ML20134Q073

Responds to 960816 Request for Concurrence to Update VEGP Unit 2 ISI & IST Programs for Second 10 Year Interval Approx 2 Years Ahead of Schedule.Nrc Approves Request

ML20134Q073
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	11/27/1996
From:	Berkow H NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Mccoy C GEORGIA POWER CO.
References
TAC-M96488, TAC-M96489, NUDOCS 9612020101
Download: ML20134Q073 (5)

Text

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~p-  % UNITED STATES g

j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINQYON. D.C. 20065-0001 November 27, 1996

\ . . . . . ,/

Mr. C. K. McCoy i Vice President - Nuclear

, Vogtle Project l Georgia Power Company

P. O. Box 1295

Birmingham, AL 35201 i

SUBJECT:

APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR UPDATING THE INSERVICE INSPECTION AND i

' INSERVICE TESTING PROGRAMS - V0GTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT (VEGP), UNITS 1 AND 2 (TAC NOS. M96488 AND 96489)

1 Dear Mr.-McCoy.

I By letter dated August 16, 1996, Georgia Power Company (GPC) requested NRC

concurrence to update the VEGP Unit 2 Inservice Inspection (ISI) and Inservice i

Testing (IST) programs for the second 10-year interval approximately 2 years ahead of schedule to make the Unit 2 updates coincident with the updates for Unit 1. GPC further requested NRC concurrence to update the IST programs for 4

Units 1 and 2 to a version of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code other than that specified in 10 CFR 50.55a. The NRC concurs with both of these proposals. As noted in the following discussions, GPC should address,. in the IST program submittal to the NRC, the effect of the early 1 Unit 2 update on the relief valve test frequency, and GPC should also revise the IST programs for Units 1 and 2 to indicate that the requirements of i Appendix I augment the rules of Subsection ISTC in the IST program.

VEGP Unit 2 ISI and IST Schedules

The Unit 2 second 10-year ISI/IST interval begins on May 20, 1999. The Unit 1 second 10-year interval starts on June 1, 1997. GPC requested NRC concurrence i

for their proposal that Unit 2 be placed on the same 10-year interval schedule l as Unit I by updating the Unit 2 program approximately 2 years early.

i The purpose of an early update of the Unit 2 ISI and IST programs is primarily

to use the same edition of the ASME Code,Section XI, and/or the addenda for both units, which impose identical requirements on the components and systems of each unit and thereby reduce administrative burdens to implement the programs. Placing both units on the same schedule will further facilitate maintaining an effective control over both programs.

VEGP Units 1 and 2 are very similar in design, construction, and operations.

Licensees with similar units at the same site have routinely realigned the L l units' programs for ISI and IST to the requirements of a single Code at some

point in time during the licensed life of the units. This alternative has I i provided an acceptable level of quality and safety. Further, the NRC i recommended in NUREG-1482, Section 3.3.2, that licensees with two or more i 0 i similar units at the same site consider placing units on concurrent intervals to achieve consistency between the IST programs. Based on GPC's submittal, Ii

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l 9612O201 961 27

.PDR ADOCK 05000424 P PDR

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Mr. C. K. McCoy  :

the staff concurs with its proposal to update the Unit 2 ISI and IST programs j concurrently with Unit 1. This will help provide reasonable assurance of

, operational readiness.

! The staff finds that the applicable ASME Code,Section XI, for the ISI program

during the adjusted interval for Unit 2 is acceptable in accordance with i

! 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4). GPC stated in its letter that the remaining examinations l for the final 2 years of the current interval for Unit 2 would be rescheduled

during the first 2 years of the new 10-year interval, which would commence on  !

! June 1, 1997. This will ensure that the successive examination requirement of j the Code will be satisfied.  !

The IST program for Unit 2 would not be adversely affected by the early update ,

4 because the normal pump and valve surveillance frequencies, with the possible j exception of the relief valves, will not change. GPC should address the '

effect of the early Unit 2 update on the test frequency of relief valves in l

-its IST program submittal to the NRC. The proposed alternative for the early  !

update of the IST program is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(i). l Use of Alternative ASME Code l l

