ML050120357

Request for Relief from ASME Code Repair Requirements and Using an Alternative for the Pressurizer Nozzle Repair.

ML050120357
Person / Time
Site:	Fort Calhoun
Issue date:	02/28/2005
From:	Gramm R NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4
To:	Ridenoure R Omaha Public Power District
Wang A, NRR/DLPM, 415-1445
References
TAC MC0196
Download: ML050120357 (4)

Text

February 28, 2005 Mr. R. T. Ridenoure Division Manager - Nuclear Operations Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station, FC-2-4 Adm.

P.O. Box 550 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0550

SUBJECT:

FORT CALHOUN STATION, UNIT NO. 1 - REQUEST FOR RELIEF FROM ASME CODE REPAIR REQUIREMENTS AND USING AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PRESSURIZER NOZZLE REPAIR (TAC NO. MC0196)

Dear Mr. Ridenoure:

By letter dated July 25, 2003, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD/the licensee) requested relief from American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code repair requirements for its TE-108 pressurizer temperature nozzle weld repair for the Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1 (FCS).

In response to our request for additional information dated March 16, 2004, the licensee provided additional information on April 29, 2004. After discussions with the staff, OPPD provided a revised response dated September 30, 2004. By letter dated February 23, 2005, OPPD revised its request to reflect that the relief is only needed until the pressurizer is replaced in the fall of 2006. OPPD has cited Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.55a(a)(3)(ii) as the basis for requesting relief. As an alternative to an ASME Code repair, OPPD has proposed to use a flaw evaluation to justify leaving the flaw in the J-groove weld.

This flaw evaluation is based on the acceptance criteria of ASME Code,Section XI, IWB-3612, Acceptance Criteria Based on Applied Stress Intensity Factor.

The staff has determined that the FCS can be operated until the replacement of the pressurizer in the Fall of 2006 since the calculated applied stress intensity factor for the final flaw, considering six years crack growth, meets the IWB-3612 criteria for all loading conditions. The licensee has demonstrated that compliance with the ASME Code requirements would result in hardship or unusual difficulty without a compensating increase in the level of quality and safety.

Therefore, the licensees proposed alternative is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii) for leaving the flaw in-place in the J-groove weld of the pressurizer.

The staffs evaluation and conclusions are contained in the enclosed safety evaluation (SE).

Pursuant to Section 2.390 of 10 CFR, we have determined that the enclosed SE does not contain proprietary information. However, we will delay placing the SE in the public document room for a period of ten working days from the date of this letter to provide you with the opportunity to comment on the proprietary aspects. If you believe that any information in the enclosure is proprietary, please identify such information line-by-line and define the basis pursuant to the criteria of 10 CFR 2.390.

R. Ridenoure If you have any questions, please contact Alan Wang at (301) 415-1445. This closes TAC No. MC0196.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Robert A. Gramm, Chief, Section 2 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-285

Enclosure:

Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: See next page

ML050120357

• Memo dated NRR-028 OFFICE PDIV-2/PM PDIV-2/LA EMCB

• OGC Nlo PDIV-2/SC NAME AWang:sp LFeizollahi SCoffin APHoefling RGramm DATE 1/27/05 1/27/05 12/22/04 2/7/05 2/28/05 DOCUMENT NAME: E:\Filenet\ML050120357.wpd

Ft. Calhoun Station, Unit 1 cc:

Winston & Strawn Mr. Daniel K. McGhee ATTN: James R. Curtiss, Esq. Bureau of Radiological Health 1400 L Street, N.W. Iowa Department of Public Health Washington, DC 20005-3502 401 SW 7th Street, Suite D Des Moines, IA 50309 Chairman Washington County Board of Supervisors Mr. Richard P. Clemens P.O. Box 466 Division Manager - Nuclear Assessments Blair, NE 68008 Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station Mr. John Hanna, Resident Inspector P.O. Box 550 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0550 P.O. Box 310 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4005 Ms. Sue Semerera, Section Administrator Nebraska Health and Human Services Systems Division of Public Health Assurance Consumer Services Section 301 Cententiall Mall, South P.O. Box 95007 Lincoln, NE 68509-5007 Mr. David J. Bannister, Manager Fort Calhoun Station Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station FC-1-1 Plant P.O. Box 550 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0550 Mr. John B. Herman Manager - Nuclear Licensing Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station FC-2-4 Adm.

P.O. Box 550 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0550