ML15244A546
| ML15244A546 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oconee, Arkansas Nuclear, Crystal River, Rancho Seco, 05000000, Crane |
| Issue date: | 07/17/1985 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML15244A545 | List: |
| References | |
| IEIN-85-038, IEIN-85-38, NUDOCS 8508010433 | |
| Download: ML15244A546 (21) | |
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[7590-01]
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, 50-287, 50-289, 50-302, 50-312, 50-313]
ARKANSAS POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
[Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit No. 1]
SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
[Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station]
FLORIDA POWER CORPORATION
[Crystal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Generating Plant]
DUKE POWER COMPANY
[Oconee Nuclear Station, Units Nos. 1, 2 and 3]
GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES NUCLEAR CORPORATION
[Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1]
REQUEST FOR ACTION UNDER 10 CFR 2.206 Notice is hereby given that, by a Petition dated June 11, 1985, John F. Doherty requested issuance of an order under 10 CFR 2.202 to the licensees of the following Babcock and Wilcox facilities to show cause why the operating licenses for those facilities should not be suspended or revoked until the problem identified in IE Information Notice 85-38 is resolved: Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit No. 1; Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station; Crystal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Generating Plant; Oconee Nuclear Station, Units Nos. 1, 2 and 3; and Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1. The IE Notice concerned loose parts which had been found to obstruct certain control rod drive mechanisms at the Davis-Besse facility of the Toledo Edison Company.
The Petition is being treated pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 of the Commission's regulations and, accordingly, appropriate action will be taken on the request within a reasonable time. A copy of the Petition is available for inspection in the Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20555 and at the local public document room for each L DR ADOCK 05000 269 G
PDR'
affected facility as follows:
Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit No. 1 Tomlinson Library Arkansas Tech University Russellville, Arkansas 72801 Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station Sacramento City-County Library 828 I Street Sacramento, California Crystal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Generating Plant Crystal River Public Library 668 N.W. First Avenue Crystal River, Florida Oconee Nuclear Station, Units Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Oconee County Library 501 West Southbroad Street Walhalla, South Carolina Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1 Government Publications Section State Library of Pennsylvania Education Building Commonwealth and Walnut Streets Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126 Dated at Bethesda, Maryland, this 17th day of July 1985.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Mr. J. M. Griffin Arkansas Power & Light Company Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 cc:
Mr. J.. Ted Enos, Manager Mr. John M. Griffin, Senior Licensing Vice President of Energy Arkansas Power & Light Company supply P. 0. Box 551 Arkansas Power & Light Company Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 P. 0. Box 551 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 Mr. James M. Levine, General ManaLer Arkansas Nuclear One P. 0. Box 608 Russellville, Arkansas 72801 Mr. Nicholas S. Reynolds Bishop. Liberman, Cook, Purcell & Reynolds 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20036 Mr. Robert B. Borsum Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Power Generation Division Suite 220, 7910 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. 0. Box 2090 Russellville, Arkansas 72801 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Executive Director for Operations 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 Arlington, Texas 76011 Mr. Frank Wilson, Director Division of Environmental Health Protection Department of Health Arkansas Department of Health 4815 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Honorable Ermil Grant Acting County Judge of Pope County Pope County Courthouse Russellville, Arkansas 72801
Mr. W. S. Wilgus Crystal River Unit No. 3 Nuclear Florida Power Corporation Generating Plant cc:
Mr. R. W. Neiser Bureau of Intergovernmental Relations Senior Vice President 660 Apalachee Parkway and General Counsel Tallahassee, Florida 32304 Florida Power Corporation P. 0. Box 14042 Mr. Wilbur Langely, Chairman St Petersburg, Florida 33733 Board of County Commissioners Citrus County Nuclear Plant Manager Inverness, Florida 36250 Florida Power Corporation P. 0. Box 219 Crystal River, Florida 32629 Mr. Robert B. Borsum S. Wilgus Babcock & Wilcox Vice Presi Nuclear Power Generation Division Florida Power Corporation Suite 220, 7910 Woodmont Avenue ATTN:
Manager, Nuclear Licensing Maryand 0814&
Fuel Management Bethesda, Maryland 20814 BethsdaP.
