ML20155H575

Forwards SE Authorizing Proposed Alternative to RPV Shell Weld Exam Requirements of Both ASME BPV Code,Section XI,1989 Edition & Augmented Exam Requirements of 10CFR50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(2) for Ja FitzPatrick NPP

ML20155H575
Person / Time
Site:	FitzPatrick
Issue date:	11/03/1998
From:	Bajwa S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	James Knubel POWER AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (NEW YORK
Shared Package
ML20155H578	List: ML20155H575 ML20155H580
References
IEIN-97-063, IEIN-97-63, TAC-MA1954, NUDOCS 9811100190
Download: ML20155H575 (4)

Text

r so-3 M N

p .. t UNITED STATES

. j j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20066 4001

\.g*/ November 3, 1998 Mr. James Knubel Chief Nuclear Officer -

Power Authority of the State of New York 123 Main Street White Plains, NY 10601

SUBJECT:

JAMES A. FITZPATRICK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT- AUTHORIZATION OF ALTERNATIVE REACTOR VESSEL WELD EXAMINATIONS (TAC NO. MA1954)

Dear Mr. Knubel:

On May 28,1998, as supplemented September 10,1998, and revised on September 29,1998, t the Power Authority of the State of New York (also known as the New York Power Authority or l

NYPA) proposed an attemative to reactor pressure vessel (RPV) shell weld examination i

requirements of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code),Section XI,1989 Edition, and the augmented examination requirements of 10 CFR 50.55alg)(6)(ii)(A)(2), for the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant. Licensees are required by 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A) to perform an expanded RPV shell weld examination as specified in the 1989 Edition of Section XI of the ASME Code on an " expedited" basis. The ,

alternative was proposed pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i) and 10 CFR l 50.55a(g)(ii)(A)(5).

1 Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4), ASME Code Class 1,2 and 3 components must meet the requirements, except the design and access provisions and the preservice examination requirements, set forth in the ASME Code,Section XI, " Rules for Inservice inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components," to the extent practical within the limitations of design, geometry and materials of construction of the components. This regulation requires that / j inservice examination of components and system pressure tests conducted during the first 10-year interval and subsequent intervals comply with the requirements in the latest edition and // I addenda of the ASME Code,Section XI, incorporated by reference in 10 CFR 50.55a(b) on the j date twelve months prior to the start of the 120-month interval, subject to the limitations and I modifications listed therein.

NYPA has proposed to defer the examination of the FitzPatrick reactor pressure vessel welds specified by 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(2) for one operating cycle. NYPA states that this deferral will permit development of methods that will substantially improve its capability to inspect these welds, particularly the vertical welds in the vessel beltline region. NYPA plans to submit information to the NRC by December 31,1999, describing the improvements in inspection capability which will be applied during the Cycle 15 refueling outage currently scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2000, in Information Notice 97-63, Supplement 1, " Status of NRC Staff's Review of BWRVIP-05," the NRC staff indicated that it would consider technically justified attematives to the augmented examination in accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i),10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii), and 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(5), for BWR licensees scheduled to perform inspections of the BWR l RPV circumferential welds during the fall 1998 or spring 1999 outage seasons. Acceptably justified altematives would be considered for inspection delays of up to 40-months or 2 operating

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9811100190 981103 PDR ADOCK 05000333

_ ._, n .

l

- l J. Knubel cycles (whichever is longer) fo'r BWR RPV circumferential shell welds only. In the enclosed safety evaluation, the staff concludes that postponing inspections of the FitzPatrick RPV '

circumferential welds for one operating cycle is acceptable.

The enclosed evaluation also discusses NRC staff approval of the deferral of the inspection of the RPV vertical shell welds on the basis that the staff has determined that the reference temperature for nil ductile transition, rte, would only increase by less than 5 'F. Since this is a very small increase, the RPV vertical shell welds will have adequate margin to brittle fracture during the additional operating cycle.

