What type of inspection is usually performed for a power uprate?
Our procedure (Inspection Procedure 71004, “Power Uprates”) focuses inspection activities on issues specifically related to power uprates such as changes that impact the integrity of barriers (e.g., higher flow rates which increases flow-accelerated corrosion and vibration at specific support points.) We also make use of the information we gain through the routine inspection activities that the NRC resident inspectors conduct every day. When appropriate, we will focus the inspection on risk-significant power uprate activities (e.g., plant modifications, post-maintenance testing, integrated plant operations). We began inspections of power uprate activities in April 2004 when Entergy made plant modifications that may later be used to operate the plant at the proposed power level.