- 0. Box 14042; M.A.C. H-'3 Resident Inspector
$t-Petersbura Florida.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Route #3, Box 717 Crystal River, Florida 32629 Regional Administrator, Revion II U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 101 Marietta Street, Suite 3100 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Mr; Ulray Clark, Administrator Radiological Health Services Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services 1323 Winewood Blvd.
Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Administrator Department of Environmental Regulation Power Plant Siting Section State of Florida 2600 Blair Stone Road Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Attorney General Department of Legal Affairs The Capitol.
Tallahassee, Florida 32304
Mr. J. Williams Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Toledo Edison Company Unit No. 1 cc:
Donald H. Hauser, Esq.
Ohio Department of Health The Cleveland Electric ATTN:
Radiological Health Illuminating Company Program Director P. 0. Box 5000 P. 0. Box 118 Cleveland, Ohio 44101 Columbus, Ohio 43216 Mr. Robert F. Peters Attorney General Manager,,Nuclear Licensing Department of Attorney Toledo Edison Company General Edison Plaza 30 East Broad Street 300 Madison Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43215 Toledo, Ohio 43652 Mr. James W. Harris, Director Gerald Charnoff, Esq.
Division of Power Generation Shaw, Pittman, Potts Ohio Department of Industrial Relations and Trowbridge 2323 West 5th Avenue 1800 M Street, N.W.
P. 0. Box 825 Washington, D.C. 20036 Columbus, Ohio 43216 Paul M. Smart, Esq.
Mr. Harold Kahn, Staff Scientist Fuller & Henry Power Siting Commission 300 Madison Avenue 361 East Broad Street P. 0. Box 2088 Columbus, Ohio 43216 Toledo, Ohio 43603 Mr. Robert B. Borsum President, Board of Babcock & Wilcox Ottawa County Nuclear Power Generation Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 Division Suite 200, 7910 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Vi Pesident, Nucl ear Resident Inspector Toledo Edison Company U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Edison Plaza -
Stop 712 5503 N. State Route 2 300 Madison Avenue Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 Toledo, Ohio 43652 Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137
Mr. H. B. Tucker Oconee Nuclear Station Duke Power Company Units Nos. 1, 2 and 3 cc:
Mr. William L. Porter Mr. Hal B. Tucker Duke Power Company Vice President -Nuc~lear Prod'uct-ion P. 0. Box 33189 Duke Power Company 422 South Church Street P. 0. Box 33189 C422 South Church Street Charlotte, North Carolina 28242 J. Michael McGarry, III, Esq.
Bishop, Liberman, Cook, Purcell & Reynolds 1200 Seventeenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036 Mr. Robert B. Borsum Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Power Generation Division Suite 220, 7910 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Manager, LIS NUS Corporation 2536 Countryside Boulevard Clearwater, Florida 33515 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Route 2, Box 610 Seneca, South Carolina 29678 Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 101 Marietta Street, N.W.
Suite 3100 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Mr. Heyward G. Shealy, Chief Bureau of Radiological Health South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control 2600 Bull Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Office of Intergovernmental Relations 116 West Jones Streeto Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 Honorable James M. Phinney County Supervisor of Oconee County Walhalla, South Carolina 29621
Mr. R. J. Rodriguez Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Sacramento Municipal Utility District Station cc:
Mr. David S. Kaplan, Secretary Sacramento County and General Counsel Board of Supervisors Sacramento Municipal Utility 827 7th Street, Room 424 District Sacramento, California 95814 6201 S Street P. 0. Box 15830 Ms. Helen Hubbard Sacramento, California 95813 P. 0. Box 63 Sunol, California 94586 Thomas Baxter, Esq.
Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge 1800 M Street, N.W.
