Information Notice 1985-93, Westinghouse Type Ds Circuit Breakers, Potential Failure of Electric Closing Feature Because of Broxen Spring Release Latch Lever

Westinghouse Type Ds Circuit Breakers, Potential Failure of Electric Closing Feature Because of Broxen Spring Release Latch Lever

ML031180080
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, 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, Washington State University, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date:	12/06/1985
From:	Jordan E NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-85-093, NUDOCS 8512050072
Download: ML031180080 (3)

SSINS No. 6835 IN 85-93 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 December 6, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-93: WESTINGHOUSE TYPE DS CIRCUIT BREAKERS,

POTENTIAL FAILURE OF ELECTRIC CLOSING FEATURE

BECAUSE OF BROKEN SPRING RELEASE LATCH LEVER

Addressees

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

construction permit (CP).

Purpose

This information notice is to alert licensees that the electric circuit breaker

closing function of Westinghouse Type DS circuit breakers could possibly malfunction

because of a broken spring release latch lever. It is expected that licensees will

review the information for applicability to their facilities and if the defect

exists, consider actions to determine safety significance and corrective action.

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 April 14, 1985, the Westinghouse Nuclear Services Integration Division (NSID)

issued Technical Bulletin No. NSID-TB-85-17 advising their customers of a

potential malfunction in Westinghouse Type DS Class 1E circuit breakers because

of broken spring release latch levers. These electrically operated type DS

breakers will not close electrically when the spring release latch lever has

been broken off. Twenty-five broken levers have been reported and evaluated.

This evaluation shows concentrations of incidents traceable to manufacturing in

the following periods of time: early 1975, April 1976, and early 1978.

This circuit breaker failure, as discussed, adversely affects the safety function

(closing on demand) when the circuit breaker is used in the Engineered Safety

Features Systems. However, this failure mode will not affect the safety trip

function when it is used in the reactor protection system.

Discussion:

The April 14, 1985 Technical Bulletin recommends the following corrective actions

for DS Class 1E circuit breakers: (1) advise the responsible personnel that the

breaker may be closed manually using the operator on the front panel of the

breaker cubicle, if electrical closing does not occur on demand; (2) for

applications other than Westinghouse-designed reactor trip (RT) function, the

1 E-

IN 85-93 December 5, 1985 user should evaluate the situation to determine if this condition could affect

safety; and (3) inspect the latch lever during normal scheduled maintenance/

inspection of the DS circuit breaker.

The DS Class 1E circuit breakers also are used in plants not designed by

Westinghouse. Some of these facilities may not have received Technical Bulletin

No. NSID-TB-85-17, therefore, it is suggested that these facilities contact

Westinghouse NSID to obtain additional information on performing the inspections

and corrective action.

No specific action or written response is required by this notice. If you have

any questions regarding this notice, please contact the Regional Administrator

of the appropriate NRC regional office or this office.

ward

ward ordan, Director

Division Emergency Preparedness

and Eng neering Response

Office of Inspection and Enforcement

L. B. Parker, IE

(301) 492-7190

Attachment: List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices

Attachment 1 IN 85-93 December 5, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

IE INFORMATION NOTICES

.I

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to

85-92 Surveys Of Wastes Before 12/2/85 All production and

Disposal From Nuclear Reactor utilization facilities, Facilities power reactors, research and test

reactors holding an

OL or CP

85-91 Load Sequencers For Emergency 11/27/85 All power reactor

Diesel Generators facilities holding

OL or CP

85-58 Failue Of A General Electric 11/19/85 All power reactor

Sup. 1 Type AK-2-25 Reactor Trip facilities designed

Breaker by B&W and CE holding

an OL or CP

85-90 Use Of Sealing Compounds In 11/19/85 All power reactor

An Operating System facilities holding

an OL or CP

85-89 Potential Loss Of Solid-State 11/19/85 All power reactor

Instrumentation Following facilities holding

Failure Of Control Room an OL or CP

Cooling

85-88 Licensee Control Of 11/18/85 All power reactor

Contracted Services Providing facilities holding

Training an OL or CP

85-87 Hazards Of Inerting 11/18/85 All power reactor

Atmospheres facilities holding

an OL or CP; and

fuel facilities

85-86 Lightning Strikes At Nuclear 11/5/85 All power reactor

Power Generating Stations facilities holding

an OL or CP

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit