B16531, Part 21 Rept Re GE Commercial Grade Dedication Program Being Determined to Be Inadequate in Ability to Demonstrate Seismic Capability of Specific Relay.Returned Relays to GE Facility for Repair

Part 21 Rept Re GE Commercial Grade Dedication Program Being Determined to Be Inadequate in Ability to Demonstrate Seismic Capability of Specific Relay.Returned Relays to GE Facility for Repair

ML20141G547
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	07/03/1997
From:	Mcelwain J NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
REF-PT21-97 B16531, NUDOCS 9707090271
Download: ML20141G547 (6)

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e ""ge Feny Rd. (Houte 156). Wau rford, CT 0(1385 t Northecst

)I Nuclear Energy hun tone Nuclear Power Stadon Northemt Nuclear Energy Company P.o. Ik>x 128 Waterford, CT 0638 3-0128 (860) 447-1791 ran (860) 444-4277 j h

• lhe Northeast Utilitice System .

Docket No. 50-245 B16531 Re: 10 CFR 21.21 Jll 3 1997 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission  :

Attention: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 ,

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Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No.1 i 10 CFR 21 Report Concernine GE Class lE Relays l Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NNECO) is providing this letter to inform the l Commission, in accordance with 10 CFR 21.21 (c)(4), that defective Class 1 E electrical l relays were received from General Electric Company. The non-conforming components were ordered for use at Millstone Unit No.1. The subject relays were not installed in the j plant, j l

Initial notification of this matter was provided via facsimile notification to the NRC Operations Center in accordance with 10 CFR 21.21 (c)(3) on June 6,1997.

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The information required by 10 CFR 21 is provided in Attachment I to this letter.

There are no new commitments made in this letter. Should you have any questions, please contact R. W. Walpole at (860) 440-2191.

Very truly yours, NORTliEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY COMPANY i

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@hn P.'McElwainf I

Millstone Unit No.1 Recovery Officer .--

MUl l 9707090271 970703 D \ hlhlllN,hkk h V8 Ol3Q Oh3422 5 REY 12 95

U.S: Nuclear Regulatory Commission B16531\Page 2 Sworn to and Subscribed Before Me f This Jrc/ Day ofCaly_ ,1997 f

' t&lCNo(ary 0 Public / 'I L "

My Commission Expires / 2 /5//7o0/

Attachment:

10 CFR 21 Report Concerning Class IE Relays Provided by General Electric Company l

, cc: 11. J. Miller, Region 1 Administrator Dr. W. D. Travers, Director, Special Projects Ofrice W. D. Lanning, Director, Millstone Assessment Team S. Dembek, NRC Project Manager, Millstone Unit No.1 i

T. A. Eastick, Senior Resident inspector, Millstone Unit No.1 l

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. Docket No. 50-245

! B16531 i

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Attachment 1 Millstone Unit No.1 i 10 CFR 21 Report Concerning Class 1E Relays Provided by General Electric Company 1 i

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l July 1997

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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission B16531\ Attachment l\Page 1 I

In accordance with 10 CFR 21.21 (c)(4), NNECO is providing the following information:

(i) Name and address of the individual or individuals informing the Commission.

1 Mr. John P. McElwain '

Millstone Unit No.1 Recovery Officer Northeast Nuclear Energy Company  !

P.O. Box 128 3 Waterford, Connecticut 06385-0128

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l (ii) Identification of the facility, the activity, or the basic component supplied for such facility or such activity within the United States which fails to comply or contams a defect. I GE -IFCS Class 1E Electrical Relays Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit No.1 Northeast Nuclear Energy Company Waterford, Connecticut  !

(iii) Identification of the firm constructing the facility or supplying the basic  ;

component which fails to comply or contains a defect. ,

l General Electric Company l San Jose, CA l (iv) Nature of the defect or failure to comply and the safety hazard which is created or could be created by such defect or failure to comply.

The IFCS electrical relays provided by General Electric Company (GE) have been reviewed by NNECO with a focus on the dedication of the commercial product l conducted under the General Electric Nuclear Energy (GENE) Quality Assurance (QA) program. The GENE commercial grade dedication program has been determined by NNECO to be inadequate in its ability to demonstrate seismic capability of these specific relays as delineated in the procurement specifications. The basic components of particular concern are GE -IFCS relays; however, the apparent weaknesses in the GE l commercial-grade dedication program potentially had an impact on the qualification of l the entire order of 6 other types of relays purchased under Northeast Utilities Purchase Order No. 02012938.11owever, NNECO has confirmed the acceptability of these other types of relays through independent testing. l l

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission B16531\ Attachment l\Page 2 The IFCS r.iays were received in an unusable condition and thus were not installed in 16 plant. However, ifinstalled, the limiting consequence for a malfunction 1 of the II CS relays would be the opening of the output breaker for both the Gas-Turbine Generator and the Emergency Diesel Generator resulting in a loss of onsite Class 1E power. NNECO's inspection of the IFCS relays revealed manufacturing defects which may have impacted the structural integrity and capability of the devices. Had the damage been less severe and not identified, the relays would have been made available for installation in the plant. The installation of these relays would have most likely resulted in a situation where the relays may have proper electrical functionality unless subjected to external loads such as a Design Basis Earthquake. Thus, the relays could have appeared serviceable but would potentially not meet their design requirements. This condition, if )

the relays had been installed, would have represented a significant degradation of safety-related equipment and potentially a condition outside the design basis of the plant for the onsite power supplies.

(v) The date on which the information of such defect or failure to comply was obtained.

i A Non-Conformance Report (NCR) addressing the issue was prepared on April  !

10,1997. A Condition Report (CR) was then written on April 18,1997.

(vi) In the case of a basic component which contains a defect or fails to comply, the number and location of all such components in use at, supplied for, or being l supplied for one or more facilities or activities subject to the regulations of this Part.

The basic components of concern are GE -lFCS relays provided under Northeast Utilities Purchase Order No. 02012938. Six of the seven IFCS relays ordered were received with damage. This damage was internal and was not detected upon initial receipt inspection. However, none of the subject relays had been installed in the plant at the time of discovery.

(vii) The corrective action which has been, is being, or will be taken; the name of the individual or organization responsible for the action; and the length of time that has been or will be taken to complete the action.

The defective relays were returned to GENE's facility at 2015 East Bridge Boulevard, Mascot TN 37806 for repair or replacement. The subject relays were repaired by GE and returned to NNECO. The repaired relays were then inspected by NNECO and determined to be acceptable.

i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission '

B16531\ Attachment l\Page 3 ,

(viii) Any advice related to the defect or failure to comply about the facility, activity, or basic component that has been, is being, or will be given to purchasers or  ;

licensees.  !

l None.  !

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