Information Notice 2008-04, Recent Counterfeit Valves and Circuit Breakers Supplied to Nuclear Power Plants
ML080790266 | |
Person / Time | |
---|---|
Issue date: | 04/07/2008 |
From: | Case M J, Tracy G M Division of Construction Inspection and Operational Programs, NRC/NRR/ADRO/DPR |
To: | |
Beaulieu, David, NRR/DPR, 415-3243 | |
References | |
IN-08-004, IR-08-004 | |
Download: ML080790266 (4) | |
ML080790266 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION OFFICE OF NEW REACTORS WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001
April 7, 2008 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2008-04: COUNTERFEIT PARTS SUPPLIED TO NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
ADDRESSEES
All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors and applicants for combined license
to construct nuclear power plants under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(10 CFR) Part 52, "Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants."
PURPOSE
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice (IN) to inform
addressees of the potential for counterfeit parts to enter their supply chains.
Addressees
should
review this information and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. The
suggestions contained within this IN are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or
written response is required.
DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES
Counterfeit Valves
In November 2007, NRC became aware that Hatch Unit 2 had discovered a counterfeit valve
(5" 150# Ladish stop check valves) on the stator cooling water skid. The licensee at Hatch later
determined that it had two counterfeit valves in its facility: one in the warehouse and another one installed in Unit 2, as the "B" stator cooling water pump discharge stop check valve. The valve
installed on Unit 2 had been in service for 8 months as of the time of discovery. Upon
discovering the counterfeit valve, the licensee began to closely monitor the performance of the
valve and plans to replace it during the next refueling outage in the spring of 2009. The valve
installed at Hatch Unit 2 is being used in a non-safety related system.
Counterfeit Circuit Breakers
NRC is aware that on December 27 and October 30, 2007, and November 16, 2006, the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had announced a recall of counterfeit circuit
breakers labeled as "Square D" distributed by North American Breaker Co., Inc., Connecticut
Electric and Switch Co, and Scott Electric Co. Inc. The recalled circuit breakers labeled "Square
D" were manufactured in China and distributed from March 2003 through April 2006, February
2005 through August 2006, and May 2005 through May 2006, respectively. The counterfeit
circuit breakers can fail to trip when overloaded, posing a fire hazard to consumers. A licensee database search indicated that Catawba, McGuire, and Oconee nuclear power plants
had purchased Square D circuit breakers during the suspected time frame. After inspecting their
Square D circuit breakers, Oconee and McGuire Plants confirmed that the Square D breakers
that they had purchased during the suspected time frame were genuine. Catawba Nuclear
Plant, however, could not confirm the authenticity of four of its Square D circuit breakers that it
had purchased during the suspected time frame. Subsequently, Catawba removed these circuit
breakers from stock. The NRC is not aware that the counterfeit circuit breakers have been
installed in safety-related applications. The CPSC reports are available at
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08151.html , http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08054.html, and http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07036.html.
BACKGROUND
Over the past two decades, the NRC has issued several generic communications to inform
licensees of counterfeit or misrepresented vendor products. In March 1989, the NRC staff
issued Generic Letter (GL) 89-02, "Actions to Improve the Detection of Counterfeit and
Fraudulently Marketed Products" (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS) Accession No. ML031140060). The GL informed licensees of program elements that
are effective in detecting counterfeit or fraudulently marketed products and in assuring the
quality of vendor supplied products. Additionally, in October 1989, the staff issued IN 89-70, and
a supplement in April 1990, "Possible Indications of Misrepresented Vendor Products," to inform
licensees of misrepresented vendor products and to provide information related to the detection
of such products (ADAMS Accession No. ML031180470).
DISCUSSION
Although none of the counterfeit items described above were installed in safety-related
applications, these examples demonstrate the need for licensees to remain vigilant and maintain
effective quality assurance programs to reduce the potential for introduction of counterfeit parts
into their supply chains.
In recent years many vendors, including foreign companies, with little to no experience in the
nuclear industry have entered the market to supply parts and components for both safety and
non-safety applications to nuclear power plant
s. It remains the lic
ensees' responsibility to ensure that all suppliers use standards and processes that conform to US standards. Effective
oversight of suppliers becomes increasingly more important as the nuclear industry begins
construction of new nuclear power plants in the US.
As discussed in GL 89-02, three characteristics of effective procurement and dedication
programs are (1) the involvement of engineering staff in the procurement and product
acceptance process; (2) effective source inspection, receipt inspection, and testing programs;
and (3) thorough, engineering-based programs for review, testing, and dedication of
commercial-grade products for suitability for use in safety-related applications. Licensees may want to consider the applicability of these char
acteristics to their
programs to
reduce the likelihood of the introduction of counterfeit or fraudulent products into their plants and to assure
the quality of procured vendor products.
CONTACT
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. Please direct any
questions about this matter to the technical contacts listed below.
/RA by TQuay for/ /RA/
Michael Case, Director Glenn Tracy, Director
Division of Policy and Rulemaking Division of Construction Inspection and
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Operational Programs
Office of New Reactors
Technical Contacts: Omid Tabatabai Robert Pettis
NRO/DCIP/CCIB NRR/DE/EQVB
(301) 415-6616 (301) 415-3214
omid.tabatabai@nrc.gov
robert.pettis@nrc.gov
Richard McIntyre
NRO/DCIP/CQVB
(301) 415-3215
richard.mcintyre@nrc.gov
Note: NRC generic communications may be found on the NRC public Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, under Electronic Reading Room/Document Collections
CONTACT
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. Please direct any
questions about this matter to the technical contacts listed below.
/RA by TQuay for/ /RA/
Michael Case, Director Glenn Tracy, Director
Division of Policy and Rulemaking Division of Construction Inspection and
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Operational Programs
Office of New Reactors
Technical Contacts: Omid Tabatabai Robert Pettis
NRO/DCIP/CCIB NRR/DE/EQVB
(301) 415-6616 (301) 415-3214
omid.tabatabai@nrc.gov
robert.pettis@nrc.gov
Richard McIntyre
NRO/DCIP/CQVB
(301) 415-3215
richard.mcintyre@nrc.gov
Note: NRC generic communications may be found on the NRC public Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, under Electronic Reading Room/Document Collections
DISTRIBUTION:
IN File
ADAMS ACCESSION: ML080790266 OFFICE CCIB:DCIP:NRO Tech Ed. TL:CCIB:DCIP:NRO BC:CCIB:DCIP:NRO BC:CQVP:DCIP:NRO NAME OTabatabai HChang RLaura RRasmussen JPeralta DATE 03/18/08 03/10/08 03/19/08 03/20/08 03/24/08 OFFICE BC:CQVB:DCIP:NRO BC:EQVB:DE:NRR D:DE:NRR OGC (NLO) LA:PGCB:NRR NAME JNakoski DThatcher PHiland SBrock CHawes DATE 03/20/08 03/24/08 03/24/08 03/26/08 03/ /08 OFFICE PM:PGCB:NRR BC:PGC
B:NRR D:DCIP:NRO D:DPR:NRR NAME DBeaulieu MMurphy GTracy TQuay for MCase DATE 03/ /08 04/03/08 04/07/08 04/03/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY