ENS 48863
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
20:30 Mar 27, 2013 | |
| Title | Part 21 Report - Foxboro Power Supply Potential Failures Due to Defective Tie Wraps and Holders |
| Event Description | Mr. John F. Brosemer, President of Integrated Resources, Inc., reported discovery of repeated defects in Foxboro Meter Company's N-2ARPS-A6, Style D power supplies. When manufactured, the power supplies utilized Thomas and Betts TC105A aluminum wire tie holders in random numbers and placements. As the power supplies age, the tie wrap holder adhesive degrades and the tie wraps embrittle resulting in the separation of the tie wraps and loss of holder adhesion to the power supply enclosure. This causes the wraps and holders to fall to the bottom of the enclosure which could result in shorts when the aluminum comes in contact with electronic components. In one particular power supply, all tie wrap holders in use failed and separated from the enclosure.
The power supplies are used in Foxboro SPEC-200 cabinetry that are used throughout the industry. At the time of this notification, Integrated Resources has one power supply from Three Mile Island and two power supplies from Ft. Calhoun undergoing refurbishment. Integrated Resources will be following up this telephonic notification with a written report once their internal investigation is done. Recommended corrective actions are for affected facilities to open and inspect all power supplies and remove the aluminum tie wrap holders and replace the tie wraps and holders with Teflon types.
Suspecting this to be a common mode failure IRI [Integrated Resources, Inc.] opened and inspected two Foxboro N-2ARPS-A6 power supplies which were sent to IRI for refurbishment by Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station. Examination revealed that both of the power supplies have the same failures of the tie wrap aluminum mounting plates adhesive with the majority of the plates being held on the wire bundles by age embrittled nylon wire ties. Confirmation of the common mode failure by inspection of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Stations was on or about 1530 CDT on March 27, 2013. IRI is not the OEM or Original supplier for this power supply and cannot provide the number nor locations of these components. However, by searching the RAPID database IRI has found the power supplies at the following: Arizona Public Service - Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station; Constellation Energy - Nine Mile Point Nuclear Power Plant; Detroit Edison - Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant; Dominion Nuclear - Millstone Nuclear Power Plant; Dominion Nuclear - Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant; Eletronnuclear - Angra Nuclear Power Plant; Entergy Nuclear - Arkansas Nuclear One; Entergy Nuclear - Indian Point Energy Center; Entergy Nuclear - Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant; Entergy Nuclear - J. A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant; Exelon Corporation - Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant; Exelon Corporation - Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station; NextEra Energy - Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant; Progress Energy Florida - Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant; Southern California Edison - San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. IRI suspects several other utilities and units are affected by this report. Corrective action taken: "IRI's preliminary suggestion is inspection and removal of failed tie wrap mounting plates which are being held on to wire bundles by aging nylon tie wraps. IRI also suggests replacement of age embrittled nylon tie wraps with Tefzel tie wraps. Contact Information: John F. Brosemer; President Integrated Resources, Inc. 113 South 9th Street Nebraska City, NE 68410 Notified R1DO (Dwyer), R2DO (Seymour), R3DO (Daley), R4DO (Kellar) and Part 21 Reactors (Email).
IRI's final recommendations are to remove all Thomas and Betts Co. model TC105A wire tie holders and to replace any embrittled wire ties with TEFZEL wire ties in all of the affected Foxboro Co. power supplies. IRI also discovered during the course of the investigation that Thomas and Betts Co. supplied these wire tie holders through normal distribution to all of the manufacturers. IRI recommends that the industry, during normal inspections, inspect for the these types of wire tie holders in all other installed equipment and to remove the failed wire tie holders. Notified R1DO (Schmidt), R2DO (Haag), R3DO (Kozak), R4DO (Werner) and Part 21 Reactors (via email). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Invensys (Foxboro Meter Co.) Nebraska City, Nebraska (NRC Region 4) | |
| Organization: | Integrated Resources, Inc. |
| Reporting | |
| 10 CFR 21.21(d)(3)(i), Failure to Comply or Defect | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+19.38 h0.808 days <br />0.115 weeks <br />0.0265 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | John F. Brosemer 15:53 Mar 28, 2013 |
| NRC Officer: | Howie Crouch |
| Last Updated: | Aug 21, 2013 |
| 48863 - NRC Website | |
Invensys (Foxboro Meter Co.) with 10 CFR 21.21(d)(3)(i), Failure to Comply or Defect | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 488632013-03-27T20:30:00027 March 2013 20:30:00
[Table view]10 CFR 21.21(d)(3)(i), Failure to Comply or Defect Part 21 Report - Foxboro Power Supply Potential Failures Due to Defective Tie Wraps and Holders 2013-03-27T20:30:00 | |