ML18093B026

Special Rept 88-3:on 880713,fire Barriers Impaired for Greater than 7 Days.Cause Not Determined.Repair Not Accomplished within 7 Days Due to Addl Review Being Conducted.Hourly Fire Watch Established

ML18093B026
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	08/09/1988
From:	Zupko J Public Service Enterprise Group
To:	NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
88-3, NUDOCS 8808190075
Download: ML18093B026 (4)

Text

' e C~ PS~G Public Service Electric and Gas Company P.O. Box E Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey 08038 Salem Generating Station August 9, 1988 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

Dear Sir:

SALEM GENERATING STATION LICENSE NO. DPR-70 DOCKET NO. 50-272 UNIT NO. 1 SPECIAL REPORT 88-3 This Special Report addresses fire barrier penetration impairments which have not been restored to functional status within seven (7) days. This report satisfies the reporting requirements of Technical Specification Action 3.7.11.a pursuant to Technical Specification 6.9.2. It is being _submitted within thirty (30) days as per the Action Statement.

Sincerely yours, General Manager"'."

Salem Operations MJP:pc Distribution 8808190075 880809

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SPECIAL REPORT NUMBERtt8-3 PLANT IDENTIFICATION:

Salem Generating Station - Unit 1 Public Service Electric & Gas Company Hancock's Bridge, New Jersey 08038 IDENTIFICATION OF OCCURRENCE:

Technical Specification 3.7.11; Fire Barriers Impaired For Greater Than 7 Days Event Date(s): 7/20/88 Report Date: 8/09/88 This report was initiated by Incident Report No.88-268.

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO OCCURRENCE:

Mode 1 Reactor Power 100% Unit Load 1138 MWe DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE:

On July 13, 1988 a fire Barrier cable penetration was found degraded by Penetration Seal Review Program personnel during penetration inspections. The penetration contained an electrical sleeve containing an electrical cable surrounded by foam type fire sealant.

The area (approximately 1/8" gap) surrounding the electrical sleeve was not sealed thereby constituting an impairment. The fire barrier is in the east wall of the 100' Elevation Relay Room.

Additional inspection of the subject fire barrier revealed an additional penetration impaired the same as the first one found except that the gap was 1/4".

On July 25, 1988 three (3) degraded fire barrier cable penetration seals were found on the south wall in the 100' Elevation Relay Room.

Two (2) of these penetrations are 3" in diameter and the other is 5.5" (located -is feet above the floor).

The south wall 3" penetrations contain fire wrapped cabling. This fire wrap extends over the penetration. There is no foam behind the fire wrap. It provides a 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> rated barrier, however, the wall is a 3 hour3.472222e-5 days <br />8.333333e-4 hours <br />4.960317e-6 weeks <br />1.1415e-6 months <br /> barrier.

The south wall 5.5" penetration contains a 4" conduit surrounded by foam. The foam contains an 1/8" gap at the base of the conduit.

On July 28, 1988 one (1) 3.5" degraded fire barrier cable penetration seal was found on the north wall in the 100' Elevation Relay Room.

The penetration contains cabling surrounded by foam. The foam contains an 1/2" diameter hole.

An hourly fire watch had been established for the Relay Room area previously due to other fire protection concerns. Therefore, the requirements of Technical Specification Action Statement 3.7.11.a were met. . \\?-~\

UNIT 1 SPECIAL REPORT *-3 DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE: {cont'd)

Technical Specification 3.7.11 states:

"All fire penetrations {including cable penetration barriers, fire doors and fire dampers), in fire zone boundaries, protecting safety related areas shall be functional."

Technical Specification Action Statement 3.7.11.a states:

"With one or more of the above required fire b~rrier penetrations non-functional, within one (1) hour either establish a continuous fire watch on at least one (1) side of the affected penetration, or verify the OPERABILITY of fire detectors on at least one (1) side of the non-functional fire*

barrier arid establish an hourly fire watch patrol. Restore the non-functional fi*re barrier penetration{s) to functional status within 7 days or, in lieu of any other report required by Specification 6.9.1, prepare and submit a Special Report to the Commission pursuant to Specification 6.9.2 within the next 30 days outlining the action taken, the cause of the non-functional penetration and plans and schedule for restoring the fire barrier penetration{s) to functional status."

APPARENT CAUSE OF OCCURRENCE:

The cause of the degraded fire barrier penetrations could not be positively determined.

The east wall penetrations fr6m the Relay Room side "appeared~ sealed visually due to the use of a bushing on the sleeve which hid the gap. The 3.5" south wall penetrations also appeared sealed from the Relay Room side, as described in the Description of Occurrence section. Closer inspection, as required by the Seal Penetration Review Group procedures, revealed the nature of the impairments.

Technical Specification Surveillance 4.7.11 requires verification of the functional status of fire barrier penetrations every eighteen months via a visual inspection. This inspection would not .

necessarily identify the non-functional status of the subject penetrations.

The 5.5" south wall penetration is located in a difficult to reach location. The gap in the seal may have formed due to shrinkage. It does not appear as though a cable was pulled (forming the gap).

The 3.5" north wall penetration is also located in a difficult to reach location. , The gap in the seal appears to have formed as a result of a cable pull. It has not been determined when or by whom the cable was pulled.

ANALYSIS OF OCCURRENCE:

The functional integrity of the penetration fire barriers ensures that fires will be confined or adequately retarded from spreading to adjacent portions of the facility. This design feature minimizes the possibility of a single fire involving several areas of the facility. The fire barrier penetration seals are a passive element in the facility fire protection program and are subject to periodic

UNIT 1 SPECIAL RE~ORT--3 *9

• ANALYSIS OF OCCURRENCE: (cont'd}

inspections. This report satisfies the reporting requirements of Technical Specif1cation 3.7.11.a pursuant to Technical Specification 6.9.2 since the time between discovery and eventual repair of the fire barrier impairments is greater than seven (7) days. Appropriate actions were alre~dy in place in accordance with the requirements of Technical Specification Action Statement 3.7.11.a to establish a one hour roving fire watch for the impaired fire barriers once the impairments were identified.

The subject fire area contains detection in addition to the roving fire watch patrol. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that a fire in either area would be detected before it could involve an adjacent area. This occurrence therefore involved no undue risk to the health or safety of the public.

CORRECTIVE ACTION:

The one hour fire watch, as addressed in the Description of Occurrence section will continue until all fire protection concerns associated with this area are resolved.

The repair of the penetrations was not accomplished within seven (7) days due to the additional review being conducted by the Penetration Seal Task Force. Upon completion of this review the penetrations will be sealed.

This review and corrective action will be completed in accordance with PSE&G letter NLR-N88037, dated March 4, 1988, to the NRC which discusses the Penetration Seal Review Program schedule.

Ge!ke~*

Salem Operations MJP:pc SORC Mtg.88-064