ML18066A356

Requests That NRC-issued SE of Palisades Third 120-month Interval ISI Program Be Revised to Listed Suggested Wording. Confirmation That Info Provided by Ltr Is Correct,Requested from NRC

ML18066A356
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	12/19/1998
From:	Haskell N CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9812310068
Download: ML18066A356 (2)

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• Palisades Nuclear Plant Tel: 616 764 2276 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Fax: 616 764 2490 Covert. Ml 49043 Nathan L. Haile/I Director, Licensing December 19, 1998 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 DOCKET 50-255 - LICENSE DPR PALISADES PLANT CORRECTION TO SAFETY EVALUATION OF THE THIRD 120-MONTH INTERVAL INSERVICE INSPECTION PROGRAM SAFETY EVALUATION DATED OCTOBER 14, 1998 On January 9, 1997, a safety evaluation (SE) of the Palisades' Third 120-Month Interval lnservice Inspection Program was issued by the NRC. A discrepancy was noted between the NRC's SE and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory's (INEL) technical evaluation report (TER) regarding Request for Relief No. RR-11. This discrepancy was addressed in a follow up NRC letter dated October 14, 1998.

The revised statement provided by in the October 14, 1998, letter has an additional error. The revision which was made to the NRC SE changed the statement:

"The licensee's proposed alternative to perform manual examinations from the o.utside surface of the reactor vessel (RPV) lower head meridional welds provides reasonable assurance of operational readiness of the RPV lower head meridonal welds,"

to read:

"The licensee's proposed alternative to perform manual examinations from the inside surface of the reactor vessel (RPV) lower head meridional welds provides reasonable assurance of operational readiness of the RPV lower head meridonal welds."

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2 The error in the revised statement is that the examination from the inside surface is not

• a manual examination. The Request for Relief No RR-11, submitted to the NRC on February 19, 1996, described the alternative examination as:

"The accessible weld volumes of each of the 6 identified meridional welds will be ultrasonically examined from the ID using remotely operated mechanized equipment once per interval during the performance of the ten year reactor vessel examination."

The conclusion of the INEL TER regarding this alternative was:

"Therefore, it is recommended that the licensee's proposed alternative be authorized pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3)(ii)."

This error was discussed with the NRC staff. Consumers Energy was requested to document this error by letter. The NRC SE should read:

"The licensee's proposed alternative to perform ultrasonic examinations using remotely operated mechanized equipment from the inside surface of the reactor vessel (RPV) lower head meridional welds provides reasonable assurance of operational readiness of the RPV lower head meridonal welds."

Consumers Energy requests that the SE be revised to the suggested wording.

Alternatively, we request confirmation that the information provided by this letter is correct and that the relief provided accepted the use of remotely operated mechanized equipment rather than manual examination.

SUMMARY

OF COMMITMENTS This letter contains no new commitments and no revisions to existing commitments.

athan L. Haskell irector, Licensing CC Administrator, Region Ill, USNRC Project Manager, NRR, USNRC NRC Resident Inspector - Palisades