ML17304A858

LER 88-015-00:on 881203,new Fuel Area Radiation Monitor RU-19 Discovered Inoperable.Caused by Malfunction in Clock in Computer Internals to Monitor.Area Survey Conducted W/Negative Results & Night Order issued.W/890105 Ltr

ML17304A858
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	01/05/1989
From:	Haynes J, Shriver T ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. (FORMERLY ARIZONA NUCLEAR
To:	NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
192-00440-JGH-T, 192-440-JGH-T, LER-88-015-01, LER-88-15-1, NUDOCS 8901110401
Download: ML17304A858 (14)

Text

g(:(:P&RA.TED Dl'TR1BUTJON DEMON STRA,T10N SYSTEM REGULARY INFORMATION DISTRIBUTI SYSTEM (RIDE)

ACCESSION NBR:8901110401 DOC.DATE: 89/01/05 NOTARIZED: NO DOCKET ¹,

FACIAL:STN-50-529 Palo Verde Nuclear Station, Unit 2, Arizona Publi 05000529 AUTH. NAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION SHRIVER,T.D. Arizona Nuclear Power Projec't (formerly Arizona Public Serv HAYNES,J.G. .'Arizona Nuclear Power Project (formerly Arizona Public Serv RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION

SUBJECT:

LER 88-015-00:on 881203,new fuel area radiation monitor RU-19 discovered inoperable.W/890105 ltr.

W/8 ltr.

DISTRIBUTION CODE: IE22D COPIES RECEIVED:LTR 3 ENCL / SIZE:

TITLE: 50.73 Licensee Event Report (LER), Incident Rpt, etc'.

NOTES:Standardized plant. 05000529 j RECIPIENT COPIES RECIPIENT COPIES ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL PD5 LA 1 1 PD5 PD 1 1 CHAN,T 1 1 DAVIS,M 1 1 INTERNAL: ACRS MICHELSON 1 1 ACRS MOELLER 2 2 ACRS WYLIE 1 1 AEOD/DOA 1 1 AEOD/DSP/TPAB 1 1 AEOD/ROAB/DSP 2.'

ARM/DCTS/DAB 1 1 DEDRO 1 1 NRR/DEST/ADE 8H 1 1 NRR/DEST/ADS 7E, 1 0 NRR/DEST/CEB 8H 1 1 NRR/DEST/ESB 8D 1 1 NRR/DEST/ICSB 7 1 1 NRR/DEST/MEB 9H 1 1 NRR/DEST/MTB 9H 1 1 NRR/DEST/PSB 8D 1 1 NRR/DEST/RSB 8E 1 1 NRR/DEST/SGB 8D 1 1 NRR/DLPQ/HFB lo 10 NRR/DOEA/EAB NRR/DREP/RPB 10 ll 1 1

2 1

1 2

NRR/DLPQ/QAB NRR/DREP/RAB NRR/DRIS/SIB 9A 10 1

1 1

1 1

1 NUDOCS-ABSTRACT 1 1 1 1 RES/DSIR/EIB 1 1 RES/DSR/PRAB 1 1 RGN5 FILE 01 1 1 EXTERNAL: EG&G WILLIAMSFS 4 4 FORD BLDG HOY,A 1 1 H ST LOBBY WARD 1 1 LPDR 1 1 NRC PDR 1 1 NSIC HARRISFJ 1 1 NSIC MAYS,G 1 1 NOTES: 1 1 NOIR 'IO ALL 'KIDS" REXXPIEtGS:

PIZASE HELP US IO REZUCE MSTB.'ONIA'CT 'IHE DOCX3MEÃZ CONI',ROL DESKS RXN P1-37 (EXT. 20079) TO EIZMDATE YOUR NAME PKH DIBTBIBtTZZGN LIST8 FOR DOCUMENI'8 %XJ DGNIT NEEDF TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED LTTR 47 ENCL 46

Il 41 NRC Form 355 UA. NUCLEAR REOULATORY COMMISSION (903) APPROVED OMB NO. 31(i04104 EXPIRESI'5/31/55 LICENSEE EVENT REPORT {LER)

