Information Notice 1985-15, Nonconforming Structural Steel for Safety-Related Use

Nonconforming Structural Steel for Safety-Related Use

ML031180606
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, 05000262, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date:	02/22/1985
From:	Jordan E NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-85-015, NUDOCS 8502200273
Download: ML031180606 (5)

SSINS No.: 6835 IN 85-15 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 February 22, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-15: NONCONFORMING STRUCTURAL STEEL FOR

SAFETY-RELATED USE

Addressees

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or

construction permit (CP).

Purpose

This information notice is provided to alert recipients of a potentially

significant problem pertaining to the structural material provided by steel

suppliers for safety-related use, especially plate that the steel suppliers cut

into small pieces. It is expected that recipients will review the information

for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, if appropriate, to

preclude a similar problem occurring at their facilities. However, suggestions

contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;

therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On August 3, 1984, Illinois Power Company made notification of a potentially

reportable deficiency concerning ASTM A-36 plate material. A 1/2 x 15 x 15 in.

plate of steel did not behave as expected in a mechanical cutting operation.

Subsequent testing of this plate showed that the physical properties (yield and

tensile strength) were less than that required by the A-36 material specifica- tion. Confirmatory testing of samples from other plates having the same

identification number (the material manufacturer's heat number) by a different

laboratory also showed that the yield and tensile strengths were lower than

required. For all the samples tested with this identification number, the

lowest yield strength was 14% below the ASTM minimum and 23% below the certi- fied material test report (CMTR). The lowest tensile strength was 24% below

the ASTM minimum and 34% below the CMTR. The certified material test report, which accompanied this material, came from Phoenix Steel Corporation. The

report showed that the material met the requirements of ASTM A-36 and was

manufactured in 1980.

Subsequently, Phoenix Steel performed a chemical analysis of two other samples

with the same identification number and concluded that this material was not

made by them. Phoenix Steel makes steel from scrap and the analysis of trace

chemical elements showed a purity not possible from the remelting of scrap

material. Testing of an additional sample with the same identification by an

independent laboratory confirmed this analysis.

8502200273

IN 85-15 February 22, 1985 The Illinois Power Company began a thorough examination program and discovered

a 1/2 x 10 x 10 in. steel plate with a different identification number that

also had yield and tensile strengths lower than required by the A-36 material

specification. The certified material test report, which accompanied this

material, came from Bethlehem Steel Corporation. The report showed that the

material met the requirements of ASTM A-36 and was manufactured in the last

half of 1980. Testing of an additional sample with the same identification by

an independent laboratory also showed yield and tensile strengths lower than

required. For all the samples tested with this identification number, the

lowest yield strength was 16% below the ASTM minimum and 36% below the CMTR.

The lowest tensile strength was 25% below the ASTM minimum and 45% below the

CMTR.

Neither Bethlehem Steel nor Phoenix Steel sell steel cut into small pieces. In

both cases, an independent supplier, Interstate Steel Supply Company of Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, provided the material to Illinois Power Company.

Interstate Steel purchases plates, shapes and rectangular tubing in large

quantities from steel mills and other suppliers. The material is usually

resold, as is, to small users, but occasionally the material is cut into

smaller sizes. Interstate Steel does not have an ASME Quality System Certifi- cate, but does supply structural steel for safety-related use. The Clinton

Power Station purchased material from Interstate Steel for safety-related pipe

supports, conduit supports, beam stiffeners, and cable pan hangers.

Tr'EbiTityM o'6fCut'M'aftera'l '

Until recently, Interstate Steel had a subcontractor perform all cutting of

plate. A review of certified material test reports, shipping invoices and

purchase orders, as well as discussions with subcontractors, indicated that

traceability was not maintained when material was sent out for cutting.

Interstate Steel was unable to show that the material' that their vendor cut to

size and shipped to Clinton was the material shown on the certified material

test report.

A comparison was made between the quantities of steel listed on the certified

material test report, identified by heat number, and the quantities of steel

received by Illinois Power Company with the same heat number. There were

several instances where the quantities of cut plate shipped by Interstate Steel

exceeded the dimensional limitations of the material supplied under the same

heat number by Bethlehem Steel to Interstate Steel. The disparities have not

been resolved.

