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ASME Section XI Meeting Notes – August 2005		Site Updates
Introduction Prepared By: Dajun Song and Jerry Crider Company: Progress Energy Meeting Dates: August 8 – 11, 2005 Meeting Location: Los Angeles, California Meeting Notes General Announcements 1. Next Section XI meeting is in Greensboro, NC. The meeting dates, 10/31/05 – 11/04/05. Sheraton Greensboro, (336) 292-9161. 2. NRC Report · Next Draft Reg. Guide 1.147 (Revision 14) was published for public comment on August 3, 2004. This will cover up to Supplement 6 of 2001 Code Cases. The public comment period closed on September 2, 2004. The staff has developed responses to the comments, and the draft final guide package is currently under review. Publication is scheduled for September/October 2005. · Draft Revision 15 to Reg. Guide 1.147 is nearly complete. The guide addresses Code Cases in Supplement 7 through Supplement 12 to the 2001 Edition. This guide will be published for public comment shortly after the Revision 14 is published final. · The NRC has completed the technical bases for the amendment to 10 CFR 50.55a to endorse the 2004 Edition. No schedule has been released for publication date of the proposed rule. · New Reactor Licensing Activities reported by NRC: “The final safety evaluation report (FSER) and Final Design approval (FDA) for the AP1000 design certification were issued on September 13, 2004. The staff is scheduled to complete rulemaking to certify the AP1000 design in December 2005. The staff is reviewing early site permit (ESP) applications for three sites: North Anna, Clinton, and Grand Gulf. All three applications were accepted for docketing in late 2003, and the staff’s safety and environmental review of the applications are in progress. The reviews are expected to take 23, 25, and 27 months, respectively, followed by a mandatory hearing.” 3. The Code Cases will no longer have expiration dates. The Executive Committee is looking at new rules for managing Code Cases. 4. Plastic pipe - Some utilities are pursuing relief requests to use plastic pipe for repair replacement activities on Class 3 systems. Section XI is establishing a Task Group to work with Section III and the SWG on nonmetallic materials to develop rules for using plastic or polyethylene pipe. Wes Rowley will chair the task group. Code Committee Protocol A quick lesson on code committee protocol is provided. Typically, a code item starts at Task Group (TG) level and must work its’ way through BNCS before it gets published. Here is the pecking order. TG – Task Group WG – Working Group SG – Subgroup SC XI – Subcommittee Section XI MC – Standards Committee (Items can still pass with 3 negative votes if it’s a “second consideration” vote.) BNCS – Board of Nuclear Codes and Standards Some popular “Groups”; TG on Alloy 600 TG on Boric Acid Corrosion WGISIO – ISI Optimization WGISC – Inspection of Systems and Components WGRBI – Risk Based Inspection WGPT – Pressure Test WGIWE/IWL – Containment WGGR – General Requirements SGWCS – Water Cooled Systems SGNDE – Nondestructive Evaluation SGRRM – Repair, Replacement, and Modifications SGES – Evaluations and Standards SCXI – Subcommittee Section XI Code Committee Items 1. Task Group on Alternative NDE Methods for Repair/Replacement/Modification (RRM) Activities. Still trying to resolve an issue concerning using ASME XI acceptance criteria vs. Section III. Still waiting for technical paper to be developed to address this issue. 2. A proposed Code Case on Alternative Examination Requirements for BWR RPV Shell Welds (BWR VIP-05) was brought up for discussion, again. This item was tabled for several years until a White Paper could be developed. The item received minor editorial comments at the WGISC. Still working on the White Paper. 3. A proposed Code Case on Alternative Examination Requirements for Vessels with Wall Thickness 2 Inches or Less. The Code Case is different from N-435. This Code Case uses susceptibility criteria to determine what examination requirements are appropriate. It requires Appendix VIII when performing UT. NRC representative on the WGISC wanted more specific reference to Appendix VIII. Minor changes still needed. Will bring back to WGISC for a vote in December. 4. A proposed Code Case (N-747) and code change to eliminate surface and volumetric examination requirement on RPV head to flange weld. VT-1 exam each inspection period will replace the surface and volumetric exams. Passed SGWCS. Goes to SCXI. 5. A proposed Code Case and change to eliminate Category B-M-1 valve body weld examination. Code Case and change will be presented at the December WGISCs meeting for a vote. 6. A proposed code action to eliminate IRS on Class 2 branch connections. This action is to eliminate the IRS from figure IWC-2500-4(c). @WGISC 7. A proposed code action to draft a letter to the NRC challenging the limitation imposed on Code Case N-619. @WGISC. 