ML102371285

Notification of Inspection (NRC IR 05000530-10-005) and Request for Information

ML102371285
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	08/24/2010
From:	Greg Werner NRC/RGN-IV/DRS/PSB-2
To:	Edington R Arizona Public Service Co
References
IR-10-005
Download: ML102371285 (13)

See also: IR 05000530/2010005

Text

UNITED STATES

NUC LE AR RE G UL AT O RY C O M M I S S I O N

R E GI ON I V

612 EAST LAMAR BLVD , SU I TE 400

AR LI N GTON , TEXAS 76011-4125

August 24, 2010

Randall K. Edington, Executive

Vice President, Nuclear/CNO

Arizona Public Service Company

P.O. Box 52034, Mail Stop 7602

Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034

SUBJECT: PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT 3 - NOTIFICATION

OF INSPECTION (NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000530/2010005) AND

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Dear Mr. Edington:

From October 4 through 15, 2010, reactor inspectors from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commissions (NRC) Region IV office will perform the baseline inservice inspection at

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (Unit 3), using NRC Inspection Procedure 71111.08,

Inservice Inspection Activities, and Temporary Instruction 2515/172, Reactor Coolant System

Dissimilar Metal Butt Welds. Experience has shown that this inspection is a resource intensive

inspection both for the NRC inspectors and your staff. In order to minimize the impact to your

onsite resources and to ensure a productive inspection, we have enclosed a request for

documents needed for this inspection. These documents have been divided into two groups.

The first group due September 29, 2010, (Section A of the enclosure) identifies information to

be provided prior to the inspection to ensure that the inspectors are adequately prepared. The

second group (Section B of the enclosure) identifies the information the inspectors will need

upon arrival at the site. It is important that all of these documents are up to date and complete

in order to minimize the number of additional documents requested during the preparation

and/or the onsite portions of the inspection.

We have discussed the schedule for these inspection activities with your staff and understand

that our regulatory contact for this inspection will be Mr. Delbert Elkinton of your licensing

organization. Our inspection dates are subject to change based on your updated schedule of

outage activities. If there are any questions about this inspection or the material requested,

please contact the lead inspector, Matthew Young at (817) 276-6545 (matt.young@nrc.gov), or

Theresa Buchanan at (817) 276-6503 (theresa.buchanan@nrc.gov) or Blake Rice at

(817) 276-6563 (blake.rice@nrc.gov).

This letter does not contain new or amended information collection requirements subject to the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing information collection

requirements were approved by the Office of Management and Budget, Control

Number 3150 0011. The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a request for information or an information collection requirement unless the

Arizona Public Service Company -2-

requesting document displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget

control number.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter

and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public

Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs

document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC web site at

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Gregory E. Werner, Chief

Plant Support Branch 2

Division of Reactor Safety

Docket: 50-530

License: NPF-74

Enclosure:

Inservice Inspection Document Request

cc w/Enclosure:

Mr. Steve Olea

Arizona Corporation Commission

1200 W. Washington Street

Phoenix, AZ 85007

Mr. Douglas K. Porter, Esq

Southern California Edison Company

2244 Walnut Grove Avenue

Rosemead, CA 91770

Chairman

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors

301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Mr. Aubrey V. Godwin, Director

Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency

4814 South 40 Street

Phoenix, AZ 85040

Arizona Public Service Company -3-

Mr. Dwight C. Mims

Vice President

Regulatory Affairs and Plant Improvement

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

Mail Station 7605

P.O. Box 52034

Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034

Mr. Ron Barnes, Director

Regulatory Affairs

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

MS 7638

P.O. Box 52034

Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034

Mr. Jeffrey T. Weikert

Assistant General Counsel

El Paso Electric Company

Mail Location 167

123 W. Mills

El Paso, TX 79901

Michael S. Green

Senior Regulatory Counsel

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation

P.O. Box 52034, MS 8695

Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034

Mr. Eric Tharp

Los Angeles Department of Water & Power

Southern California Public Power Authority

P.O. Box 51111, Room 1255-C

Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100

Mr. James Ray

Public Service Company of New Mexico

2401 Aztec NE, MS Z110

Albuquerque, NM 87107-4224

Mr. Geoffrey M. Cook

Southern California Edison Company

5000 Pacific Coast Hwy. Bldg. D21

San Clemente, CA 92672

Mr. Robert Henry

Salt River Project

6504 East Thomas Road

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Arizona Public Service Company -4-

