ML17265A511

Requests Relief Per 10CFR50.55a(a)(3)(ii) from Certain Requirements of Section Xi of ASME Bp&V Code for ISI Program.Relief Requests 37,38 & 39 Encl

ML17265A511
Person / Time
Site:	Ginna
Issue date:	01/11/1999
From:	MECREDY R C ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP.
To:	VISSING G S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned), NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9901200396
Download: ML17265A511 (14)

Text

~4%'i,CATEGORY1REGULAjYINFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM(RIDS)~CCESSION NBR:9901200396 DOC.DATE:

99/01/11NOTARIZED:

NOFACIL:50-244 RobertEmmetGinnaNuclearPlant,Unit1,Rochester GAUTH.NAMEAUTHORAFFILIATION MECREDY,R.C.

Rochester GasSElectricCorp.RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION VISSING,G.S.

DOCKET05000244

SUBJECT:

Requestsreliefper10CFR50.55a(a)(3)(ii)fromcertainrequirements ofSectionXXofASMEBPEVCodeforISIProgram.Reliefrequests37,38&39encl.DISTRXBUTION CODE:A047DCOPIESRECEIVED:LTR ENCLSIZE:TITLE:ORSubmittal:

Inservice/Testing/Relief fromASMECode-GL-89-04NOTES:License Expdateinaccordance with10CFR2,2.109(9/19/72)

.05000244E RECIPIENT IDCODE/NAME PD1-1LAVISSING,G.

INTERNAL:

AEOD/SPD/RAB NRR/DE/ECGB NUDOCS-ABSTRACT RES/DET/EIB EXTERNAL:

LITCOANDERSONNRCPDRCOPIESLTTRENCL1111111111111111RECIPIENT XDCODE/NAME PD1-1PDILECENTER0NRRDEMEBOGC/HDS3RES/DET/EMMEB NOACCOPIESLTTRENCL11111110111100,NOTETOALL"RIDS"RECIPIENTS:

PLEASEHELPUSTOREDUCEWASTETHTOHAVEYOURNAMEORORGANIZATION REMOVEDFROMDISTRIBUTION LISTSORREDUCETHENUMBEROFCOPIESRECEIVEDBYYOUORYOURORGANIZATION, CONTACTTHEDOCUMENTCONTROLDESK(DCD)ONEXTENSION 415-2083TOTALNUMBEROFCOPIESREQUIRED:

LTTR14ENCL13 ANDROCHESTER GASANDElECTRICCORPORATION

~89EASTAVENUE,ROCHESTER, NYIdbf90001 AREACOOE71654'6-2700 ROBERTC.MECREDYVicePresident NucteorOperotioos Zanuary11,1999U.S.NuclearRegulatory Commission DocumentControlDeskAttn:GuyS.VissingProjectDirectorate I-1Washington, D.C.20555

Subject:

Inservice Inspection ProgramASMESectionXIRequiredExaminations forFirst10-YearIntervalforContainment (IWEandIWL)RequestsforReliefNo.37,38,39R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDocketNo.50/244

References:

EPRI"Containment Inspection ProgramGuide"GC-110698, September 1998,andselectedReliefRequests:

(1)Davis-Besse ReliefRequestE-1(2)Davis-Besse ReliefRequestE-6(3)Davis-Besse ReliefRequestE-7

DearMr.Vissing:

IntheFederalRegister, datedAugust8,1996(61FR41303),theNRCamendeditsregulations toincorporate byreference the1992EditionandAddendaofSubsections IWEandIWLofSectionXIoftheASMECode.Subsections IWEandIWLgivetherequirements forinservice inspection (ISI)ofClassMC(metallic containment) andClassCC(concrete containment).

Theserequirements arenowapplicable forR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlant.Thepurposeofthisletteristorequestreliefpursuantto10CFR50.55a(a)(3)(ii) fromcertainrequirements ofSectionXIoftheAmericanSocietyofMechanical Engineers (ASME)BoilerandPressureVesselCode.Rochester GasandElectricisaparticipant intheElectricPowerResearchInstitute (EPRI)projectforthepreparation ofaGenericIWE/IWLProgramandIndustryGuide.Thisprogramwasdescribed totheNRCinameetingonOctober23,1997,betweentheNRC,EPRI,andNEI,andseveralutilities.

Asaresultfromthesemeetingsaswellasthepublication oftheEPRI"Containment Inspection ProgramGuide"GC-110698, datedSeptember 1998,Rochester GasandElectricissubmitting three(3)reliefrequests.

