Information Notice 1997-29, Containment Inspection Rule
K)UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 May 30, 1997 NRC INFORMATION
NOTICE 97-29: CONTAINMENT
INSPECTION
RULE
Addressees
All holders of operating
licenses or construction
permits for nuclear power reactors.
Purpose
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is issuing this information
notice to clarify for addressees
the containment
inspection
rule in accordance
with 10 CFR 50.55a(a), which in part endorses Subsections
IWE and IWL of Section Xl of the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers'
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code). The rule became effective
on September
9, 1996. It is expected that recipients
will review the information
for applicability
to their facilities
and consider actions, as appropriate.
However, suggestions
contained
in this information
notice are not NRC requirements;
therefore, no specific action or written response is required.Description
of Circumstances
In a Federal Register, dated August 8, 1996 (61 FR 41303), the NRC amended its regulations (rule) to incorporate
by reference
the 1992 Edition and Addenda of Subsections
IWE and IWL of Section Xl of the ASME Code. Subsections
IWE and IWL give the requirements
for inservice
inspection (ISI) of Class CC (concrete
containments), and Class MC (metallic
containments)
of light-water-cooled
power plants. The amended rule became effective
on September
9, 1996; it requires the licensees
to incorporate
the new requirements
into their ISI plans and to complete the first containment
inspection
within five years (i.e., no later than September
9, 2001). Any repair or replacement (RIR) activity to be performed
on containments
after the effective
date of September
9, 1996, has to be carried out in accordance
with the respective
requirements
of Subsections
IWE and IWL.Recognizing
the potential
industry concern related to the immediate
implementation
of the rule for R/R activities, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) wrote a letter to NRC (Reference
1)indicating
a general industry interpretation
of the rule that all containment
ISI activities, including
R/R activities
should be effective
from September
9, 2001. The NRC responded
to the NEI letter (Reference
2) stating that all R/R activities
within the scope of Subsections
IWE and IWL of the code conducted
after September
9, 1996, must be conducted
in accordance
with these subsectio#WO°& l o9 7-O49 970t-S 10,004 6 1-M O Pll_________________l_
q C.-
IN 97-29 May 30, 1997 Additionally, the staff stated (Reference
2) that 10 CFR 50.55a(3)
permits the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
at his discretion
to grant relief from the requirements
of 10 CFR 50.55a to licensees
who submit a justifiable
need to use an alternative
that provides an acceptable
level of safety or who encounter
extreme hardship or unusual difficulty
without a compensating
increase in the level of quality or safety. In general, the staff stated that with proper justification, relief requests from compliance
with the RJR requirements
of Subsections
IWE and IWL for a period of about one year from September
9, 1996, would appear to be reasonable.
Although NEI sent the response from NRC to many of the addressees, the NRC staff is issuing this information
notice to inform all addressees
about the NRC staff position.Discussion
As discussed
above, addressees
are required to implement
the rule for all containment- related R/R activities
to be conducted
after September
9, 1996. Even though a licensee is able to demonstrate
hardship or unusual difficulties
in the immediate
implementation
of the rule, the licensee has to demonstrate
that other procedures
utilized for R/R activities
will ensure adequate safety of the containments
and that proper quality assurance
requirements
have been implemented.
In some of the relief requests that the staff has reviewed, licensees
have reported appropriate "hardship
and unusual difficulties" reasons for postponing
the implementation
of the rule, but did not describe the effectiveness
of the procedures
they plan to use during the relief period. Without such information, the staff has no way of concluding
that the quality and safety of containment
RIR activities
are adequate.
K> IN 97-29 May 30, 1997 This information
notice requires no specific action or written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contacts listed below or the appropriate
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Marylee M. Slosson, Acting Director Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical
contacts:
Seung Lee, NRR 301-415-2737 E-mail: sjl@nrc.gov
Hans Ashar, NRR 301-415-2851 E-mail: hgaenrc.gov
References
1. Letter from Alex Marion (NEI) to Brian Sheron (NRC), "Interpretation
of Amended 10 CFR 50.55a," dated 09119/96 (Accession
No. 9704180074).
2. Letter from Gus Lainas (NRC) to Alex Marion (NEI), "Implementation
of Containment
Inspection
Rule," dated 11/06/96 (Accession
No. 9611130161).
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices kit C- i4"( & p a
Attachment
IN 97-29 May 30, 1997 0 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED NRC INFORMATION
NOTICES Information
Date of Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to 97-28 97-27 Elimination
of Instrument
Response Time Testing Under the Requirements
of 10 CFR 50.59 Effect of Incorrect Strainer Pressure Drop on Available
Net Positive Suction Head Degradation
in Small-Radius U-Bend Regions of Steam Generator
Tubes 05/30/97 05/16/97 05/19/97 All holders of OLs or CPs All holders of OLs or CPs for light-water
power reactors, except those licensees
who have per-manently ceased operations
and have certified
that fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor vessel All holders of OLs or CPs for pressurized-water
reactors 97-26 87-10, Sup. 1 Potential
for Water Hammer During Restart of Residual Heat Removal Pumps Dynamic Range Uncertain- ties in the Reactor Vessel Level Instrumentation
05/15/97 05/09/97 All holders of OLs or CPs for boiling-water
reactors All holders of OLs or CPs for Westinghouse
pressurized- water reactors 97-25 OL = Operating
License CP = Construction
Permit
IN 97-29 May 30, 1997 This information
notice requires no specific action or writterd response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contacts listed below or the appropriate
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.original signed by S.H. Weiss for Marylee M. Slosson, Acting Director Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical
contacts: Seung Lee, NRR 301-415-2737 E-mail: sjl@nrc.gov
Hans Ashar, NRR 301-415-2851 E-mail: hga@nrc.gov
References
1. Letter from Alex Marion (NEI) to Brian Sheron (NRC), "Interpretation
of Amended 10 CFR 50.55a," dated 09/19196 (Accession
No. 9704180074).