8. Proposed code action to eliminate Inspection Program A from the Code. Checking with the European community before taking any action. @WGISC. 9. Proposed Code Case N-734 on Examination Requirements for Portion of Class 1 and 2 Systems and Components within the Containment System Boundary and proposed code change. Clarifies which welds fall under Class 1/2 or MC rules. Passed WGISC and SGWCS. Goes to SCXI. 10. Proposed Code Case N-735 to eliminate the requirement to perform successive examinations on flaws that are not service induced. The SGE&S did not want this Code Case used for piping susceptible to SCC. Concern was addressed. Passed WGISC and SGWCS. Goes to SCXI. 11. Intent Inquiry and code change to allow an inspection period to be reduced or extended by as much as one year for reasons other than to enable an inspection to coincide with a plant outage. @WGISC. 12. Proposed Code Case (N-711) using risk insights to determine the minimum required examination coverage for Class 1 and 2 piping welds. Addressed MC negatives, and reaffirmed at SGWCS. Goes to SCXI. 13. Proposed Code Case (N-706) to perform visual examination of Regenerative and Residual Heat Exchanger in lieu of volumetric and surface examination. Very good code change for those of you who can not exempt these heat exchangers due to size and Code class. Received Standards Committee negatives. Goes back to SCXI. 14. Code change to clarify using Gross Structural Discontinuity in selecting ISI welds. The definition of Gross Structural Discontinuity per Section III will no longer be used for ISI weld selection. The selection will be based sorely on stress. Item passed Standards Committee. @BNCS. 15. A presentation on the proposed Code Case N-733 for repairing small-bore nozzles using a mechanical nozzle seal assembly (MENSA) was presented and discussed. The item passed BNCS. 16. Proposed Code Case N-729, Alternative Examination Requirements for PWR Closure Heads with Partial-Penetration Nozzle Welds. The new Code Case provides alternative examination requirements for PWR closure heads with partial-penetration nozzles fabricated with Alloy 600/82/182 and nozzles fabricated with PWSCC resistant materials. Item passed BNCS. 17. Revision to Code Case N-522. Currently this code case allows Appendix J testing in lieu of the rules in Table IWC-2500-1, Category C-H. This revision extends this alternative to repair/replacement pressure testing. Passed SGWCS. Goes to SCXI. 18. Revision to Code Case N-638-1, Ambient Preheat Machine GTAW Temperbead Requirements. This change revises the SA302 Grade B limitation and impact testing, NDE, and interpass temperature requirements. Requirements to monitor welding process temperatures were also added. Passed BNCS. Inquiry Session Note: To expedite the Code Inquiry process, all inquiries must be received by the ASME office (Oliver Martinez, Secretary) two weeks prior to the Code meeting. The following Requirement Inquires were approved. (Note: Occasionally, Requirement Inquires goes to SCXI because the inquiry did not get a unanimous vote at the Inquiry Session) 1. Q. Is it a requirement of the Code to include the Core Shroud as a “Core Support Structure” in addition to the Core Shroud Support Plate and Core Support Plate? Reply. It is the responsibility of the Owner to classify items. 2. Q. Does IWA-2460(d)(1) permit an Owner to start a successive interval prior to completing the preceding interval, if the successive interval is not altered by more than 1 year from the original pattern of intervals and exams performed to satisfy the requirements of either the preceding or successive interval are not credited to both intervals? Reply. YES (NOTE: No consensus reached at Inquiry Session – goes to SCXI for a vote) 3. Q. Is it a requirement of Mandatory Appendix II, Form NIS-2, line item 9, that the Owner attach Manufacturer’s Data Report Forms to the NIS-2 if the Owner provides applicable information (e.g. manufacturer, item serial number, heat number, national board number, receiving inspection data package number, etc.) on the NIS-2 that permits traceability of the item to the installation location? Reply. YES (NOTE: Code Case and Code change is in the words to let utilities either reference or attach the Code Data Report) 4. Q. Is it a requirement of Figure IWB-2500-12 that the diameter of a stud for examination purposed, Ds is the major thread dimension of the stud? Reply. YES The following Intent Inquiry was approved by SCXI. (Note 1: Intent Inquires require approval of SCXI members, and need accompanying code change.) No Intent Inquires were discussed.
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