AECM-83-0551, First Interim Part 21 Rept PRD-83/12 Re Failure of Agastat GP Series Relays to Switch.Initially Reported on 830902. Malfunctioning Relays Sent to GE for Evaluation. Applicability to Unit 2 Under Review.Final Rept by 831107

First Interim Part 21 Rept PRD-83/12 Re Failure of Agastat GP Series Relays to Switch.Initially Reported on 830902. Malfunctioning Relays Sent to GE for Evaluation. Applicability to Unit 2 Under Review.Final Rept by 831107

ML20076L877
Person / Time
Site:	Grand Gulf
Issue date:	09/06/1983
From:	Mcgaughy J MISSISSIPPI POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
References
REF-PT21-83 AECM-83-0551, AECM-83-551, NUDOCS 8309190110
Download: ML20076L877 (5)

Text

r-MISSISSIPPI POWER & LIGHT COMPANY Helping Build Mississippi P. O . B O X 16 4 0. J A C K S O N, MISSISSlPPI 39205 B3 SEP 14 nl0 : 35 September 6,1983 J AMES P. McGAUGHY. JR.

vtCE PaESIDENT Office of Inspection & Enforcement U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II 101 Marietta Street, N.W.

Suite 2900 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 At ten tion: Mr. J. P. O'Reilly, Regional Administrator

SUBJECT:

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station Unit 1 License No. NPF-13 Docket No. 50-416 File 0260/15525/15526/16694.4 PRD-83/12, Interim Report, Failure of Agastat GP Series Relays to Switch AECM-83/0551 On September 2,1983, Mississippi Power & Light Company notified Mr. D. Verrelli, of your of fice, of a Potentially Reportable Deficiency at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS). MP&L has evaluated this deficiency and determined that it could potentially create a substantial safety hazard under the guidelines of 10CFR21 for Unit 1. The deficiency concerns the failure of Agastat GP series relays to change state when called upon to operate. It is indeterminate at this time as to whether this deficiency is applicable to Unit 2.

Details are provided in our attached Interim Report. We expect to submit a Final Report by November 7, 1983.

Yours truly, i

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8309190110 830906 PDR ADOCK 05000416

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_ ~ _ . m" W FJ C 1.iT, C O I Attachment d i

See Page 2 for Distrigeniber Middle South Utilities System

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Mr. J. P. 'O'Reilly AECM-83/0551 NRC Page 2 of 2

- cc: - Mr. J. B. Richard Mr. R. B. McGehee Mr. T. B.-Conner Mr. Richard C. DeYoung, Director Office of Inspection & Enforcement U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i

Washington, D.C. 20555 i Mr. C. B. Taylor L South Miss. Electric Power Association

' P. O. Box 1589

, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 l

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• Attachment to AECM-83/0551 Page 1 of 3 INTERIM REPORT NO. 1 FOR PRD-83/12

1. Name and address of the individual .. . ~ informing the commission:

J..P. McGaughy, Jr.

Vice-President, Nuclear

.P.O. Box 1640 Jackson, Mississippi 39205 Notification of Part 21 applicability made to Mr. J. P. O'Reilly, NRC, Region II by letter AECM-83/0551, September 6, 1983.

2. . Identification of the facility . .. which ... contains a deficiency:

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS) Unit 1 Port Gibson, Mississippi 39150 MP&L is presently determining the applicability of the deficiency to Unit 2.

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3. Identification of the -fira . . . supplying the basic component which . . .

contains a deficiency:

The Agastat GP series relays were manufactured by the Amerace Corporation, Control Products Division, and Supplied to Grand Gulf . by -

the Bechtel Power Corporation in Gaithersburg, Maryland .and ~ by the General Electric Company, San-Jose, California.

4. . Nature of the deficiency .. .~ and the safety hazard which . . . - could be created by such a deficiency ...:

A.. Description of the Deficiency

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1The deficiency involves the failure of. Agastat GP series relays to

' change state' when called upon to operate. The failure of the relays to operate properly has been determined to be due to the nylon movable contact arm coming in contact with the barrier strip on the melanine phenol relay base. This ~resulted in mechanical interference and inability of the relay contacts to move. MP&L believes that this deficiency is applicable only to some Agastat GP series relays manufactured prior to August 1977 as all relay failures at GGNS to date are pre-August 1977 relays. Agastat GP series relaysf manufactured at a later date were of-a different design that prevented moveable -arm and barrier strip interference.

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Attachment to AECM-83/0551 Page 2 of 3 MP&L had earlier notification of a similar problem occurring at another plant due to INPO Significant Event Report (SER) 68-82.

MP&L's investigation at that time determined that the deficiency was due to " post-mold shrinkage." Communication with General Electric, at that time, provided justification' of continued use of the pre-August ,1977 GP series Agastat relays. ' G. E. had stated that Agastat's position regarding pre-August 1977 relays. is that if the relays are presently operating properly, they ,will not fail = to operate due to this problem at some time in the future. The relays presently failing to operate at GGNS had previously operated properly during and af ter the Pre-Operational and Acceptance Testing Program.

The root cause of .the possible failures of GP series relays at GGNS has not been determined at the present time.

B. Analysis of Safety Implications MP&L considers that the possible failure of the GP series Agastat relays to operate could result in degradation of the function of safety related systems and potentially create a substantial safety hazard.

5. . The date on which the information of such deficiency ... was obtained.

MP&L received information concerning a similar deficiency in December, ~

1 982. However, information concerning the specific deficiency at GGNS vss obtained on July- 25, 1983. We then evaluated the deficiency and deter-mined the deficiency could potentially create a substantial safety hazard.

The deficiency was then reported to Mr. D. Verrelli; of your office, on L September 2,1983 by the MP&L " Responsible Of ficer," Mr. J. P. McGaughy,

( Jr.

6. In the case of the basic component ... the number and location of all such ,

components:

The deficiency concerning Agastat GP series relays is located at Grand l Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1. MP&L is undertaking actions to determine l - applicability to Unit 2. -

7. The corrective action which has been taken . . . the name of the individual

... responsible for the action; and the length-of time that has been ...

taken to complete the action.

A. Corrective Actions Taken MP&L has sent several. malfunctioning GP Series Agastat relays to ,

General Electric for evaluation and determination of the cause of failure.

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• *s Attachment to AECM-83/0551 Page.3 of 3 MP&L is inspecting and replacing as required affected pre-August 1977 Agastat GP ~ series relays used in safety-related applications with relays manufactured af ter August 1977 which are of a different design.

B. Responsible Individual Unit 1 Unit 2 C. K. McCoy T. H. Cloninger Nuclear Plant Manager- Unit 2 Project Manager

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C. Length of Time to Complete Actions MP&L will inspect and replace as required the safety-related affected pre-August 1977 GP Series Agastat relays. MP&L expects to have determined the cause of the relay failures and provide a final report by November 7, 1983.

8. Any advice related to the deficiency ... that- has been, is being, or will be given to purchasers or licensees:

As the deficiency did not originate with MP&L, we have no advice to offer.

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