ML033650312
| ML033650312 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Calvert Cliffs  |
| Issue date: | 12/26/2003 |
| From: | Sepp H Westinghouse |
| To: | Ayres D, Foster J, Brian Mcdermott, O'Brien K, Mark Shaffer Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, NRC Region 1, NRC/RGN-II, NRC/RGN-III, NRC Region 4 |
| References | |
| Download: ML033650312 (3) | |
Text
12/2612003 U.S. NuclearRegulatory Commission OperationsCenter Event Report Page I General Information or Other (PAR) Event# 39670 Rep Org: WESTINGHOUSE Notification Date / Time: 03/14/2003 15:47 (EST)
Supplier: ABB INC Event Date / Time: 03/14/2003 (EST)
Last Modification: 12/25/2003 Region: 1 Docket #:
City: PITTSBURGH Agreement State: No County: License #:
State: PA NRC Notified by: HANK SEPP Notifications: DAVID AYRES R2 HQ Ops Officer: YAMIR DIAZ MARK SHAFFER R4 Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY JACK FOSTER NRR 10 CFR Section: BRIAN MCDERMOTT R1 21.21 UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH KENNETH O'BRIEN R3 10 CFR PART 21 REPORT REGARDING FAILURES OF ABB CIRCUIT BREAKERS Circuit breakers manufactured by ABB Inc. and used for Class 1E applications by Westinghouse were shipped to the Calvert Cliffs Plant with model 5 operating mechanisms installed. Recently, Westinghouse had retrofitted the breakers with model 7 operating mechanisms manufactured by ABB Inc. Westinghouse validated that the original breaker qualifications (for Class 1E applications) are still applicable with the model 7 operating mechanism installed. Two of these breakers failed to close and latch during testing at Calvert Cliffs. The first breaker failed to close and latch during acceptance testing on January 18, 2003. The second breaker failed to close and latch during its installation acceptance test in the breaker cubicle on January 27, 2001.
- *
- Summary: The issue reported in the notification above is limited in scope and there is no indication that the failure mode will exist in a K-Line breaker. ABB does concur that dimensional non-conformities were present in the breakers that exhibited the fail to close of the primary and secondary trip latches. ABB also concurs that this out-of-tolerance situation is contributory to the failure exhibited in the 5VHKR250 1200A breaker but is not in and of itself the root cause of failure.
Notified R1DO (R. Lorson), R2DO (M. Ernstes), R3DO P. Louden), R4DO (L. Smith), NRR (Jack Foster) via email
-^12-24-'03 02:36 FROM-ABB Florence Prod.Cn 8434134853 T-776 P01/02 -905 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Phone Number: (301) 816-5100 Fax Number: (301) 816-5151 24 December 2003
Subject:
Clarification to "Notification of the Potential Existence of Defects pursuant 10 CFR 21" issued by Westinghouse Electric Company on 14 March 2003 regarding failure to close and latch situation reported on Medium Voltage (4KV) 5VHKR/250 Model 80, 1200A located at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant regarding applicability to ABB K-Line Breakers.
Notification by: ABB Inc.
Circuit Breaker Technology Solutions 2300 Mechanicsville Road Florence, SC 29501 As a clarification to the 10CFR21 notification report filed by Westinghouse Electric Company issued on 14 March 2003, please accept the following.
The issue reported in the notification above is limited in scope to the use of a Model 7 K-Line type mechanism installed in a VHKR vacuum conversion element used in a medium voltage conversion breaker designed by the former ABB Service, Inc. and dedicated by ABB Combustion Engineering, Inc., now part of Westinghouse Electric, After a thorough investigation, there is no indication that the failure mode described in the Westinghouse 10CFR21 notification referenced above will exist in a K-Line breaker.
ABB does concur that dimensional non-conformities were present in the breakers that exhibited the fail to close and latch situation. Specifically, the primary and secondary trip latches. ABB also concurs that this out-of-tolerance situation is contributory to the failure exhibited in the 5VHKR250 1200A but is not in and of itself the root cause of failure.
Additionally, it must be understood that the forces experienced by the model 7 mechanism are dynamically different in magnitude as seen in the VHKR Medium Voltage conversion than those in the standard K-Line breaker. Therefore, there is no indication that the failure mode defined in the Westinghouse Part 21 report will be present in the standard Low Voltage K-Line breaker. To support that, research indicates that, since 1999, ABB has manufactured approximately 3000 K-type model 7 mechanisms. A review of the ABB Customer Complaint Resolution Process (CCRP) database for the same timeframe shows no evidence of any occurrence of the failure type described herein. Additionally, in 12/24/2003 WED 15:25 [TX/RX NO 9598] 001 24-'03 02:36 FROM-ABB Florence Prod.Cn 8434134853 T-776 P02/02 U-905 support of this position, a 5000 operation mechanical endurance test was performed in a K-Line Breaker containing a mechanism with primary and secondary trip latches known to have the same out-of-tolerance attributes as those found in the Calvert Cliffs units. This test was performed successfully with no close and latch failures.
It is completely clear and must be understood that the failure mode described here is in no way, shape or form related or similar to the contributory conditions as defined in the part 21 notification issued by ABB in May of 2002 regarding the pre-model 7 operating mechanisms.
As one final point of clarification, the Calvert Cliffs units discussed herein are the only medium voltage conversion breakers in a safety related application that utilize the VHKR operating element. No other ABB designed safety related medium voltage vacuum breakers utilize this element. Therefore, there are no other potentially affected parties.
In addition to communication to the NRC, this notification will be provided to the EPRI NMAC ABB Circuit Breaker Users Group for industry distribution. Any questions concerning this clarification should be directed to Pat O'Neal at 843-413-4708.
Patrick O'Neal Quality, Engineering and Environmental Manager ABB nc Circuit Breaker Technology Solutions Florence, SC 12/24/2003 WED 15:25 [TX/RX NO 95981 002