Mr. Brian Almon

Public Utility Commission

William B. Travis Building

P.O. Box 13326

Austin, TX 78701-3326

Environmental Program Manager

City of Phoenix

Office of Environmental Programs

200 West Washington Street

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Mr. John C. Taylor

Director, Nuclear Generation

El Paso Electric Company

340 East Palm Lane, Suite 310

Phoenix, AZ 85004

Chief, Technological Hazards

Branch

FEMA Region IX

1111 Broadway, Suite 1200

Oakland, CA 94607-4052

Jake Lefman

Southern California Edison Company

5000 Pacific Coast Hwy, Bldg. D21

San Clemente, CA 92672

Arizona Public Service Company -5-

Electronic distribution by RIV:

Regional Administrator (Elmo.Collins@nrc.gov)

Deputy Regional Administrator (Chuck.Casto@nrc.gov)

DRP Acting Director (Anton.Vegel@nrc.gov)

DRP Acting Deputy Director (Troy.Pruett@nrc.gov)

DRS Director (Roy.Caniano@nrc.gov)

DRS Acting Deputy Director (Jeff.Clark@nrc.gov)

Resident Inspector (Joseph.Bashore@nrc.gov)

Resident Inspector (Mica.Baquera@nrc.gov)

Branch Chief, DRP/D (Ryan.Lantz@nrc.gov)

PV Administrative Assistant (Regina.McFadden@nrc.gov)

Senior Project Engineer, DRP/D (Don.Allen@nrc.gov)

Project Engineer, DRP/D (Peter.Jayroe@nrc.gov)

Project Engineer, DRP/D (Zachary.Hollcraft@nrc.gov)

Public Affairs Officer (Victor.Dricks@nrc.gov)

Public Affairs Officer (Lara.Uselding@nrc.gov)

Project Manager (Randy.Hall@nrc.gov)

Branch Chief, DRS/TSB (Michael.Hay@nrc.gov)

RITS Coordinator (Marisa.Herrera@nrc.gov)

Regional Counsel (Karla.Fuller@nrc.gov)

Congressional Affairs Officer (Jenny.Weil@nrc.gov)

OEMail Resource

Inspection Reports/MidCycle and EOC Letters to the following:

ROPreports

Only inspection reports to the following:

DRS/TSB STA (Dale.Powers@nrc.gov)

OEDO RIV Coordinator (Margie.Kotzalas@nrc.gov)

Executive Technical Assistant (John.Giessner@nrc.gov)

SUNSI Review Completed: ___Y___ ADAMS: 7 Yes No Initials: ___MRY_

7 Publicly Available Non-Publicly Available Sensitive 7 Non-Sensitive

ML102371285

RI:EB1 C:PSB2

MYoung GWerner

MY GW

8/20/2010 8/23/2010

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY T=Telephone E=E-mail F=Fax

INSERVICE INSPECTION DOCUMENT REQUEST

Inspection Dates: October 4 through 15, 2010

Inspection Procedures: IP 71111.08 Inservice Inspection Activities

TI 2515/172 Reactor Coolant System Dissimilar Metal Butt Welds

Inspectors: Matthew Young, Reactor Inspector (Lead Inspector - Inservice

Inspection)

Theresa Buchanan, Reactor Inspector

Blake Rice, Reactor Inspector

A. Information Requested for the In-Office Preparation Week

The following information should be sent to the Region IV office in hard copy or

electronic format (ims.certrec.com preferred), in care of Matthew Young, by

September 27, 2010, to facilitate the selection of specific items that will be reviewed

during the onsite inspection week. The inspectors will select specific items from the

information requested below and then request from your staff additional documents

needed during the onsite inspection week (Section B of this enclosure). We ask that the

specific items selected from the lists be available and ready for review on the first day of

inspection. *Please provide requested documentation electronically if possible. If

requested documents are large and only hard copy formats are available, please inform

the inspector(s), and provide subject documentation during the first day of the onsite

inspection. If you have any questions regarding this information request, please call the

inspector as soon as possible.

