t"!!!!!!!r.:::l~11 ELECTRIC POWER -=1-1c;;;;; RESEARCH INSTITUTE 

MRP Materials Reliability Program ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MRP 2016-022 

(via email) 

DATE: July 27, 2016 

TO: Document Control Desk 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Washington, DC 20555-001 

FROM: Bernie Rudell, Exelon, MRP Integration Committee Chairman 

Anne Demma, EPRI, MRP Program Manager 

SUBJECT: Transmittal ofNEI-03-08 "Needed" Interim Guidance Regarding Baffle Former 

Bolt inspections for Tier 1 plants as Defined in Westinghouse NSAL 16-01 

This letter transmits for NRC information recent NEI 03-08 Interim Guidance regarding the 

inspection of baffle-former bolts in PWR plants. As discussed during the 7/19/2016 public 

meeting with NRC, this guidance was developed by industry in response to recent inspection 

experiences in spring 2016 utility outages. This guidance supplements existing 

recommendations provided by EPRI technical report MRP-227-A, and provides immediate 

guidance for the Tier 1 plants as defined in Westinghouse's Nuclear Safety Advisory Letter 

(NSAL) 16-01. EPRI notes tha,t this is the first step in the development of broader guidance for 

the fleet in response to the recent operating experience. The industry's baffle former bolt focus 

group will continue its work on the development of additional guidance where appropriate. 

If there are any questions or concerns, please contact Brian Burgos, EPRI-MRP 

(bburgos@epri.com, 724-610-8559) or Tim Wells, Southern Nuclear 

(TGWELLS@southernco.com, 205-992-7460). 

Sincerely, 

Bernie Rudell Anne Demma 

Chairman, Materials Reliability Program EPRI MRP Program Manager 

Cc: Joe Holonich, NRC 

Attachment: MRP 2016-021 Letter 

Reference: EPRI Project Number 689 

Together ... Shaping the Future of Electricity 

PALO ALTO OFFICE 

3420 Hillview Avenue, Polo Alto, CA 94304-1338 USA• 650.855.2000 •Customer Service 800.313.3774 • www.epri.com 
~~~11 ELECTRIC POWER -=1-1c;;;;;;; RESEARCH INSTITUTE 

MRP Materials Reliability Program ___________ MRP 2016-021 

(via email) 

DATE: July 25, 2016 

TO: MRP Members 

FROM: Bernie Rudell, Exelon, MRP Integration Committee Chairman 

Anne Demma, EPRI, MRP Program Manager 

SUBJECT: Transmittal ofNEI-03-08 "Needed" Interim Guidance Regarding Baffle Former 

Bolt inspections for Tier 1 plants as Defined in Westinghouse NSAL 16-01 

The purpose of this letter is to issue Interim Guidance regarding the inspection of baffle-former 

bolts. This Interim Guidance is "Needed" as defined in NEI 03-08. 

The guidance was developed and approved at the PMMP level to provide immediate guidance 

for the Tier 1 plants as defined in the Westinghouse NSAL 16-01. This is the first step in the 

development of broader guidance for the fleet in response to the recent operating experience. 

The Baffle Former Bolt Focus Group will continue its work on the development of additional 

guidance where appropriate. This work includes development of criteria for plants to use should 

they choose to replace bolts in lieu of the inspections required by the new interim guidance 

contained in this transmittal. 

Interim Guidance: 

Consistent with the requirements of MRP-227 and MRP-228 as currently prescribed, the following 

interim guidance is issued under NE/ 03-08 as "Needed" guidance. . 

Al/plants identified as Tier 1 a plants in Westinghouse NSAL 16-1 shall perform an ultrasonic 

examination (UT) volumetric inspection of the full population of baffle-former bolts at the next 

scheduled refueling outage. 

Plants identified as Tier 1 b in Westinghouse NSAL 16-1 shall complete a visual VT-3 

examination of the full population of baffle-former bolts at the next scheduled refueling outage. If 

degradation is detected the plant shall complete actions consistent with Tier 1 a plants, if no 

degradation is detected during the visual VT-3 examination, an ultrasonic examination (UT) 

consistent with Tier 1 a plants' guidance shall be completed during the second refueling outage 

after issuance of this interim guidance. 

Those plants are: 

Together ... Shaping the Future of Electricity 

PALO ALTO OFFICE 

3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1338 USA • 650.855.2000 • Customer Service 800.313.377 4 • www.epri.com 
2 of 2 MRP 2016-021 

• D.C. Cook 1 & 2(Tier1a) 

• Diablo Canyon 1 (Tier 1 a) 

• Indian Point 2* & 3(Tier 1 a) 

• Salem 1* & 2(Tier1a) 

• Sequoyah 1 & 2(Tier1b) 

*Plants that have already completed an ultrasonic examination in their most recent refueling outage and are 

under the plant-specific corrective action processes for baffle'."former bolt examination acceptance, 

evaluation, and re-examination. 

Sincerely, 

,• 

'~''''.: .... ·.· .. 

,, ' 

' ' 

. .. . . . 

Bernie Rudell Anne Demma 

Chairman, Materials Reliability Program EPRI MRP Program Manager 

Together ... Sha.ping the Future of Electricity 

PALO ALTO OFFICE 

3420 Hillview Avenue, Pcilo Alto, CA 94304-1338 USA• 650.855.2000 •Customer Service 800.313.3774 • www.epri.com