ML091340727

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Response to January 6, 2009 Letter to Chairman Klein Regarding the Three Dimensional Finite Elements Analysis of the Oyster Creek Drywell Shell Submitted by Exelon Nuclear on January 22,2009
ML091340727
Person / Time
Site: Oyster Creek
Issue date: 05/18/2009
From: Brian Holian
Division of License Renewal
To: Webster R
Eastern Environmental Law Ctr
REGNER, L M, DLR/RPB2, 415-1906
Shared Package
ML091340736 List:
References
CLI-09-07
Download: ML091340727 (6)


Text

May 18, 2009 Mr. Richard Webster, Esq.

Eastern Environmental Law Center 744 Broad Street, Suite 1525 Newark, NJ 07102

SUBJECT:

RESPONSE TO JANUARY 6, 2009, LETTER TO CHAIRMAN KLEIN REGARDING THE THREE DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE OYSTER CREEK DRYWELL SHELL SUBMITTED BY EXELON NUCLEAR ON JANUARY 22, 2009

Dear Mr. Webster:

I am writing in response to your January 26, 2009, letter to Chairman Klein regarding the three dimensional finite element analysis (3-D FEA) of the Oyster Creek drywell shell submitted by Exelon Nuclear on January 22, 2009, and as directed by the Commission in their April 1, 2009, Memorandum and Order (CLI-09-07). We have considered your points in the context of our review. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff (NRC or the staff) has completed its review of Exelons submittal consistent with the Commissions direction to use its expertise and engineering judgment to scrutinize carefully, Exelons compliance as part of its oversight responsibilities. Our assessment and evaluation of 3-D FEA is reflected in the attached report, available in the Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession Number ML091310413.

The staff completed its review of the 3-D FEA utilizing structural engineering experts and senior staff members to scrutinize Exelons submittal in light of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) decision (LBP-07-17), Judge Barratas separate opinion, the ASLB advisory opinion, and the Commissions Memorandum and Order. The staff determined that Exelons use of the modified capacity reduction factor (CRF) was adequately supported and results in a conservative best estimate of the margin of safety for the drywell shell. The specific use of the modified CRF in accordance with Dr. Clarence Millers tests regarding stresses in spherical components such as the drywell shell, as used by Exelon in their analysis, has been formally adopted for the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Code Case N-759, Alternative Rules for Determining Allowable External Pressure and Compressive Stresses for Cylinders, Cones, Spheres, and Formed Heads.

The staff determined that Exelons sensitivity analyses were performed using good engineering practices and judgment and that the sensitivity analyses adequately evaluated the effect of the size of the thinned areas on the ASME Code margins. As discussed in the attachment, three separate analyses of Oyster Creeks drywell shell have demonstrated that the ASME Code margins are met. Further, two independent reviews of the 3-D FEA, including the attached staffs assessment, have determined that Exelon performed a modern analysis in compliance with the ASME code and adequately analyzed the sensitivity cases for the drywell shell. The staff plans to brief the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards on this subject in September of this year.

R. Webster If you have questions or concerns regarding this letter or the attached assessment of the 3-D FEA, please contact Mr. Kamal Manoly of the Division of Engineering staff at 301-415-2765.

Mr. Manoly and other NRC staff are planning to be available to discuss these issues at the NRC Annual Assessment Meeting for Oyster Creek on May 28, 2009.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Brian E. Holian, Director Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-219

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: See next page

ML091340736 (Pkg) ML091340727 (Ltr.) ML091350358 (Encls.)

OFFICE PM:RPB1:DLR LA:DLR OGC BC:RPB1:DLR D:DLR NAME LLund YEdmonds BHarris DPelton BHolian DATE 05/18/09 05/18/09 05/18/09 05/18/09 05/18/09 Letter to Richard Webster from Brian E. Holian dated May 18, 2009

SUBJECT:

RESPONSE TO JANUARY 6, 2009 LETTER TO CHAIRMAN KLEIN REGARDING THREE DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE OYSTER CREEK DRYWELL SHELL SUBMITTED BY EXELON NUCLEAR ON JANUARY 22, 2009 DISTRIBUTION:

HARD COPY:

LLund DPelton LRegner DLR RF EMAIL:

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Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:

Site Vice President - Oyster Creek Senior Resident Inspector Nuclear Generating Station U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission AmerGen Energy Company, LLC P.O. Box 445 P.O. Box 388 Forked River, NJ 08731 Forked River, NJ 08731 Director - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Senior Vice President- Operations Support AmerGen Energy Company, LLC AmerGen Energy Company, LLC Correspondence Control 4300 Winfield Road P.O. Box 160 Warrenville, IL 60555 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Kathryn M. Sutton, Esquire Manager Licensing - Oyster Creek Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP Exelon Generation Company, LLC 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Correspondence Control Washington, DC 20004 P.O. Box 160 Kennett Square, PA 19348 Patrick Mulligan, Chief Bureau of Nuclear Engineering Ron Bellamy, Region I New Jersey Department of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Environmental Protection 475 Allendale Road 25 Arctic Parkway King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Ewing, NJ 08638 Correspondence Control Desk Vice President - Licensing and AmerGen Energy Company, LLC Regulatory Affairs 200 Exelon Way, KSA 1-N-1 AmerGen Energy Company, LLC Kennett Square, PA 19348 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555 Plant Manager Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Regional Administrator, Region I AmerGen Energy Company, LLC U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 388 475 Allendale Road Forked River, NJ 08731 King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Associate General Counsel Mayor of Lacey Township Exelon Generation Company, LLC 818 West Lacey Road 4300 Winfield Road Forked River, NJ 08731 Warrenville, IL 60555 Manager Regulatory Assurance Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Oyster Creek Generating Station AmerGen Energy Company, LLC AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road P.O. Box 388 Warrenville, IL 60555 Forked River, NJ 08731

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station cc:

Senior Vice President - Mid-Atlantic Operations AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Kennett Square, PA 19348