ML20210L748

Submits Second RAI Re Review of Plants Units 1 & 2 TS Change to Allow Use of SG Tube Sleeves Designed by Abb CE

ML20210L748
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley
Issue date:	08/15/1997
From:	Brinkman D NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Cross J DUQUESNE LIGHT CO.
References
TAC-M98137, TAC-M98138, NUDOCS 9708210294
Download: ML20210L748 (5)

Text

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't j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 30666 4001

.m. August 15, 1997 Mr. J. E. Cross President - Generation Group Duquesne Light Company Post Office Box 4 Shippingport, PA 15077

SUBJECT:

SECOND REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RAI) REGARDING REVIEW 0F BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 (BVPS-1 AND BVPS-2),

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION CHANGE TO ALLOW USE OF STEAM GENERATOR TUBE SLEEVES DESIGNED BY ABB/COMBilSTION ENGINEERING (CE) (TAC NOS. M98137 ANDM98138)

Dear Mr. Cross:

By letter dated March 10, 1997, Duquesne Light Company (DLC) submitted a license amendment request to modify Technical Specification (TS) 3.4.5 to allow steam generator tube sleeving using the CE tube sleeving process. The Nuclear Regulatory Coamission (NRC) staff has been reviewing DLC's March 10, 1997, submittal. By letter dated June 23, 1997, we forwarded an RAI regarding DLC's submittal. DLC responded to the NRC staff's RAI by letter dated July 28, 1997. The NRC staff has continued to review DLC's license amendacnt request and the RAI response. We have determined that further information is required for us to complete our review of this proposed license amendment.

The additional information that we require i= described below. DLC is requested to provide this additional inform a ;on within 30 days of receipt of this letter so that we may complete our review of the proposed license amendment within a timely manner.

In DLC's July 28, 1997, response to our June 23, 1997, RAI, it was stated that s it is not either necessary or appropriate to incorporate increased inspection sampling requirements in the technical specifications. In response to DLC's comment, the staff notes that the proposed amendment to the BVPS-1 and BVPS-2 TSs involves the application of a steam generator tube repair method. The NRC has approved steam generator tube alternate repair criteria (ARC) for BVPS-1 (and is reviewing such criteria for BVPS-2) such as the voltage-based plugging criteria based on guidance provided in Generic Letter 95-05. Approval of the voltage-based ARC was based, in part, on incorporation of expanded inspection requirements in the TSs (i.e., 100-percent bobbin coil examination). Although the voltage-based ARC is a method of dispositioning and not actually repairing steam generator tubes, the staff has required licensees that implement tube repairs in the tubesheet area (i.e., rerolling) under an F-star repair criterion to inspect the population of repaired tubes at each inspection.

Finally, e.her licensees that have been approved to install CE tungsten inert gas welded sleeves have incorporated inspection and expansion criteria within the TSs beyond the minimum sample requirements. .

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i J. Cross The staff's recommendation to DLC that it consider additional inspection sampling and expansion requirements stems from its recognition that the tube a examination scope currently specified in pressucized water reactor (PWR) TSs, including those for BVPS-1 and BVPS-2, are not sufficient to address the current tube degradation problems facing the industry today. At the time the minimum sample requirements were originally approved, steam generator tube wastage was the primary mode of tube degradation facing the industry.

Hcwever, since that time other forms of degradation such as strest corrosion cracking, intergranular attack, fatigue, and wear have emerged. ine NRC staff has formally recognized the limitations of the existing requirements in PWR TSs and is working toward addressing these potential weaknesses. Industry guidelines have also addressed the shortcomings of the current inspection requirements. The Electric Power Research Institute's recommendations specified in PWR Steam Generator Tube Examination Guidelines include inspection sampling and expansion guidelines well beyond those currently required by the TSs. In light of the shortcomings in the existing TSs and considering the inspection requirements included in other steam generator tube repair criteria, the staff views tb licensee's proposal to follow the existing TS inspection requirements as a change from the approach toward inspecting sleeves implemented throughout the industry.

The NRC staff recognizes that DLC may propose to utilize the existing sampling requirements in the TSs. However, the staff generally requires licensees to submit the technical bases for iuch proposals. The response to Item 3 in the July 28, 1997, submittal did not include such a discussion. Please readdress Item 3 of our June 23, 1997, RAI and include in the response, the technical bases for the adequacy of the minimum inspection sampling and expansion requirements currently in the TSs to address potential sleeve / tube degradation in future inspections.

In addition to responding to the above question, the staff requests additional information on one other issue in order to complete its review of the proposed amendment. Specifically, a recent welded sleeve inservice inspection at Kewaunee identified weld zone indications using a visual technique that were not detected using either ultrasonic or eddy current techniques. The proposed amendment does not specifically require a visual inspection of the upper weld for tubesheet sleeves. Discuss the basis for not requiring an upper weld visual inspection during the installation procecs in light of the findings at Kewaunee.

i J. Cross Should you have any questions on this matter, please contact me at F

(301) 415-1409.

Sincerely,

/S/

Donald S. Brinkman, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-334/412 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION Docket File PUBLIC PDI-2 Reading BBoger JStolz DBrinkman TLiu THarris (E-Mail SE)

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J. Cross . - Should you have any questions on this matter, please contact me-at

- (301) 415-1409, 1 sincerely, il. h $---

Donald.S. Brinkman, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate 1-2 Division of Reactor Projects - I/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.- 50-334/412 cc: See next page j

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i J. E. Cross Beaver Valley Power Station Duquesne Light Company Units 1 & 2 cc:

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Jay E. Silberg, Esquire Bureau of Radiation Protection Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Pennsylvania Department of 2300 N Street, NW. Environmental Resources Washington, DC 19037 ATTN: Michael P. Murphy Post Office Box 2063 Director-Safety and Licensing Harrisburg, PA 17120 Department (BV-A)

Duquesne Light Company Mayor of the Borrough of Beaver Valley Power Station Shippingport PO Box 4 Post Office Box 3 Shippingport, PA 15077 Shippingport, PA 15077 Commissioner Roy M. Smith Regional Administrator, Region I West Virginia Department of Labor U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Building 3, Room 319 475 Allendale Road Capitol Complex King of Prussia, PA 19406 Charleston, WVA 25305 Resident inspector Director, Utilities Departnient U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Utilities Commission Post Office Box 298 180 "ast Broad Street Shippingport, PA 15077 Columbus, OH 43266-0573 Director, Pennsylvania Emergency Duquesne Light Company Management Ageacy Beaver Valley Power Station Post Office Eox 3321 PO Box 4 Harrisburg, PA 17105-3321 Shippingport, PA 15077 ATTN: S. C. Jain, Vice President Ohio EPA-DERR ATTN: Zack A. Clayton Nuclear Services (BV-A)

Post Office Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43266-0149 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803 Duquesne Light Company Beaver Valley Power Station PO Box 4 Shippingport, PA 15077 ATTN: R. L. Grand, Division Vice President, Nuclear Operations Group and Plant Manager (BV-50SB-7)

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