ML060550452

2006/03/10-Request for Additional Information for the Review of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, License Renewal Application

ML060550452
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	03/10/2006
From:	Ashley D NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/RLRA
To:	Swenson C AmerGen Energy Co
Ashley D, NRR/DLR/RLRA, 415-3191
References
%dam200604, TAC MC7624
Download: ML060550452 (8)

Text

March 10, 2006 C. N. Swenson Site Vice President

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388

Forked River, NJ 08731-0388

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, LICENSE RENEWAL

APPLICATION (TAC NO. MC7624)

Dear Mr. Swenson:

By letter dated July 22, 2005, AmerGen Energy Com pany, LLC (AmerGen or the applicant) submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) an application

pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 54 (10 CFR Part 54), to renew the operating license for Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. The NRC staff is reviewing the

information contained in the license renewal application and has identified, in the enclosure, areas where additional information is needed to complete the review.

These questions were discussed with members of your staff during several conference calls throughout the week of February 12, 2006. A mutually agreeable date for a response is within

30 days from the date of this letter. If you have any questions, please contact me at

301-415-3191 or via e-mail at DJA1@nrc.gov

.Sincerely,/RA/Donnie J. Ashley, Project Manager License Renewal Branch A

Division of License Renewal

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-219

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: See next page

ML060550452 DOCUMENT NAME: C:\MyFiles\Copies\Oyster Creek RAI - Bolting-RPV- Stator.wpdOFFICEPM:RLRALA:DLRBC:RLRANAMEDAshleyYEdmondsLLundDATE03/ 07 /0603/ 10 /0603/ 10 /06

cc: Site Vice President - Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388

Forked River, NJ 08731 Senior Vice President of Operations

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Kathryn M. Sutton, Esquire Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP

1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004 Kent Tosch, Chief New Jersey Department of

Environmental Protection

Bureau of Nuclear Engineering

CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625 Vice President - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

4300 Winfield Road

Warrenville, IL 60555 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

475 Allendale Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Mayor of Lacey Township 818 West Lacey Road

Forked River, NJ 08731 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

P.O. Box 445

Forked River, NJ 08731 Director - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

Correspondence Control

P.O. Box 160

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Manager Licensing - Oyster Creek Exelon Generation Company, LLC

Correspondence Control

P.O. Box 160

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Regulatory Assurance Manager Oyster Creek

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388

Forked River, NJ 08731 Assistant General Counsel AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

200 Exelon Way

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Ron Bellamy, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

475 Allendale Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Correspondence Control Desk AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

200 Exelon Way, KSA 1--1

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Plant Manager

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

P.O. Box 388

Forked River, NJ 08731 License Renewal Manager Exelon Generation Company, LLC

200 Exelon Way, Suite 230

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:

Mr. James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Michael P. Gallagher Vice President License Renewal

Exelon Generation Company, LLC

200 Exelon Way, Suite 230

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mr. Christopher M. Crane President and Chief Nuclear Officer

AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

4300 Winifield Road

Warrenville, IL 60555 Ltr. to C.N. Swenson from Donnie Ashley dated: March 10, 2006

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, LICENSE RENEWAL

APPLICATION (TAC NO. MC7624)Adams Accession No.:

ML060550452 DISTRIBUTION

JFair RWeisman AMurphy RPettis GGalletti CLi GBagchi SSmith (srs3)

SDuraiswamy

YL (Renee) Li

RidsNrrDlr

RidsNrrDlrRlra

RidsNrrDlrRlrb

RidsNrrDe RidsNrrDci

RidsNrreEemb

RidsNrrDeEeeb

RidsNrrDeEqva

RidsNrrDss

RidsNrrDnrl

RidsOgcMailCenter

RidsNrrAdes

DLR Staff

---

DAshley VRodriguez

RLaufer GMiller RBellamy, RI

RCureton, RI

JLilliendahl, RI

MModes, RI MSykes, RI

AHodgdon DShum RidsOpaMail

RidsNrrDorl Enclosure OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (OCGS)

LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (LRA)

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI)

RAI B.1.12-1 The applicant states that "NUREG-1801 indicates that the program covers all bolting within the scope of license renewal including component support and structural bolting. The Oyster Creek

Bolting Integrity program does not address structural or component support bolting. The aging

management of structural bolting is addressed by the Structures Monitoring Program, B.1.31and ASME Section XI, Subsection IWE, B.1.27, addresses Primary Containment pressure bolting. Aging management of ASME Section XI Class 1, 2, and 3 and MC support members, is addressed by the ASME Section XI, Subsection IWF program, B.1.28."

