ML18081A372
| ML18081A372 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Salem  |
| Issue date: | 09/27/1979 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Schneider F Public Service Enterprise Group |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7910180184 | |
| Download: ML18081A372 (8) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 631 PARK AVENUE KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19406 Docket No. 50-272 SEP 2 7 1979 Public Service Electric and Gas Company ATTN:
Mr. F. W. Schneider Vice President - Production 80 Park Place Newark, New Jersey 07101 Gentlemen:
The enclosed Bulletin 79-24 is forwarded to you for action. Written responses are required.
If you desire additional information regarding this matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely,
~~~~
f.:;.;;- Di rector
Enclosures:
- 1.
IE Bulletin No. 79-24
- 2.
List of IE Bulletins Issued in the Last Six Months cc w/encls:
F. P. Librizzi, General Manager - Electric Production E. N. Sthwalje, Manager - Quality Assurance R. L. Mittl, General Manager - Licensing and Environment H. J. Midura, Manager - Salem Generating Station
ENCLOSURE 1 Accession No. 7908220114 SSINS No:
6820 FROZEN LINES Summary:
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGU~ATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, O.C.
20555 IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date:
September 27, 1979 Page 1 of 2 On January 3, 1979, an unusual event occurred at Davis-Besse, Unit 1.
The event involved the freezing of the water in a portion of the high pressure coolant injection (HPCI) system recirculation line that is common to both high pressure coolant injection pumps.
The line was not thawed until January 5, 1979, and the event was not reported to NRC until March 12, 1979.
In addition, over the past five years, there have been sever~l events involving frozen instrument and sampling lines.
OP.scription of Circumstances:
The condition was discovered on January 3, 1979, while the reactor was operating
.at approximately 96 percent power.
During a monthly surveillance test of the HPCI pumps, there was no flOw through the recirculation line from the pump discharge to the Borated Water Storage Tank (BWST).
Investigation revealed that water in a portion of the line exposed to the outside weather was frozen.
This portion of the line to the BWST is common to both HPCI pumps.
The line has redundant heat tracing (a heated wire to prevent freezing); it is insulated; and it has a low-temperature alarm system to warn of freezing conditions.
Water in the line froze apparently because of prolonged sub-freezing temperatures and a defect in the insulation. There was no apparent malfunction of the heat tracing or temperature alarm circuits, although the temperature sensing elements are located in an area not exposed to the coldest temperature conditions.
This recirculation line serves two purposes:
One is to provide a flow path for surveillance testing, and the other is to provide a minimum flow path to prevent possible damage to the pump in the event it is operated against a closed discharge valve or a reactor coolant system pressure greater than the maximum discharge pressure of the pump (aeproximately 1600 psig).
In the initial review of the event on January 3, 1979, the licensee concluded that the pumps were still operable with the recirculation line frozen.
Therefore, no immediate action was taken to thaw the frozen section of the line.
On January 5, 1979, the line was thawed and the surveillance test of the pumps was successfully completed.
i Cause of Event:
e IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date: September 27, 1979 Page 2 of 2 This event is attributed to an inadequate design.
The heat tracing provided on this recirculation line was unable to prevent freezing when the line was exposed to sub-freezing temperatures for a prolonged period of time.
The temperature sensors which control the heat tracing and which trigger the low-temperature alarm were located in an area not exposed to the coldest temperatures to which the piping is subjected.
Corrective Action:
To prevent recurrence, the licensee increased the temperature setting of the thermostat for the heat tracing on the recirculation line.
Further, a temporary enclosure was built around the line and additional heat tracing was installed.
After the line was thawed and blown down, surveillance testing to verify pump operability was performed.
An engineering evaluation was initiated by the licensee to develop long-term corrective action.
Other Frozen Lines:
In addition to this event at Davis-Besse, there have been many events involving frozen instrument and sampling lines.
During the last five years, facilities experiencing events of this kind include:
Arkansas Nuclear One Davis-Besse Duane Arnold Hatch Fitzpatrick Haddam Neck Indian Point Millstone Action To Be Taken:
Oconee Pilgrim Point Beach Salem Surry Trojan Zion All licensees and constructi6n permit holders rece1v1ng this Bulletin for action are requested to review their plants to determine that adequate protective measures have been taken to assure that safety-related process, instrument, and sampling lines do not freeze during extremely cold weather. The results of these reviews should be reported to the Regional Director by October 31, 1979.
Approved by GAO (R0072); clearance expires 7/31/80.
Approval was given under a blanket clearance specifically for generic problems.
Bulletin No.
79-0lA 79-02 (Rev 1) 79-02 (Rev 1)
(Supplement No. l) 79-03 79-04 79-05 ENCLOSURE 2 LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS Subject Date Issued
, Environmental Qualification
- of Class lE Equipment (Deficiencies in the Envi-ronmental Qualification of ASCO Solenoid Valves)
Pipe Support Base Plate Design Using Concrete Expansion Anchor Bolts Same Title as 79-02 (Rev 1)
Longitudinal Weld Defects in ASME SA-312 Type 304 Stainless Steel Pipe Spools Manufactured by Youngstown Welding and Engineering Company Incorrect Weights for Swing Check Valves Manufactured by Velan Engineering Corporation Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island 6/6/79 6/21/79 8/20/79 3/12/79 3/30/79 4/1/79 e
IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date:
September 27, 1979 Page 1 of 5 Issued To All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP All Power Reactor*
Facilities with an OL or CP Same as 79-02 (Rev 1)
All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP.
