ML18004B774
| ML18004B774 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Harris  |
| Issue date: | 04/17/1987 |
| From: | Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Lancaster M HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18004B775 | List: |
| References | |
| IEIN-86-025, IEIN-86-25, NUDOCS 8704270051 | |
| Download: ML18004B774 (5) | |
Text
'"T as S f'c'Co
~o I
++*++
t UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 APR ~7 1987 The Honorable H. Martin Lancaster United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C.
20515 Dear Congressman Lancaster:
This responds to your letter dated February 20, 1987 to Chairman Zech, pertaining to your constituent's concerns regarding the use of counterfeit bolts at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant.
The Jack Anderson article in the Durham Sun issue dated January 22, 1987, indicates that counterfeit, inferior grade fasteners manufactured in Asia have been used in the nuclear industry.
Subsequent articles by Mr. Anderson also state that quality control problems with bolts have been identified by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspectors at 11 plant sites and summarize the difficulties of handling and using correct bolts and nuts in specific applica-tions at four sites.
Shearon Harris is one of the plants that the NRC identified as having problems with traceability of fasteners.
As a result of the NRC identifying fasteners as a problem area, Carolina Power 5 Light (CP5L) instituted a verification program to identify and correct problems with fasteners.
CPSL completed thei r verification program in June 1986.
An NRC inspection conducted in July 1986 confirmed that CPSL had completed the verification program.
The bolting problems found by the NRC inspectors from 1982 to 1986 at Shearon Harris and the other nuclear sites did not involve counterfeit or physically inferior fasteners, but related to loss of traceability back through the manufacturing process.
These problems were described in NRC Information Notice No. 86-25, "Traceability and Material Control of Material and Equipment, Particularly Fasteners,"
which was issued on April 11, 1986 to inform the nuclear industry of these potential problems so that appropriate actions could be taken to prevent similar problems from occurring at their facilities.
A problem with incorrect markings of SAE bolts has been identified by the Industrial Fastener Institute
( IFI).
Their concern relates to the mismarking and substitution of SAE J429K grade 8.2 bolts for SAE J429K grade 8.
Grade 8
bolts are primarily used in automotive applications, but are occasionally used in safety-related applications at nuclear power plants.
For this reason, the NRC issued a supplement to Information Notice 86-25 describing the substitution problem and embarked on a testing program.
I The NRC Vendor Program Branch of the Office of Inspection and Enforcement (OIE),
starting in the summer of 1986, tested and evaluated a
random selection of bolts from various nuclear power plants and bolt suppliers and manufacturers.
870427005i
'8704l7 PDR.
- DOCK 05000400 U
~
~
The Honorable H. Hartin Lancaster nL The program was undertaken to verify fastener compliance with applicable material specifications and to evaluate the potential presence of counterfeit fasteners within the nuclear industry.
Results indicated that of 23. bolts marked as SAE grade 8, five were actually SAE grade 8.2.
SAE grade 8;2 bolts have the same mechanical characteristics as SAE grade 8 at temperatures below approximately 620'F.
Using a grade 8.2 bolt in lieu of a grade 8 bolt above this temperature might result in stress relaxation (slight, elongation) of the grade 8.2 bolt.
Stress relaxation would, for example, be expected to result in leakage from a flanged joint.
As of this date, we are not aware of any safety-related grade 8 or 8.2 bolts being used in high temperature applications at nuclear power plants.
The NRC is continuing to test fasteners designated for safety-related applica-tions and will selectively obtain additional bolts from various nuclear power plants and bolt suppliers and manufacturers and the Vendor Program Branch is continuing to inspect bolt suppliers and manufacturers.
I am enclosing copies of the Information Notices issued to the industry on this subject.
Please feel free to contact my office if additional information is required.
Sincerely,
Enclosures:
1.
Information Notice 86-25, Supplement 1
.Original Signed By; lames M'. TayJ@
Victor Stel'lo, ilr.
Executive Director for Operations
()
~
q )
~
~
The Honorable H. Martin Lancaster DISTRIBUTION:
DCS NRC PDR VPB Reading (87-121)
DQAVT Reading
- VStello, EDO
- TRehm, EDO
'JRoe, EDO
- JSniezek, DEDROGR
- HDenton, NRR
- JTaylor, IE TMurley, RI
- JNGrace, RII ABDavis, RIII RDMartin, RIV
- JBMartin, RV
- ETBaker, IE
- JConway, IE
MReardon (EDO 2689)
CDeLiso (87-121)
MKing (87-121)
SECY 87-211 G. Maxwell, Resident Inspector Shearon Harris Nuclear Power. Plant GPA/CA C. L. McKenzie Carolina Power 5 Light Post Office Box 165 New Hill, North Carolina 27562 QAVT aker:tt 04/u/87
- DQAVT e
choff C
/>>/87 I '
D E
es JTa 1 o tel
/))/87 04/i /87 0 /
/87
r r) 4 r)
~"
~ '
I 1
l
gp8 REoy Q
0 A0 C
O I
Cy
+n
~O
++*++
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 50-QOQr WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL FRON:
REP.
H.
NARTIN LANCASTER TG:
CHAIRNAN ZECH FOR SIGNATURE OF:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DUE: 04/14/87 GREEN EDG CONTROL: 002689 DGC DT: 02/20/87 FINAL REPLY:
SECY NG: 87-211 DESC:
ENCLOSES JACK ANDERSON CGLUNN RE COUNTERFEIT BOLTS MOULD LIKE REASSURANCE THAT COUNTERFEIT BOLTS HAVE NOT BEEN It MILL NOT BE USED AT SHEARGN HARRIS ROUTING:
DENTON GRACE DATE: 03/31/87 ASSIGNED TO: IE CONTACT:
TAYLOR SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
REF.
EDO 2544