ML060390736

Request for Additional Information Regarding Relief Request RR-39, Implementation of BWRVIP Guidelines

ML060390736
Person / Time
Site:	FitzPatrick
Issue date:	02/09/2006
From:	Boska J Plant Licensing Branch III-2
To:	Kansler M Entergy Nuclear Operations
Boska J, NRR, 301-415-2901
References
TAC MC8587
Download: ML060390736 (6)

Text

February 9, 2006 Mr. Michael R. Kansler President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

SUBJECT:

JAMES A. FITZPATRICK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING RELIEF REQUEST RR-39, IMPLEMENTATION OF BWRVIP GUIDELINES (TAC NO. MC8587)

Dear Mr. Kansler:

On October 7, 2005, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy), submitted a relief request for the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant which would implement various Boiling Water Reactor Vessel Internals Program (BWRVIP) guidelines in lieu of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code inspection requirements on reactor vessel internals and components.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is reviewing the submittal and has determined that additional information is needed to complete its review. The specific questions are found in the enclosed request for additional information (RAI). On February 6, 2006, the Entergy staff indicated that a response to the RAI would be provided within 60 days.

Please contact me at (301) 415-2901 if you have any questions on this issue.

Sincerely,

/RA/

John P. Boska, Senior Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-1 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-333

Enclosure:

RAI cc w/encl: See next page

ML060390736 *see memo dated February 1, 2006 OFFICE LPL1-1/PM LPL1-1/LA CVIB/BC LPL1-1/BC NAME JBoska SLittle MMitchell* RLaufer DATE 2/09/06 2/09/06 2/01/06 2/09/06 FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant cc:

Mr. Gary J. Taylor Resident Inspector's Office Chief Executive Officer James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant Entergy Operations, Inc. U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1340 Echelon Parkway P.O. Box 136 Jackson, MS 39213 Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. John T. Herron Ms. Charlene D. Faison Sr. VP and Chief Operating Officer Manager, Licensing Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Theodore A. Sullivan Mr. Michael J. Colomb Site Vice President Director of Oversight Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant 440 Hamilton Avenue P.O. Box 110 White Plains, NY 10601 Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. David Wallace Mr. Kevin J. Mulligan Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance General Manager, Plant Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant P.O. Box 110 P.O. Box 110 Lycoming, NY 13093 Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. James Costedio Mr. Oscar Limpias Manager, Regulatory Compliance Vice President Engineering Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant 440 Hamilton Avenue P.O. Box 110 White Plains, NY 10601 Lycoming, NY 13093 Mr. Christopher Schwarz Mr. Travis C. McCullough Vice President, Operations Support Assistant General Counsel Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

440 Hamilton Avenue 440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John F. McCann Mr. Charles Donaldson, Esquire Director, Licensing Assistant Attorney General Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. New York Department of Law 440 Hamilton Avenue 120 Broadway White Plains, NY 10601 New York, NY 10271

FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant cc:

Regional Administrator, Region I Ms. Stacey Lousteau U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Treasury Department 475 Allendale Road Entergy Services, Inc.

King of Prussia, PA 19406 639 Loyola Avenue Mail Stop L-ENT-15E Oswego County Administrator New Orleans, LA 70113 Mr. Steven Lyman 46 East Bridge Street Oswego, NY 13126 Mr. Peter R. Smith, President New York State Energy, Research, and Development Authority 17 Columbia Circle Albany, NY 12203-6399 Mr. Paul Eddy New York State Dept. of Public Service 3 Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12223-1350 Supervisor Town of Scriba Route 8, Box 382 Oswego, NY 13126 Mr. James H. Sniezek BWR SRC Consultant 5486 Nithsdale Drive Salisbury, MD 21801-2490 Mr. Michael D. Lyster BWR SRC Consultant 5931 Barclay Lane Naples, FL 34110-7306

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING RELIEF REQUEST RR-39 ENTERGY NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, INC.

