ML20135F791

Discusses 961101 Response to NRC Bulletin 96-03, Potential Plugging of ECCS Strainers by Debris in Bwrs. Concludes That Existing Strainers Will Provide Assurance of Continued Safe Operation of Plant Until 981231

ML20135F791
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	03/11/1997
From:	Milano P NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Boulette E BOSTON EDISON CO.
References
IEIN-96-003, IEIN-96-3, NUDOCS 9703140116
Download: ML20135F791 (5)

Text

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acq g a UNITED STATES g j t

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION V4A8HINGTON, D.C. 3066H001

. . . . . . ,o March 11, 1997 I

Mr. E. Thomas Boulette, Ph.D l Senior Vice President - Nuclear

Boston Edison Company i

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station RFD #1 Rocky Hill Road Plymouth, MA 02360 i

SUBJECT:

PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION - RESPONSE TO BULLETIN 96-03 2

l

Dear Mr. Boulette:

By letter dated November 1,1996, you submitted your response to NRC Bulletin 96-03 " Potential Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling Suction Strainers by Debris in Boiling-Water Reactors", dated May 6, 1996, for the Pilgrim Nuclear 1

Power Station. In your response you stated that you intend to install larger passive emergency core cooling system (ECCS) suction strainers during refueling outage 11. However, because of possible significant uncertainties associated with the installation of these strainers, you requested conditional relief from the schedule suggested in Bulletin 96-03.

The NRC has issued and Boston Edison Company (BEco) has responded to the following generic communications related to boiling water reactor (BWR) ECCS

strainer blockage

Bulletin 93-02 " Debris Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling Suction i Strainers", dated May 11, 1993, requested licensees to ensure that there were no sources of fibrous material in containment not

capable of withstanding a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). You responded to Bulletin 93-02 on June 7, 1993, describing your use of temporary filters inside containment during outages. The NRC /

staff responded by letter dated October 21, 1993 that your response was complete. g Bulletin 93-02, Supplement 1 " Debris Plugging of Emergency Core Cooling Suction Strainers", dated February 18, 1994, requested licensees provide training and emergency operating procedures for plant operators and to specify alternative water sources which may be used to mitigate a strainer blockage event. You responded to this bulletin on April 14, 1994 by describing the planned .

resolution of the requested actions of the bulletin supplcment.

We acknowledged this by letter dated June 13, 1994 stating that your response adequately addressed the actions you have taken to ensure the operability of ECCS circulation. You subsequently transmitted a letter documenting completion of the bulletin's requested actions dated June 17, 1994.

NRC FILE CENTER COPY

} 9703140116 970311 PDR ADOCK 05000293 P PDR

E. Thomas Boulette March 11, 1997 r a NRC Bulletin 95-02, " Unexpected Clogging of a Residual Heat Removal -(RHR) Pump Strainer While Operating in Suppression Pool Cooling Mode", dated October 17, 1995, requesud licensees to take actions necessary to ensure operability of the ECCS with respect to suppression pool cleanliness and foreign material exclusion programs. You responded to this bulletin by letter dated November 16, 1995. In this letter you stated that you alanned to clean the suppression pool during refueling outage 11 wiich is

' scheduled for February 1997, implement a suppression pool cleaning plan prior to RF0 11 and enhance the foreign materials exclusion program. Your February 13, 1996 letter provided results of testing which confirmed the operability of the RHR pumps.

The passive suction strainers should be installed and made operational on or before December 31, 1998. ,While the above actions to date including the desludging of the suppression. pool to bel performed during refueling outage 11, provide assurances of ECCS operability,,we have concluded that a deferral of the bulletin's requested actions until December 31, 1998,~ requires additional compensatory actions as discussed below:

1) Perform an inspection in the drywell to verify that the insulation is not damaged and is properly installed. Repair or replace any insulation that is' damaged or not properly installed.

2) Perform a thorough drywell and suppression pool inspection to verify i, -

that all foreign material has been removed such as maintenance <

tools, equipment, construction materials and miscellaneous debris.

This inspection should include the drywell vents and downcomers.

We conclude that the existing strainers', with these compensatory actions in conjunction with your commitments to Bulletins 93-02; Supplement.1; and 95-02, will provide assurance of the continued safe operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station until December 31, 1998.

