Information Notice 1995-21, Unexpected Degradation of Lead Storage Batteries

Unexpected Degradation of Lead Storage Batteries
	ML031060209
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, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	04/20/1995
From:	Grimes B; Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	;
References
	IN-95-021, NUDOCS 9504140211
	Download: ML031060209 (11)
	v • d • e

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 20, 1995 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 95-21: UNEXPECTED DEGRADATION OF LEAD STORAGE

BATTERIES

Addressees

power

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear

reactors.

PurDose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuinglead this information

notice to alert addressees to possible degradation of storage batteries

within the first two years of service. It is expected that recipients will

consider

review the information for applicability to their facilities and suggestions

actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, no

contained in this information notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, specific action or written response is required.

Discription of Circumstances

Palo Verde

Arizona Public Service Company (APS, the licensee) installed AT&T round cell

originally

batteries at Palo Verde, after continued problems with the Palo Verde Unit 2 installed batteries. During a 1994 maintenance outage at were less than two

the licensee tested performance on the AT&T batteries which the

years old. The capacities of the batteries were lower than expected;

capacities had decreased instead of increasing.

Train B (Battery Banks B and D) had been declared inoperable90 onpercent October 1,

1994, because the measured capacity was slightly less than

capacity. On October 7, 1994, Train A (Battery Banks A and C) was declared

test results indicated that

inoperable because a projection of the capacity Palo Verde Technical

the battery capacities would be below 90 percent. The

is at least

Specifications acceptance criterion for the AT&T batteryto capacitya performance

90 percent of the manufacturer's rating when subjected

discharge test.

Oconee Unit 2 Replacement Exide batteries of the standard lead calcium cells 2CA (rectangular)

ago. In testing batteries and 2CB,

were installed less than two years

certain cells were found to have capacities lower than expected.

9504140211 Pn X N t-\ o5 Lao

Y/k/fMoI

1\l'

K- IN 95-21 April 20, 1995 At Oconee Unit 2, Battery 2CB was tested on Januarywas 4, 1995. The test

indicated that the overall capacity of the battery only 77 percent.

Battery 2CA was tested on January 12, 1995, and its overall capacity was about

80 percent. The Oconee design commitments require that the battery capacity

should exceed 80 percent. The two batteries were installed in January 1993, and the testing took place within two years of installation.

Discussion

for Maintenance, Testing

IEEE Standard 450-1987, "IEEE Recommended PracticeStationary

and Replacement of Vented Lead-Acid Batteries for Applications,"

test of the battery capacity should be made

recommends that a performance that battery

within the first two years of service. It is typically expected often shows a

capacity will not decrease in that period and, in fact, it

slight increase.

Although the designs differ, in both cases the batteries indicated a

consistent with the

significant decrease in capacity, and a decrease is not

normal behavior expected for either of these batteries.

Both licensees are taking steps to rectify the degradation in the batteries by

banks.

replacing the defective cells or entire battery degradation. In addition, they are

At Palo Verde, attempting to find the root cause of the abnormal the projected

the licensee determined that adequate margin existed between

battery capacities and worst case design loading.

the root cause of the

With respect to the AT&T batteries, APS maintains thatcontamination

involves and an

drop in capacity in the Unit 2 cells likely rate during the

inadequate curing process because of an increase in production

manufactured. These problems apparently

time the Palo Verde Unit 2 cells were manufactured. After

did not exist when the Palo Verde Unit 1 and 3 cells were

the licensee noted the degradation of the Unit 2 batteries, spare cells in

in expected capacity. In

Units 1 and 3 were found to have no decrease used as the Class IE dc

addition, the licensee has learned that the AT&T cells

not

sources in McGuire and Byron/Braidwood nuclear plants were also

manufactured in this time of very high production.

Although not as significant as the capacity loss noted above, APS and AT&T

toward early

have found additional cells that show some of the same tendency in the

loss of capacity. This may be due to existing variations occurring the effect on

materials selection and manufacturing process. To minimizededication process

final battery capacity, APS and AT&T developed a specific and

to be used during the manufacture acceptance testing phase to identify

reject cells that show early loss of capacity.

AT&T and APS also believe that some of the drop induring capacity in the Palo Verde

Unit 2 cells, as well as the unexpected drop seen the dedication

testing of the new cells purchased for replacement, is due to the additional

in a

testing which has involved a number of discharge and recharge cycles

relatively short period of time.

IN 95-21 April 20, 1995 APS has replaced the Unit 2 battery cells with new AT&T cells that have

undergone factory testing for at least two discharge/recharge cycles, that

still show substantially greater capacity than is needed for the design basis

Palo Verde Unit 2 loading, and that meet the specific dedication criteria

developed by APS and AT&T. The licensee is also studying the influence of the

recharging methodology on battery performance.

AT&T and APS plan an extensive test program to establish the cause of the

unexpected capacity decrease in the replacement cells. Exide is still in the

process of establishing the root cause for the degradation at Oconee.

