ML17296B217
| ML17296B217 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/1981 |
| From: | Engelken R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | Van Brunt E ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. (FORMERLY ARIZONA NUCLEAR |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8102190841 | |
| Download: ML17296B217 (5) | |
Text
UNlTED STATES i'JVCLEAR REGVLATORYCOMMISSlON REGION V I990 N. CALIFORNIABOULEVARD SUITE 202, WALNUTCREEK PLAZA WALNUTCREEK, CALIFORNIA94596 January 16, 1981 p
Dr Docket Nos. 50-528, 50-529, 50-530 Arizona Public Service Company P.
0.
Box 2']666 Phoenix, Arizona 85036 Attention:
Mr. E.
E.
Yan Brunt, Jr.
Yice President, Nuclear Projects Gentlemen:
ko'g.
cql Jg, This Information iiotice is provided as, an early notification of, a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is requested at this time. If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE Circular, or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions.
I you have questions regarding this matter, please contact the Director of the appropriate INRC Regional Office.
Sincerely, R.
H. Engelken Director
Enclosures:
l.
IE Information Notice 2.
Recently Issued IE Information Notices cc w/enclosures:
F.
M. Hartley, APS SX02y 90< g/
Ui'lITED STATES i~!UCLEAR REGULATORY COMHISS ION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEi'1ENT HASHINGTON, D.
C.
20555 SS INS No.:
6835 Accession No.:
8011040254 IN 81-01 January 16, 1981 IE INFORHATION IOTICE NO. 81-01:
POSSIBLE FAILURES OF GENERAL ELECTRIC TYPE HFA RELAYS
Purpose:
The intent of this Information Notice is to alert licensees and holders of construction permits of a potentially generic problem involving defective coil spools used in General Electric (GE) type HFA relays.
Such defective relays were recently found at Turkey Point Unit 4 (Docket No. 50-250).
Description of Circumstances:
The defective coil spools are fabricated of either black or clear Lexan, a
polycarbonaie material that is susceptible to surface cracking when exposed to hydrocarbons.
The concern here is that such surface cracks could ultimately deter'iorate to sucn a degree that relay actuation would be blocked by the resultant debris, thereby inhibiting a required safety function.
Indications of the above mentioned cracks were recently detected on the HFA relays used
.o sequence the emergency loads on the diesel generators at Turkey Point Unit 4 upon a loss-of-coolant accident coincident wi th a loss of offsite power.
After detecting the cracks, the spare coils in the storeroom were in-spected and, although these coils are new units, one was found to be cracked.
The possible failures of GE type HFA relays highlights two salient points:
( 1)
I-;FA relays have had a long history of failures (e.g.,
GE has issued several Service Information Letters (SIL) addressing these relays, the oldest one of which dates back to 1973, and it is anticipated that GE will issue a
new SIL in the near future addressing this new concern);
(2) the cracking phenomena seems to be similar to that experienced on the cam followers used on GE type SBN switches (e.g.,
these cam followers are fabricated of Lexan, and after their exposure to hydrocarbons during fabrication or during maintenance severe cracking resulted.
See IE Information Notice No. 80-13 for additional details.)
The above information identifies means whereby the integrity of a major safety-related system can be jeopardized or compromised by the blocking of relay actuation.
Accordingly, this Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter that is still under review by the NRC staf Pecipients
- should, therefore, review the information for possible applicability to their facilities.
Although no specific action or response is requested at this time, further licensee actions may be requested or required pending the outcome of the NRC staff evaluation.
If you have any auestion regarding this matter; please contact the director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES IN 81-01 January 16, 1981 Information Notice No.
Sub.'ec t Date of Issue Issued to 80-45 80-44 Potential Failure of BWR Backup Manual Scram Capabi 1 ity Actuation of ECCS in the Recirculation Mode While ln Hot Shutdown
'2/17/80 All PWR facilities with an OL or CP 12/16/80 All PWR facilities with an OL or CP 80-43 Failures of the Continuous 12/5/80 Water Level Monitor for the Scram Discharge Volume at Dresden Unit No.
2 All power reactor facilities with OL or CP 80-42 80-41 80-40 Effect of Radiati on on Hydraulic Snuober Fluid Failure of Swing Check
'lalve in ihe Decay Heat Removal System ai Davis-Besse Unit No.
1 E.",cessive Nitrogen Supply Pressure Actuates Safety-Relief 'lalve Operation to Cause Reactor Depressur-ization 11/24/80 11/10/80 11/10/80 All power reactor facilities with OL or CP All poujer reactor facilities with an OL or CP All power reactor facilities with OL or CP 80-39 Mal functions of Solenoid 10/31/80
'lalves Manufactured By
'lalcor Engineering Corporation All light water reactor facilities with OLs or CPs 80-38 80-37 Cracking in Charging Pump Casing Cladding Containment Cooler Leaks and Reactor Cavity Flooding at Indian Point Unit 2 10/30/80 10/24/80 All PWR facilities with an OL or CP All power reactor facilities with OLs or CPs OL
= Operating Licenses CP
= Cons.truction Permits
II
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