Therefore, the proposed postponement of beginning the augmented examination requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(2) at FitzPatrick for circumferential and vertical shell welds for a single operating cycle is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i), because the altemative to the ASME Code requirements provides an acceptable level of quality and safety. l i

if you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Joe Williams at (301) 415-1470.

I Sincerely, 1

S. Singh Bajwa, Director Project Directorate I-1 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-333

Enclosure:

Safety Evaluation cc w/ encl: See next page

' James Knubel

• James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Authority of the State Power Plant of New York cc: ,

Mr. Gerald C. Goldstein Mr. F. William Valentino, President Assistant General Counsel New York State Energy, Research, Power Authority of the State and Development Authcrity of New York Corporate Plaza West 1633 Broadway 286 Washington Avenue Extension New York, NY 10019 Albany, NY 12203-6399 Resident inspector's Office Mr. Richard L. Patch, Director U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Quality Assurance i

P.O. Box 136 Power Authority of the State Lycoming, NY 13093 of New York 123 Main Street Mr. Harry P. Salmon, Jr. White Plains, NY 10601 Vice President - Engineering Power Authority of the State )

Mr. Gerard Goering '

of New York 28112 Bayview Drive i 123 Main Street Red Wing, MN 55066 I White Plains, NY 10601 l

Mr. James Gagliardo Ms. Charlene D. Falcon Safety Review Committee l Director Nuclear Licensing 708 Castlewood Avenue Power Authority of the State Arlington, TX 76012 of NewYork 123 Main Street Mr. Arthur Zaremba, Licensing Manager White Plains, NY 10601 James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant I Supervisor P.O. Box 41 Town of Scriba Lycoming, NY 13093  ;

Route 8, Box 382 '

Oswego, NY 13126 Mr. Paul Eddy  !

New York State Dept. of I Mr. Eugene W. Zeltmann Public Service President and Chief Operating 3 Empire State Plaza,10th Floor Officer Albany, NY 12223 l

l Power Authority of the State of New York Michael J. Colomb 99 Washington Ave., Suite No. 2005 Site Executive Officer Albany, NY 12210-2820 James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant P.O. Box 41 Charles Donaldson, Esquire Lycoming, NY 13093 Assistant Attomey General New York Department of Law 120 Broadway New York, NY 10271 Regional Administrator, Region i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 I l

J.Knub;l .

November 3, 1998 cycles (whichever is longer) for BWR RPV circumferential shell welds only. In the enclosed i safety evaluation, the staff concludes that postporting inspections of the FitzPatrick RPV I circumferential welds for one operating cycle is acceptable.

l The enclosed evaluation also discusses NRC staff approval of the deferral of the inspection of l the RPV vertical shell welds on the basis that the staff has determined that the reference temperature for nil ductile transition, RTu, would only increase by less than 5 *F. Since this is a very small increase, the RPV vertical shell welds will have adequate margin to brittle fracture during the additional operating cycle.

Therefore, the proposed postponement of beginning the augmented examination requirements of l 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A)(2) at FitzPatrick for circumferential and vertical shell welds for a single I operating cycle is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i), because the altemative to the I ASME Code requirements provides an acceptable level of quality and safety.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Joe Williams at (301)415-1470.

Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

S. Singh Bajwa, Director Project Directorate I-1 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l

Docket No. 50-333

Enclosure:

Safety Evaluation cc w/ encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

- Docket File S. Little PUBLIC J. Williams PDl 1 R/F T. Harris (e-mail SE to TLH3)

J. Zwolinski OGC S. Bajwa ACRS H. Conrad C. Hehl, RI K.Kavanagh ,

l l

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\FITZ\MA1954.LTR l

To r2ceive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with l attachment /enclosurg "N" = No copy ,,,

OFFICE PM:PDI 1 /b lE LA:PDI-1])V l D:PDI 1 ,n l OGC t'. - f u l l L NAME JWilliams[/sf SLittle V SBajwa hDR N 7Y '&i O M DATE 10/J2/98 10/ELJ98 f$/3/98 10/2< /98 l Official Record Copy l