IR 05000259/1987015

Insp Repts 50-259/87-15,50-260/87-15 & 50-296/87-15 on 870310-12.No Violations or Deviations Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Welding,Nde,Review of Previously Identified Enforcement Matters & Open Items

ML20209D860
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	04/02/1987
From:	Blake J, Coley J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:
Shared Package
ML20209D844	List: IR 05000259/1987015 ML20209D839
References
50-259-87-15, 50-260-87-15, 50-296-87-15, NUDOCS 8704290377
Download: ML20209D860 (5)

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a p2 KEc UNITED STATES y? oq(o,

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY 'OMMISSION

g ,, g REGION 61

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o ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30323

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Report Nos.: 50-259/87-15, 50-260/87-15, and 50-296/87-15 Licensee: Tennessee Valley Authority 6N 38A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Docket Nos.: 50-259, 50-260 and 50-296 License Nost: DPR-33, DPR-52, and DPR-68 Facility Name: Browns Ferry 1, 2, and 3 Inspection Conducted: March 10-12, 1987 Inspector: b 1 M 4-O-87

. Colby Date Signed Approved ) /) 1s 'l J J. K1hke, Chief Date Signed terfalsandProcessesSection ivision of Reactor Safety

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SUMMARY  !

Scope: This routine, announced inspection was conducted in the areas of welding, nondestructive examination, review of previously identified enforce-ment matters and open item Results: No violations cr deviations were identified, i

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REPORT DETAILS Persons Contacted Licensee Employees

• R. L. Lewis, Plant Manager

• Hartwig, Project Manager

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• P. Stagnolia, Modification Supervisor

• Bentley, Nondestructive Examination (NDE) Engineer

• F. C. Leonard, NDE Engineer

• R. Latimer, Supervisor, Inservice Inspection (ISI)

1 *M. L. Turnbow, NDE Engineer

*P. Carter, Manager, Compliance

• B. E. Blair, Compliance

• C. McFall, Compliance Other licensee employees contacted included engineers, technicians, security force members, and office personne NRC Resident Inspector

• L. Brooks, Resident Inspector

• Attended exit interview Exit Interview The inspection scope and findings were sumarized on March 12, 1987, with those persons indicated in paragraph 1 above. The inspector described the areas inspected and discussed in detail the inspection finding No dissenting comments were received from the license The licensee did not identify as proprietary any of the materials provided to or reviewed by the inspector during this inspectio . Licensee Action on Previous Enforcement Matters (Closed) Violation 50-259/84-11-01, Reactor Vessel Support Skir TVA's letter of response, dated May 24, 1984, has been reviewed and determined acceptable by Region II. The inspector ccncluded that TVA had determined the full extent of the subject noncompliance, perfonned the necessary survey and followup actions to correct the present conditions and developed the necessary corrective actions to preclude recurrence of similar circumstances. The corrective actions identified in the letter of response have been implemente ,

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2 (Closed) Unresolved Item 50-260/87-01-03, Program Weaknesses in NDE and Welding. During the initial phase of the recirculation system safe-end pipe replacement on Unit 2, significant welding problems were encountere Three of the first four pipe in-lay welds were rejected for cold lap lack of fusion and three partially complete safe-end welds were also thought to be unacceptable because of a significant film density change that was observed at the internal root edge of the weld. The inspector identified concerns with regard to the licensee's welding and NDE that appeared to have started during the qualification mockup stage of weldin The licensee immediately initiated an investigation into the apparent NDE examiner discrepancies and the welding unit started an investigation of its processes which included welding numerous mockup safe-end weld TVA's findings and resolution are described in detail in paragraph five of this repor The inspector reviewed the licensee's correc-tive action, observed ultrasonic data taken with TVA's automated ultrasonic system (Intraspect-98) on safe-end weld 2RG-1, reviewed radiographs of partially completed safe-end welds and radiographs of completed safe-end welds, reviewed graphs of radiographs that had been enhanced, and observed photographs of mockup weld "T". The inspector concluded that TVA had resolved and documented the welding /NDE discrepancies and had taken the action necessary to prevent their recurrence. This item is considered close . Unresolved Items Unresolved items were not identified during this inspectio . Review of TVA's Resolution of Welding / Nondestructive Examination Problems Encountered During Replacement of the Recirculation System Safe-Ends and Piping - Unit 2 (55050 & 57090)