Mr. Ronald J. Rodriguez Washington, D.C. 20036 Assistant General Manager, Nuclear Sacramento Municipal Utility District Mr. Robert B. Borsum 6201 S Street Babcock & Wilcox P. 0. Box 15830 Nuclear Power Generation Division Sacramento, California 95813 Suite 220, 7910 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Resident Inspector/Rancho Seco ao U. S. N. R. C.
14410 Twin Cities Road Herald, California 95638 Regional Administrator, Region V U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1450 Maria Lane, Suite 210 Walnut Creek, California 94596 Director Energy Facilities Siting Division Energy Resources Conservation &
Development Commission 1516 -
9th Street Sacramento, California 95814 Mr. Joseph 0. Ward, Chief Radiological Health Branch State Department of Health Services 714 P Street, Office Building #8 Sacramento, California 95814 Mr. Joseph Findaro California State Office 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 305 Washington, D.C.
20003
Mr. Henry D. Hukill Three Mile Island Nuclear Station GPU Nuclear Corporation Unit No. 1 cc:
Mr. R. J. Toole Mr. Richard Conte O&M Director, TMI-1 Senior Resident Inspector (TMI-1)
GPU Nuclear Corporation U.S.N.R.C.
Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 P.O. Box 311 Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Richard J. McGoey Manager, PWR Licensing GPU Nuclear Corporation Regional Administrator, Region I 100 Interpace Parkway U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Parsippany, New Jersey 70754 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Mr. C. W. Smyth TMI-1 Licensing Manager Mr. Robert B. Borsum GPU Nuclear Corporation Babcock & Wilcox P. 0. Box 480 Nuclear Power Generation Division Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Suite 220, 7910 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 G. F. Trowbridge, Esq.
Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Governor's Office of State Planning 1800 M Street, N.W.
and Development Washington, D.C. 20036 ATTN:
Coordinator, Pennsylvania State Clearinghouse Ivan W. Smith, Esq., Chairman P. 0. Box 1323 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Mr. Earl B. Hoffman Dauphin County Commissioner Sheldon J. Wolfe, Esq., Chairman Dauphin County Courthouse Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Front and Market Streets U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101 Washington, D.C. 20555
- Washngto, DC. 2555Dauphin County Office of Emergency Mr. Gustave A. Linenberger, Jr.
Preparedness Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Court House, Room 7 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Front and Market Streets Washington, D.C. 20555 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101 Dr. James Lamb, III Mr. David D. Maxwell, Chairman Administrative Judge Board of Supervisors 313 Woodhaven Road Londonderry Township Chapel Hill, North Carolina 17514 FRD#1 -
Geyers Church Road Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Mr. David Hetrick Administrative Judge Mr. Thomas M. Gerusky, Director Professor of Nuclear Energy Bureau of Radiation Protection University of Arizona Pennsylvania Department of Tucson, Arizona 85721 Environmental Resources P. 0. Box 2063 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
I9 GPU Nuclear Corporation Three Mile Island, Unit 1 cc:
Thomas Y. Au, Esq.
Sen. Allen R. Carter, Chairman Office of Chief Counsel Joint Legislative Committee on Energy Department of Environmental Resources P. 0. Box 142 505 Executive House Suite 513 P. 0. Box 2357 Senate Gressette Building Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Columbia, South Carolina 29202 Mr. Bob Stein, Director of Research Ms. Frieda Berryhill, Chairman Committee on Energy Coalition for Nuclear Power Plant P. 0. Box 11867 Postponement 104 Blatt Building 2610 Grendon Drive Columbia, South Carolina 29211 Wilmington, Delaware 19808 Ms. Jane Lee William S. Jordan, III, Esq.
183 Valley Road Harmon, Weiss & Jordan Etters, Pennsylvania 17319 20001 S Street, N.W.
Suite 430 Ms. Marjorie M. Aamodt Washington, D.C. 20009 Mr. Norman Aamodt 200 North Church Street Lynne Bernabei, Esq.