GPC requested NRC concurrence in its proposal to use the requirements of ASME I OM-1990 for the inservice testing requirements of pumps and valves, with the '

exception of Mandatory Appendix I, which applies to safety / relief valves. GPC also requested that the requirements specified for safety / relief valves in ASME OM-1995 be used for inservice testing. The 1990 Edition of the OM Code contains essentially the same requirements as Parts 6 and 10 of the OMa-1988 I Addenda to the 1987 Edition of the ASME OM Code with the exception that the general administrative requirements, which were previously covered by Subsection IWA of ASME Section XI, are new included in Subsection ISTA of the OM Code. The 1995 Edition of Appendix I corrects several editorial problems and clarifies a number of issues from the earlier editions. Implementing only ,

the portion of the 1995 Edition of the OM Code that addresses testing of i pressure relief devices is acceptable because Appendix I is included in both '

the 1990 and 1995 Editions of the OM Code. The 1995 Edition of the OM Code includes a clarification in the scope of the pressure relief devices that are subject to the requirements of inservice testing. The change is a clarification and not a change in the definition of the scope.

Because the testing will be performed in accordance with requirements that are essentially the same as those referenced in the current regulations, the proposed plan provides an acceptable level of quality and safety. GPC should note that the requirements of Appendix I augment the rules of Subsection ISTC in its IST program. The alternative is authorized pursuant to 10 CFR

l I

l Mr. C. K. McCoy 50.55a(a)(3)(1) based on the alternative providing an acceptable level of quality and safety. GPC should revise its IST program to indicate that the requirements of Appendix I augment the rules of Subsection ISTC in its IST i program. l Please contact L. Wheeler at (301) 415-1444 if you have any questions. l Sincerely,

&bN Herbert N. Berkow, Director Project Directorate II-2 l Division of Reactor Projects - I/II l Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation '

Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425 cc: See next page i

j. . .

4 Mr. C. K. McCoy Georgia Power Company Vogtle Electric Generating Plant cc:

Mr. J. A. Bailey Harold Reheis, Director Manager - Licensing Department of Natural Resources l Georgia Power Company 205 Butler Street, SE. Suite 1252 j P. O. Box 1295 Atlanta, Georgia 30334 j Birmingham, Alabama 35201 Attorney General 1 Mr. J. B. Beasley Law Department General Manager, Vogtle Electric 132 Judicial Building Generating Plant Atlanta, Georgia 30334 P. O. Box 1600 Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 Mr. Thomas P. Mozingo Program Manager i Regional Administrator, Region II Nuclear Operations U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Oglethorpe Power Corporation 101 Marietta Street, NW., Suite 2900 2100 East Exchange Place Atlanta, Georgia 30323 P. O. Box 1349 l Office of Planning and Budget

! Room 615B 270 Washington Street, SW.

Charles A. Patrizia, Esquire Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker

Atlanta, Georgia 30334 10th Floor 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue i Office of the County Commissioner Washington, DC 20004-9500

! Burke County Commission l Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 Arthur H. Domby, Esquire i

j Troutman Sanders Mr. J. D. Woodard NationsBank Plaza i

Senior Vice President 600 Peachtree Street, NE.

! Georgia Power Company Suite 5200 P. O. Box 1295 Atlanta, Georgia 30308-2216 Birmingham, Alabama 35201 Resident Inspector Steven M. Jackson U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Senior Engineer - Power Supply 8805 River Road Municipal Electric Authority Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 of Georgia 1470 Riveredge Parkway, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30328-4684

ll Mr. C. K. McCoy November 27, 1996 4

J

, 50.55a(a)(3)(1) based on the alternative providing an acceptable level of quality and safety. GPC should revise its IST program to indicate that the requirements of Appendix I augment the rules of Subsection ISTC in its IST program.

Please contact L. Wheeler at (301) 415-1444 if you have any questions.

Sincerely, Original signed by:

Herbert N. Berkow, Director Project Directorate Il-2  :

Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425 .

cc: See next page  !

Distribution:

Docket File a T. McLellan E. Merschoff, RII J. Colaccino PUBLIC H. Berkow P. Skinner, RII P. Patnaik PD 2-2 Rdg. L. Berry OGC S. Varga L. Wheeler ACRS l

9 M

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e To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" - Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Co O with attachment / enclosure "N" - No copy 0FFICE PM:PDIF2)DRPE lE LA:PDIl 2:ptPf/b BC M / BC:EMEB Q D:PDIl 2 /l NAME LWhestkien LBerry )Q G8a A RWessman d h , ) HBerkow K W Mn f DATE 11/dle /% 11/ M W/ /% 11/ ~//% * " 11/*E 7 /% l~

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\V0GTLE\V0096488.LTR OFFICIALRECORDCOPYgts EM-id2dQ i}

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