IR 05000352/1980011
| ML19330C506 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Limerick  |
| Issue date: | 06/18/1980 |
| From: | Durr J, Jernigan E, Lester Tripp NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19330C500 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-352-80-11, NUDOCS 8008080443 | |
| Download: ML19330C506 (7) | |
Text
_
._
'
'...
.
~
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
.b.
0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT.
.-
Region I
.
Re' port No.
'50-352/80-11
'
Docket No.
50-352 License No.
CPPR-106
- Priority Category A
"
Licensee:
Philadelphia Electric Company 2301 Market Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101
~
.
Facility Name:
Limerick Unit 1 Investigation at:
Limerick,~ Pennsylvania ~
July 31, September 27, November 30, 1979 and
.
Investigation conducted: June 4:and 5,-1980 Investigators:
(7
,,y4 )
6 //q/f0 J~. y hur, Reactor Inspector D
'dat6 signed
. C.
y,/w
..P. Je Migan, Reactor Inspector
' date signed
'
.
date signed date signed Approved by:
,b
&
b/IS/60 L. T. -Tripp(' Chief, Engineering Support Section date signed No. 1, RC&ES Branch Investigation Sumary:
-Investigation on July 31, September 27, November 30, 1979 and ' June 4 and 5,1980 (Report No.. 50-352/80-11)
- Areas Investigated:
Unannounced investigation of an allegation concerning out-of-roundness of the 26" diameter main steam piping.
The investigation involved 36 investigator-hours onsite by two NRC regional-based. investigators.
- Results: The: facts, as alleged,;were found to be.true, however, there does not appear to -be'a violation of NRC fabrication requirements.
No items of noncompli-ance were identified.
,
,
C
~ Region ~I~ Form 143 (Rev. October 1977)-
_
.
0 08080M3
.
-
.-
-
- -
-.
.-. -
- _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - - _ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ - -
__ _
, - -.
,
.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
_I.~ Background.
'
~A.
Reason for Investigation B.
Identification of Organizations II. ' Sumary of Findings -
III.. Details.
A.
Introduction B.
Persons Contacted C.
' Investigation of Allegation D.
Unresolved Items E '.
Exit' Interview
.
&
k
-
l
%
,
,
-
..
... _,
,
. _.,,..
,
.
,
_
..
. =
- l
,
I.
BACKGROUND A.
Reasons for-Investigation
'
Or LJuly 30, 1979, an allegation was received at the NRC Region I office from a fonner workman at the Philadelphia Electric Company's Limerick facility.
The allegation concerned an out-of-roundness condition in one of the main steam pipes.
I B.
Identification of Organizations 1.
Philadelphia Electric Company The NRC license holder for the Limerick Generating Stations, Units No. 1 and 2.
,
i 2.
Bechtel-San Francisco Contracted to Philadelphia Electric Company for architect-engineering services.
3.
General Electric Company
,
Supplier of the nuclear steam system.
.
e
.
Wh-
.
.
II.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Allegation and Investigation Conclusion It was alleged that a 26" diameter, main steam pipe was approximately 3/8" out-of-round at.the Limerick Ge'nerating Station.
The pipe was clamped to correct the out-of-round condition.
The pipe is located inside containment near-the isolation valve.
The facts of the allagation, as stated, a~re true.
The compliance of the pipe with applicable manufacturing codes has been rendered indeterminate.due to welding and machining.
It does not appear that the pipe is in noncompliance with fabrication codes. A secondary. issue of pipe ovality versus design calcu-lations'is being evaluated by the licensee and the NRC.
.
,
,
I
.
.
- -
.-..
... -. -. _,
. --
_
. _..
__
.
Y
.III.
DETAILS
<
A.
Introduction
- An. allegation was received in 'the NRC Region I office on' July 30, 1979, concerning the main steam piping being installed at the Limerick Generating Station.
Investigators were dispatched to-the facility on July 31, September 27, November 20, 1979 and June 4,1980, in an effort to confim the allega-tion and detennine if NRC-requirements had been violated.
,
B.
Person's Contacted
Philadelphia Electric Company
- J.- Corcoran,- Field Quality. Assurance Branch Head
-
- D. DiPaolo, Quality Assurance Engineer
- R. Scott, Senior Engineer Bechtel
- T. Altum, Lead Welding Engineer
- P. R. Dunn, Quality Assurance Engineer
~
>
- H. Foster, Project Field Quality Control Engineer
- E. R. Klossin, Project Quality Assurance Engineer E. Lafluer, Pipe Welder
- R. Leingang, ' Assistant Project Field Engineer
'
'* T. Martin, Lead Site Quality Assurance Engineer V. Mehta,. Piping Engineer for Drywell
- T. Molinaro, Project Superintendent R. J. Phelps,. Quality Control Engineer
-* J. R. Reiney,. Project Construction Manager R. Whitehead, Pipe Fitter Foreman General Electric Company
,
E. Franks, Mechanical Technical Director W. Neal, Site Resident Manager-i
- denotes persons present at the exit interview.