Relief.,".3.'3b9'ttoi200396 9'staiiiPOaADOCKOSa002O48PDR

~~e~RequestsNumber37through39arebasedonthegenericreliefrequestscontained intheEPRI"Containment Inspection ProgramGuide".NRCapprovalofthesereliefrequestsisdocumented inthereferenced submittal.

MoredetailedcommentsareprovidedinAttachments 1,2and3tothisletter.ReliefRequestNumber37requestsrelieffromSectionXIoftheASMECode,1992Edition,1992Addenda,CodeItemsE5.10andE5.20,whichrequireavisualexamination ofmetalcontainment sealsandgaskets.Examination ofmostsealsandgasketsrequirethejointstobedisassembled.

Containment sealandgasketjointswillbeprovenadequatethroughtheperformance of10CFRAppendixJtesting.2.ReliefRequestNumber38requestsrelieffromSectionXIoftheASMECode,1992Edition,1992Addenda,Subarticles IWE-2420(b)andIWE-2420(c),

whichrequirerepairedareasbeexaminedduringthenextinspection period.Repairsrestorethecomponent toanacceptable condition forcontinued service.Successive examinations shouldnotberequiredforrepairedareas.3~ReliefRequestNumber39requestsrelieffromSectionXIoftheASMECode,1992Edition,1992Addenda,CodeItemE8.20,whichrequiresabolttorqueortensiontestforboltedconnections thathavenotbeendisassembled andreassembled duringtheinspection interval.

Theleaktightness ofboltedconnections willbeverifiedthroughtheperformance of10CFR50AppendixJtesting.ReliefRequests, justification, andtheproposedalternatives areincludedintheattachments tothisletter.ThesereliefrequestswillbeincludedintheInservice Inspection ProgramforR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantfortheThirdIntervalProgram(whichendsDecember31,1999)andtheFourthIntervalProgram(whichbeginsJanuary1,2000).NRCapprovalofthesereliefrequestsisdesiredbeforetheendofJune,1999,toensuretheseprogramsareincompliance withNRCrequirements beforetheendoftheThirdInterval.

Vertrulyyours,RobertC.MeedAttachments

-3

~~'c:Mr.GuyS.Vissing(MailStop14B2)ProjectDirectorate I-1DivisionofReactorProjects-I/IIOfficeofNuclearReactorRegulation U.S.NuclearRegulatory Commission Washington, D.C.20555RegionalAdministrator, RegionIU.S.NuclearRegulatory Commission 475Allendale RoadKingofPrussia,PA19406U.S.NRCGinnaSeniorResidentInspector ATTACHMENT 1Rochester GasandElectricCorporation GinnaStationDocketNo.50/244First10-YearIntervalforContainment Inspection ProgramRequestforReliefNo.37Containment Inspection SealsandGasketsSystem/Component(s) forWhichReliefisRequested:

SealsandgasketsofClassMCpressureretaining components andmetalliclinersofClassCCcomponents, Examination CategoryE-D,ItemNumbersE5.10andE5.20ofIWE-2500, TableIWE-2500-1, ASMESectionXI,1992Edition,1992Addenda.Severalhundredsealsandgasketsareaffectedbythisreliefrequest.II.CodeRequirement:

IWE-2500, TableIWE-2500-1 requiressealsandgasketsonairlocks, hatches,andotherdevicestobevisuallyexamined, VT-3,onceeachintervaltoassurecontainment leak-tight integrity.

III.CodeRequirement fromWhichReliefisRequested:

Reliefisrequested fromperforming theCode-required visualexamination, VT-3,ontheaboveidentified metalcontainment sealsandgaskets.IV.BasisforRelief:10CFR50.55awasamendedintheFederalRegister(61FR41303)torequiretheuse.ofthe1992Edition,1992Addenda,ofSectionXIwhenperforming containment examinations.

Thepenetrations discussed belowcontainsealsandgaskets.Electrical Penetrations Electrical penetrations useaheaderplateattachedtoacontainment penetration nozzleflangewithredundant 0-ringsbetweentheheaderplateandflangeface.RequestforReliefNo.37Attachments Page1of10 Modulesthroughwhichelectrical conductors passareinstalled intheheaderplate.Onetype,manufactured byAmphenol, usessealsandgasketstoassureleaktightintegrity.

Asecondtype,manufactured byConax,usesasetofcompression fittings.

Replacement modulesfortheAmphenolpenetrations useacombination of0-ringsandcompression fittings.

