ML13308A200

Forwards Summary of Allegations Re Welding Practices at Plants.Licensee Investigation Did Not Substantiate Alleged Concerns

ML13308A200
Person / Time
Site:	San Onofre
Issue date:	11/08/1982
From:	Engelken R NRC Office of Inspection & Enforcement (IE Region V)
To:	Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Shared Package
ML13308A199	List: ML13308A198 ML13308A200
References
NUDOCS 8211190352
Download: ML13308A200 (8)

Text

04 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION V 14r0 MANIA LANE, SUITE 210 WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA 94596 NO V 8 1982 MEMORANDUM FOR:

D. G. Eisenhut, DirecLur. Division or Licensing, NRR FROM:

R. H. Enyelken, Regional Administrator, Region V

SUBJECT:

RECOMMENDATION FOR LICENSING BOARD NOTIriCATION REGARDING WLLDING; RLLATED Al.EATIONS AT SAN ONOFRE UNIT 3, DOCKET NO. bO-362 A. Background During the week of Septnmber 13, 1082, thu liceUcU notified the inSpector that certain allegations had been received by SCE regdrding

-welding adequdcy at SONGS 2 and 3. The licensee had interviewed the allegor on September 7, 1982 and had ducuerited and resolved the concerns expressed by the alleyer.

The inspector reviewed the liCffI5-eFs' actions to resolve the allegations and noted that the lirenvPe's invesLiiLiun did not substantiate any of the alleger's concerns.

On OcLtober b, 1982 the NRC, Region V, was contdcted by a reporter for the Los Anyeles Times who relayed several concerns, which had been expressed to the imedia by Lthei alluger.

Tfhe alleger contacted the NRC on October 6, 1982 and relayed additioridl concerns, in addition to the four previously expressed to the licensee on September 7, 1982..

The alleger was interviewed by two Region V Investigators and one Suction Chief on October 15, 1982.

The concerns expressed by the allgqur were summarized into a statement and presented to the alleger for review and signature on October 16, 1982. The alleger refused Lu siyn the !Ltfatment.

The fourteen concerns suiriarized in the statement included the original four expressed to the licensee on September 7, 1987 and additiuna l coICrns expressed during the NRC IiLerviuws.

The statement is attached to this memorandum.

B. Region V Action A team of NRC personnel, consisting of two inspectorS dnd one regional supervisor, conducted an inspection at the Son Onofre Nucledr GenerdLing Station site, during the period of October 18-27, 1982, to examine procedures, installed plantL condiLions and documentation related to the concerns expressed by the alleger.

Region V has completed the special inspectiors and did not substantiate dny of the allegers concerns.

8211190362 0211-10 PDR ADOCK 05000361 P

PDR

-2 Rcqion V uurrently antiLipatLS complelioin arid issuance or the special inspection report by mid December, 1982.

Curtain allegations reqarding the adequacy of and implenentation of Code recuiremerit havu been referred to NRR for technical evaluation.

The results of the NRR evdludLUri will be included as an attachment to the special inspertion report.

C.

Issues Before the Board The alleydtions pertLan to engineering and QA/QC istues which have been addressed by the licensing board.

f.o-R. H. Engelken Regional Administrator

Attachment:

As st ated cc:

M. Williams, ONRR H. Rood, NRR, IB3 G. Knighton, LsBj

9009 Srruce Court

-. ypress, California.-,630 Date: Octobe r Time:

1, 2. Zarl Ken z, vo.untaril:. make r.'e followinistAtement to Nessrs.

hili-. V. Joul:off andi Cwen C. Zhackleton Jr. vbo have identified themselves to me ca investi-ators for the !U. S.

iLuclear o:uato-mianon (.).

make this statement freely witn no rets or.romises of reward having -been -ede Lo me.

I ar 97 -ears old -rd have uicrked since *r.

ha a 64 t

welder, welding Iualitv control insaectcr, welding engineer and author of we'din articles for welding journals.

In received* aiplo a for cowr.iletion of the Structural Engineer inq Coirse froim

';..e 7nternational Corre--ondence jc~hool,

.;cranton,

.I vnia.

wori-ei for occhtel icwer Cornora

.. 1on az a Welty Cntr.l :in:.eer in welding at the J.an (nffre

.uclear Joneratin-itation (DGS) frem October, 19 :O untls40e,19.

Jurin, nrr on.r.Lc nu'tt at aj I idcentified te Icllowing ccn crn Zhich were ie:tified to me b.:

th'e -2.C -oraonnel who in

-ervie.*ed me on kctober l:,

19-2 on

osibl affectin-nuclear

71) a ors 4::.:a ple curtcrt; to malze scribe Imarks for zcc::t aeld i'itu-u

.t

-L.se scriLe marZks ca;u:ed ercove.; i both :;tainlcss an: carbon !teel :ien

bonut 1" back from the welA areL.

