ML18030A184

Interim Deficiency Rept Re Derating of Westinghouse Circuit Breakers.Number & Location of All Defective Circuit Breakers Not Yet Determined.Corrective Action to Be Completed by 810430

ML18030A184
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	12/19/1980
From:	Curtis N PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
References
10CFR-050.55E, 10CFR-50.55E, PLA-591, NUDOCS 8012300661
Download: ML18030A184 (4)

Text

REGULATO INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION l'EM (RIDS)

ACCESSION NBR:8012300661 DOC ~ DATE: 80/12/19 NOTARIZED:

NO DOCKET ¹ FAGIL:50 387 Susquehanna Steam Electric Station~

Unit 1r Pennsylva 05 8

50 388 Susquehanna Steam Electric Station~

Unit 2~ Pennsylva 5000388

'AUTH BYNAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION CURTIS p N ~ 'H I Pennsylvania Power 8, Light Co ~

REC IP ~ NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION GRIERrBeH ~

Region ii Philadelphia~

Office of the Director SUBJECTS Interim deficiency rept re derating of Westinghouse circuit breatcer st Number S location of all defective circuit breakers not yet determined,Corrective action to be completed by 810430

~

DISTRIBUTION COOK:

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Construction Deficiency Report (10CFR50.55E)

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LTTR ~ ENCL

TWO NORTH NINTH STREET, ALLENTOWN, PA. 18101 PHONEr t215I 821.5'151 NORMAN W. CURTIS Vice President-Engineering 8 Construction-Nuciear 821-5381 December 19, 1980 Mr. Boyce H. Gzier Director, Region X

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 631 Park'venue King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 SUSQIJEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION REPORT OF A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY HAZARD RELATIVE TO DERATXNG OF WESTINGHOUSE CIRCUIT BREAKERS ERs 100450/100508 F~ 840-4/900-10 PLA-591

Dear Mr. Grier:

This letter s'ezves to confirm information provided by telephone to NRC Region I Inspector Mr. J. Mattia by Mr. A. R. Sabol of PP&L on December 17, 1980.

Mr. Mattia was advised. that the derating of certain WestingHouse circuit breakers used iri safety related systems at Susc(uehanna Steam Electric Station results in short circuit interrupting capability which does not meet design recyirements.

A description of the deficiency is attached.

PP&L became aware of this problem. through our receipt of the attached letters from Eaton Corp. to the NRC and Bechtel on Decembei 11, 1980 and Mr. A. R. Sabol advised Mr. Mattia on December 12, 1980 that the condition was under evaluation as a potential reportable condition under 10CFR50.55(e).

Xt is anticipated that the final report which is submitted pursuant to the provisions of *10CFR50.55(e) will contain whatever pertinent information or'etails may exist but which are not available at this time.

The number and location of all defective circuit breakers has, not yet been'ully deter'mined but is under'investigation.

We expect'to complete'our corrective. action by April 30r 1981.

We trust the Commission will find the information forwarded by this letter to be satisfactory.

Very truly yours, N.

W; Curtis Vice President-Engineering a Construction Nuclear

'ARS.jmk c O~280~&& t PENNSYLVANIA POWER a LIGHT CoMPANY

Mr. Boyce H. Grier December 19, 1980 cc:

Mr. Victor Stello (15)

DirectorWffice of InsPection

& Enforcement U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.

20555 Office of Management Information

& Program Control U. S. Nuclear Rtgulatory Commission Washington, D.C.

20555 Mr. Robert M. Gallo U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P~Q.

Box 52 Shickshinny, Pennsy3mania 18655 C

ATTACHMENT TO PLA-591 BACKGROUND The defect involves circuit breakers manufactured by Westinghouse Corp.

during the period April, 1979 to the present..

The breakers are type JB, KB, HKB and'ere supplied by, Eaton Corp.

(Cutler Hammer) in Motor Control Centers on P.O.'s E-18 and E-118.

NATURE'F DEFECT 6 SAFETY IMPLICATIONS '

~

The circuit breakers are deficient in their short-circuit interrupting capability.

The types JB and KB were purchased with a rating of 22,000 amps RMS and the type 'HKB was purchased with a rating of 25,000 amps RMS.

The manufacturer now states that all three types of breakers (of recent manufacture) have a short-circuit interrupting capability of 18,000 amps RMS; This de-rating applies only to these three types'f breakers what are manufactured between 4/79 and the present.

This is apparently due to a change in certain materials used in the manufacturing of said breakers during the 'specified time period.

PPSL expects to review purchase orders and perform a visual check of the JB, KB or HKB circuit breakers installed after Ag>ril, 1979.

All breakers with date codes after April, 1979, will be removed and replaced with breakers having adepxate short-circuit interrupting capability.

" PP&L will replace the breakers already turned over to PPaL and Bechtel will replace the breakers which have not yet been accepted by PP&L.

All circuit breakers can be checked and defective breakers removed ing minimum amount of time'.

However, in order to minimize the impact on start-up activities, it would not be practical to take a circuit out of service until a replacement breaker is available.

We have no data stating how long it will take to receive new breakers to replace those found to be defective.

If a bolted phase-to-ground short-circuit should occur in a circuit containing one of these defective circuit breakers, the most likely result would be an explosion, followed by a fire. If this scenario happens in a Class IE MCC, there is a good possibility of causing damage to several Class IE circuits, possibly resulting in the, loss of a channel.

DATE AWARE 3 ~

BPEL became aware of this problem on 12/11/80 thrd a.copy of a letter from the Vendor to Bechtel, describing the defect.

NUMBER 6 LOCATION

.4.

The total number and locations of all such defective circuit breakers is not known at this time.

As of 12/17/80, Bechtel has located three Class IE

breakers, type KB; which were manufactured after April, 1979.