Should questions exist regarding this matter, please contact Mr. Alan Wang at (301) 415-1445. j ll Sincerely, (Original Signed By) l Patrick D. Milano, Acting Director Project Directorate I-l Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-293 Distribution cc: See next page Docket File AWang CBerlinger PUBLIC Slittle i

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SVarga/JZwolinski ACRS i

• PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PMilano RConte, RI 0FFICE PDI-3/PM PDI-3/LAl) EELB:NRR* (A)DifRI &

NAME AWang U Slitt [ CBerlinger PMilan DATE 03/10/97 03/11/97 l 02/28/97 03/tt/97 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY DOCUMENT NAME: PI96-03.LTR i

• ,~ *...--. ,.,___,_.___.__. - -

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! E. Thomas Boulette \. .

NRC Bulletin 95-02, " Unexpected Clogging of a Residual . Heat 3

Removal (RHR) Pump Strainer While Operating in Suppression Pool Cooling Mode", dated October 17, 1995, requested licensees to take actions necessary to ensure operability of the ECCS with respect

! to suppression pool cleanliness and foreign material exclusion i programs. You responded to this bulletin by letter dated i November 16, 1995. In this letter you stated that you planned to i clean the suppression pool during refueling outage 11 which is scheduled for February 1997, implement a suppression pool cleaning

plan prior to RF0 11 and enhance the foreign materials exclusion program. Your February 13, 1996 letter provided results of i testing which confirmed the operability of the RHR pumps.

The passive suction strainers should be installed and made operational on or

+

before December 31, 1998. While the above actions to date including the desludging of the suppression pool to be performed during refueling outage 11, provide assurances of ECCS operability, we have concluded that a deferral of the bulletin's requested actions until December 31, 1998, requires additional compensatory actions as discussed below:

1) Perform an inspection in the drywell to verify that the insulation is not damaged and is properly installed. Repair or replace any insulation that is damaged or not properly installed.

2) Perform a thorough drywell and suppression pool inspection to verify that all foreign material has been removed such as maintenance tools, equipment, construction materials and miscellaneous debris.

This inspection should include the drywell vents and downcomers.

We conclude that the existing strainers, with these compensatory actions in conjunction with your commitments to Bulletins 93-02; Supplement 1; and 95-02, will provide assurance of the continued safe operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station until December 31, 1998.

Should questions exist regarding this matter, please contact Mr. Alan Wang at (301) 415-1445.

Sincerely, S --

a Patrick D. Milano, Acting Director Project Directorate I-l Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-293 cc: See next page

i a .

s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station cc:

Mr. Leon J. Olivier Mr. Jeffery Keene Vice President of-Nuclear Licensing Division Manager

! Operations & Station Director Boston Edison Company Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 600 Rocky Hill Road IFD #1 Rocky Hill Road Plymouth, MA 02360-5599 Plymouth, MA 02360 Ms. Nancy Desmond Resident Inspector Manager, Reg. Affairs Dept.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station i Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station RFD #1 Rocky Hill Road Post Office Box 867 Plymouth, MA 02360 Plymouth, MA 02360 Chairman, Board of Selectmen Mr. David F. Tarantino Nuclear Information Manager 11 Lincoln Street Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Plymouth, MA 02360 RFD #1, Pocky Hill Road Plymouth, MA 02360 Chairmar, Duxbury Board of Selectmen Town Hall Ms. Kathleen M. O'Toole 878 Tremont Street Secretary of Public Safety Duxbury, MA 02332 Executive Office of Public Safety One Ashburton Place Office of the Commissioner Boston, MA 02108 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Mr. David Rodham, Director One Winter Street Boston, MA 02108 Attn: James Muckerheide Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Office of the Attorney General 400 Worcester Road One Ashburton Place P.O. Box 1496 20th Floor Framingham, MA 01701-0317 Boston, MA 02108 Chairman, Citizens Urging Mr. Robert M. Hallisey, Director Responsible Energy Radiation Control Program P.O. Box 2621 Massachusetts Department of Duxbury, MA 02331 Public Health 305 South Street Citizens at Risk Boston, MA 02130 P.O. Box 3803 Plymouth, MA 02361 Regional Administrator, Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission W.S. Stowe, Esquire 475 Allendale Road Boston Edison Company King of Prussia, PA 19406 800 Bcylston St., 36th Floor Boston, MA 02199 Ms. Jane Fleming 8 Oceanwood Drive Duxbury, MA 0233

l cc: (cont.)

Chairman Nuclear Matters Committee

. Town Hall 11 Lincoln Street Plymouth, MA 02360 Mr. William D. Meinert

", Nuclear Engineer Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale

Electric Company P.O. Box 426 f

Ludlow, MA 01056-0426 i

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