I a. corferned that t".e:.e rroov,.iN cause 3trcse raizers.

22hese condi tions exist or zocke7t welded fittip-ak@a1-urer Units 2 and 3,1Pff~~

-Fw-i;&/r, tr* -+f v/2493.//V/

(2) Eectel a es::n era use fillet weld on aob connectior.z of ccam :

%-i e

perts and tray hangers and CAP/

do not wcla all airound the *cint to restrain forces in all diketions;.

I feel

iai is a code violati..:n.

"o troto t'rne testg}-.ere co.ndeonted to verizf the adecnacy of these

-al ds.

Herr:,cro, the actiual ztru'ctural stroneth of the cher~c-1 tra: ian-r/tirq teol. welt-iz used or the

. r lt rot

'nown.

Thi3

also, an 7l r

ie

.por'

'c als

!-01tat' tlhefaillU re/

to vel all ar:n.

the oint

.za cnoric :roblen.

U nfcrtuna+ I.

a.:in.n.

wrsear the codes do A

/

I recall.

t:t

-rme of the verrdor :iorlied welded hardware f

7 r:ot

!v. !u'ccuate root -- enetrations.

The one vendor Canl oca1.

ck, celieve t:..lier of.V.C couin ment.

I. --,:ember

r-e i2-.ntance -.n a icce of Zack hardware er l wl eatate iL t-reetrattin Fa -e

Continued ottement of L..arl 1ient..........J....Page 2 was idertified durir-inspection on site.j This instance was s3 ubsecuontly corrected byv weld rep-u.r before installatt.on in the -lant.

I dcon't remember if this Qouirment was used in SLEGS.

Unit:; a or 3.

1 rrzcom!erd thi-the !!IC examine the be.inning 1

and end of fillet ields t. a.sure root nenetration at :the.e

.rid conduct lestctive testing of selected supnorts

~ *~suppicad

y' t.

r venuar to de:ermine if other fillet welds have inadequate root pene:ratione.,s tyr W

>1

/

w A steel r

between a Unit 1 hydrogen line :on trin for _team 7enerator.

This was done because the h*drogen line Ve' L,

~

had :orn thi.n die to rubbinr -.;ith another linew I believe main tenance cople at the site who were working durinr the period wIen damira e tue tc the Lnit 1.iesel -encrator fire was being

,j.)

Iccrrected w.ould rc::erer ad c abte to locate the desirn c'an':e and~

.3acer.

I don': -ecall the c::act location of the hydro.-en lie.

7o

-i 'est recollection there wan't eauimient withj.-

ton feet.

zI dn't 1-e-cmerbr 4f tl}ere wau any nuclear safety related equ'i-rmen': nearoy. I am concerned for the integrity of nuclear tafetyr-rel-ted ecuir.ent, if locatedparby, and about the ')T)ential for -o.cz of 'iuman life and fire, should thio line

.runture.

recomrend iRC conduct an examination of this hydrogren line and malze certain it

-as sufficiont wall thickness to be sfl.,crer: ted./1e4 r

/<I~~i

~

.6 J

."."ze lvi-~~

(5)

I o

tat wel.

aind eturan are not required on 2echtel drawin.

isis in violation of4

-D1.1, Section

Iag-i

.. 1, and 2"These conditions exist on de ta.ls t

IniaJ7 :ctructural a:)r.icationC_,A two 'a e Jechtel ?ower A/

Corr.oration tnible entiblishe.. that certain nire surnnrts must conforn to A-1.1 requirements.

4. /

2 (6) Becltel Construction Stecification CS -

17207, Revision 7,

r dated Arril 1L,

190,

.ara.ranhz -. 6 and 5.7, contains visual cxaminaticn criteria uned :.-

bechtel fsr i supports and referenrce

c E E1iV Code, section III, ubsection !F. I f-fA told von.. 'Dell, investi-ative re-orter for the Los.Angeles 1

l

-/ Time6s. tk@the viaal criterin of C" -

P2C7. are not in accord once wit> t:o ab:ve code antirements, rarticularlv in CS -

1207 1urne

h B.:..

oro:,it

d s*a

). weld convexitr heipht acoe:tarnce critor-., -..1.;

(:1ndcrfilicd rorve wold craters)p

.5.6.1.11 (nre n-rie :cce tance criteria, cnd 5.7.2 (allowiing rroove :eld3 with fillet cai-n to bie welded as -fillet velds).

(7) +/-echtel.enerated 2 z e ::c1 on electric-l tray hanrers.

I oue::tion w.atcer t::e weld 4

ede c-electricni1 muraorto !rior to:

.re..i wrreft'id.

of;

-c;*tir.J' e

r

.1.-cite o

c l io*

':o reout.irenronto of j.;.

D1.1

'1* ?4 od i~t o n,

'r:. £::; 0.12.1. 3.(2).( ) and V.15 I.3 -

Z 7L

~

~r.-c -_

1.

of o er. :ed crators on !try hancernfto full

Continued.z:atement of Z.