Eachpenetration ispressurized withdrynitrogentomaintainandmonitorintegrity andtopreventtheintrusion ofmoistureintothepenetration.

Thesesealsandgasketscannotbeinspected withoutdisassembly ofthepenetration togainaccesstothesealsandgaskets.B.Containment Personnel andEquipment HatchesThePersonnel andEquipment Hatchesutilizeaninnerandouterdoorwithgasketsurfacestoensurealeaktightintegrity.

Thesehatchesalsocontainothergasketsandsealssuchasthehandwheel shaftseals,electrical penetrations, blankflanges,andequalizing pressureconnections whichrequiredisassembly togainaccesstothegasketsandseals.Sealandgasketjointsreceivea10CFR50AppendixJtest.Asnotedin10CFR50AppendixJ,thepurposeofTypeBtestsistomeasureleakageofcontainment orpenetrations whosedesignincorporates resilient seals,gaskets,sealantcompounds, andelectrical penetrations fittedwithflexiblemetalsealassemblies.

Examination ofsealsandgasketsrequirethejoints,whichareprovenadequatethroughAppendixJtesting,bedisassembled.

Forelectrical penetrations, thiswouldinvolveapre-maintenance AppendixJtest,de-termination ofcablesatelectrical penetrations ifenoughcableslackisnotavailable, disassembly ofthejoint,removalandexamination ofthesealsandgaskets,reassembly ofthejoint,re-termination ofthecablesifnecessary, postmaintenance testingofthecables,andapostmaintenance AppendixJtestofthepenetration.

TheworkrequiredfortheContainment Hatcheswouldbesimilarexceptforthede-termination, re-termination, andtestingofcables.Thisimposestheriskthatequipment couldbedamaged.The1992Edition,1993Addenda,ofSectionXIrecognizes thatdisassembly ofjointstoperformtheseexaminations isnotwarranted.

Note1inExamination CategoryE-Dwasmodifiedinthe1995,EditionofSectionXItostatethatsealorgasketconnections neednotbedisassembled solelyforperformance ofexaminations.

However,withoutdisassembly, mostofthesurfaceofthesealsandgasketswouldbeinaccessible.

RequestforReliefNo.37Attachments Page2of10 Forthosepenetrations thatareroutinely disassembled, aTypeBtestisrequireduponfinalassemblyandpriortostart-up.

SincetheTypeBtestwillassuretheleaktightintegrity ofprimarycontainment, theperformance ofthevisualexamination wouldnotprovideanincreaseinthelevelofsafetyorquality.Sealsandgasketsarenotpartofthecontainment pressureboundaryundercurrentCoderules(NE-1220(b)).Theairlocksandhatchescontaining thesematerials aretestedinaccordance with10CFR50,AppendixJ.Ifincreased leakageisidentified duringtheseAppendixJtests,thecauseofleakagewouldbeinvestigated.

Ifincreased leakagewereduetodegradation ofthesealorgasketmaterial, corrective measureswouldbeappliedandthecomponent retested.

Repairorreplacement ofsealsandgasketsisnotsubjecttoCode(1992Edition,1992Addenda)rulesinaccordance withParagraph IWA-4111(b)(5) ofASMESectionXI.Thevisualexamination ofsealsandgasketsinaccordance withIWE-2500, TableIWE-2500-1 isaburdenwithoutanycompensating increaseinthelevelofsafetyorquality.Reliefisrequested inaccordance with10CFR50.55a(a)(3)(ii).

Compliance withtheoriginalrequirements ofthissectionwouldresultinhardshiporunusualdifficulty withoutacompensating increaseinthelevelofqualityandsafety.,Testingthesealandgasketjointsinaccordance with10CFR50,AppendixJwillprovideadequateassurance oftheleak-'tight integrity ofthesealsandgaskets.V.Alternate Examinations:

Theleaktestingofsealandgasketjointswillbeinaccordance with10CFR50,AppendixJ.Noadditional alternative examinations tothevisualexamination, VT-3,ofthesealsandgasketswillbeperformed.

VI.Justification fortheGrantingofRelief:ThisReliefRequestissimilartoReliefRequestE-1submitted byDavis-Besse asoneoftheEPRI"Containment Inspection ProgramGuide"PilotPlantReliefRequests.

