ML16019A081

NRC Response Letter to D. Grinnell, Re Seabrook Emails

ML16019A081
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	01/19/2016
From:	Fred Bower Reactor Projects Branch 3
To:	Grinnell D C-10 Research & Education Foundation
BOWER, FL
Shared Package
ML15341A104	List: ML15341A106 ML15342A349 ML16019A081
References
2015-SST-0269
Download: ML16019A081 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD., SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 January 19, 2016 Ms. Debbie Grinnell Research Advocate C-10 Research and Education Foundation, Inc.

44 Merrimac Street Newburyport, MA 01950

Dear Ms. Grinnell:

In response to the questions you raised in your December 3, 2015 email (ML15341A106),

please see the publically available documents referenced in the following. The information we have retained regarding NextEras conduct of core sampling locations and material testing as part of their initial characterization of Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) in affected Seabrook Nuclear Plant structures is described in these documents.

Detailed information provided by NextEra to the NRC on core sampling locations and material tests can be found in a submittal dated May 2012 (See Section 3.1, Examination and Testing of Cores (ML12151A397)). Additional information was provided by NextEra during a public meeting in April 2012. That slide presentation is available at ML121160422.

The NRCs review of NextEras actions to address structures affected by ASR, including their core sampling and material testing, are documented in two NRC inspection reports dated December 3, 2012, (ML12338A283) and August 8, 2013 (ML13221A172). Our 2012 report documents that the NRC determined NextEra's methods for assessing operability of ASR-affected reinforced concrete structures were reasonable and generally comprehensive.

Specially, the NRC determined NextEra staff conducted a margins analysis, using bounding ASR-affected concrete properties derived from research data, to demonstrate that Seabrook structures remained operable. Core material test sample results provided insights, but the values were not used in these analyses because NextEra staff concluded the results may not be representative or conservative. Our 2013 inspection report, Section 9.2, described our review of the cores and testing completed and acknowledged our understanding that NextEra planned to perform further core removal and testing to relate their large scale test program results to the condition in Seabrook structures affected by ASR.

D. Grinnell As part of our ongoing license renewal review process, regarding adequate material aging management measures for safe operation during the period of extended operation, NextEra submitted for NRC review details as to how they intend to relate their large scale test results to the actual conditions of Seabrook structures using core sampling and material testing.

NextEras submittal dated June 30, 2015 (ML15183A023) summarized their criteria and number of proposed core locations and tests. In response to NRC staff questions dated October 2, 2015 (ML15251A333), NextEra submitted an update to their plans, including changes to the criteria for identifying core locations in the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant (See NextEra submittal dated December 3, 2015 (ML15343A470)). The adequacy of NextEras plans for core locations, sampling and material testing remain under NRC staff review. In addition, the staff conducted an audit of the large scale testing at the University of Texas - Austin in October 2015 (ML15287A017) and the resulting audit report was issued in December 2015 (ML15337A047).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Fred L. Bower, III, Chief Projects Branch 3 Division of Reactor Projects

ML16019A081 SUNSI Review Non-Sensitive Publicly Available Sensitive Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP RI/DRS RI/HQ RI/DRS RI/DRP TTran/ RSB CONCU NAME RBarkley/ RSB WCook/ FLB for MGray/ MG FBower/ FLB RRED VIA EMAIL DATE 01/ 13 /16 01/ 13 /16 01/ 13 /16 01/ 13 /16 01/14 /16 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD., SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 January 19, 2016 Ms. Debbie Grinnell Research Advocate C-10 Research and Education Foundation, Inc.

44 Merrimac Street Newburyport, MA 01950

Dear Ms. Grinnell:

In response to the questions you raised in your December 3, 2015 email (ML15341A106),

please see the publically available documents referenced in the following. The information we have retained regarding NextEras conduct of core sampling locations and material testing as part of their initial characterization of Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) in affected Seabrook Nuclear Plant structures is described in these documents.

Detailed information provided by NextEra to the NRC on core sampling locations and material tests can be found in a submittal dated May 2012 (See Section 3.1, Examination and Testing of Cores (ML12151A397)). Additional information was provided by NextEra during a public meeting in April 2012. That slide presentation is available at ML121160422.

The NRCs review of NextEras actions to address structures affected by ASR, including their core sampling and material testing, are documented in two NRC inspection reports dated December 3, 2012, (ML12338A283) and August 8, 2013 (ML13221A172). Our 2012 report documents that the NRC determined NextEra's methods for assessing operability of ASR-affected reinforced concrete structures were reasonable and generally comprehensive.

Specially, the NRC determined NextEra staff conducted a margins analysis, using bounding ASR-affected concrete properties derived from research data, to demonstrate that Seabrook structures remained operable. Core material test sample results provided insights, but the values were not used in these analyses because NextEra staff concluded the results may not be representative or conservative. Our 2013 inspection report, Section 9.2, described our review of the cores and testing completed and acknowledged our understanding that NextEra planned to perform further core removal and testing to relate their large scale test program results to the condition in Seabrook structures affected by ASR.

D. Grinnell As part of our ongoing license renewal review process, regarding adequate material aging management measures for safe operation during the period of extended operation, NextEra submitted for NRC review details as to how they intend to relate their large scale test results to the actual conditions of Seabrook structures using core sampling and material testing.

NextEras submittal dated June 30, 2015 (ML15183A023) summarized their criteria and number of proposed core locations and tests. In response to NRC staff questions dated October 2, 2015 (ML15251A333), NextEra submitted an update to their plans, including changes to the criteria for identifying core locations in the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant (See NextEra submittal dated December 3, 2015 (ML15343A470)). The adequacy of NextEras plans for core locations, sampling and material testing remain under NRC staff review. In addition, the staff conducted an audit of the large scale testing at the University of Texas - Austin in October 2015 (ML15287A017) and the resulting audit report was issued in December 2015 (ML15337A047).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Fred L. Bower, III, Chief Projects Branch 3 Division of Reactor Projects

ML16019A081 SUNSI Review Non-Sensitive Publicly Available Sensitive Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP RI/DRS RI/HQ RI/DRS RI/DRP TTran/ RSB CONCU NAME RBarkley/ RSB WCook/ FLB for MGray/ MG FBower/ FLB RRED VIA EMAIL DATE 01/ 13 /16 01/ 13 /16 01/ 13 /16 01/ 13 /16 01/14 /16