ML17037B582
| ML17037B582 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/1978 |
| From: | Grier B NRC Region 1 |
| To: | Schneider R Niagara Mohawk Power Corp |
| References | |
| BL-78-001 | |
| Download: ML17037B582 (14) | |
Text
/
I 6gII R6QV Wp0 o
g,II
"+~
&0
++*++
Docket No. 50-220 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I
631 PARK AVENUE KING OF PRUSSIA> PENNSYLVANIA I 9406 January 16, 1978 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation ATTN:
Mr. R.
R. Schneider Vice President Electric Operations 300 Erie Boulevard West
- Syracuse, New York 13202 Gentlemen:
Enclosed is IE Bulletin No. 78-01 which requires action by you with regard to your power reactor facility(ies) having an operating license or a construction permit.
Should you have questions regarding this Bul,~1etin or the actions required, please contact this office.
A Sincerely, Boyce H. Grier Director
Enclosures:
l.
List of IE Bulletins Issued During Last 12 Months cc w/encls:
T. E. Lempges, General Superintendent, Nuclear Generation T. J. Perkins, Station Superintendent C. L. Stuart, Operations Supervisor E.
B. Thomas, Jr.,
Esquire A. Z. Roisman, Counsel for Citizens Committee for Protection of the Environment
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 IE Bulletin No. 78-01 Date:
January 16, 1978 Page 1 of 2 FLAMMABLE CONTACT-ARM RETAINERS IN G.E.
CR120A RELAYS Descr ipti on of Cir cumsta nces:
On April 18, 1977, a fire was discovered in a relay cabinet in the Peach Bottom Unit 3 facility.
The fire damaged eight relays, type
- CR120A, manufactured by the General Electric Company.
The fire was investigated by the licensee, the Philadelphia Electric Company, who concluded that it was caused by an overheated relay coil that ignited the relay's plastic contact-arm retainer.
Subsequently, on July 29, 1977, fire damage was discovered in a relay cabinet during surveillance testing in the Peach Bottom Unit 2 facility.
This fire damaged 18 G.E. type CR120A relays.
Discussion:
l The investigation revealed that 'the relay's contact-arm retainer was made from Celcon M90 Acetal Copolymer which is a flammable material. 'In June 1972, this material was changed to Valox.310-SED, which is self extinguishing and flame resistant.
Both materials are white and have the same surface appearance.
A G.E. Service.Information Letter SIL-NO-229 (a copy of the text is attached for information) indicates that there is no gener ic overheating problem with this type relay.
- However, they recommend that BWR owners replace the contact-arm retainer of all relays. (including BOP applications) marked with manufacturer's date code* between E.D.
(May 1968) and A.J.
(January 1973) with the -improved, self extinguishing flame resistant contact arm retainers.
Action To Be Taken By Licensees And Permit Holders:
Licensees of power reactor facilities with an operating license and construction permit holders shall take the following actions:
/
1.
Determine if you have installed G.E. type CR120A relays in safety-related equipment or in areas. wherein fires have the potential for damaging safety equipment.
Also determine if you have such relays in spares inventory or on order.
- The first letter signifies the month, the second letter signifies the year.
E, the fifth letter, corresponds to the fifth month.
Yearly code is as follows:
0 - 1968; E - 1969; F - 1970; G - 1971; H - 1972; and J - 1973.
IE Bulletin No. 78-01 Date:
January 16, 1978 Page 2 of 2 2.
Identify all of the relays that have Celcon contact-arm retainers.
3.
For those relays which have Celcon retainers, develop a program for their replacement with Valox retainers.
The program should include:
a.
Identification of the location of the relays b.
The, schedule for the replacement of the Celcon retainers c.
The procedure that will be used to perform the replacement, including the means that you will use to differentiate between the Valox and Celcon retainers.
4.
For facilities with an operating license, a report of the above
- actions, including the date(s) when they will be completed, shall be submitted within 30 days of receipt of this Bulletin.
5.
For facilities with a construction permit, a report of the above
- actions, including the date(s) when they will be completed, shall be submitted within 60 days of receipt of this Bulletin.
Reports should be submitted to the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
A copy of your report should be sent to the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Inspection and Enforcement, Division of Reactor Operations Inspection, Washington, D.C.
