ML070580143

Request for Additional Information Regarding the Relief Request No. CMP-020, Rev. 1

ML070580143
Person / Time
Site:	North Anna
Issue date:	02/27/2007
From:	Lingam S P NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLII-1
To:	Christian D A Virginia Electric & Power Co (VEPCO)
Lingam, Siva NRR/DORL 415-1564
References
TAC MD4007
Download: ML070580143 (5)

Text

February 27, 2007Mr. David A. ChristianSenior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Virginia Electric and Power Company Innsbrook Technical Center 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060-6711

SUBJECT:

NORTH ANNA POWER STATION, UNIT NO. 2, REQUEST FOR ADDITIONALINFORMATION (RAI) REGARDING THE RELIEF REQUEST NO. CMP-020, REVISION 1 (TAC NO. MD4007)

Dear Mr. Christian:

By letter dated January 9, 2007, Virginia Electric and Power Company (the licensee), submittedRelief Request CMP-020, Revision 1, associated with the partial examination of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) head-to-flange welds. The proposed relief request will allow a change in the inspection frequency and coverage of the RPV head-to-flange welds. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is reviewing the submittal and has determined that additional information is required to complete its evaluation.The NRC staff's RAI is enclosed. The licensee is requested to provide a response to the RAIwithin 30 days.Sincerely,/RA/Siva P. Lingam, Project ManagerPlant Licensing Branch II-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-339

Enclosure:

RAIcc w/encl: See next page

ML070580143 NRR-088OFFICENRR/LPL2-1/PMNRR/LPD2-1/LANRR/DCI/CVIB/BCNRR/LPL2-1/BCNAMESLingamMO'BrienMMitchellEMarinosDATE 2/26/07 2/26/07 2/12/07* 2/27/07 EnclosureREQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONREGARDING RELIEF REQUEST CMP-020, REVISION 1 REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD-TO-FLANGE WELDNORTH ANNA POWER STATION, UNIT NO. 2DOCKET NO. 50-339Relief Request (RR) No. CMP-020, Revision 1, is for the third 10-year inservice inspection (ISI)interval, in which the licensee adopted the 1995 edition through the 1996 addenda of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code, Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (Code),

Section XI as the ASME Code of record.In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50,Section 50.55a(a)(6)(i), the licensee submitted the North Anna Power Station, Unit 2, RR requesting approval to examine the accessible volumes of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) head-to-flange welds to the extent possible in lieu of the essentially 100% volume examination requirement specified in the ASME Code. In addition, the proposal included that the pre-service examinations already completed at the reduced coverage be counted as meeting the ASME Code requirements.It appears that, based on the stated alternative in the RR,Section V of the attachment tolicensee's letter dated January 9, 2007, that the licensee's intent is to use the pre-service examinations as an alternative for the scheduled second period, third 10-year ISI interval ASME Code,Section XI volumetric examinations. The purpose of the pre-service examinations is to establish a base line for the 10-year ISI interval ASME Code,Section XI examinations. Since the purpose of the periodical 10-year ISI interval ASME Code,Section XI examinations is to ensure that components are maintaining their structural integrity with respect to inservice degradation during a period of operation, the pre-service examinations can not be substituted for the periodical 10-year ISI interval ASME Code,Section XI examinations.In the licensee's cover letter dated January 9, 2007, the licensee stated that it is requesting arevision to the inspection frequency and coverage included in the RR (one third of the weld in each period) to reduce the impact of the RPV head inspection effort on the outage schedule. Clarify the stated proposed alternative in Section V of the attachment to licensee's letter datedJanuary 9, 2007, as compared to the alternative stated in the last paragraph on page 1 of the licensee's cover letter dated January 9, 2007.Section V (As Stated) The reactor pressure vessel head-to-flange weld will be examined in the third period tothe extent permitted by the configuration of the reactor pressure vessel closure head as radiologically practical. In addition, it is proposed that the pre-service examinations already completed at thereduced coverage be counted as meeting the [ASME] Code requirements.Last Paragraph on Page 1 of Licensee's Cover Letter Dated January 9, 2007 (As Stated)During the upcoming spring 2007 Unit 2 refueling outage (the last refueling outage ofthe second period of the third interval), the North Anna Unit 2 RPVH [RPV head] is scheduled for a bare metal visual examination of 100 percent of the RPV head surface (including 360° around each RPV head penetration nozzle) in accordance with the revised NRC order EA-003-009, dated February 20, 2004. A volumetric examination of the RPVH penetrations is also scheduled to be performed from under the head. Due to the amount of inspection activity scheduled for the head. Dominion is requesting a revision to the inspection frequency and coverage included in CMP-020 (one third of the weld in each period) to reduce the impact of the RPVH inspection effort on the outage schedule. The proposed frequency and coverage schedule is consistent with ASME Code Section IWB-2412(a) which allows one weld to be examined in any period during the interval. It is proposed that the inspection of the RPVH head-to-flange weld be completed in the third period of the third interval. The attached relief has been revised to include the modified inspection frequency and coverage.

North Anna Power Station, Units 1 & 2 cc:

Mr. David A. ChristianSenior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Virginia Electric and Power Company Innsbrook Technical Center 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060-6711Mr. C. Lee LintecumCounty Administrator Louisa County Post Office Box 160 Louisa, Virginia 23093Ms. Lillian M. Cuoco, Esq.Senior Counsel Dominion Resources Services, Inc.

Building 475, 5 th floorRope Ferry Road Waterford, Connecticut 06385Dr. W. T. LoughVirginia State Corporation Commission Division of Energy Regulation Post Office Box 1197 Richmond, Virginia 23218Old Dominion Electric Cooperative4201 Dominion Blvd.

Glen Allen, Virginia 23060Mr. Chris L. Funderburk, DirectorNuclear Licensing & Operations Support Dominion Resources Services, Inc.

Innsbrook Technical Center 5000 Dominion Blvd.

Glen Allen, Virginia 23060-6711Office of the Attorney GeneralCommonwealth of Virginia 900 East Main Street Richmond, Virginia 23219Senior Resident InspectorNorth Anna Power Station U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. O. Box 490 Mineral, Virginia 23117Mr. Daniel G. StoddardSite Vice President North Anna Power Station Virginia Electric and Power Company Post Office Box 402 Mineral, Virginia 23117-0402Dr. Robert B. Stroube, MD, MPHState Health Commissioner Office of the Commissioner Virginia Department of Health Post Office Box 2448 Richmond, Virginia 23218