98-372. Degradation of Steam Generator Internals; Issue

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-372]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Degradation of Steam Generator Internals; Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of issuance.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Generic 
Letter (GL) 97-06 to all holders of operating licenses for pressurized-
water reactors, except those who have permanently ceased operations and 
have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor 
vessel, to (1) again alert addressees to the previously communicated 
findings of damage to steam generator internals, namely, tube support 
plates and tube bundle wrappers, at foreign PWR facilities; (2) alert 
addressees to recent findings of damage to steam generator tube support 
plates at a U.S. PWR facility; (3) emphasize to addressees the 
importance of performing comprehensive examinations of steam generator 
internals to ensure steam generator tube structural integrity is 
maintained in accordance with the requirements of Appendix B to 10 CFR 
Part 50; and (4) require all addressees to submit information that will 
enable the NRC staff to verify whether addressees' steam generator 
internals comply with and conform to the current licensing bases for 
their respective facilities. This generic letter only requests 
information from the addressees under the provisions of Section 182a of 
the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, and 10 CFR 50.54(f).
    The generic letter is available in the NRC Public Document Room 
under accession number 9712180168.

DATES: The generic letter was issued on December 30, 1997.

ADDRESSEES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie M. Coffin, at (301) 415-
2778.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This generic letter does not constitute a 
backfit as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1) since it does not impose 
modifications of or additions to structures, systems or components or 
to design or operation of an addressee's facility. It also does not 
impose an interpretation of the Commission's rules that is either new 
or different from a previous staff position. The staff, therefore, has 
not performed a backfit analysis.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of December 1997.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David B. Matthews,
Acting Director, Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-372 Filed 1-6-98; 8:45 am]
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