Parkesburg, Pennsylvania 19365 Government Accountability Project 1555 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Ms. Louise Bradford Washington, D.C. 20009 TMIA 1011 Green Street Michael W. Maupin, Esq.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17102 Hunton & Williams 707 East Main Street Mr. Marvin I. Lewis P. 0. Box 1535 6504 Bradford Terrace Richmond Virginia 23212 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149 Jordan D. Cunningham, Esq.
Mr. Chauncey Kepford Fox, Farr and Cunningham Ms. Judith H. Johnsrud 2320 North 2nd Street Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110 433 Orlando Avenue State College, Pennsylvania 16801 Ms. Ellyn R. Weiss Harmon, Weiss & Jordan Mr. Bruce Molholt 2001 S Street, N.W.
Haverford College Suite 430 Haverford, Pennsylvania 19041 Washington, D.C. 20009 Mr. Donald E. Hossler Michael McBride, Esq.
501 Vine Street LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby & McRae Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Suite 1100 1333 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.
Mr. Ad Crable Washington, D.C. 20036 Lancaster New Era 8 West King Street Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17602
GPU Nuclear Corporation Three Mile Island, Unit 1 cc:
Atomic Safety & Licensing Board Panel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Atomic Safety & Licensing Appeal Board Panel (8)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Docketing and Service Section Office of the Secretary U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Mr. Henry D. Hukill, Vice President and Director - TMI-1 GPU Nuclear Corporation P. 0. Box 480 Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057
Mr. J. T. Beckham, Jr.
Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Georgia Power Company Units Nos. 1 and 2 cc:
G. F. Trowbridge, Esq.
Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge 1800 M Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036T.
Beckham, Jr.
Washi gtonD.C.
0036Vice President -
Nuclear Generation".
Mr. L T.
ucwaGeorgia Power Company Mr. L. T. Gucwa Engineering Department P
Georia owerComanyAtlanta, Georgia 30302 Georgia Power Company P. 0. Box 4545 Atlanta, Georgia 30302 Mr. H. C. Nix, Jr., General Manager Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Georgia Power Company P. 0. Box 442 Baxley, Georgia 31513 Mr. Louis B. Long Southern Company Services, Inc.
P. 0. Box 2625 Birmingham, Alabama 35202 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Route 1, P. 0. Box 279 Baxley, Georgia 31513 Regional Administrator, Region II U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 101 Marietta Street, Suite 3100 Atlanta, Georiga 30303 Mr. Charles H. Badger Office of Planning and Budget Room 610 270 Washington Street, S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Mr. J. Leonard Ledbetter, Commissioner Department of Natural Resources 270 Washington Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Chairman Appling County Commissioners County Courthouse Baxley, Georgia 31513
Mr. E. G. Bauer, Jr.
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Philadelphia Electric Company Units 2 and 3 cc:
Mr. Eugene J. Bradley Mr. R. A. Heiss, Coordinator Assistant General Counsel Pennsylvania State Clearinghouse Philadelphia Electric Company Governor's Office of State Planning 2301 Market Street and Development Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 P.O. Box 1323 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Troy B. Conner, Jr., Esq.
1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Mr. Thomas M. Gerusky, Director Washington, D.C. 20006 Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Thomas A. Deming, Esq.
Environmental Resources Assistant Attorney General P.O. Box 2063 Department of Natural Resources Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Mr. Albert R. Steel, Chairman Philadelphia Electric Company Board of Supervisors ATTN: Mr. R. Fleishmann Peach Bottom Township Peach Bottom Atomic R. D. #1 Power Station Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 Mr. M. J. Cooney, Superintendent Generation Division - Nuclear Philadelphia Electric Company 2301 Market Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 Mr. Anthony J. Pietrofitta, General Manager Power Production Engineering Atlantic Electric P. 0. Box 1500 Mr. Edward G. Bauer, Jr.
1199 Black Horse Pike Vice President and General Counsel Pleasantville, New Jersey 08232 Philadelphia Electric Company 2301 Market'Street Resident Inspector Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station P.O. Box 399Edwar G.
B r
J Delta, Pennsylvania 17314 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406
0 0
June 11, 1985 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Before the Director of Nuclear Reac tor Remulation In the Matter of:
ARKANSAS POWER & LIGHT CO.