C.
-Investigation of Allegation
Allegation
'
i'
A 26" diameter, main steam pipe is approximately 3/8" out-of-round. The
'
. pipe has ~been clamped to correct the out-of-round condition. The pipe is
_
.
located inside containment near the isolation valve.
e
[
l
,, x-
,
,
.
,
_ -,..
_ -- -
- ,..
....,
,, -. -,
j
. y
-
NRC ' Investigation
,
A preliminary-review of. site documentation disclosed that the General Electric Specifications No. 21A9416, Revision 0 and No. 22A2513, Revision 1, provide the detailed instructions for fabrication and installation of the main steam piping.
These documents specify the ' applicable code, ASME,Section III,-Class I.
The fabrication specification provides limited requirements to be: satisfied for out-of-round conditions in paragraphs
-
4.4.1 and 4.4.5 but does not specify tolerances for ovality.
The ASME III Code, paragraph NB-4223.2-limits ovality to 8% after bending.
- A tour of the Unit'No.1 containment and interviews with craftsmen, foremen and technicians disclosed that' main steam pipe spool APE-lMS-LD-38 was the one described by the alleger.
This pipe spool is one of four that contains flow element devices for each main steam loop.
This pipe cont: ins the flow element for loop "D".
The pipe, as received from the fabricator, required
,
.that the weld preparation be removed from one end and remachined. The piece-that was removed exhibited a 3/8 out-of-round condition when measured by the investigator.
The foreman responsible for installing the pipe stated that there was a 3/8" out-of-roundness on the cut end of the pipe prior to remachining.
This was corrected by installing a "Dearman" clamp.
Previous to the discovery of the ovality problem by the NRC, the licensee m asured the.four flow element pipe spools and noted inside diameter varia-tions beyond those specified.
This was documented on Nonconformance Report No. 3527, dated April 17, 1979.
Subsequent to the NRC finding, the remain-ing three pipe spools outside diameters were measured and they too were confirmed to have diameter anomalies.
The licensee wrote a letter, dated August 6,1979, to General Electric describing the ovality, clamping and machining and requested a determination of the acceptability of the condi-tion and practices.
General Electric responded that the pipe was accept-able and cited the 8% tolerance on ovality referenced in the ASME III Code,
-Paragraph NB-4223.
In addition, the ovality problems of the four pipes were documented in the formal control system by issuing a " Field Deviation
,
'
Disposition Request No. HH1-247." The suggested disposition is to " accept as-is."
The ASME II and III Codes and applicable design drawings direct the use of ASME SA-106, Grade "B" piping specifications.
The specification permits the pipe diameter to vary plus 1/8" minus 1/32".
This specification is applicable during the manufacture of the pipe.
However, subsequent to its
,
manufacture, the pipe ends and a 360 degree area on the inside were sub-jected to weld buildup.
This weld build up could account for the pipe no
. longer meeting diameter-tolerances.
Therefore, the pipes compliance with applicable codes at the time of manufacture is indeterminate.
,
<
-
L
_
'
,
.
_ _ _-
_.
._.. _ _ _ - _ _ --
-
.
,
,..
.:
y
-
,
.
. 7..
Further investigation by the NRC disclosed that the ASME III ' Code specifies
certain limitations on ovality in Table 3683.2-1, Note (1). This is the
_
Design Section of the; code and does not appear to be addressed by the-licensee's : evaluation or 'his installation specifications. The licensee
,
is evaluating the significance of this note on installation.
This matter R
. is. considered unresolved pending completion of the licensee's evaluation
!
and review by the NRC.
(352/80-11-01)
,
,
'
. NRC Conclusion
{
' The facts as stated by the alleger are true, however, they do not appear to violate NRC and ASME fabrication requirements. The impact of ovality on
.
. design calculations,. the unresolved item, is being pursued by the licensee -
i
. and.the NRC. 'The resolution of this matter will be' documented in a routine inspection. report.
j D.
Unresolved Items An unresolved item is a matter about which more information is needed to
- determine if.it is an item of noncanpliance, a deviation or acceptable.
,
An unresolved item is discussed at the end of Paragraph C, NRC Investiga-
. tion.
,
E.
Exit Interview l
~
The. investigator met with the members of the licensee's staff (denoted in
' Paragraph B). at the conclusion of the investigation on June 5,1980. He
- summarized the scope and findings of the investigation.
.
f '
a
!
l I, -
>
e
--ee.-.-
p
.,-~--,.-,w-g e y-m-
e,.,-,.
,,y
--,i%ew-y,-e
-
e-y,-