci.u:Je

the c!R)rq>riate

Type c leakage penalty. Yoor ootice of violation

in:iicates

that any penetration

listed in Table 3. 8-2 of the Tedmical ~ifications

subject to Type c testirg nust also be vented am drained durin:J the Type A test. SUdl a requirement

is not fam in either 10 CFR 50 J or the Teclmical

Specifications.

Paragrapl

III.A.1. (d) of~ J states that system; oonnally filled with water am q,eratin;J

umer post-acx::ident

c:on:litions

need :oot be vented; l"lcMever, their containment

isolation

valves must be Type c tested. '!he contairnnent

testirg of Unit 2 was in pliance with this requirement.

We believe a difference

in the

tion of the 10 CFR 50 J requirements

has -created this unresolved

tedmical issue * 3. '!he corrective

steps that have been taken am the resu1 ts achieved:

To date no specific corrective

actions have been taken. Telei;none

calls to NRR am the Regional office have been initiated

to disc,JSS the basis for the violation

am the evaluation

irx:hded in the enclosure

to the NRC letter fran J. Nelson Grace to W. L. Stewart, dated September

8, 19_87. 4. '!he corrective

steps that will be taken to avoid further violations:

To prevent. further misurrlerst:aminJs

in this * area, '\li,18 interrl to provide the technical

basis for detennining

that the specific penetrations

in * question do q,erate urner acx::ident

ccnlitioos

am are imee6 normally filled with water. '!he tedmical basis will be sul::mitted

by Jarruary 30, 1988 in canjurction

with a SUR>lement

to oor July 23, 1987 Tedmical Specification

sutmittal (Serial No.87-375), whlch will anootate those valves :oot subject to C testin:J as 't,i,1811

as those valves which are q,erat.in:J

umer acx::ident

cc:nlitioos

am are normally filled with water aIXl no Type C penalty required.

Aalitionally, after the technical

evaluation

has been ccupleted

by NRR loJe interrl to sul::mit an . exenption

request the NcweniJer

1986, Type A "as-fc:un:l" test results for the next scheduled

Type A test on unit 2. 5. '!he date when full cgrpliance

will be achieved:

Revisions

to oor Type "A" Integrated

leak Rate Test Program, will be made as required, after NRR's technical

evaluation

is ocmplete.