JAMES A. FITZPATRICK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DOCKET NO. 50-333 By letter dated October 7, 2005, Agencywide Documents Access and Management System accession number ML052900075, Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc. (Entergy or the licensee) submitted relief request RR-39 for the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant (JAFNPP).

The licensee proposes to use Boiling Water Reactor Vessel Internal Program (BWRVIP) guidelines as an alternative to certain requirements of Section XI of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessl Code (ASME Code) for inservice inspection of Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) internal components.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has reviewed the information the licensee provided that supports the proposed relief request and would like additional information to clarify the submittal:

1. According to Sections 3.3 and 3.4 of the BWRVIP-76, BWR Vessel and Internals Project, BWR Core Shroud and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines report, core shroud welds shall be inspected every 6 years when the enhanced visual test (EVT-1) method is used for one-sided weld inspections, and shall be inspected every 10 years when the subject welds are examined with the ultrasonic test (UT) method. The inspection frequency for the core shroud welds as indicated in Section 6.4 of the submittal is not consistent with the aforementioned requirement. Therefore, the NRC staff requests that the licensee revise the inspection frequency requirement for the subject welds in Section 6.4 of the submittal.

2. In Attachment 2 of the submittal, the licensee provides a comparison of ASME Category B--1 and B--2 examination requirements with the BWRVIP guidelines. The NRC staff requests that the licensee include the following welds in this attachment.

(A) ASME Item B13.30, Table IWB-2500-1, Shroud support welds H9 and H12.

(B) ASME Item B13.40, Table IWB-2500-1, Shroud horizontal welds H1 and H2.

(C) ASME Item B13.40, Table IWB-2500-1, Shroud H8 Attachment welds.

3. According to Figure 3-3 of the BWRVIP-76 report, vertical and top guide ring segment welds shall be inspected every 6 years when the EVT-1 is used for one-sided weld inspections and shall be inspected every 10 years when the subject welds are examined with the UT method. In Attachment 2 of the submittal, the inspection frequency Enclosure

requirement for the vertical and top guide ring segment welds (Item B13.40 in Table IWB-2500-1 of the ASME Code,Section XI) is not consistent with the aforementioned requirement specified in the BWRVIP-76 report. Therefore, the NRC staff requests that the licensee revise the inspection frequency requirement for the subject welds in Attachment 2 of the submittal.

4. In Attachment 2 of the submittal, the licensee indicates that the BWRVIP-38, BWR Vessel Internal Project, BWR Shroud Support Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines, report will be used for inspecting core shroud attachment welds. The staffs final safety evaluation (SE) of the BWRVIP-38 report indicates that when inspection tooling and methodologies are developed that allow the welds in the lower plenum to be accessible, the guidelines will state that the licensee will inspect these welds with the appropriate non-destructive examination methods in order to establish a baseline for these welds. One of the core shroud attachment welds that has limited accessibility in the lower plenum is the H12 weld. Therefore, the NRC staff requests that the licensee revise Attachment 2 to include a commitment that the shroud support weld-H12 be inspected when the inspection tooling and methodologies permit such an inspection.

5. In Attachment 4 of the submittal, the licensee does not address the inspection requirements for the following welds, and the NRC staff requests that the licensee include them in this attachment.

Jet pumps riser welds-RS-4 and RS-5.

6. In a letter dated October 1, 2003, the licensee submitted a similar relief request for the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VYNPS). The NRC staff approved the VYNPS relief request by an SE dated September 19, 2005. In Table 1 of the VYNPS relief request, the licensee provided details of its inspection requirements for the reactor vessel internals (RVI) components and the corresponding inspection bases that were delineated in the respective BWRVIP reports. The NRC staff requests that the licensee provide similar inspection requirements and the inspection frequency for the JAFNPPs RVI components. This information will enable the NRC staff to perform an effective review of the BWRVIP inspection criteria that will be used by the licensee for the JAFNPPs RVI components.