NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I

475 Allendale Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406

No. I-00-58 July 27, 2000

CONTACT: Diane Screnci (610)337-5330/ e-mail: dps@nrc.gov

Neil A. Sheehan (610)337-5331/e-mail: nas@nrc.gov

NOTE TO EDITORS:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has issued a letter to Consolidated Edison Company

of New York detailing the preliminary findings of a special inspection to review the cause of the

February 15 steam generator tube failure at Con Ed’s Indian Point 2 nuclear power plant in Buchanan,

N.Y. The letter is attached.

Separately, the NRC today issued an amendment to the Indian Point 2 technical specifications.

The amendment allows Con Ed, among other things, to operate with the containment recirculation

filters and charcoal adsorbers removed. The request for the amendment - submitted by ConEd in

November 1999 - was intended to take advantage of updated research findings on estimated public

radiation doses from reactor accidents. Copies of this amendment are available from the NRC’s

electronic reading room at accession number ML003727500. Copies are also available from the

NRC’s Office of Public Affairs.

#
SUB

STEAM 

1. More specifically, Con Edison did not: were not identified. data collection/analysis. This increased the likelihood that detec

appropriate corrective actions for significant conditions adver

inspection program were deficient in several respects. Con 

The team concluded that the overall technical direction 

and other members of the Con Edison staff. 2000, the team leader discussed the preliminar

Region I, as well as NRC-contracted specia

The NRC team members included person

determination for these findings re

cause analyses. These results ar

potential to influence ongoin

providing these prelimina

February 15, 2000, stea

This letter transmits 

Dear Mr. Blin

mechanism and adjust, as appropriate, the inspection methods and analyses. generator inspection program did not fully assess the implications of this new degradation cracking is more likely to result in tube failure than other U-bend cracks. The 1997 stea

(PWSCC) at the apex of a low row U-bend tube. Operating experience indicates that 

degradation mechanism, i.e., inside diameter (ID) primary water stress corrosion c

take appropriate corrective actions following identification of a new and sig

2.

The data analysis techniques were not adjusted to compensate for the noise to improve the magnitude of the noise was a problem that negatively impacted the probability of detection. encountered in the eddy current signal. In the case of the steam generator tube that failed, the recognize the significance of, and fully evaluate, the flaw masking effects of the high noise
4.

direction and execu

indications, it wa

While this issu

calibration 

current p

en

Available Records (PARS) component of NRC’s document system (ADAMS). A

available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Roo

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy o

significance determination process and inspection report finalization. continue to consider these points as part of our established regulato

July 16, 1997. Many of these viewpoints had been discussed du

team’s preliminary findings are not in agreement with NRC I

warranted after this discovery; 5) the root cause submitted 

current examination; 4) the PWSCC indication was exp

not met; 3) no specific noise criteria existed relative 

were met; 2) the team had not identified any spec

understanding that Con Edison’s position is th

At the exit meeting, Con Edison disagreed w

generator inspection. nor address, deficiencies in the pro

attributed the tube failure to a fl

2000, did not sufficiently add

The team also concluded 
M. Elie, Citizens Awareness Network T. Judson, Central NY Citizens Awareness Network Orange County Executive Rockland County Executive Putnam County Executive Westchester County Executive County Clerk, West Chester County Legislature and Development Authority J. Spath, Program Director, New York State Ener

and Development Authority F. William Valentino, President, New York 

T. Rose, NFSC Secretary P. Eddy, Electric Division, Departme

C. Donaldson, Esquire, Assistant A

J. Ferrick, Operations Manager C. Faison, Director, Nuclear 

B. Brandenburg, Assistan

J. McCann, Manager, N

J. Baumstark, Vice 

J. Groth, Senior V

cc w/encl: License 

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