ML17158C184
| ML17158C184 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Susquehanna  |
| Issue date: | 06/12/1997 |
| From: | Poslusny C NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Byram R PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| References | |
| 99901304-96-01, 99901304-96-1, NUDOCS 9706180422 | |
| Download: ML17158C184 (8) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON) D C 2055 >4001 June 12, 1997 Hr. Robert G.
Byram Senior Vice President-Nuclear Pennsylvania Power and Light Company 2 North Ninth Street Allentown, PA 18101
SUBJECT:
LICENSEE AUDIT OF ORIGINAL EQUIPHENT MANUFACTURER OF LEAD-ACID STATIONARY BATTERIES, SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1
AND 2
Dear Hr. Byram:
The NRC staff has been conducting inspections at selected vendors that supply lead-acid type stationary batteries that are used in Class 1E licensee applications.
These inspections are intended to determine whether the manufacturers'rocesses of fabricating safety-related equipment is accomplished in accordance with NRC requirements.
An NRC inspection of C&D" Charter Power Systems, Incorporated (C&D), was conducted in the fall of 1996 and a report was issued on December 17,
- 1996, which is enclosed for your information and action as appropriate.
In the recent past, Pennsylvania Power
& Light Company (PP&L) has identified'roblems with stationary battery cell performance in batteries supplied by C&D.
An audit of C&D was conducted by PP&L on November 6-15, 1995, Audit 95-091.
In the audit report, PP&L states that in the area of commercial grade dedication, C&D does not have a documented program to identify the safety function or critical characteristics of components.
C&D utilized a third party to purchase and dedicate components; however, the third party entity does not dedicate completed battery assemblies.
- Instead, according to C&D staff, the completed battery cells are dedicated at their Attica facility by performing an IEEE 450 test after all manufacturing activities have been completed.
Although PP&L's determination correctly identified the lack of a dedication procedure for the third party entity, PP&L did not address C&D's lack of a procedure for its dedication methodology of the completed battery cells.
Additionally, PP&L did not address how C&D accepts dedicated basic component piece-parts that are supplied by the third party entity, applies those dedicated piece-parts to a commercial
- process, and then dedicates the entire battery cell assembly with IEEE 450 testing.
Violation 96-01-01 and Nonconformance 96-01-04 in the enclosed inspection report discuss this issue.
PP&L also stated in the report that it was evident that C&D personnel know and use their procedures.
However, the NRC inspection team found contrary examples.
The NRC inspectors noted that several of the C&D Attica facility manufacturing personnel stated that they were not aware of procedures that governed the work activity being performed.
Nonconformance 96-01-02 in the enclosed report discusses this issue.
'8D is a registered trademark of C&D Charter Power Systems, Inc.
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Byram brune 12, 1997 Licensees are required by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, to measure the supplier's effectiveness in implementing its quality assur ance program.
This is typically satisfied by individual or joint utility-performed audits to determine the overall product quality.
The NRC determined, as reflected in this enclosed report, that C&D had indicated to PP&L auditors that it was dedicat'.ng '.ts individual battery cells.
This was also related to the NRC team.
However, the NRC inspectors found that C&D had not established a
dedication program to identify its methodology and critical characteristics, and C&D staff did not show the inspection team that it accomplished its dedication activities in accordance with 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B.
- Further, the C&D guality Director was not able to adequately explain how their entire "commercial" process functioned.
Based on the findings of the NRC inspection versus those.of the PP&L audit, there exists a disparity in the results of our evaluations.
This indicates a
possible need for further PP&L attention to your procurement practices in the area of 10 CFR Part 21, commercial grade items and dedication.
Please contact me if you need further information about the staff's inspection and findings.
Sincerely, Pgi&3~
Chester
- Poslusny, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-387/388
Enclosure:
NRC Inspection Report 899901304/96-01 cc w/encl:
See next page
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Byram 3une 12, 1997 Licensees are required by 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, to measure the supplier's effectiveness in implementing its quality assurance program.
This is'ypically satisfied by individual or joint utility-performed audits to determine the overall product quality.
The NRC determined, as reflected in this enclosed report, that C&D had indicated to PP&L auditors that it was dedicating its individual battery cells.
This was also related to the NRC team.
However, the NRC inspectors found.that C&D had not established a
dedication 'program to identify its methodology and critical characteristics, and C&D staff did not show the inspection team that it accomplished its dedication activities in accordance with 10 CFR'Part 50, Appendix B.
- Further, the C&D guality Director was not able to adequately explain how their entire "commercial" process functioned.
Based on the findings of the NRC inspection versus those of the PP&L audit, there exists a disparity in the results of, our evaluations.
This indicates a
possible need for further PP&L attention to your procurement practices in the area of 10 CFR Part 21, commercial grade items and dedication.
Please contact me if you need further information about the staff's inspection and findings.
'I Sincerely, (Original signed by)
Chester Poslusny',
Senior Project Manager Project Directorate I-2 Division of Reactor Projects I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.
50-387/388
Enclosure:
NRC Inspection Report 899901304/96-01 cc w/encl:
See next page DISTRIBUTION Docket F.i.l.e PUBLIC PDI-2 Reading SVarga JStolz CPoslusny MO'Brien CPoslusny OGC ACRS
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OFFICE DATE PDI CPo usny:rb 1797 DI-2 L MO'Brien
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7 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY DOCUMENT NAME:
SUAUDIT.LTR
Hr. Robert G.
Byram Pennsylvania Power
& Light Company Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1
& 2 CC:
Jay Silberg, Esq.
- Shaw, Pittman, Potts
& Trowbridge 2300 N Street N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20037 Bryan A. Snapp, Esq.
Assistant Corporate Counsel Pennsylvania Power
& Light Company 2 North Ninth Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101 Hr. J.
H. Kenny Licensing Group Supervisor Pennsylvania Power
& Light Company 2 North Ninth Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101 Hr. K. Jenison Senior Resident Inspector U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O.
Box 35 Berwick, Pennsylvania 18603-0035 Hr. William P. Dornsife, Director Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources P. 0.
Box 8469 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8469 Mr. Jesse C. Tilton, III Allegheny Elec. Cooperative, Inc.
212 Locust Street P.O.
Box 1266 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108-1266 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Hr. George Kuczynski Plant Manager Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Pennsylvania Power and Light Company Box 467 Berwick, Pennsylvania 18603 Hr. Herbert D. Woodeshick Special Office of the President Pennsylvania Power and Light Company Rural Route 1,
Box 1797 Berwick, Pennsylvania 18603 George T. Jones Vice President-Nuclear Operations Pennsylvania Power and Light Company 2 North Ninth Street
'Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803 Chairman Board of Supervisors 738 East'Third Street
- Berwick, PA 18603
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