The staff requests the applicant to discuss how these alternate programs meet the intent of the GALL Report and provide assurance of aging management for the component support and

structural bolting.

RAI B.2.3-1 In order to prevent corrosion of the components in the Generator Stator Cooling Water System, the applicant has to control several parameters characterizing its cooling water chemistry. By

maintaining these parameters within certain predetermined limits, corrosion of the system

components can be minimized.

The staff requests the applicant to provide the information concerning the following parameters:

1.Maximum allowable impurity limits in the generator stator cooling water.

2.Range of pH of the generator stator cooling water and how this pH is controlled.3.Concentrations of oxygen in the generator stator cooling water and how it is controlled.

4.Maximum acceptable value of conductivity of the generator stator cooling water.

5.If any of these parameters get outside of their prescribed range, how long would it take to bring them back into their operating range?

The staff also requests the applicant to address the following:

1.Was the generator stator cooling water chemistry during normal generator operation different from its chemistry during the prolonged periods of inactivity such as, for

example, during refueling outages? Please explain.2.What was the method used by the applicant for inspecting components in the generator stator cooling water system for corrosion? Please explain. 3.Has the presence of copper in the generator stator cooling water ever caused problems with maintaining generator field ground? Please explain.

RAI 2.3.1.6-1 In LRA Page 2.3-22, it was stated that the reactor vessel head spray nozzle is not required to support any intended functions delineated in the rule, and therefore, are not included within the

scope of license renewal. It was further stated that a safety assessment for this component was

performed and reported in Boiling Water Reactor Vessel and Internals Project (BWRVIP)-06.

The staff, however, could not locate the referenced safety assessment in the referenced

document. The staff requests the applicant to clarify.

RAI 2.3.1.7-1 In LRA Table 2.3.1.7, the component type, "Top Head Enclosure Vessel Flange Leak Detection Penetration" was listed as within scope subject to aging management review (AMR). However, it is not clear whether the tubes/pipes connected to the penetration were also included within

scope. The staff requests the applicant to confirm if the subject tubes/pipes were included in

the scope of license renewal; and if not included, the applicant should include the subject

components within scope requiring an AMR.

RAI 3.3.2.1.16-1 The GALL Report recognizes the possibility of the existence of aging effects in the Boral used in the spent fuel storage racks and the need for having a plant-specific aging management

program. However, in its submittal, the applicant has indicated that its plant degradation of the

Boral is insignificant and no aging management program is required. The applicant provided

several justifications for not having a management program. In order to verify, the staff requests the applicant to address the following: a)Please provide the following specifications of the Boral panels in the HOLTEC designed spent fuel racks: 1.Geometry of the Boral panels 2.Areal density of boron b)A detailed description of the Boral coupons and the tests performed on them during their examination is needed. Please provide a detailed description for the following:1. What was the location of coupons relative to the spent fuel racks?

2. How were the coupons mounted and were they fully exposed to the spent fuel pool water?3.What specific testing procedures and results were used for determining Boron-10 areal density? Verifying surface corrosion, if any, and examine for blister formation? 4.After removal from the pool for inspection (2 and 4 year exposures), were the coupons inserted back at the same locations in the pool? c)Although during the current examinations performed at Oyster Creek, the applicant did not discover any blisters on Boral panels, industry experience has indicated that during

longer exposure such blisters may form. Since formation of blisters may affect the

efficiency of the Boral panels to attenuate neutrons (through flux trap formation), and

may cause deformation of the fuel cells. The applicant should explain why in its plant it

will not be a safety concern.

RAI 2.3.3.36-1 In LRA Table 2.3.3.36 for the Shutdown Cooli ng System, heat exchangers for shutdown cooling were listed as component type within the scope of license renewal. However, for these heat

exchangers, leakage/pressure boundary were identified as the only intended functions requiring

aging management; but their heat transfer function was not listed. The staff believes that the

heat transfer function should also be identified as one of the intended functions of the

component type, so that appropriate aging management programs (AMPs) will be designated, such that there will be a reasonable assurance that this safety-related function of the

component type does not degrade over the extended period of operation. The staff requests

the applicant to clarify why the heat transfer function of the shutdown cooling heat exchangers, in addition to leakage/pressure boundary functions, was not identified as one of the intended

functions which needs to be preserved during the extended period of operation.