ML100830042

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Westinghouse Electric Co., Notification of Deficiency Report Concerning Failure of an Eaton-Cutler Hammer Type ARD66OUR DC Relay to Release When De-Energized
ML100830042
Person / Time
Site: Palo Verde  Arizona Public Service icon.png
Issue date: 03/19/2010
From: Gresham J
Westinghouse
To:
Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
LTR-NRC-10-20
Download: ML100830042 (3)


Text

Westinghouse Westinghouse Electric Company Nuclear Services P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1 5230-0355 USA U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Direct tel: (412) 374-4643 Document Control Desk Direct fax: (412) 374-3846 Washington, DC 20555-0001 e-mail: greshaja@westinghouse.com Our ref: LTR-NRC- 10-20 March 19, 2010

Subject:

Notification of a Defect Pursuant to 10CFR21 The following information is provided pursuant to the requirements to 10 CFR 21 to report a defect. This issue concerns the failure of an Eaton-Cutler Hammer Type ARD660UR DC Relay to Release When De-Energized.

(i) Name and address of the individual or individuals informing the Commission.

J. A. Gresham Westinghouse Electric Company LLC Nuclear Services P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-0355 (ii) Identification of the facility, the activity, or the basic component supplied for such facility or such activity within the United States which fails to comply or contains a defect.

The basic component is an Eaton-Cutler Hammer Type ARD 660UR DC Relay which is commercially dedicated by Westinghouse for use in safety related systems at Palo Verde Units 1, 2 and 3. Westinghouse does not supply this relay as a safety related component for any plants other than Palo Verde.

(iii) Identification of the firm constructing the facility or supplying the basic component which fails to comply or contains a defect.

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-0355 (iv) Nature of the defect or failure to comply and the safety hazard which is created or could be created by such defect or failure to comply.

The Defect is prevention of the relay contacts from changing state when required to do so during postulated events and/or surveillance testing, caused by the crossbar in the relay not moving as required for proper operation of the relay. This failure could

/) (I-

Page 2 of 2 Our ref: LTR-NRC-10-20 date of relay contacts failing to properly change state when the relay goes from a de-energized to an energized state.

(v) The date on which the information of such defect or failure to comply was obtained.

The Westinghouse president was informed of this issue March 18, 2010.

(vi) In the case of a basic component which contains a defect or fails to comply, the number and location of these components in use at, supplied for, being supplied for, or may be supplied for, manufactured, or being manufactured for one or more facilities or activities subject to the regulations in this part.

Westinghouse shipped Palo Verde a total of 120 of the subject Cutler Hammer Type ARD 660UR DC Relays. These relays were procured via five (5) separate purchase orders, dated between December 11, 2008 and July 1, 2009. Some of these relays are installed in systems where relay failure could result in one or both trains of safety related functions being unable to fulfill their safety related design function.

(vii) The corrective action which has been, is being, or will be taken; the name of the individual or organization responsible for the action; and the length of time that has been or will be taken to complete the action.

Westinghouse Repair, Replacement and Automation Services (RRAS) has been working with Palo Verde and Eaton-Cutler Hammer to identify and correct the cause of these relay failures. Westinghouse RRAS is revising its commercial grade dedication process for these relays. This action ensures that the commercial grade dedication criteria include additional physical characteristics concerning the relay cross bar which are verified before future batches of relays are shipped to the customer .as safety related components.

Cutler Hammer plans to ship an initial batch of twenty five (25) replacement relays to Westinghouse for commercial grade dedication. Westinghouse expects to complete commercial grade dedication of these 25 relays by March 26, 2010. Following commercial grade dedication, relays meeting the commercial grade dedication acceptance criteria will be shipped to Palo Verde.

Cutler Hammer will ship a second batch of thirty two (32) replacement relays to Westinghouse for commercial grade dedication after shipping the first batch of relays discussed above. Westinghouse expects to complete commercial grade dedication of these 32 relays by April 2, 2010. Following commercial grade dedication, relays meeting the commercial grade dedication acceptance criteria will be shipped to Palo Verde.

Cutler Hammer will ship the remainder of the required relays (some for operating components not addressed in the previous relay manufacturing batches, some for currently dedicated relays kept in the Palo Verde warehouse) by early to mid April 2010. Following approximately a week for commercial grade dedication by Westinghouse, the remaining relays meeting the commercial grade dedication acceptance criteria will be shipped to Palo Verde (viii) Any advice related to the defect or failure to comply about the facility, activity, or basic component that has been, is being, or will be given to purchasers or licensees.

Page 3 of 2 Our ref: LTR-NRC-10-20 Westinghouse has been in discussions with Eaton-Cutler Hammer and Palo Verde personnel regarding this issue. Palo Verde is knowledgeable about planned Westinghouse and Eaton-Cutler Hammer actions to supply the plant with new Eaton-Cutler Hammer Type ARD 660UR DC Relays. Westinghouse has advised Palo Verde that replacement preference should be given to relays that are normally energized and are then de-energized to perform their safety function since there has not been a reported instance of relay contacts not properly changing state when energizing.

(ix) In the case of an early site permit, the entities to whom an early site permit was transferred.

N/A Very t 'l yS 6J.A. Gresham, Secretary Westinghouse Safety Review Committee cc: E. Lenning (NRC MSO-1 1-F1)