PACILITY NAME (II DOCKET NUMBER (2) PA Pal o Verde Uni TITLE I ~ I t 2 0 5 0 0 0 5 2 9 1 OFO 5 Action Statement not Met for Ino erable Radiation Monitor EVENT DATE (Sl LER NUMBER (5) REPORT DATE (7I OTHER FACILITIES INVOLVED PSI MONTH DAY YEAR YEAR RRRr~x rcirr SEOUENTIAL NUMBER RE V~

NUMBER MON'TH OAY YEAR FACILITY NAMES DOCKET NUMBER(SI r

N/A 0 5 0 '0 0 1 2 03 8 8 8 8 015 0001 05 89 V/A 5 0 0 0 THIS REPORT IS SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO THE REOUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR (I: ICnrcfr onr or mo e of ter /ollowinp/ (11)

OPERATINO MODE (SI 20.402(t/) 20.405(cl 50.73(e) (2) (iv) 73.71(II) 1 ,

POWER 20.405( ~ )(I ) (I) 50.35(cl(ll 50.73(e) (2) (v) 73.71(c)

LEvEL 1 0 0 20.405(el(1) (ii) 50.35(c) (2) 50.73(e)(2)(r5) OTHER ISprrlfy in AOStrrtt Or/Ow rnt/ ln Fret, HIIC Form 20.405(e) I I I (iill 50.73(el(2)(ll 50.73(el(2)(rill) IA) 3FSA/

20.405(el(1 l(lv) 50.73(e) (2) (ill 50.73(e)(2)(r(SI(5) 20.405(e) II) (v) 50.73(e) (2)(lil) 50.73(e) (2)(xl LICENSEE CONTACT FOR THIS LER (12I NAME TELEPHONE NUMBER AREA CODE Timothy D. Shriver, Compliance Manager 602 39 3 25 21 COMPLETE ONE LINE FOR EACH COMPONENT FAILURE OESCRIBEO IN THIS REPORT 113)

MANUFAC. EPORTABLE MANUFAC. B BR BBB CAUSE SYSTEM COMPONENT TURER TO NPRDS S(rr@ N "a~~3m CAUSE SYSTEM COMPONENT TURER @e~cf

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SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT EXPECTED (14) MONTH DAY YEAR EXPECTED SUBMISSION DATE 05)

YES Ilf yrs, comp/err EXPECTED SUSet/SSIO// DATE/ NO 0 3 31 89 ABBTRAcT ILlmlt to /400 /peers, /. ~ ., rpproximetrry fifteen sin/le spree typewnnrn liiirsl (151 On December 7, 1988 at approximately 0942 MST, a Unit 2 Chemistry Technician (contractor, non-licensed) discovered the new fuel area radiation monitor RU-19 was inoperable. RU-19 indicated a constant O.OOE-O mil-lirem per hour radiation level instead of the actual level. RU-19 measures area radiation adjacent to the new fuel storage racks. A review of previous readings determined that the last accurate reading occurred on December 3, 1988 at approximately 0516 MST. On December 4, 1988 at approximately 0516 MST, area surveys were not performed within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> as required, by Technical Specifications 3.3.3. 1 Action 22.

The cause of the inoperable monitor is believed to be a malfunction of a clock in the computer internal to the monitor. The cause of the missed action statement requirements is under investigation at this time. As immediate corrective action, on December 7, 1988 at approximately 1030 MST, the area monitor RU-19 was reset, tested, and declared operable.

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II NRC Form 34SA U.S. NUCLEAR REOULATORY COMMISSION (9431

.LICENSEE EVENT REPORT {LER) TEXT CONTINUATION APPROVEO OMS NO. 31M~IQ4 EXPIRES: 8/31/88 FACILI'TY NAME 111 OOCKET NUMSER (21 L'ER NUMSER ISI PAOE 131 Cg. Sf QI/fNTIAL AfV /SION NUM fA NQIIP f A Pal o 'Verde Uni i

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o'5 o 0 o 5 29 88 0 1 50 0 02<< 0 '5 DESCRIPTION OF WHAT OCCURRED:

A. Initial Conditions:

Unit 2 was in Mode 1 (POWER OPERATION) at 100 percent reactor power on December 3 through 7 during the entire period of this event.