Docket No. 50-313 (Arkansas Nuclear One Station, Unit 1)
SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DIST.
Docket No. 50-312 (Rancho Seco-Station, Unit 1)
FLORIDA POWER CORP.
Docket No. 50-302 (Crystal River Station, Unit 3)
DUKE POWER CORPORATION Docket Nos. 50-269, (Oconee Station, Units 1, 2, & 3) 50-270, 50-287 GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES NUCLEAR CORP.
Docket No.
50-289 (Three Mile Island Station, Unit 1)
JOHN F. DOERTY'S PETITION/REQUEST FOR SHOW CAUSE ORDER Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 of the Commission's Rules of Practice, John F. Doherty, of 318 Summit Ave.,
Apt. #3, Brig:hton, Massachusetts 02135, (617) 232-3853, now files this Petition/Reouest for Show Cause Order under 10 CFR 2.202, to the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, seek ing that the Director institute a consolidated proceeding or proceedines to susnend or revoke the operating license for the Arkansas Nuclear One Station, Unit 1; Rancho Seco Station, Unit 1; Crystal River Station, Unit 3; Oconee Sta tions Units 1, 2, & 3; and Three Mile Island Station, Unit 1 by serving the respective Licensees, Arkansas Power
& Light Co., Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Florida Power Corporation, Duke Power Corporation, and General Pub lic Utilities Nuclear Cornoration an Order to Show Cause why the said operating Licensee should not have its Operating License susoenled or revoked until such time that it inspects BOt-SGG+6 850611 PDR ADOCK 05000269 G
0
-2 and (based on the result of the inspection) corrects its facilities for the hazardous condition explained below.
Basis for the Petition! Recuest:
The basis for this request for adtion is from Inspection and Enforcement Notice No. 85-38..-,dated May 21, 1985, and received by Petitioner on June 1, 1985, and addressed to all utilities holding an onerating license for nuclear pow er facilities designed by the Babcock & Wilcox Corporation (B & W).
All such facilities are pressurized water reactors (PWRs) havin control rods above the fuel zone in the reactor oressure vessel. As described in Notice No. 85-38, the Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant, a B. & W. PWR, on inspection fol lowing the failure on two occaisions (March 16, 1985 and March 21, 1985) for its control rod E-3, revealed a broken locking spring in the control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) at core location M-5, and four locking springs not in their nor mal and correct locking position.
The CRDM at location E-3 had shown a broken locking spring and not all pieces of the spring were believed recovered. In addition, pieces described as from a maintainance tool used the previous year were found in the CRDM. It thus appears the CRDMS at locations E-3 and M-5 at Davis-Besse had broken locking springs in them and that the CRDM's at E-3 and C-7 (also noted in Notice No. 85-8) have both been blocked (at different times) by a common mode phenomena.
!/Titled, "Loose Parts Obstruct Control Rod Drive Mechanism" (Attached)
From these facts, it is clear the Davis-Besse plant might well have had a SCRAM in which two control rods could not have been driven into the core due to jamming of the CRDMs by loose parts sach as those de scribed in the notice. The usual technical specifica tions or Commission Regulatory Guid.as require that it be possible to bring the reactor core sub-critical with a single control rod stuck fully out.
- However, in the case where two control rods are stuck out it appears it may not be possible to bring the core to sub-criticality without the use of a back up system such as one designed to introduce boron into the cir culating coolant in greater cuantity than.in normal operation.
Notice No. 85-38 states that the, "sprics failures are considered to be a potential common mode failure that could affect the reactor trip function because (of) (2) the liklihood for out-of-Position springs to be broken when the control rod is fully withdrawn: and (3) the potential for a broken spring to cause the con trol rod to jam."-
This noint (3) evidently inclu.es Jamming when a rod is signaled to drop or enter the fuel zone in response to an anticipated operating transient such as a turbine stop, hiih steam generator water level, loss of feedwater heater, recirculation pump trip, high flux signalor main steam isolation valve closure.