ThisReliefRequestwillminimizeGinnaoperating andmaintenance costwithoutdecreasing thelevelofqualityandsafety.RequestforReliefNo.37Attachments Page3of10 VII.Implementation Schedule:

Reliefisrequested forthefirstinspection intervalfortheIWEContainment Inspection Program(1996-2008).NotethatthisintervaloverlapstheThirdandFourth10-YearIntervalinspections oftheGinnaInservice Inspection Program.RequestforReliefNo.37Attachments Page4of10 ATTACHMENT 2Rochester GasandElectricCorporation GinnaStationDocketNo.50/244First10-YearIntervalforContainment Inspection ProgramRequestforReliefNo.38Containment Inspection Successive Examinations afterRepairSystem/Component(s) forWhichReliefisRequested:

AllClassMC,Paragraphs IWE-2420(b) andIWE-2420(c) successive examination requirements forcomponents foundacceptable forcontinued service.II.CodeRequirement:

Paragraphs IWE-2420(b) andIWE-2420(c) ofthe1992Edition,1992AddendaofASMESectionXIrequiresthatwhencomponent examination resultsrequireevaluation offlaws,evaluation ofareasofdegradation, orrepairsinaccordance withArticleIWE-3000, andthecomponent isfoundtobeacceptable forcontinued service,theareascontaining suchflaws,degradation, orrepairsshallbereexamined duringthenextinspection periodlistedinthescheduleoftheinspection programofParagraph IWE-2411orParagraph IWE-2412,inaccordance withTableIWE-2500-1, Examination CategoryE-C.III.CodeRequirement fromWhichReliefisRequested:

Reliefisrequested fromtherequirements ofParagraphs IWE-2420(b)andIWE-2420(c) toperformsuccessive examination ofrepairs.IV.BasisforRelief:10CFR50.55awasamendedintheFederalRegister(61FR41303)torequiretheuseofthe1992Edition,1992Addenda,ofSectionXIwhenperforming containment examinations.

Thepurposeofarepairistorestorethecomponent toanacceptable condition forcontinued serviceinaccordance withtheacceptance standards ofArticleIWE-3000.

Paragraph IWA-4150requirestheownertoconductanevaluation ofthesuitability oftherepairincluding consideration ofthecauseoffailure.RequestforReliefNo.38Attachments Page5of10 Iftherepairhasrestoredthecomponent toanacceptable condition, itisoverlyconservative torequiresuccessive examinations.

Otherparagraphs oftheASMECoderecognize thisrequirement as'overly conservative.

Iftherepairwasnotsuitable, thentherepairdoesnotmeetcoderequirements andthecomponent isnotacceptable forcontinued service.NeitherParagraph IWB-2420(b),

Paragraph IWC-2420(b),

norParagraph IWD-2420(b) requiresarepairtobesubjecttosuccessive examination requirements.

Furthermore, iftherepairareaissubjecttoaccelerated degradation, itwouldstillrequireaugmented examination inaccordance withTableIWE-2500-1, Examination CategoryE-C.Thesuccessive examination ofrepairsinaccordance withParagraphs IWE-2420(b) andIWE-2420(c) constitutes aburdenwithoutacompensating increaseinqualityorsafety.Intheirresolution topubliccommentg3.3,theNRCstated:"ThepurposeofIWE-2420(b) istomanagecomponents foundtobeacceptable forcontinued service(meaningnorepairorreplacement atthistime)asanExamination CategoryE-Ccomponent...

Ifthecomponent hadbeenrepairedorreplaced, thenthemorefrequentexamination wouldnotbe'needed."

Reliefisrequested inaccordance with10CFR50.55a(a)(3)

(ii).Compliance withtheoriginalrequirements ofthissectionwouldresultinhardshiporunusualdifficulty withoutacompensating increaseinthelevelofqualityandsafety.Therequirement toperformsuccessive examinations following repairshasbeenremovedinthe1997AddendaofASMESectionXI.ThisaddendahasbeenapprovedbytheASMEMainCommittee andhasbeenpublished.

V.Alternate Examinations:

Successive examinations inaccordance withParagraphs IWE-2420(b)andIWE-2420(c) arenotrequiredfor'epairs madeinaccordance withArticleIWA-4000.

VI.Justification fortheGrantingofRelief:ThisReliefRequestissimilartoReliefRequestE-6submitted byDavis-Besse asoneoftheEPRI"Containment Inspection ProgramGuide"PilotPlantReliefRequests.

