ML072480004
| ML072480004 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 09/07/2007 |
| From: | Catherine Haney Plant Licensing Branch III-2 |
| To: | Sheppard J J South Texas |
| Thadani, M C, NRR/DORL/LP4, 415-1476 | |
| References | |
| TAC MD4186, NRR-07-009 | |
| Download: ML072480004 (6) | |
Text
September 7, 2007Mr. James J. SheppardPresident and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483
SUBJECT:
SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNIT 1 - EVALUATION OF FINITE ELEMENTANALYSIS IN SUPPORT OF ALLOY 82/182 PRESSURIZER BUTT WELD INSPECTIONS IN 2008 AS PROVIDED BY CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER NRR-07-009 (TAC NO. MD4186)
Dear Mr. Sheppard:
On March 27, 2007, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued ConfirmatoryAction Letter (CAL) No. NRR-07-009 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML070790336) regarding dissimilar metal welds in the pressurizer surge, spray, and safety/relief nozzle-to-safe end welds at South Texas Project (STP), Unit 1. The CAL and the supporting commitment letter (ADAMS AccessionNo. ML070600123) indicate that inspection and mitigation actions may be conducted duringyour spring 2008 refueling outage, contingent on the industry providing an analysis thatdemonstrates an acceptable level of safety to the NRC for the operation of these welds untilspring 2008. This letter acknowledges receipt of your letter dated August 6, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML072410198), informing the NRC that the analysis referred to by this CAL andthe supporting commitment letter has been completed, and that the analysis is applicable to your plant.The NRC received MRP-216, Rev. 1, "Materials Reliability Program: Advanced FEA [FiniteElement 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, the NRC concludes that the analysis provides adequate justification to permit inspections during yourspring 2008 refueling outage, and that the analysis is applicable to STP, Unit 1. The results of the staff's review are contained in a safety assessment dated August 31, 2007 (ADAMSAccession No. ML072400199), and the associated contractor report (ADAMS Accession No. ML072470394). Based on the above, the NRC concludes that a plant shutdown by December 31, 2007, is nolonger required. Therefore, the pressurizer spray, and safety/relief nozzle-to-safe end Alloy 82/182 butt weld inspections for STP, Unit 1 must be performed prior to exiting your scheduled spring 2008 refueling outage. All other requirements of the CAL and the supporting commitment letter regarding enhanced inspection and leakage monitoring requirements for thereactor coolant system and associated reports remain valid.
J. J. Sheppard-2-The CAL will remain open until all CAL commitments pertaining to STP, Unit 1 are complete. Current NRC guidance regarding CALs is contained in the NRC Enforcement Policyand 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 orEnforcement 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 theNRC'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/Catherine Haney, Director Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-498 cc: See next page
ML072480004OFFICEDCI/CPNBDCI/CPNBLPL4/PMLPL4/LALPL4/BCNAMETLupoldTChanMThadaniJBurkhardtThiltz, BKS for DATE9/6/079/6/079/6/079/6/079/6/07 OFFICEDCI/DDRP/D, RGN4DORL/D NAMEMEvansDChamberlainCHaney DATE9/7/079/7/07 Wjones for9/7/07 March 2007South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2 cc:Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483C. M. CanadyCity of Austin Electric Utility Department 721 Barton Springs Road Austin, TX 78704 J. J. Nesrsta/R. K. TempleE. Alercon/Kevin Pollo City Public Service Board P.O. Box 1771 San Antonio, TX 78296INPORecords Center 700 Galleria Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339-3064Regional Administrator, Region IVU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011Steve Winn/Christie JacobsEddy Daniels/Marty Ryan NRC Energy, Inc.
211 Carnegie Center Princeton, NJ 08540Judge, Matagorda CountyMatagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Bay City, TX 77414A. H. Gutterman, Esq.Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004E. D. HalpinSite Vice President STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483S. M. Head, Manager, LicensingSTP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 Wadsworth, TX 77483C. T. BowmanGeneral Manager, Oversight STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O Box 389 Wadsworth, TX 77483Marilyn KistlerSr. Staff Specialist, Licensing STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289, Mail Code 5014 Wadsworth, TX 77483Environmental and Natural ResourcesPolicy Director P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711-3189Jon C. WoodCox, Smith, & Matthews 112 East Pecan, Suite 1800 San Antonio, TX 78205DirectorDivision of Compliance & Inspection Bureau of Radiation Control Texas Department of State Health Services 1100 West 49th Street Austin, TX 78756South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2 March 2007 cc:Mr. Ted Enos 4200 South Hulen Suite 422 Ft. Worth, TX 76109Brian AlmonPublic Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701-3326Susan M. JablonskiOffice of Permitting, Remediation and Registration Texas Commission on Environmental Quality MC-122 P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087Ken CoatesPlant General Manager STP Nuclear Operating Company South Texas Project Electric Generating Station P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483Mr. Terry Parks, Chief InspectorTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation Boiler Division P.O. Box 12157 Austin, TX 78711