A.1 Inservice Inspection/Welding Programs and Schedule Information

a) A detailed schedule (including preliminary dates) of:

i) Nondestructive examinations planned for Class 1 & 2 systems and

containment, performed as part of your ASME,Section XI, risk informed

(if applicable), and augmented inservice inspection programs during the

upcoming outage

Provide a status summary of the nondestructive examination inspection

activities vs. the required inspection period percentages for this interval

by category per ASME,Section XI, IWX-2400. *Do not provide

separately if other documentation requested contains this information

ii) Reactor pressure vessel head examinations planned for the upcoming

outage

iii) Examinations planned for Alloy 82/182/600 components that are not

included in the Section XI scope (If applicable)

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iv) Examinations planned as part of your boric acid corrosion control

program (Mode 3 walkdowns, bolted connection walkdowns, etc.)

v) Welding activities that are scheduled to be completed during the

upcoming outage (ASME, Class 1, 2, or 3 structures, systems, or

components)

b) A copy of ASME,Section XI, Code relief requests and associated NRC safety

evaluations applicable to the examinations identified above.

c) A list of nondestructive examination reports (ultrasonic, radiography, magnetic

particle, dye penetrate, Visual VT-1, VT-2, and VT-3), which have identified

relevant conditions on Code Class 1 & 2 systems since the beginning of the last

refueling outage. This should include the previousSection XI pressure test(s)

conducted during start up and any evaluations associated with the results of the

pressure tests. Also, include in the list the nondestructive examination reports

with relevant conditions in the reactor pressure vessel head penetration nozzles

that have been accepted for continued service. The list of nondestructive

examination reports should include a brief description of the structures, systems,

or components where the relevant condition was identified.

d) A list with a brief description (e.g., system, material, pipe size, weld number, and

nondestructive examinations performed) of the welds in Code Class 1 and 2

systems which have been fabricated due to component repair/replacement

activities since the beginning of the last refueling outage, or are planned to be

fabricated this refueling outage.

e) If reactor vessel weld examinations required by the ASME Code are scheduled to

occur during the upcoming outage, provide a detailed description of the welds to

be examined and the extent of the planned examination. Please also provide

reference numbers for applicable procedures that will be used to conduct these

examinations.

f) Copy of any 10 CFR Part 21 reports applicable to your structures, systems, or

components within the scope of Section XI of the ASME Code that have been

identified since the beginning of the last refueling outage.

g) A list of any temporary noncode repairs in service (e.g., pinhole leaks).

h) Please provide copies of the most recent self-assessments for the inservice

inspection, welding, and Alloy 600 programs.

A.2 Reactor Pressure Vessel Head

This section will not be completed due to replacement of the reactor pressure vessel

head.

-2- Enclosure

A.3 Boric Acid Corrosion Control Program

a) Copy of the procedures that govern the scope, equipment and implementation of

the inspections required to identify boric acid leakage and the procedures for

boric acid leakage/corrosion evaluation.

b) Please provide a list of leaks (including Code class of the components) that have

been identified since the last refueling outage and associated corrective action

documentation. If during the last cycle, the unit was shut down, please provide

documentation of containment walkdown inspections performed as part of the

boric acid corrosion control program.

c) Please provide a copy of the most recent self-assessment performed for the

boric acid corrosion control program.