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Project Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: S. N. Saba, NRR

(301) 415-2781 Thomas Koshy, NRR

(301) 415-1176 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

At&,chment

IN 95-21 April 20, 1995 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

94-64, Reactivity Insertion 04/06/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

Transient and Accident for nuclear power reactors.

Supp. 1 Limits for High Burnup

Fuel

95-18, Potential Pressure&Locking 03/31/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

of Safety-Related Power- for nuclear power reactors.

Supp. 1 Operated Gate Valves

95-20 Failures in Rosemount 03/22/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

Pressure Transmitters for nuclear power reactors.

due to Hydrogen Per- meation into the Sensor

Cell

Failure of Reactor Trip 03/22/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

95-19 for nuclear power reactors.

Breaker to Open Because

of Cutoff Switch Material

Lodged in the Trip Latch

Mechanism

Potential Pressure-Locking 03/15/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

95-18 for nuclear power reactors.

of Safety-Related Power- Operated Gate Valves

95-17 Reactor Vessel Top Guide 03/10/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

and Core Plate Cracking for boiling water reactors.

Vibration Caused by 03/09/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

95-16 for boiling water reactors.

Increased Recirculation

Flow in a Boiling Water

Reactor

Inadequate Logic Testing 03/07/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

95-15 for nuclear power reactors.

of Safety-Related Circuits

95-14 Susceptibility of Con- 02/28/95 All holders of OLs or CPs

tainment Sump Recircula- for nuclear power reactors.

tion Gate Valves to

Pressure Locking

OL - Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 95-21 April 20, 1995 APS has replaced the Unit 2 battery cells with new AT&T cells that have

undergone factory testing for at least two discharge/recharge cycles, that

still show substantially greater capacity than is needed for the design basis

Palo Verde Unit 2 loading, and that meet the specific dedication criteriaof the

developed by APS and AT&T. The licensee is also studying the influence

recharging methodology on battery performance.

AT&T and APS plan an extensive test program to establish the cause of the the

unexpected capacity decrease in the replacement cells. Exide is still in

process of establishing the root cause for the degradation at Oconee.

If

This information notice requires no specific action or written response.

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

orig /s/'d by BKGrimes

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Project Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts: S. N. Saba, NRR Thomas Koshy, NRR

(301) 415-2781 (301) 415-1176 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: 95-21.IN

See previous concurrence E-Copy with attachment/encLosure N a No copy

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box C=Copy w/o attachment/enclosure

E SC/EELB:DE E SC/EELB:DE E lC/EELB:DE E

OFFICE EELB:DE

NAME SNSaba:nkw * DThatcher* EWWeiss * CHBerlinger*

DATE 02 /24/95 02/27 /95 02/28 /95 03/02 /95 OFFICE ADM:PUB l OECB:DOPS SC/OECB:DOPS l IYi RPW&RIVIl

NAME RSanders* TKoshy* EGoodwin* BHolian*

03/08/95 03/16/95 3/ 15 / 7 DATE 03/02/95 OFFICE D/DE l OECB:DOPS C/OECB:DOPS

NAME BSheron* RKiessel* AChaffee* 0 /95 DATE 03/28/95 03/30/95 04/07/95 04// Yl95l

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 95-XX

March xx, 1995 AT&T and APS also believe that some of the drop in capacity in the Palo Verde

Unit 2 cells, as well as the unexpected drop seen during the dedication

testing of the new cells purchased for replacement, is due to the additional

testing which has involved a number of discharge and recharge cycles in a

relatively short period of time.

APS has replaced the Unit 2 battery cells with new AT&T cells that have

undergone factory testing for at least two discharge/recharge cycles, that

still show substantially greater capacity than is needed for the design basis

Palo Verde Unit 2 loading, and that meet the specific dedication criteria

developed by APS and AT&T. The licensee is also studying the recharging

methodology to better understand it's influence on battery performance.

AT&T and APS have committed to conduct an extensive test program to establish

the cause of the unexpected capacity decrease in the replacement cells. Exide

is still in the process of establishing the root cause for the degradation at

Oconee.

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Project Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts: S. N. Saba, NRR Thomas Koshy, NRR

(301) 415-2781 (301) 415-1176 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\TXK\ATT.BAT

See previous concurrence with attachment/enclosure N a No copy

To receive

copy of this document, indicate in the box cMcopy W/oattschment/enclosure E-Copy

OFFICE lEELB:DE i iE SC/EELB:DE E SC/EELB:DE E C/EELB:DE E

NAME [SNSaba:nkw * DThatcher* EWWeiss * CHBerlinger*

DATE [02 /24/95 02/27 /95 02/28 /95 03/02 /95 OFFICE ADM:PUB OECB:DOPS jSC/OECB:DOPS PDIV2:DRPW&RIV

NAME RSanders* TKoshy* EGoodwin* BHolian*

DATE 03/02/95 03/08/95 03/16/95 3/ 15 /95 OFFICE D/DE l OECB:DOPS C/00 :DOPS D/DOPS l

NAME BSheron* RKiessel* AAif ffee BGrimesi

DATE 103/28/95 03/30/95 I1/7 /95 _/ J / /95 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY