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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Experience with detection and disposition of PWSCC flaws in PWR pressurizer and reactor coolant system loop Alloy 600 penetrations

Conference ·
OSTI ID:403317
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Florida Power and Light Co., Juno Beach, FL (United States)
  2. ABB Combustion Engineering, Windsor, CT (United States)
The discovery of cracking of alloy 600 heater sleeve penetrations in a Combustion Engineering (CE) designed pressurizer in 1989, prompted utilities and the designer to form a group to investigate the cracking and address the potential safety concerns. The cause of cracking was determined to be axial primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). Its axial orientation made ejection of a penetration highly unlikely. Therefore, PWSCC of alloy 600 penetrations was not considered a safety issue but an economic issue. To manage the issue at the Florida Power and Light Co.`s (FPL`s) two unit St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant, FPL has: performed visual inspections for evidence of PWSCC (leakage), preventively replaced penetrations based on predictions from industry data, and developed a standardized repair method as a contingency to respond to emergent repairs while minimizing the associated outage time.
OSTI ID:
403317
Report Number(s):
CONF-960706--; ISBN 0-7918-1782-2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English