ML18151A106

Responds to NRC 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)

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 can-pliance with this requirement.

We believe a difference in the interpreta-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.