The Unit was in the second fuel cycle; thus, spent fuel existed in the fuel pool.

B. Reportable Event Description (Including Dates and Approximate Times of Hajor Occurrences):

Event Classification: Condition Prohibited by the Plant's Technical Specifications.

On December 7, 1988 at approx'imately 0942 HST, a Unit 2 Chemistry Technician (contractor, non-licensed), discovered that the new'uel area radiation monitor,RU-19 did not .indicate properly and was inoperable, The Chemistry Technician.,was performing checks of Technical Specification (TS) monitors when he obtained a reading of 0.00E-00 millirem per hour on the Display Control Unit (DCU) for RU-19. In reviewing the daily averages for the previous three days on the DCU he found'hose also read O.OOE-OO millirem per hour.

The Chemistry Technician (contractor, non-licensed) then checked to determine if the monitor was operating locally. The monitor was found to be reading O.OOE-OO millirem per hour at the and thus, was not displaying the actual radiation in the local'ndicator area. The Shift Supervisor (operator, licensed) was notified of the .inoperable moni'tor, and he initiated action to compensate for the condi,tion.

At approximately 1015 HST December 7, 1988, a radiation survey,was taken in the .area, and levels were found to be normal and within specification.

The Radiation Protection Technician (utility, non-licensed) reset the monitor by turning it off and then on again. The local indication then responded normally, and setpoints were veri, Based on these results, the monitor was declared fied'atisfactory.

operable at approximately 1030 December 7, 1988.

The Chemistry Technician investigated the hourly print out of the monitor and found the last apparent accurate reading occurred at approximately 0516 HST .December 3, 1988. Technical Specification 3.3.3. 1 ACTION 22 requires area surveys of the monitored area at least once per 24 hours. The only radiation survey of the monitored area during this event was on December 5, 1988 as part of 4AC II/AM 3444 IS 8$ r

II NRC fons 344A U.S. NUCLEAR REOULA'TORY COMMISSION 194)3 I LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) TEXT CONTINUATION APPROVEO OM8 NO 3150M)04 EXPIRES: 8/31/88 PACILITY NAME 11) OOCKET NUMEER 13) LER NUMEER (4) PACE IS) s " SEQVENT/AL ~>'9 SSVESION YEAR, '/4 NV M 4 II 4 NVM SA Pal o Verde Uni t 2 o s o o o 52 988 01 5 0 0 0 3 OF 0 5 TEXT ill/no/4 opocO /4 t/l/two/L voO CRSi'osol H/IC form 3RL4'4/ I IT) scheduled weekly surveys. This survey showed no abnormal radiation levels in the area.

C. Status of structures, systems, or components that were inoperable at the start of the event that contributed to the event:

Other than RU-19, no other structures, systems, or components were inoperable at the start of this event that contributed to this event.

D. Cause of each component'r system failure, if known:

Since the monitor was turned off and then back on, the problem has not recurred. On December 3, 1988, the clock in the monitor's computer appears to have malfunctioned. This clock is necessary to tell the computer to update the raw data provided by the detector into a radiation reading each second. With the clock malfunctioned, the monitor will not perform the calculation and the readout will be zero, as observed. When the monitor was reset by turning it off and back on, the computer initialization program reset the clock which then allowed the monitor to operate normally. An Engineering Evaluation has been submitted to determine, if possible, a root cause of failure. Should information become available which significantly alters the reader's perception of the event, a supplement to this report wil.l be submitted.

E. Failure mode, mechanism, and effect of each failed component, if known:

The failure in the moni.tor caused the Display Control Unit (DCU) to read zero.

F. For failures of components. with multiple functions, list of systems or secondary functions that were also affected:

Not appli'cable - RU-19,provide's an alarm action at a preset level and has no automatic features. It also does not provide multiple functions.

G. For failure that rendered a train of a safety system inoperable, estimated time elapsed from the discovery of the failure until the train was returned to service:

Not applicable - RU-19 is not a safety-related monitor,.

