ML20141C856

Discusses Completion of Licensing Action for GL 95-03, Circumferential Cracking of Steam Generator Tubes,

ML20141C856
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	05/15/1997
From:	Larry Wheeler NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Mccoy C SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING CO.
References
GL-95-03, GL-95-3, TAC-M92286, TAC-M92287, NUDOCS 9705190250
Download: ML20141C856 (4)

Text

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49u%9 LGL.

k UNITED STATES

• , NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20046 4 001

% , , , , , *' May 15, 1997 Mr. C. K. McCoy Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Post Office Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 N

SUBJECT:

COMPLETION OF LICENSING ACTION FOR GENERIC LETTER 95-03, "CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACKING OF STEAM GENERATOR TUBES," DATED APRIL 28, 1995, V0GTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT UNITS 1 AND 2 '

(TAC NOS. M92286 AND M92287)

Dear Mr. McCoy:

On April 28, 1995, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Generic Letter (GL) 95-03, "Circumferential Cracking of Steam Generator Tubes," to all holders of operating licenses or construction permits for pressurized-water reactors. The NRC issued GL 95-03 for three principal reasons:

(1) Notify addressees about the safety significance of the recent steam generator tube inspection findings at Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station.

(2)- Request that all addressees impleinent the actions described within the generic letter.

(3) Require that all ad'dressees submit to the NRC a written response regarding implementation of the requested adtions.

In addition, GL 95-03 alerted addressees to the importance of performing comprehensive examinations of steam generator tubes using techniques and equipment capable of reliably detecting the types of degradation to which the steam generator tubes may be susceptible. The staff also noted that the performance of steam generator tube examinations is controlled, in part, by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B.

In GL 95-03, the NRC staff also requested that licensees take the following actions:

(1) Evaluate recent operating experience with respect to the detection and sizing of circumferential indications to determine the applicability to their plants. '

g (2) On the basis of the evaluation in Item (1) above, as well as past i U-l inspection scope and results, susceptibility to circumferential y l cracking, threshold of detection, expected or inferred crack growth l l

rates, and other relevant factors, develop a safety assessment paco 39 NBC FIE CENTER COPY l

l 9705190250 970515

! PDR ADOCK 05000424 l P PDR

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1 Mr. C. K. McCoy May 15,1997 justifying continued operation until the next scheduled steam generator tube inspections.

i (3) Develop plans for the next steam generator tube inspections as they pertain to the detection of circumferential cracking. The inspection i plans should address, but not be limited to, scope (including sample expansion criteria, if applicable), methods, equipment, and criteria (including personnel training and qualification).

To document the outcome of these actions, the NRC staff requested that ,

addressees prepare and submit the following:

(1) A safety assessment justifying continued operation, predicated on the ,

evaluation performed in accordance with requested actions (1) and (2) above.

(2) A summary of the inspection plans developed in accordance with ' requested action (3) above and a schedule for the next planned inspection. ,

In response to GL 95-03,.you provided letters dated June 25 and December 22, 1995, for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2. These submittals-provided the information requested by GL 95-03; therefore, TAC Nos. M92286'and -

M92287 are closed.. For your information, the staff's findings regarding this issue are contained in NUREG-1604, "Circumferential Cracking of Steam Generator Tubes."

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please have your representative contact me-at (301) 415-1444. 1 1

Sincerely, WE F]I CH E C M ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

Louis L. Wheeler, Senior Project Manager 1

Project Directorate II-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II {

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation '

Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425  ;

cc: See next page Distribution:

' Docket File LBerry ACRS PUBLIC LWheeler JJohnson, RII PD'11-2 Rdg. SDembek, SPO-L PSkinner, RII SVarga KKarwoski, EMCB 4 H8erkow OGC To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attarheent/ enclosure "N" = No copy 0FFICE PM:PDfGO l LA:PDI R D:p0IW2,1 l l NAME LWHEE @ cn LBERRY LOY HBfRK $ /

DATE ( / K/97 4 /l 6 /97 C / m /97 / /97 / /97 / /97 l J0CUMENT NAME: G:\V0GTLE\V0G92286.0LO)FFICIAL REC 0FD COPY l

, , . ~

I l

j. Mr. C. K..McCoy a ,

justifying continued operation until the next scheduled steam generator tube inspections.

(3) Develop plans for the next steam generator tube inspections as they pertain to the detection of circumferential cracking. The inspection ,

plans should address, but not be limited to, scope (including sample.  !

expansion criteria, if applicable), methods, equipment, and criteria j (including personnel training and qualification).

!' Tol document the outcome of these actions, the NRC staff requested that addressees prepare and submit the following:

i (1) A safety assessment justifying continued operation, predicated on the evaluation performed in accordance with requested actions (1) and (2) i

! above.

(2)_ A sunniary of the inspection plans developed in accordance with requested action (3) above and a schedule for the next planned inspection. -

In response to GL 95-03, you provided letters dated June 25 and December 22,

1995, for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units I and 2. These submittals provided the information requested by GL 95-03; therefore, TAC Nos. M92286 and a

M92287 are closed. For your information, the staff's findings regarding this issue are contained in NUREG-1604, "Circumferential Cracking of Steam j Generator Tubes." ,

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please have your representative contact me at (301) 415-1444.

j 1 j Sincerely, '

1 ouis L. W' hee er, Senior Project Manager

Project Directorate ~II-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation d

Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425

.cc: See next page i

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_. . . . . _ _ _ . _ _ _ . . _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ . . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ . _

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant i Units 1 and 2 4

cc: -

4 Mr. J. A. Bailey Harold Reheis, Director Manager, Licensing Department of Natural Resources 1 Southern Nuclear Operating 205 Butler Street, SE. Suite 1252 Company, Inc.

' Atlanta, Georgia 30334 P. O. Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 Attorney General Law Department Mr. J. B. Beasley 132 Judicial Building i General Manager, Vogtle Electric Atlanta, Georgia 30334 i

Generating Plant

Southern Nuclear Operating Mr. Thomas P. Mozingo Company, Inc.

Program Manager

. P. O. Box 1600 Nuclear Operations

Waynesboro, Georgia '30830 Oglethorpe Power Corporation 2100 East Exchange Place Regional Administrator, Region II P. O. Box 1349 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tucker, Georgia 30085-1349 Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Suite 23T85 Charles A. Patrizia, Esquire

i. Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker

! 10th Floor j Office of Planning and Budget 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue l Room 615B Washington, DC 20004-9500 l 270 Washington Street, SW.

Atlanta, Georgia 30334 , Arthur H. Domby, Esquire Troutman Sanders i

Mr. J. D. Woodard -

NationsBank Plaza Executive Vice President 600 Peachtree Street, NE.

Southern Nuclear Operating Suite 5200 Company, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia 30308-2216 P. O. Box 1295 i Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1295 Resident Inspector i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i Steven M. Jackson 8805 River Road Senior Engineer _- Power Supply Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia Office of the County Commissioner 1470 Riveredge Parkway, NW. Burke County Commission Atlanta, Georgia 30328-4684 Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 i

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