ML061560081

(BVPS-1 and 2) - Inservice Inspection (ISI) Program, Request for Relief No. BV3-RV-1 Request for Additional Information (RAI) (TAC Nos. MD1135 and MD1136)

ML061560081
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley
Issue date:	06/08/2006
From:	Colburn T Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Lash J FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co
Colburn T, NRR/DLPM, 415-1402
References
TAC MD1135, TAC MD1136
Download: ML061560081 (6)

Text

June 8, 2006 Mr. James H. Lash Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station P.O. Box 4 Shippingport, PA 15077

SUBJECT:

BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 (BVPS-1 AND 2) -

INSERVICE INSPECTION (ISI) PROGRAM, REQUEST FOR RELIEF NO.

BV3-RV-1 REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI) (TAC NOS.

MD1135 AND MD1136)

Dear Mr. Lash:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has evaluated your April 7, 2006, subject request for relief from the requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,Section XI, to perform an alternative remote mechanized examination for reactor vessel shell-to-flange welds during the third 10-year ISI interval for BVPS-1 and the second 10-year ISI interval for BVPS-2. The NRC staff requires the additional information contained in the enclosed RAI in order to complete its review. As discussed with your staff, we request you respond no later than July 14, 2006, in order for the NRC staff to complete its review per your requested schedule.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1402.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Timothy G. Colburn, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-334 and 50-412

Enclosure:

RAI cc w/encl: See next page

June 8, 2006 Mr. James H. Lash Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station P.O. Box 4 Shippingport, PA 15077

SUBJECT:

BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 (BVPS-1 AND 2) -

INSERVICE INSPECTION (ISI) PROGRAM, REQUEST FOR RELIEF NO.

BV3-RV-1 REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI) (TAC NOS.

MD1135 AND MD1136)

Dear Mr. Lash:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has evaluated your April 7, 2006, subject request for relief from the requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,Section XI, to perform an alternative remote mechanized examination for reactor vessel shell-to-flange welds during the third 10-year ISI interval for BVPS-1 and the second 10-year ISI interval for BVPS-2. The NRC staff requires the additional information contained in the enclosed RAI in order to complete its review. As discussed with your staff, we request you respond no later than July 14, 2006, in order for the NRC staff to complete its review per your requested schedule.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1402.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Timothy G. Colburn, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-334 and 50-412

Enclosure:

RAI cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC LPLI-1 R/F RidsNrrDorlLpla RidsNrrPMTColburn RidsOgc Rp RidsNrrCvib RidsNrrLASLittle RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RBellamy, RI RidsNrrDpr AShaikh ACCESSION NO. ML061560081 *Input received. No substantive changes made.

OFFICE LPLI-1/PM LPLI-1/LA CVIB/BC LPLI-1/BC NAME TColburn SLittle MMitchell* RLaufer DATE 6/07/06 6/08/06 06/02/06 6/08/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANY (FENOC) 10-YEAR INTERVAL INSERVICE INSPECTION (ISI) PROGRAMS REQUEST FOR RELIEF NO. BV3-RV-1 BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 (BVPS-1 AND 2)

DOCKET NOS. 50-334 AND 50-412 1.0 SCOPE By letter dated April 7, 2006, FENOC (the licensee) submitted Relief Request No. BV3-RV-1, from the requirements of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code),Section XI, non-destructive examination (NDE) requirements for BVPS-1 and 2.

The request for relief is for the third 10-year ISI interval for BVPS-1 and second 10-year ISI interval for BVPS-2, in which BVPS-1 and 2 have adopted the 1989 Edition no Addenda of the ASME Code, Sections XI and V as the examination code of record.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 50, Section 50.55a(a)(3)(i), the licensee has requested relief from using the techniques of Section V, Article 4, as supplemented by Section XI, Appendix I, and augmented by Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.150, Revision 1, when performing volumetric examinations of the reactor vessel shell-to-flange welds.

The licensee stated in the subject request for relief that the prescriptive, amplitude-based ultrasonic examination techniques of Section V, Article 4, supplemented by Appendix I, and augmented by RG 1.150, Revision 1 (hereafter referred to as Article 4), are technically inferior to the performance-based techniques specified in the ASME Code 1995 Edition with 1996 Addenda of Section IX, Appendix VIII, Supplements 4 and 6, as modified by 10 CFR 50.55a(b)(2)(xv), and demonstrated through the Electric Power Research Institute Performance Demonstration Initiative Program (Appendix VIII). Furthermore, the licensee states that performance-based techniques of Appendix VIII are required for all other reactor vessel shell weld examinations, having replaced the Article 4 techniques.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff reviewed the information submitted by the licensee, and based on this review, determined that further information is required to complete the evaluation.

2.0 REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Please provide the interval between the last inspection and the proposed inspection schedule for both BVPS-1 and 2.

Enclosure

2. Please provide an analysis of round robin test results, in particular PISC II, to support the licensees claim of greater sizing accuracy and defect sensitivity using performance-based tip diffraction techniques qualified by Appendix VIII, Supplements 4 and 6.

Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2

cc:

Gary R. Leidich Vice President President and Chief Nuclear Officer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station Mail Stop A-GO-19 Mail Stop A-BV-SEB1 76 South Main Street P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Akron, OH 44308 Shippingport, PA 15077 Joseph J. Hagan Lew W. Myers Senior Vice President of Operations Executive Vice President, Special Projects and Chief Operating Officer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station Mail Stop A-GO-14 Mail Stop A-BV-SGRP 76 South Main Street P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Akron, OH 44308 Shippingport, PA 15077 Danny L. Pace Manager, Site Regulatory Compliance Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station Mail Stop A-GO-14 Mail Stop A-BV-A 76 South Main Street P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Akron, OH 44308 Shippingport, PA 15077 Jeannie M. Rinckel Commissioner James R. Lewis Vice President, Fleet Oversight West Virginia Division of Labor FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company 749-B, Building No. 6 Mail Stop A-GO-14 Capitol Complex 76 South Main Street Charleston, WV 25305 Akron, OH 44308 Director, Utilities Department David W. Jenkins, Attorney Public Utilities Commission FirstEnergy Corporation 180 East Broad Street Mail Stop A-GO-18 Columbus, OH 43266-0573 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Director, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Manager, Fleet Licensing 2605 Interstate Dr.

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Harrisburg, PA 17110-9364 Mail Stop A-GHE-107 395 Ghent Road Ohio EPA-DERR Akron, OH 44333 ATTN: Zack A. Clayton P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43266-0149 James H. Lash

Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (continued) cc:

Dr. Judith Johnsrud Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803 Director Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Mayor of the Borough of Shippingport P.O. Box 3 Shippingport, PA 15077 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 298 Shippingport, PA 15077