ThisReliefRequestwillminimizeGinnaoperating andmaintenance costwithoutdecreasing thelevelofqualityandsafety.RequestforReliefNo.38Attachments Page6of10 VII.Implementation Schedule:

Reliefisrequested forthefirstinspection intervalfortheIWEContainment Inspection Program(1996-2008).NotethatthisintervaloverlapstheThirdandFourth10-YearIntervalinspections oftheGinnaInservice Inspection Program.RequestforReliefNo.38Attachments Page7of10 ATTACHMENT 3Rochester GasandElectricCorporation GinnaStationDocketNo.50/244First.10-YearIntervalforContainment Inspection ProgramRequestforReliefNo.39Containment Inspection BoltTorqueorTensionTestingI.System/Component(s) forWhichReliefisRequested:

ClassMCpressureretaining bolting.II.CodeRequirement:

ASMESectionXI,1992Editionwiththe1992Addenda,TableIWE-2500-1, Examination CategoryE-G,PressureRetaining Bolting,ItemE8.20.Bolttorqueortensiontestingisrequiredonboltedconnections thathavenotbeendisassembled andreassembled duringtheinspection interval.

III.CodeRequirement fromWhichReliefisRequested:

Reliefisrequested fromASMESectionXI1992Editionwiththe1992AddendaTableIWE-2500-1 Examination CategoryE-G,PressureRetaining Bolting,ItemE8.20.Bolttorqueortensiontestingisrequiredonboltedconnections thathavenotbeendisassembled andreassembled duringtheinspection interval.

IV.BasisforRelief:10CFR50.55a wasamendedintheFederalRegister(61FR41303)torequiretheuseofthe1992Edition,1992Addenda,ofSectionXIwhenperforming containment examinations.

Bolttorqueortensiontestingisrequiredonboltedconnections thathavenotbeendisassembled andreassembled duringtheinspection interval.

Determination ofthetorqueortensionvaluewouldrequirethattheboltingbeun-torquedandthenre-torqued orre-tensioned.

Theperformance oftheTypeBtestitselfprovesthatthebolttorqueortensionremainsadequatetoprovidealeakratethatiswithinacceptable limits.Thetorqueortensionvalueofboltingonlybecomesanissueiftheleakrateisexcessive.

Onceaboltistorquedor.tensioned, itisnotsubjecttodynamicloadingthatcouldcauseittoexperience significant change.RequestforReliefNo.39Attachments Page8of10 Verification oftorqueortensionvaluesonboltedjointsthatareprovenadequatethroughAppendixJtestingandvisualinspection isadequatetodemonstrate thatdesignfunctionismet.TorqueortensiontestingisnotrequiredonanyotherASMESectionXI,Class1,2,or3boltedconnections ortheirsupportsaspartoftheinservice inspection program.Also,allpenetrations atR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantareseatedwithpressure(notunseated).

Reliefisrequested inaccordance with10CFR50.55a(a)(3)

(ii).Compliance withtheoriginalrequirements ofthissectionwouldresultinhardshiporunusualdifficulty withoutacompensating increaseinthelevelofqualityandsafety.V.Alternate Examinations:

Thefollowing examinations andtestsrequiredbySubsection IWEensurethestructural integrity andtheleak-tightness ofClassMCpressureretaining bolting,and,therefore, noadditional alternative examinations areproposed:

(1)Exposedsurfacesofboltedconnections shallbevisuallyexaminedinaccordance withrequirements ofTableIWE-2500-1, Examination CategoryE-G,PressureRetaining Bolting,ItemNo.E8.10,and(2)Boltedconnections shallmeetthepressuretestrequirements ofTableIWE-2500-1, Examination CategoryE-P,AllPressureRetaining Components, ItemE9.40,and(3)Ageneralvisualexamination oftheentirecontainment onceeachinspection periodshallbeconducted inaccordance with10CFR50.55a(b)(2)(x)(E).

VI.Justification fortheGrantingofRelief:ThisReliefRequestissimilartoReliefRequestE-7submitted byDavis-Besse asoneoftheEPRI"Containment Inspection ProgramGuide"PilotPlantReliefRequests.

ThisReliefRequestwillminimizeGinnaoperating andmaintenance costwithoutdecreasing thelevelofqualityandsafety.RequestforReliefNo.39Attachments Page9of10 VII.Implementation Schedule:

Reliefisrequested forthefirstinspection intervalfortheIWEContainment Inspection Program(1996-2008).NotethatthisintervaloverlapstheThirdandFourth10-YearIntervalinspections oftheGinnaInservice Inspection Program.RequestforReliefNo.39Attachments Page10of10