Notice No.85-538, page 2.
S Common mode failures are of 7rreat concern if they ma-compromize the automatic reactor protection system of a PWR. A common mode failure in an ajtomatic reactor protection system was found at the Kah1 (VAK) reactor, a Boiling Water Reactor, in July of 1965. There a bon ding arent on scram relays became sticky after two weeks of use and a "routine test revealed that there had been a period of time in which SCRAMI would not have been ini tiated if it had been reauiredi.
The concern here is that in the interval required to stop fissioning through the redundant means available, the transient excess reac tivity in the core will result in local fuel melting.
The possibility of two adjacent control rods failing to insert, while somewhat remote in a two rod insertion fail ure due to ORDM jamming, would cause the most severe fuel melting with that level of rod insertion failure.
It is evident from Notice No. 85-38, that the snrings may break or relocate in an CRDM in any of the B. & W.
plants subject in this Petition/Request, and evidently no inspections for broken or dislocated sPrings which might jam the descent of a control rod into a PWR core have been made in the current operating B. & W. plants other than the Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant. Nor is it, in view of the conditions found at that plant, an unreasonable suspicion that an upcoming SCRAM (one prior to the next scheduled outage) may well produce a more than one rod out of the 3/"Technical note: The Kah1 Relay Common Mode Failure",
Nuclear Safety, Vol. 20(5),
Sept-Oct. 1079,
. 579-81.
-5 core situation. It is a sensible caution to realize two or more rods stuck out of the core in a severe on erating transient might well produce a local fuel melt
-1ti
- larly if the rods are contiguo.:
7,r nearly so.
While true a boron introducing syste' M.ay be ex-nected available as a back up to the SCRAM system, Gen eral Design Criterion'26(10 CFR 50, Appendix A, Criterion
- 26) would appear to require both these systems, (SCRAM and back-up) be fully available to protect against reac tivity insertion.
In addition, the Criterion certainly strongly suggests that operation with one system reasonably suspected to be not fully capable of performing its full task would violate that Criterion.
Moreover, permitting continued operation of these B. & W. plants despite the jamming problem described in Notice No.85-58, would appear contrary to General Design Criterion 29 (10 CR 50, Appendix A, Criterion 29).
If these plants continue in operation the probability of the protection and reactivity control systems accomplishing their safety functions is decreased in the face of a more than one rod jammed out by CRDM parts situation as descri bed in Notice No. 85-38. By requiring the utility owners (Licensees) of the aforementioned B. & W. plants to elim-inate this cause of jamming would bring the Dlants in 4//
closer comnliance with General Design Criterion 29,.r Criterion 26 and 29 are used here in the sense that they show good practice. The subject plants were believed desirned in comoliance with the two criteria and it makes sense the plants should operate only while fully providing what the criteria call for for functioning plant hardware.
-6 Conclusion Based on the information provided in Information and Enforcement Notice No.85-538 and other material this Petition/Request,
'itioner hereby requests the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to issue an order recuiring these 5 Licensees to show cause why the nuclear plants under their control should not be shutdown until such time as an inspection (and re pairs as indicated)of the Control Rod Drive iechanisms is accomplished, be issued.
Respectfully, John F. D
SSINS No.: 6835 IN 85-38 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 May 21, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-38:
LOOSE PARTS OBSTRUCT CONTROL ROD DRIVE MECHANISM Addressees:
All utilities with pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power facilities designed by Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) and holding an operating license (OL) or a construction permit (CP).
Purpose:
This information notice is provided to alert recipients of a potentially significant problem pertaining to loose parts that can obstruct and prevent motion inside of control rod drive mechanisms.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude a similar problem occurring at their facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information.notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
In 1981 at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant.
o Lking.spri" brke in a cmatrol rnd drivp mechanism (CRDM) in come location &-7 and oecame wedged against tile cont.roI rod, prevenitt
-I trom operat1no.
