[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53365-53366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20729]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Reactor Pressure Vessel Head and Vessel Head Penetration Nozzle 
Inspection Programs; Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of issuance.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Bulletin 
(BL) 2002-02 to all holders of operating licenses for pressurized-water 
reactors (PWRs), except those who have permanently ceased operations 
and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the 
reactor vessel, and all holders of operating licenses for boiling-water 
reactors for information. It concerns the recent discoveries of cracked 
and leaking Alloy 600 vessel head penetration (VHP) nozzles at several 
PWRs and the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) head degradation at Davis-
Besse Nuclear Power Station. These discoveries have raised concerns 
about the adequacy of current inspection programs that rely on visual 
examinations as the primary inspection method to ensure RPV head and 
VHP structural integrity. Specifically, the staff is concerned that the 
inspection methods and frequencies (i.e., inspection intervals) of 
current inspection programs may not be sufficient. Based on experience 
and information currently available, it may be necessary for inspection 
programs that rely on visual examinations to be supplemented with 
additional measures (e.g., volumetric and surface examinations) to 
demonstrate compliance with applicable regulations.
    The issuance of this bulletin is the first step in a multi-step 
approach to address concerns about the adequacy of inspection 
requirements and programs for RPV heads and VHP nozzles. The other 
steps are: review the bulletin responses and determine what further 
regulatory actions are needed (e.g., revision to 10 CFR 50.55a), review 
the Electric Power Research Institute's Material Reliability Program's 
(MRP's) proposed inspection program once an applicable technical basis 
is provided, encourage the revision of American Society of Mechanical 
Engineers (ASME) Code inspection requirements, and, if acceptable, 
incorporate the revised ASME Code requirements into NRC regulations.
    The purpose of the bulletin is to (1) advise PWR addressees that 
visual examinations, as a primary inspection method for the RPV head 
and VHP nozzles, may need to be supplemented with additional measures 
(e.g., volumetric and surface examinations) to demonstrate compliance 
with applicable regulations, (2) advise PWR addressees that inspection 
methods and frequencies to demonstrate compliance with applicable 
regulations should be demonstrated to be reliable and effective, (3) 
request information from all PWR addressees concerning their RPV head 
and VHP nozzle inspection programs to ensure compliance with applicable 
regulatory requirements, and (4) require all addressees to provide 
written responses to the bulletin related to their inspection program 
plans.

DATES: The bulletin was issued on August 9, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allen L. Hiser, at 301-415-1034, 
Timothy K. Steingass, at 301-415-3312, Michael L. Marshall, at 301-415-
2734, or Steven D. Bloom, at 301-415-1313.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bulletin 2002-02 may be examined and/or 
copied for a fee at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at One 
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, 
Maryland, and is accessible electronically from the Agencywide 
Documents Access and

[[Page 53366]]

Management Systems (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the 
Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. 
The ADAMS Accession No. for the bulletin is ML022200494.
    If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in 
accessing documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document 
Room (PDR) Reference staff at 301-415-4737 or 1-800-397-4209, or by e-
mail to [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of August 2002.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David B. Matthews,
Director, Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 02-20729 Filed 8-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P