Method of discovery of each component or system failure or procedural error:

The failure of the monitor was discovered during a review of

~ sC /OAM 3444 19 4)s

NRC Form 348A U.S. NUCLEAR RECULATORY COMMISSION 1943 l LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) TEXT CONTINUATION APPROVEO OM8 NO 3150&l04 EXPIRES: 8/31/88 FACILITY NAME III OOCKET NUM4ER (ll LER NUMSER (4) ~ AOE ISI SCQVCNTIAL II4 V IS IO II II VMS CA IIVMOCA Palo Verde Unit 2 o 5 o o o 5'2 9 8 8 01 5 0 0. 0 4 oF 0,5 TEXT I/F moro tooco /I tawed. Vto rdcWonal P//IC form 3(C(l't/ ((31 Technical Specification monitors. Investigation is currently underway, and a supplement to this report will be submi;tted to identify any additional errors.

I. Cause of Event:

The event continued over the extended period because the shiftly surveillance test failed to identify the inoperable monitor. An investigation is currently underway utilizing the Human Performance Evaluation System. The results of the investigation wi.ll be reported as a supplement to this LER.

J. Safety. System Response:

Not applicable - no safety system response was required or anticipated.

K. Failed Component Information:

RU-19 is a Kaman monitor model number 952109-001.

II. ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES'AND IMPLICATIONS OF THIS EVENT:

The OPERABILITY, of the radiation monitoring'channels ensures that: (1) the radiation levels are continually measured in the areas served by the individual channels and (2) the alarm is initiated when the radiation level trip setpoint is exceeded.

RU-19 is the area radiation monitor for the new fuel area of the fuel building. A second monitor, is also located in the building and monitors the spent fuel area. Since the second monitor (RU-31) was operable throughout the event and since only spent fuel was in the fuel building at the time of the event, no safety hazards existed during the period of inoperability. Thus, this event represents no impact to the health and safety of the .public.

I I I. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS:

A. Immediate:

As immediate corrective action, a survey of the area was conducted as required by the Technical Specifications. This was completed at approximately 1015 December 7, 1988. Additionally, the monitor was reset and operated properly. Thus, at approximately'030 MST December 7, 1988 RU-19 was declared operable. A work request was submitted to troubleshoot the cause of the malfunction and replace or rework as necessary. However, the problem has not recurred and no further action on the work request has occurred. The Shift Supervisor (utility, licensed) informed Units 1 and 3 of the incident.

4/IC I r/AM 3444 I9 SSI

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LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) TEXT CONTINUATION APPROVEO OM8 NO 3)50&104 EXPIRES: 8/31/88 FACILITY NAME (11 OOCKET NUMSER 13)

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Unit 2 issued a night order to Operations directing that if a zero reading is received while performing the Surveillance Test, investigation is necessary to insure the zero reading is valid and the monitor is operating properly.

B. Action to Prevent Recurrence:

Changes in the configuration of the monitor are being considered to provide indication if 'the O.OOE-OO millirem per hour is indicating an inoperable monitor.

Further action to prevent recurrence will be reported as a supplement to this report based on the findings of the Human Performance Evaluation.

IV, PREVIOUS SIMILAR EVENTS:

Although LER's have been submitted on the Radiation Monitoring System, this particular problem has not been previously reported.

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0 II Arizona Nuclear Power Project P.O. BOX 52034 ~ PHOENIX, ARIZONA85072-2034 192-00440-JGH/TDS/RJR January 5, 1989 U~ S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555

Subject:

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) .

Unit 2 Docket No. STN 50-529 (License No..NPF-51)

Licensee Event Report 88-015-00 File: 89-020-404 .

Attached please find Licensee Event Report (LER) No. 88-015-00 prepared and submitted pursuant to 10CFR 50.73. In. accordance with 10CFR 50.73(d), we are herewith forwarding a copy of the LER to the Regional Administrator of the Region V office.

If you have any questions, please contact T. D. Shriver, Compliance Hanager at (602) 393-2521.

Very truly. yours, Vice President Nuclear Production JGH/TDS/RJR/kj Attachment cc: D. B. Karner (all w/a)

E. E. Van Brunt, Jr.

J. B. Hartin T. J. Polich H. J. Davis A. C. Gehr INPO Records Center

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