A 11 Babcock and Wilcox Power Reactor Facilities with an OL, Except Three Mile Island 1 and 2 (For Action),
and All Other Power Reactor Facilities With an OL or CP (For Information)
LIST OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED*IN LAST SIX MONTHS (CONTINUED)
Bulletin Subject No.
79-0SA Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island -
Supplement 79-058 Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island -
Supplement 79-06 Review of Operational Errors and System Mis-alignments Identified During the Three Mile Incident 79-06A Same Title as 79-06 79-06A Same Title as 79-06 (Revision 1)
Date Issued 4/5/79 5/21/79 4/11/79 4/14/79 4/18/79 e
IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date:
September 27, 1979 Page 2 of 5 Issued To Same as 79-05 Same as 79-05 All Pressurized Water Power Reactor Facil-ities with an OL Except B&W Facilities (For Action), All Other Power Reactor Facil-ities w.ith an OL or CP (For Information)
All Westinghouse Designed Pressurized Power Reactor Facil-
. 1ties with an OL (For Action), and All Other Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP (For Information)
All Westinghouse Designed Pressurized Power Reactor Facil-ities with an OL (For Action), and All Other Power Reactor Facilities.with an OL or CP (For Information)
LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS (CONTINUED)
Bulletin Subject No.79-06B Same Title as 79-06 79-05C&06C Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island -
Supplement 79-07 Seismic Stress Analysis of Safety-Related Piping 79-08 Events Relevant to Boiling Water Power Reactors Identified During Three Mile Island Incident 79-09 Failures of GE Type AK-2 Type Circuit Breaker in Safety Related Systems 79-10 Requalification Training Program Statistics Date Issued 4/14/79 7/26/79 4/14/79 4/14/79 I
4/17/79 5/11/79 e
IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date:
September 27, 1979 Page 3 of 5 Issued To All Combustion Engineering Designed Pressurized Power Reactor Facilities with an OL (For Action), and All Other Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP (For Information)
All PWR Power Reactor Facilities with an OL All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP All BWR Power Reactor Facilities with an OL (For Action), All Other Power Reactor Facil-ities with an OL or CP (For Information)
All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL
~*,.
LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS (CONTINUED)
Bulletin No.
Subject Date Issued 79-11 Faulty Overcurrent Trip 5/22/79 Device in Circuit Breakers for Engineered Safety Systems 79-12 Short Period Scrams at 5/31/79 BWR Facilities 79-13 Cracking in Feedwater 6/25/79 System Piping 79-13 Cracking in Feedwater (Revision 1) System Piping 79-14 Seismic Analysis for As-Built Safety Related Piping Systems 79-14 Same Title as 79-14 (Revision 1) 79-14 Same Title as 79-14 (Supplement) 79-14 Same as Title 79-14 (Supplement
- 2) 79-15 Deep Draft Pump Defi-ciencies 79-16 Vital Area Access Con-trols 79-17 Pipe Cracks in Stagnant Borated Water Systems at PWR Plants 8/30/79 7/2/79 7/18/79 8/15/79 9/7/79 7/11/79 7/30/79 7/26/79 e
IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date:
September 27, 1979 Page 4 of 5 Issued To All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP All GE BWR Facilities with an OL All PWRs with an OL (for Action),
All Other Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP (For Information)
All Designated Ap-plicants for OLS All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP Same as 79-14 Same as 79-14 Same as 79-14 All Power Reactor Facilities with an OL or CP All Holders of and Applicants for Reactor Operating Licenses All PWR Power Reactor Facilities with an OL
e IE Bulletin No. 79-24 Date:
September 27, 1979 Page 5 of 5 LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS (CONTINUED)
Bulletin Subject Date Issued Issued To No.
79-18 Audibility Problems 8/7/79 All Power Reactor Encountered on Evacuation Facilities with an OL 79-19 Pack.aging Low-Level 8/10/79 All Power and Re-Radioactive Waste for search Reactors with Transport and Burial OL, all Fuel Faci-liti'es (except Uranium Mills), and certain Materials Licensees 79-20 Same Title as 79-19 8/10/79 Certain Materials Licensees 79-21 Temperature Effects on 8/13/79 All Power Reactor Level Measurements Facilities with an OL or CP 79-22 Possible Leakage of Tubes 9/5/79 Each Licensee who of Tritium Gas Used in Receives Tubes of Timepieces for Luminosity Tritium Gas in Timepieces for Luminosity 79-23 Potential Failure of 9/12/79 All Power Reactor Emergency Diesel Generator facilities with an Field Exciter Transformer OL or CP