Earl K.

crosn section cf t oa weld.j 7//4/f'/,

(9)

Echztel no 4.'osovedzarc atril:esAfrom base metal'40? i

up :-orts or structural steel as required by.AUS D1.1.paragraph 4.4.

(10)

I observed instances where ri.-n off alates mo t-used as required b'y A.S D.'

-Para-rani 4.6 o,7roove weld terminations..,

I cannot recll an; snecific locations, but I do recall ob scrving this condition on betlm and girder splices rp FA (11)

I believe thiat a spacer Ulatc i missing on the upper inside door hinre of the Unit 2 containment loersonnel hatch because I observed a -ap in the wold jcint of about 1/4 inch.

I broug~ht this to te attention of my supervisorrwE also c, area toat bolief. I beliovo that by orin::ing this condition to the attention of m su'pervisor I had prot:erly performed my duty to identify th+/-i condition.

I did not cmomare the draw ing requirements to the installed condition in making this deterrinati.on of a msigr aacer -latef44-6-f p'f 0(ff:

(ia) T believe that !echtel iL misinternreted the requirements of Z

t'e.SHE jection IIL weldine, standards re'ardinr socket weld eniralement lcneth wi.out initiatinC a code case an obtaining AV approbriate come relief.;Tlhe ASME code requires a gap between the pipe end and the fitting of"approximately. 1/16 inch". I.

believe that the code should nrovide a more definitive acceptance criteria than merely "approximately 1/16 inch".

//./

'o (13) 3echtel specification iQ-2, sheet.20, note 1, requires "shall not exceed 1/3 inch..." regarding maximum groove weld reinforcemen t

'fr'heig This reouirement should read "shall not exceed 1/8 inb.*1

/ '7 as required by the ASIE Section III code on groove weld reinforcement.

The 1/3 irTch heirht rim 4imlemented at San Onofre.

(14)

I believe that the caliber of individuals employed by Peabody Testing to perform nondestructive examination (DE).on welds in nucloar zervice anplications was not acceptable. This belief is based On the obaervation o' manf\\ spelling errors, such as.tke incorrect4 l f the words fillet" and "weld",

-NDE reports prepared by these individuals. Because of those oberved spelling at I ouection the abilities of these 14D7E 'personnel to perform the

/

rcquired examinaticns as required by their procedures. I believe tha t! esonnlte n

suffcAindards reFardinr the nualification of HDI.Personnel are not ufficient to assure an adequate level of W

personnol canability and knowledge in this very important area of inspection.

e 6&

.4 I have advised the above named, RIRC nersonnel of other concerns I have re-ardin-inadeauacies that I Laxist in Induatry Codes and Standards (i.e. AiS,

AS2iE, AIZC, etc.). The NRC representatives have told me that those areas are not within the jurisdiction of the iPC and although I do I~

CIA

Continued Statement of E.

E.p not necessarily agree with this, I do understand that this 4.w.the e...t The NRC representatives have also told me that I can report my tre~ar of concern regarding Codes to the anplicable code committee.

• r -

/

r A/;ie6f, IWAV 7-, A-4 7;;

I further have advised the NV

.representatives thai I have many o de ai, regarding welding done on non-nuclear safety related systems and equi mnt I have been advised by the NRC representatives that these areas are also.

not within the jurisdiction of the NRC.

The NRC representatives have told

• 4VA me that I can re*ort these concerns directly to the utility, SCEt _r whatever other lacalystate, or federal agency that has jurisdiction.

~r,/

V P/vtr-4

-11 A

rO4z

Continued Statement of E. Earl Kent...........................Page 5 I have read the foregoing statement consisting of this and four other typewritten pages. I have made and initialed any necessary corrections a=d have signed my name in ink in the margin of each page.

1 swear that ths foregcing statement is true and correct. Signed on at Signature:

E. Earl Kent Subscribed and sworn to before me this day of_

1982 at__

Investigator:

Owen C. Shackleton Jr.

Witness:

Philip V. Joukoff Investigator, OISFFO

BOARD NOTIFICATION BN-117 NOV 1 0 1982

• w/enclosure Document Control (50-36 Ij2)

NRC POR*

L PDR*

TERA*

NS I C*

LB#3 Reading*

G. Knighton*

Project Manager*

HRood J. Lee T. M. Novak L. Berry D. Eisenhut/R. Purple M. Williams H. Denton/E. Case*

PPAS J. Youngblood A. Schwencer E. Adensam C. Thomas R. Vollmer H. Thompson R. Mattson S. Hanauer Attorney, OELD*

E. L. Jordon J. M. Taylor Regional Adminstrator

-dReside-t inspector W. J. Dircks, EDO (3)

E. Christenbury, OELD J. Scinto, OELD A. Bennette*(1)

S. Chesnut cc:

Board Service List