ML17135A252

Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 - Staff Evaluation of the Reactor Vessel Internals Aging Management Program

ML17135A252
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	06/02/2017
From:	Williams S A Plant Licensing Branch II
To:	Hutto J J Southern Nuclear Operating Co
Williams S A
References
CAC MF8730, CAC MF8731
Download: ML17135A252 (17)

Text

Mr. James Regulatory Affairs Director June 2, 2017 Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. P.O. Box 1295 /Bin 038 Birmingham, AL 35201-1295

SUBJECT: JOSEPH M. FARLEY NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 -STAFF EVALUATION OF THE REACTOR VESSEL INTERNALS AGING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (CAC NOS. MF8730 AND MF8731)

Dear Mr. Hutto:

By letter dated August 12, 2015, as supplemented by letter dated February 13, 2017, Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., (SNC, the licensee) submitted a reactor vessel internals (RVI) aging management program (AMP) for the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant (FNP), Units 1 and 2. The licensee submitted the RVI AMP with the intent to meet the license renewal Commitment No. 6 addressed in Appendix A of NUREG-1825, "Safety Evaluation Report Related to the License Renewal of the Joseph M. Farley, Units 1 and 2." The RVI AMP is based on Electric Power Research Institute Technical Report No. 1022863 "Materials Reliability Program: Pressurized Water Reactor Internals Inspection and Evaluation Guidelines (MRP-227-A)." The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's review of the FNP, Units 1 and 2, RVI AMP is provided in the enclosed staff evaluation. The NRC staff concludes that the licensee has adequately addressed Action Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. However, Action Item 7 remains open. Action Item 7 requires licensees of Westinghouse reactors to develop plant-specific analyses applied for their facilities to demonstrate that cast austenitic stainless steel lower support columns will maintain their function during the period of extended operation. By letter dated February 13, 2017, the licensee stated in its response to Request for Additional Information (RAl)-2, that the industry revised the Pressurized Water Reactor Owner's Group (PWROG)-14048-P report, which includes additional analysis that confirms that with the exception of one unit, all Combustion Engineering (CE) and Westinghouse units are bounded by the revised analysis. In a letter dated March 1, 2017, the PWROG submitted this report to the NRC staff. The NRC staff is currently reviewing this report for its validity in providing adequate bounding functionality analyses for CE and Westinghouse fleets (with the exception of one unit). The NRC staff's review of the PWROG-14048-P report will be used in assessing the applicability of the report for FNP units. Therefore, Action Item 7 will remain open until the staff completes its assessment of PWROG-14048-P report. The NRC staff's evaluation of the RVI AMP does not reduce, alter, or otherwise affect the current American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler Pressure &Vessel Code,Section XI, lnservice Inspection (ISi) requirements, or any specific licensing requirements related to ISi. The licensee must follow the implementation requirements as defined in Section 7.0, "Implementation Requirements," of MRP-227-A, which require that the NRC be notified of any deviations from the "needed" requirements. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact the Project Manager, Shawn Williams, at 301-415-1009 or by e-mail at Shawn.Williams@nrc.gov. Docket Nos. 50-348 and 50-364

Enclosure:

Staff Evaluation cc w/enclosure: Distribution via Listserv

Sincerely,Shawn A. Williams, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch 11-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation