Underground Piping and Tanks 

Integrity Initiative 

Implementation Report to NSIAC 

June, 2012

Jim Riley

December 5, 2012 December 5, 2012
Overall Implementation Status Overall Implementation Status
Overall Implementation Status

 As of the end of June 2012, all plants have met the first six 

milestones. 

– One plant reports that completion of inspections of buried piping 

containing licensed material by June 30, 2013 is at risk because of funding uncertainty.One plant has reported all Underground Piping and Tank

– One plant has reported all Underground Piping and Tank

milestones as complete because they do not have any components within the scope of this part of the Initiative

 Positive or stable trends are indicated on each milestone Positive or stable trends are indicated on each milestone One deviation in January 2012. The December 31, 2011 

milestone was missed due to an administrative problem

–

Utility processed a justification for deviation on this issue processed

a justification for deviation on this issue

– Procedures were in place by the end of January

 All plants currently report that they are on schedule for future 

milestones
Operating Experience
Operating Experience

 Reported in EPIX as of June, 2012 Totals for past years change as reports continue Too early to trend leakage overall Chart of systems most affected has not changed 

significantly

 Legend

– Significant leaks

• Exceed NRC or EPA limits, • Re

portable under the Ground Water Protection Initiative, 

• Result in a system or component being out of service

– Adverse inspection findings require repairs within one cycle
Operating Experience

 Plants characterize systems 

differently; especially which y; p y

systems are “run to failure” 

 The majority of buried and 

underground piping degradation underground piping degradation

is occurring on low risk or “run to failure” systems (see next 

slide)

 Relative percentage of events in the different categories has not 

changed significantly 

 About 20% of the piping degradation has been on piping that is safety 

related, or contains radioactive or environmentally sensitive materials
Operating Experience
Operating Experience

 The major reported failure causes was “other”. This category includes events 

that do not have a reported cause. Use of this categorization (essentially a default) makes an evaluation of failure trends difficult default) makes an evaluation of failure trends difficult. 

 Efforts are underway to encourage more detailed cause determinations and this 

is having some effect; 53% of the causes were listed as “Other” in July 2011
NDE Technology

 Conducted a Buried Pipe NDE Workshop on May 21st, 2012 in Seattle WA

– Facilitated an industry goal to reduce the communication gap between NDE and 

buried pipe subject matter experts. 

Completed the development of a remote field in line depth sizing technology in  Completed the development of a remote field in-line depth sizing technology in

July. 

 Completed a technical basis for a new phased array ultrasonic technology that 

increases examination speed and improves wall degradation detection and 

h t i ti biliti characterization capabilities 

 Structural health monitoring technology (permanent guided wave sensors) 

provides a potentially powerful tool to permanently monitor buried piping systems

 Assessed two internal self-propelled robotic piping inspection systems to 

benchmark NDE sensor technology and to a limited degree robotic capability

 Initiated a project to produce flaws in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping

so that NDE technologies can be developed and evaluated

 EPRI has joined the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) to leverage 

EPRI resources on buried piping issues relating to NDE, corrosion, materials, and repair 
Overall Observations

 There are no major new observations on 

leaka

ge trends or Initiative im

plementation g p

this period.

– Utilities are implementing the Initiative milestones 

as scheduled.

– Only one deviation to the Milestones or to the 

t ti i NEI 09 14 h b t d expect

ations in NEI 09

-14

has 

been repor

t

e

d

 Significant advances in NDE technology 

development

 There are no definite trends in event 

f occurrence so 

a

r