Tre cause was not determined at that time. DuTT1g the 1984 outage, the locking springs were inspected and none appeared broken or, in the wrong position. On March 16, 1985, the control rod in core location -3 twould not drop into the core on demand and had to be driven downward by clntrol room personnel.
This control rod was tested during an outage on March 21, 1985, and jammed after three cycles of operation.
Inside of this CRDM were foreign objects and a broken locking spring. The foreign objects were pieces of a set screw from the handling tool used during the 1984 outage that had lodged in the CRDM and prevented the drive screws from being disengaged. The locking spring (a flat tee-shaped device with a riveted tab) was broken at the tee and the upper rivet hole. The upper portion of the broken spring was not found and is believed to be inside of the CRDM.
Further examination of all of the mechanisms revealed a broken locking spring in core location 1-5.
In addition, four springs were not in their normal locking position.
During Zptration there is no means of detecting broken springs or foreign objects in the CRDM. Exercising the control rod will allow loose pieces to move.
IN 81-38 May 21, 1985 Page 2 of 2 The most likely cause of the spring failures is that the unit went into service with some of the locking springs not in their rcnrrect position. The present assembly proceoure has the. maintenance technician determining that the spring is in the correct position by "feel" through a long handling tool.
If this process is rie sLucessful,.the reactor will be placed in operation with the spring out of position. When the control rod is fully withdrawn, an out-of position spring will hit the inside of the torque tube cap and snap when sufficiently loaded. This was confirmed by the appearance of the spring failures which were brittle, intergranular fractures. In addition, examination of the inside of the cap showed a gouge in the tapered portion near the bottom and an indentation on the bottom surface.
Spring failures are considerea to be a potential common mode failure that could affect the reactor trip functioh because (1) four springs at Davis Besse were found not to be in their normal position and two others were broken; (2) the likelihood for out-of-oosition springs to be broken when the control rod is fully withdrawn; and (,3). thie potential for a broken spring to cause the control rod to jam.
lIne corrective action by Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant was to replace ali of the obt-of-position spring assemblies and to verify by visual examination that the s rings were in their correct positions. Consideration is being given to 4dding this verification as a regular part of the maintenance procedures. The
&W Owners Group has notified their members that there were Failed locki_.
sprinqs at Davis-Besse in the control rod drive mechanisms.
No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.
Edward L. Jordan, Director Division of Emergency Preparedness and Engineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement Technical
Contact:
P. Cortland, IE 331-492-4175
Attachment:
List of Recently issuea IE Informion 4 c Nctices IN 85-38 May 21, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Date of Notice No.
Subject Issue Issued to 85-37 Chemical Cleaning Of Steam 5/14/85 All pressure water Generator At Milestone 2 reactor facilities holding an OL or CP 84-55 Seal Table Leaks At PWRs 5/14/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 facilities holding an OL or CP 85-20 Motor-Operated Valve Failures 5/14/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 Due To Hammering Effect facilities holding an OL or CP 85-36 Malfunction Of A Dry-Storage, 5/9/85 All licensees Panoramic, Gamma Exposure possessing gamma Irradiator irradiators 84-52 Inadequate Material 5/8/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 Procurement Controls On facilities holding The Part Of Licensees And an OL or CP Vendors 85-35 Failure Of Air Check Valves 4/30/85 All power reactor To Seat facilities holding an OL or CP 85-34 Heat Tracing Contributes To 4/30/85 All power reactor Corrosion Failure Of Stainless facilities holding Steel Piping an OL or CP 84-84 Deficiencies In Ferro-4/24/85 All power reactor Rev. 1 Resonant Transformers facilities holding an OL or CP 85-33 Undersized Nozzle-To-Shell 4/22/85All power reactor Welded Joints In Tanks And facilities holding Heat Exchangers Constructed an OL or CP Under The Rules Of The ASME Boiler And Pressure Vessel Code 85-32 Recent Engine Failures Of 4/22/85 All power reactor Emergency Diesel Generators facilities holding an OL or CP OL = Operating License CP = Construction Permit