ML080740353

Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 - Evaluation of New Information Related to Alloy 82/182 Pressurizer Butt Weld Inspections Confirmatory Action Letter NRR-07-006 (TAC MD7293)

ML080740353
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	03/14/2008
From:	Catherine Haney Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Entergy Operations
Kalyanam N, NRR/DORL/LPL4, 415-1480
References
TAC MD7293, NRR-07-006
Download: ML080740353 (4)

Text

March 14, 2008

Vice President, Operations Entergy Operations, Inc. Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 17265 River Road Killona, LA 70057-3093

SUBJECT:

WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3 - EVALUATION OF NEW INFORMATION RELATED TO ALLOY 82/182 PRESSURIZER BUTT WELD INSPECTIONS RE: CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER NRR-07-006 (TAC NO. MD7293)

Dear Sir or Madam:

On March 20, 2007, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) No. NRR-07-006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML070710563) regarding dissimilar metal welds in the pressurizer surge, spray, and safety/relief nozzle-to-safe end welds at Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Waterford 3). The CAL and the supporting commitment letter (ADAMS Accession No. ML070590205) indicate that inspection and mitigation actions may be conducted during your spring 2008 refueling outage, contingent on the industry providing an analysis that demonstrates an acceptable level of safety to the NRC for the operation of these welds until spring 2008.

The NRC received MRP-216, Rev. 1, "Materials Reliability Program: Advanced FEA [Finite Element Analysis] Evaluation of Growth of Postulated Circumferential PWSCC [Primary Water Stress-Corrosion Cracking] Flaws in Pressurizer Nozzle Dissimilar Metal Welds," on August 13, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072410235). Based on our review of this report, NRC concluded that the analysis provided adequate justification to permit inspections during your spring 2008 refueling outage, and that the analysis was applicable to Waterford 3. On September 7, 2007, the NRC issued a letter to Entergy Operations, Inc. (ADAMS Accession No. ML072490169), informing you that a plant shutdown by December 31, 2007, was no longer needed and Waterford 3 could continue to operate until the spring 2008 outage.

On March 4, 2008, the NRC became aware of emerging information regarding certain welds in nozzles on a retired pressurizer from a pressurized-water reactor facility. This was related to new reports (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML080701017 and ML080701020) on weld examinations of those nozzles. This information raised questions regarding the technical basis for the September 7, 2007, letter. The NRC dispatched technical experts in non-destructive examination to independently review industry analyses and actions regarding this matter. On March 13, 2008, a public meeting was held in NRC Headquarters, Rockville, MD, with representatives of the eight licensees whose plants had not yet shut down for spring 2008 outages and who are subject to commitments to inspect or mitigate similar welds during spring 2008 outages.

The NRC has evaluated the non-destructive automated phased array ultrasonic examination performed since March 4, 2008, and concluded there is reasonable assurance that there is no structurally significant service-related degradation in those nozzles that would alter the conclusions provided in our letter dated September 7, 2007, that allowed continued operation of Waterford 3 until the spring 2008 refueling outage. The NRC will continue to evaluate new information as it becomes available. All other requirements of the CAL and the supporting commitment letter regarding enhanced inspection and leakage monitoring requirements for the reactor coolant system and associated reports remain valid.

The CAL will remain open until all CAL commitments pertaining to Waterford 3 are complete.

Current NRC guidance regarding CALs is contained in the NRC Enforcement Policy and the NRC Enforcement Manual, which are available at the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement.html (click on Enforcement Policy or Enforcement Guidance) or by contacting the Government Printing Office (GPO) toll-free at 1-888-293-6498. The GPO is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays).

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2, Section 390, of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRC's document system (ADAMS),

accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html. Sincerely, /RA by Tim McGinty for/

Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-382 cc: See next page

ML080740353 (*) by e-mail (**) see previous concurrence NRR-106 OFFICE DCI/CPNB DCI/CPNB/BC DORL/LPL4/PM DORL/LPL4/LA NAME TSullivan (**) TChan (**) NKalyanam (**) JBurkhardt (**) DATE 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 OFFICE DORL/LPL4/BC NRR/DCI/D DRP/D, R-III NRR/DORL/D NAME THiltz (**) MEvans (**) DChamberlain (*) Chaney, TJM for DATE 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 3/14/08 Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (2/25/08) cc: Senior Vice President Entergy Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Vice President, Oversight Entergy Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Senior Manager, Nuclear Safety & Licensing Entergy Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995

Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Entergy Operations, Inc. P.O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Associate General Counsel Entergy Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 31995 Jackson, MS 39286-1995 Manager, Licensing Entergy Operations, Inc. Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 17265 River Road Killona, LA 70057-3093 Mr. Timothy Pflieger Environmental Scientist - Supervisor REP&R-CAP-SPOC Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality P.O. Box 4312 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4312

Parish President Council St. Charles Parish P.O. Box 302 Hahnville, LA 70057 Chairman Louisiana Public Services Commission P.O. Box 91154 Baton Rouge, LA 70825-1697 Mr. Richard Penrod, Senior Environmental Scientist/State Liaison Officer Office of Environmental Services Northwestern State University Russell Hall, Room 201 Natchitoches, LA 71497

Resident Inspector Waterford NPS P.O. Box 822 Killona, LA 70057-0751

Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011