During the week of January 5-9, 1987, which was the initial phase of production welding on the recirculation system safe-end and piping inlays, TVA experienced an unusual rate of weld rejects. Three of the first four pipe in-lay welds were rejected and radiographs on the first three partially completed safe-end welds indicated that they were also unacceptabl The licensee stopped all welding on the recirculation system until an investigation could determine the cause of the welding /NDE problems and why these problems had not been encountered on the welder qualification mockups that had been welded specifically to ensure produc-tion welding would proceed satisfactoril On February 9,1987, TVA came to Region II to update the Regional Staff as to their in-process efforts and tentative findings regarding the welding /NDE problem The Following investigations had been initiated by the licensee: TVA had welded numerous mockups to try to duplicate the production safe-end weld problems experienced; radiographs had been sent to a contractor for enhancement; examination of nozzle / safe-end weld 2RG-1

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with TVA's automated ultrasonic instrument (Intraspect-98) was scheduled; sectioning and metallographic examination of mockup welds were in process; and they had visited other licensees who had reported similar welding problems and reviewed their radiographs. TVA had determined that, contrary to their site procedure (BFSP-6.2, Appendix E), the welding unit had previously not issued formal request forms requesting radiographic examination of the mockup welds and the ISI Unit had not made radiographic reader sheets on the welds. As a result, none of the radiographs for the initial mockup safe-end welds had been reviewed and radiographs for only two of the inlay weld mockups had been reviewed. Although this oversite had involved "information only" radiographs and not code requirements, it did impact the welding technique development proces In their February 9, 1987 presentation, TVA stated that they had welded new mock-ups and that on one a radiographic indication had been observed that was similar to rejectable indications observed in the production safe-end welds. TVA stated that, the mockup had an 18 degree chamfer on the nozzle weld prep in lieu of the maximum allowed chamfer of 12 degrees required by General Electric Drawing 769E983. The licensee also stated that, metallographic samples would be taken from the mockup for further evaluatio On February 26, 1987, TVA held a meeting with a Region II inspector to discuss the resolution of their welding /NDE problems. That inspector reviewed TVA's resolution and determined it to be satisfactory. However, inprocess radiographs and detail technical data was transmitted by that inspector to the Regional Staff for additional revie On March 10, 1987, the NRC inspector who conducted the inspection described herein arrived at the site to review TVA's automated ultra-sonic data on safe-end weld 2RG-1 and to review radiographs for the following completed safe-end welds:

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2RG-1

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2RA-1

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2RB-1

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2RD-1

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2RF-1 As a result of the above reviews and discussions with cognizant welding NDE engineers, the inspector determined that TVA had conducted a thorough investigation of the problems to identify the cause and had proposed adequate resolutio Within the areas examined, no violation or deviation was identifie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -

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4 Inspector Followup Items (92703) Unit 2 (Closed) 260/85-33-02, Supervision / Surveillance of Inservice Inspection Examiner As a result of examiner problems identified and reported to the licensee in Violation 260/85-33-01, the inspector held discussions with cognizant ISI personnel and discovered that TVA did not formally audit examiners' performance once they were qualified. The inspector felt that insufficient supervision of examiners that are inexperienced in the areas being examined and failure to audit examiners on a reasonable basis would result in meaningless examination results such as those identified in the violation above. In response to the inspector concerns, the licensee developed two surveillance procedures to audit NDE activitie The first SIL.NO. 3.0, Surveillance of Preservice Inspection (PSI) and In-Service Inspection, was developed to apply to the surveillance of PSI &

ISI activities which are performed in accordance with the Nuclear Quality Assurance Manual (NQAM) by organizations other than the Office of Nuclear Powe The other, SIL.N0.4.0, Surveillance of In-Service Inspection Nondestructive Examination Personnel, was developed to apply to the Office of Power ISI examination personnel. The inspector reviewed the proce-dures, completed surveillance audit reports and records indicating that examiners had been trained in the requirements of the procedures and has no further questions at this time.