A.4 Steam Generator Tube Inspections

a) A detailed schedule of:

i) Steam generator tube inspection, data analyses, and repair activities for

the upcoming outage (If occurring)

ii) Steam generator secondary side inspection activities for the upcoming

outage (if occurring)

b) Please provide a copy of your steam generator inservice inspection program and

plan. Please include a copy of the operational assessment from last outage and

a copy of the following documents as they become available:

i) Degradation assessment

ii) Condition monitoring assessment

c) If you are planning on modifying your technical specifications such that they are

consistent with Technical Specification Task Force-449, please provide copies of

your correspondence with the NRC regarding deviations from the standard

technical specification.

d) Copy of steam generator history documentation given to vendors performing

Eddy Current testing of the steam generators during the upcoming outage.

e) Copy of steam generator Eddy Current data analyst guidelines and site validated

Eddy Current technique specification sheets. Additionally, please provide a copy

of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Appendix H, Eddy Current

technique specification sheets qualification records.

f) Identify and quantify any steam generator tube leakage experienced during the

previous operating cycle. Also provide documentation identifying which steam

-3- Enclosure

generator was leaking and corrective actions completed or planned for this

condition (If applicable).

g) Provide past history of the condition and issues pertaining to the secondary side

of the steam generators (including items such as loose parts, fouling, top of tube

sheet condition, crud removal amounts, etc.).

h) Please provide copies of your most recent self assessments of the steam

generator monitoring, loose parts monitoring, and secondary side water

chemistry control programs.

i) Please also indicate where the primary, secondary, and resolution analyses are

scheduled to take place.

j) Please provide a summary of the scope of the steam generator tube

examinations, including examination methods such as bobbin, rotating pancake,

or plus point, and the percentage of tubes to be examined. *Do not provide

these documents separately if already included in other information requested.

A.5 Materials Reliability Program-139 Activities

a) A list of, with verification, that the baseline inspections of all applicable dissimilar

metal butt welds have been completed by July 31, 2010.

b) Verification that baseline inspection of hot leg and cold leg temperature dissimilar

metal butt welds have been included in the inspection program and that the

schedules for the baseline inspections are consistent with the baseline schedules

in Materials Reliability Program-139.

c) A list and schedule (examination dates) of all dissimilar metal butt weld

examinations planned for the upcoming refueling outage. If none are scheduled,

then data from previous examinations should be available for review.

d) A list and schedule for any welding to be performed on dissimilar metal butt

welds in the upcoming outage. If no welding will be performed, then records of

previous welding on dissimilar metal butt welds and postweld nondestructive

examination documentation.

e) A list and schedule of any stress improvement activities planned for the

upcoming refueling outage. If none are scheduled then have qualification reports

for any stress improvements previously performed.

f) Documentation and description of how the baseline and inservice inspection

specifications in Materials Reliability Program-139 are satisfied at your facility.

g) A list of weld locations controlled by Materials Reliability Program-139 which

includes the Materials Reliability Program-139 weld category, pre-mitigation

volumetric examination date, type of mitigation or stress improvement,

-4- Enclosure

post mitigation volumetric examination date, and plans for future Materials

Reliability Program-139 required examinations.

A.6 Additional Information Related to All Inservice Inspection Activities

a) A list with a brief description of inservice inspection, boric acid corrosion control

program, and steam generator-tube inspection related issues (e.g., condition

reports) entered into your corrective action program since the beginning of the

last refueling outage (for Unit 2). For example, a list based upon data base

searches using key words related to piping or steam generator tube degradation

such as: inservice inspection, ASME Code,Section XI, nondestructive

examination, cracks, wear, thinning, leakage, rust, corrosion, boric acid, or errors

in piping/steam generator tube examinations.

b) Please provide names and phone numbers for the following program leads:

Inservice inspection contacts (examination, planning)

Containment exams

Reactor pressure vessel head exams

Snubbers and supports

Repair and replacement program manager

Licensing contact

Site welding engineer

Boric acid corrosion control program

Steam generator inspection activities (site lead and vendor contact)

B. Information to be provided onsite to the inspector(s) at the entrance meeting

(October 4, 2010):

B.1 Inservice Inspection/Welding Programs and Schedule Information

a) Updated schedules for inservice inspection/nondestructive examination activities,

including steam generator tube inspections, planned welding activities, and

schedule showing contingency repair plans, if available.