2. Letter from Gus Lainas (NRC) to Alex Marion (NEI), "Implementation
of Containment
Inspection
Rule," dated 11/06/96 (Accession
No. 9611130161).
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Inforrnation
Notices Tech Editor has reviewed and concurred
on 4/17/97 DOCUMENT NAME: 97-29.IN To receive a copy of this document, kndlcata hI the box: *C' -Copy w/o attachmentlenclosure
'E' -Copy wlattachmentlenclosure
'N' -No copy OFFICE TECH CONTS I C:PECB:DRPM
AD:DRPM:NRR, o1. Li NAME SLee* AChaffee*
MSos;TGreene* _ _ _ _DATE 04/22/97 05/15/97 05/2.3/97 IV OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
IN 97-XX May XX, 1997 This information
notice requires no specific action or written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contacts listed below or the appropriate
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Marylee M. Slosson, Acting Director Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical
contacts: Seung Lee, NRR (301) 415-2737 E-mail: sjl~nrc.gov
Hans Ashar, NRR (301) 415-2851 E-mail: hga~nrc.gov
References
1. Letter from Alex Marion (NEI) to Brian Sheron (NRC), "Interpretation
of Amended 10 CFR 50.55a," dated 09/19/96 (Accession
No. 9704180074).
2. Letter from Gus Lainas (NRC) to Alex Marion (NEI), "Implementation
of Containment
Inspection
Rule," dated 11/06/96 (Accession
No. 9611130161).
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices OFC PECB:DRPM
ECGB:DE CIECGB:DE
OGC NAME T. Greene* S. Lee* G. Bagchi* S. Treby*DATE 04/22/97 04/22/97 04/24/97 05/06/97 See previous concurrence
OFC CIPECB:DRPM
AD/DRPK 1 NAME A. Chaffee6W
M. Slosson X DATE ij/197 /97 OFFICIAL RECORD 51 97 DOCUMENT NAME: GATAGXINCONT
K> uIN 97-XX May XX, 1997 This information
notice requires no specific action or written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the appropriate
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Thomas T. Martin, Director Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical
contacts: Seung Lee, NRR (301) 415-2737 E-mail: sjlenrc.gov
Hans Ashar, NRR (301) 415-2851 E-mail: hga@nrc.gov
REFERENCES
1. Letter from Alex Marion (NEI) to Brian Sheron (NRC), "Interpretation
of Amended 10 CFR 50.55a," September
19, 1996 (Accession
9704180074).
2. Letter from Gus Lainas (NRC) to Alex Marion (NEI), "Implementation
of Containment
Inspection
Rule," November 6, 1996 (Accession
9611130161).
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices ,no to?'OFC PECB:DRPM
ECGB:DE C/ECGB:DE
OGC NAME T. Greene* S. Lee* G. Bagchi* ffi /DATE 04/22/97 04/22/97 04/24/97 6//97 See previous concurrence
--______[ OFC C/PECB:DRPM
D/DRPM NA A. Chaffee T. MartinlDATE /97 1 197 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY DOCUMENT NAME: G:\TAGXINCONT
IN 97-XX April XX, 1997 This information
notice requires no specific action or written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the appropriate
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Thomas T. Martin, Director Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical
contacts: Seung Lee, NRR (301) 415-2737 E-mail: sjl~nrc.gov
Hans Ashar, NRR (301) 415-2851 E-mail: hga@nrc.gov
REFERENCES
1. Letter from Alex Marion (NEI) to Brian Sheron (NRC), "Interpretation
of Amended 10 CFR 50.55a," dated September
19, 1996 (Accession, 9704180074).
2. Letter from Gus Lainas (NRC) to Alex Marion (NEI), 'Implementation
of Containment
Inspection
Rule," dated November 6, 1996 (Accession
9611130161).
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices OFC PECB:DRPM
l ECGB:DE C SBE ECB:DRPM D/DRPM NAME T. Greene* S. Lee* ij 9 -I j A. Chaffee T. Martin DATE 04/22/97 04/22/97 /97 j / /97* See previous concurrence
I I OFFICIAL RECORD COPY DOCUMENT NAME: G:\TAG\INCONT
IN 97-XX April XX, 1997 This information
notice requires no specific action or written response.
If you have any questions
about the information
in this notice, please contact the technical
contact listed below or the appropriate
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.Thomas T. Martin, Director Division of Reactor Program Management
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical
contacts: Seung Lee, NRR (301) 415-2737 E-mail: sjlnrc.gov
Hans Ashar, NRR (301) 415-2851 E-mail: hgaenrc.gov
REFERENCES
1. Letter from Alex Marion (NEI) to Brian Sheron (NRC), "Interpretation
of Amended 10 CFR 50.55a," September
19, 1996 (Accession
xxxxxoxxxx).
2. Letter from Gus Lainas (NRC) to Alex Marion (NEI), "Implementation
of Containment
Inspection
Rule," November 6, 1996 (Accession
9611130161).
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information
Notices OFC PECB:DRPM
ECGB:DE C/ECGB:DE
C/PECB:DRPM
D/DRPM NAME T. Greene S. Lee ;;f G. Bagchi A. Chaffee T. Martin DATE 1 97 II 9 7 I //97 1 /97 1 /97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY]DOCUMENT NAME: G:ITAGUNCONT