20555.
Approved by GAO, B-180225 (R0072); clearance expires 7-31-80.
Approval was given under a blanket clearance specifically for identified generic problems.
Attachment:
Copy of Text of General Electric Service Instruction Letter (SIL)-S IL-No. 229
(COPY OF TEXT OF GE SIL-No. 229)
FWD.
BY LTR MFN 373-77 8-10-77 IMPROVED CONTACT ARM RETAINERS FOR TYPE CR120A RELAYS
/
Recently, at an operating BWR a small electrical fire occurred in a relay panel.
The purpose of this Service Information Letter is to discuss this occurrence and to recommend an improved contact arm retainer for certain CR120A relays to help avoid or mitigate this type of occurrence.
DISCUSSION In a relay panel at an operating BWR,. one relay, Type CR120A, overheated, subsequently
- ignited, and resulted in seven other similar relays in the proximity being burned.
No definite cause could be determined for the relay overheating.
- Moreover, subsequent investigation concluded that there is no generic overheating problem with relays of this, type.
The investigation also noted that the contact arm retainers of these
- relays, and of relays manufactured between May 1968 and June 1972, were made of Celcon M90 acetal copolymer which is flammable.
In June 1972 this material was changed to Valoz 310-.SEO which is self extinguishing and flame resistant.
RECOMMENDED ACTION General Electric recommends that BWR owners replace the contact arm
'retainers of all Type CR120A relays (including those in B.O.P. applica-tions) marked with a manufacturing date code between ED (May 1968) and AJ (January 1973) with the improved, self extinguishing flame resistant contact arm retainers, as follows:
l.
For four pole CR120A relays use replacement contact arm retainer Part No. 55650378P3.
2.
For two po'le adder CR120A relays use replacement contact arm retainer Part No. 55501383P3.
3.
For two pole CR120A relays use replacement contact arm retainer Part No.
55651401P3.
(COPY)
Attachment Page 1 of 2
BWR owners should survey CR120A relay applications throughout their plants, in both the nuclear steam supply systems (NSSS) and balance of-plant (BOP), to ascertain the total amount of contact arm retainers required for each type of relay.
Upon notification of their require-ments, NEDs'pare a'nd Renewal Parts service will furnish BWR owners the requested amount of replacement parts.
Contact your local General'lectric service representative for additional information and for assistance in obtaining the recommended replacement
,parts.
W:caj/70 (COPY)
Attachment Page 2 of 2
J
IE Bulletin No. 78-01 January 16, 1978 LISTING OF I E BULLETINS ISSUED IN 1977 Bulletin No.
77-08 77-07 77-06 77-05A 77-05 77-04 Subject Assurance of Safety and Safeguards During an Emergency - Locking Systems Containment Electrical Penetration Assemblies at Nuclear Power Plants Under Construction Potential Problems with Containment Electrical Penetration Assemblies Supplement 77-05A to IE Bulletin No. 77 Electrical Connector Assemblies Electrical Connector Assemblies Calculational Error Affecting the Design Performance o'f a System for Controlling pH of Containment Sump Water Following a LOCA Date Issued 12/28/77 12/19/77 11/22/77 11/15/77 11/8/77 11/4/77 Issued To All Power Reactor-Facilities with an Operating License (OL) or Construc-tion Permit (CP)
All Power Reactor Facilities with a Construction Permit All Power Reactor Facilities with an Operating License (OL)
All Power Reactor Facilities with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP)
All Power Reactor Facilities with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP)
All PWR Power Reactor Facilities with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP)
Enclosure 2
lof2
)
LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN 1977 IE Bulletin No. 78-01 January 16, 1978 Bulletin No.
77-03 77-02 77-01 Subject On-Line Testing of the W Solid State Protection System Potential Failure Nechanism in Certain W AR Relays with Latch Attachments Pneumatic Time Delay Relay Set Point Drift Date Issued 9/12/77 9/12/77 4/29/77 Issued To All W Power Reactor Facilities with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP)
All Holders of Operating Licenses (OL) or Constructior.
Permits (CP)
All Holders of Operating Licenses (OL) or Constructior.
Permit (CP)
Enclosure 2
2of2
0