b) For ASME, Code Class 1 and 2 welds selected by the inspector from the lists

provided from Section A of this enclosure, please provide copies of the following

documentation for each subject weld:

i) Weld data sheet (traveler)

ii) Weld configuration and system location

iii) Applicable code edition and addenda for weldment

iv) Applicable code edition and addenda for welding procedures

v) Applicable weld procedures used to fabricate the welds

-5- Enclosure

vi) Copies of procedure qualification records supporting the weld procedures

from B.1.b.v

vii) Copies of mechanical test reports identified in the procedure qualification

records above

viii) Copies of the nonconformance reports for the selected welds (If

applicable)

ix) Radiographs of the selected welds and access to equipment to allow

viewing radiographs (If RT was performed)

x) Copies of the preservice examination records for the selected welds

xi) Copies of welder performance qualifications records applicable to the

selected welds, including documentation that welder maintained

proficiency in the applicable welding processes specified in the weld

procedures (at least 6 months prior to the date of subject work)

xii) Copies of NDE personnel qualifications (VT, PT, UT, RT), as applicable

c) For the inservice inspection related corrective action issues selected by the

inspectors from Section A of this enclosure, provide a copy of the corrective

actions and supporting documentation.

d) For the nondestructive examination reports with relevant conditions on Code

Class 1 and 2 systems selected by the inspectors from Section A above, provide

a copy of the examination records, examiner qualification records, and

associated corrective action documents.

e) A copy of (or ready access to) most Current revision of the inservice inspection

program manual and plan for the Current interval.

f) For the nondestructive examinations selected by the inspectors from Section A of

this enclosure, provide copy of the nondestructive examination procedures used

to perform the examinations (including calibration and flaw characterization/sizing

procedures). For ultrasonic examination procedures qualified in accordance with

ASME Code,Section XI, Appendix VIII, provide documentation supporting the

procedure qualification (e.g., the EPRI performance demonstration qualification

summary sheets). Also, include qualification documentation of the specific

equipment to be used (e.g., ultrasonic unit, cables, and transducers including

serial numbers) and nondestructive examination personnel qualification records.

B.2 Reactor Pressure Vessel Head

This section will not be completed due to replacement of the reactor pressure vessel

head.

-6- Enclosure

B.3 Boric Acid Corrosion Control Program

a) Please provide boric acid walkdown inspection results, an updated list of boric

acid leaks identified so far this outage, associated corrective action

documentation, and overall status of planned boric acid inspections.

b) Please provide any engineering evaluations completed for boric acid leaks

identified since the end of the last refueling outage. Please include a status of

corrective actions to repair and/or clean these boric acid leaks. Please identify

specifically which known leaks, if any, have remained in service or will remain in

service as active leaks.

B.4 Steam Generator Tube Inspections

a) Copies of the examination technique specification sheets and associated

justification for any revisions.

b) Copy of the guidance to be followed if a loose part or foreign material is identified

in the steam generators.

c) Please provide a copy of the Eddy Current testing procedures used to perform

the steam generator tube inspections (specifically calibration and flaw

characterization/sizing procedures, etc.). Also include documentation for the

specific equipment to be used.

d) Please provide copies of your responses to NRC and industry operating

experience communications such as Generic Letters, Information Notices, etc.

(as applicable to steam generator tube inspections) *Do not provide these

documents separately if already included in other information requested such as

the degradation assessment.

e) List of corrective action documents generated by the vendor and/or site with

respect to steam generator inspection activities.

B.5 Codes and Standards

a) Ready access to (e.g., copies provided to the inspector(s) for use during the

inspection at the onsite inspection location, or room number and location where

available):

i) Applicable editions of the ASME Code (Sections V, IX, and XI) for the

inservice inspection program and the repair/replacement program

ii) EPRI and industry standards referenced in the procedures used to

perform the steam generator tube Eddy Current examination

-7- Enclosure

Inspector Contact Information:

Matthew Young Theresa Buchanan Blake Rice

Reactor Inspector Reactor Inspector Reactor Inspector

817-276-6545 817-276-6503 817-276-6563

matt.young@nrc.gov theresa.buchanan@nrc.gov blake.rice@nrc.gov

Mailing Address:

US NRC Region IV

Attn: Matthew Young

612 E. Lamar Blvd, Suite 400

Arlington, TX 76011

-8- Enclosure