IR 05000482/1979014
| ML19254B415 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 08/03/1979 |
| From: | Randy Hall, Oberg C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19254B414 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-482-79-14, NUDOCS 7909270488 | |
| Download: ML19254B415 (5) | |
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION IV
Report No. STN 50-482/79-14 Docket No. STN 50-482 Category A2 Licensee: Kanses Gas and Electric Company Post (ffice Box 208 Wichit a, Kansas 67201 Facility Name:
W,If Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 Investigation at: Wolf Creek Site, Burlington, Kansas Investigation conducted: July 9-12, 1979 Inspector: 4,h8 S'/3/27 C.' R. Oberg, Reactor Inspector, Projects Section Date
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I'. Yo61% son, Reactor Inspector, Engineering Date Support Section Approved:
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R. E. Hall, Chief, Engineering Support Section da t'e Investigation Summary Investigation July 9-12, 1979 (Report STN 50-482/79-14)
Areas Investigated:
Investigation of an allegation concerning three concrcte test cylinders reportedly found near the Wolf Creek site. The investigation involved twenty-one inspector-hours by two NRC inspectors.
Results: The allegation could not be substantiated. No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
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INTRODUCTION Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit 1, is under construction in Coffey County, Kansas, near the town of Burlington, Kansas. Kansas Gas and Electric is the Construction Permit holder with Daniel International Corporation as the Constructor and Bechtel Corporation as the Architect / Engineer.
REASON FOR INVESTIGATION The Region IV Reactor Construction and Engineering Support Branch office received a telephone call from an alleger indicating that three concrete test cylinders had been found in a creek bed near a dirt road adjacent to the Wolf Creek site. The alleger felt that these cylinders might be related to concrete placed at the Wolf Creek site.
SUMMARY OF FACTS On June 13, 1979, the Region IV Reactor Construction and Engineering Support Branch office received a telephone call from a party who identified himself as a free-lance ne"spaper reporter.
During the conversation,the caller stated that he had been in contact with a group of concerned citizens who had in their po:=ession three concrete test cylinders. As these cylinders were focad near the Wolf Creek site, the question arose to a possible relationship between these cylinders and concrete used in safety-related pours at the con-struction site.
CONCLUSION Based on interviews with licensee personnel and private citizens and visual examination of the area where the cylinders were found, it was determined that there was ne correlation between the cylinders and site safety-related concrete.
The allegation could not be substantiated.
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted Nonlicensee or Contractor Persons The Alleger - A Free-Lance Newspaper Reporter Two Concerned Citizens - Possessors of Cylinders owner / Operator of a Local Concrete Batch Plant One Local Resident Principal Licensee Employees Daniel International Project Manager Daniel International QC Supervisor Daniel International Batch Plant Operator Licensee Employees QA Engineer Assistant Site QA Manager 2.
Investigation During the telephone conversation, the alleger stated that three concrete test cylinders had been found in a creek bed near a dirt road adjacent to the Wolf Creek site and that they might be related to concrete placed at the Wolf Creek site.
The IE Project Inspector for the Wolf Creek site was assigned the responsibility for investigating the cylinders and determining if they could be identified as safety-related concrete placed at the Wolf Creek site.
The IE Project Inspector interviewed the alleger regarding the circumstances surrounding the finding of the cylinders. One cylinder was produced at this time with the assurance that the remaining two cylinders would be made available upon request. The IE Project Inspector examined the initial cylinder for identification tags or any other markings that could lead to positive identification. The other cylinders were later examined in the same manner. All three cylinders were similar in appearance, each being a standerd right cylinder with a six inch diameter and a twelve inch length.
Each was cast in a waxed cardboard mold as evidenced by spiral markings on the surface. No metal identification tags or other positive markings coulo be found on any of the three.
The cylinder ends were not even or par J1e1 and there was no evidence of the capping material applied prior to testing. All three cylinders surfaces were " pock-marked" and spalling had taken place to a minor extent.
Weathering and staining of the surfaces had occurred indicating that the cylinders had been exposed to the elements for some time.
A map was given to the IE Project Inspector by the alleger showing the location where the cylinders were found.
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The location of the find was visited and the general area was examined for additional cylinders or possible remnants of the cardboard molds. Recent heavy rains had washed out the small creek bed removing any marks that might have shown the precise location of the cylinders.
Considerable debris from the rains cluttered the entire creek bed and bank areas. No other cylinders were found.
A further examination of the first cylinder was performed by knowledgeable licensee personnel. All agreed that, for three reasons, these cylinders were not cast from safety-related concrete:
1.
All safety-related cylinders were cast with metal identification tags protruding from the top. No evidence of these tags could be found on any of the cylinders.
2.
The three cylinders in question were produced in waxed cardboard molds as evidenced by spiral markings on the surface of each.
Interviews indica'ed that cardboard molds had not been used by the testing lab s5nce June 1977. Direct observation by the IE Project Inspector ascertained that only plastic molds were used during the base mat placement in December 1977.
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Inspection of the cylinders indicate that they were cast from concrete composed of natural sand and comparatively small aggregate as seen in the pock-marked and spalled areas.
All safety-related concrete at the Wolf Creek site utilized manufactured sand and larger aggregate.
Records were~ reviewed and discussions were held with a local supplier of cement who stated that he had supplied fifty bags of cement to a drilling contractor who was involved with coring and exploratory well drilling in the immediate area of the cylinder find.
QA records indicated that this concrete was used to fill the holes after drilling.
A local resident stated to the IE Project Inspector that he had observed three concrete cylinders, prior to the start of site construction in 1977, in the approximate location provided by the alleger.
The local resident was not aware of the location of the find when he told of seeing the cylinders.
The witness added that he had talked to the drilling contractor personnel about these test cylinders and was told that they had been dispased of by the well-drilling contractor after they had been inadvertently subjected to freezing temperatures and were no longer satisfactory for testing.
The IE Project Inspector placed a unique identifying mark on each of the three cyliniers in the presence of the concerned citizens when he returned them.
Results of the investigation were discussed with the concerned citizens at this time and with the alleger a short time later.
CONCLUSION Based on the above findings, the IE Project Inspector concluded that:
(1)
the cylinders could not be related to safety-related concrete at the
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Wolf Creek site; and (2) it can be coacluded from the evidence presented that the cylinders were cast by other than construction site QC personnel prior to the start of construction at the Wolf Creek site.
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