Safety-Related ASME Code Material

A review of certified material test reports, which were supplied by Interstate

Steel for material delivered after April 1982 to Clinton, revealed that Inter- state Steel purchased material from sources that were not approved to supply

ASME material, in accordance with the requirements of Subarticle NA-3700 of

Section III of the ASME Code. The testing necessary to upgrade the material, as required by Subarticle NA-3700, was not performed.

IN 85-15 February 22, 1985 Interstate Steel maintains inventory records by size, not by heat number, and

it does not retain inventory records beyond 4 years. The records do not

provide positive identification of the customers for a specific manufacturer's

heat number.

The Illinois Power Company is locating the material that is suspected of having

lower-than-specified yield and tensile strengths and is evaluating the effect

of reduced strength on safety. Further testing of material is being performed.

Interstate Steel has provided a list (Attachment 1) of the nuclear power

reactor facilities to which they have supplied material. In two instances, only the name of the utility was furnished. The list does not contain

information about the safety significance of the material.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate NRC regional office or this office.

wDirector

Divisi of Emergency Preparedness

and Engineering Response

Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Technical Contacts: P. Cortland, IE

(301) 492-4175 E. T. Baker, IE

(301) 492-4874 Attachments:

1. List of Nuclear Power Reactor Facilities

Receiving Material from Interstate Steel

2. List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices

Attachment 1 IN 85-15 February 22, 1985 LIST OF NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR FACILITIES

RECEIVING MATERIAL FROM INTERSTATE STEEL

UTILITY FACILITY

Carolina Power & Light Company Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

Consumers Power Company Unknown

Duke Power Company Unknown

Duquesne Light Company Beaver Valley Power Station

Florida Power & Light Company Turkey Point Plant

Georgia Power Company Alvin W. Vogtle Nuclear Plant

GPU Nuclear Three Mile Island - 1 GPU Nuclear Three Mile Island - 2 Gulf States Utilities River Bend Station

Illinois Power Company Clinton Power Station

Long Island Lighting Company Shoreham Nuclear Power Station

Niagara Mohawk Power Company Nine Mile Point

Northeast Utilities Millstone Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 Pennsylvania Power & Light Company Susquehanna Steam Electric Station

Philadelphia Electric Company Limerick Generating Station

Philadelphia Electric Company Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station

Power Authority of the State Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant

of New York

Public Service Company of Seabrook Station

New Hampshire

Public Service Electric & Gas Hope Creek Generating Station

Company

Public Service Electric & Gas Salem Nuclear Generating Station

Company

Virginia Electric & Power Company Surry Power Station

Attachment 2 IN 85-15 February 22, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

IE INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to

85-14 Failure of a Heavy Control 02/22/85 All power reactor

Rod (B4C) Drive Assembly facilities holding

to Insert on a Trip Signal a CP

85-13 Consequences of Using 02/21/85 All power reactor

Soluble Dams facilities holding

a CP

85-12 Recent Fuel Handling Events 02/11/85 All power reactor

facilities holding

a CP

85-11 Licensee Programs For 2/11/85 All power reactor

Inspection Of Electrical facilities holding

Raceway And Cable Installation a CP

85-10 Posttensioned Containment 2/6/85 All power reactor

Tendon Anchor Head Failure facilities holding

an OL or CP

85-09 Isolation Transfer Switches 1/31/85 All power reactor

And Post-Fire Shutdown facilities holding

Capability an OL or CP

85-08 Industry Experience On 1/30/85 All power reactor

Certain Materials Used In facilities holding

Safety-Related Equipment an OL or CP

85-07 Contaminated Radiography 1/29/85 All NRC licensees

Source Shipments authorized to

possess industrial

radiography sources

85-06 Contamination of Breathing 1/23/85 All power reactor

Air Systems facilities holding

an OL or CP

85-05 Pipe Whip Restraints 1/23/85 All power reactor I

facilities holding

an OL or CP

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit