ML19256B536
| ML19256B536 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Waterford  |
| Issue date: | 07/17/1979 |
| From: | Seyfrit K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Aswell D LOUISIANA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908010325 | |
| Download: ML19256B536 (1) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES IIC E
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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,g' ARLINGTON, T E X AS 76012 July 17, 1979 In Reply Refer To:
RIV Docket No.
50-382/IE Information Notice No. 79-19 Louisiana Power and Light Co.
ATTN:
Mr. D. L. Aswell Vice President of Power Production 142 Delaronde Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70174 Gentlemen:
This IE Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities. No response is requested at this time however licensees should be aware that the NRC is evaluating the issuance of a Bulletin to operating PWR's requesting information on previous inservice inspections of stagnant borated water systems and requesting inspection of systems which have not been inspected recently.
If you have questions or comments regarding this matter, please contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Sincerely, j-k r
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l'arl V. Seyfrit irector
Enclosures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 79-19 2.
List of IE Information Notice Issued in 1979
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMBilSSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WAS!!INGTON,
D. C.
20555 IE Information Notice No. 79-19 Date:
July 17, 1979 Page 1 of 2 PIPE CRACES IN STAGNANT BORATED WATER SYSTEflS AT PWR PLANTS Description of Circumstances:
During the period of November 1974 to February 1977 a number of cracking incidents have been experienced in safety-related stainless steel piping systems and portions of systems which contain oxygenated, stagnant or essentially stagnant borated water. Metallurgical invest.igations revealed these cracks occurred in the weld heat affected zone of 8-inch to 10-inch type 304 material (schedule 10 and 40), initiat.ing on the piping I.D. surface and propagating in either an intergranular or transgranular mode typical of Stress Corrosion Cracking. Analysis indicated the probable corrodents to be chloride and oxygen contamination in the affect.ed systems.
Plants affected up to this time were Arkansas Nuclear One Unit 1, R. E. Ginna,ll. B. Robinson Unit 2, Crystal River Unit 3, San Onofre Unit 1, and Surry Units 1 and 2.
The NRC issued IE Circular 76-06 (copy attached) in view of the apparent. generic nature of the problem.
During the refueling outage of Three Mile Island Unit I which began in February of this year, visual inspections disclosed five (5) through-wall cracks at welds in the spent fuel cooling system pipinf; and one (1) at a weld in the decay heat removal system. These cracks were found as a result of local boric acid build-up and later confirmed by liquid penetrant. tests.
This initial identification of cracking was reported to tne NRC in a Licensee Event Report (LER) dated May 16, 1979.
A preliminary metallurgical analysis was performed by the licensee on a section of cracked and leaking weld joint from the spent fuel cooling system.
The conclusion of this analysis was that cracking was due to Intergranular Stress Corrosion Crackin;; (IGSCC) originating on the pipe I.D.
The cracking was localized to the heat affected zone where the type 304 stainless steel is sensitized (precipitated carbides) during welding.
In addition to the main through-wall crack, incipient cracks were observed at several locations in the weld heat affected zone including the weld root fusion area where a miniscule lack of fusion had occurred. The stresses responsible for cracking are believed to be primarily residual welding stresses inasmuch as the calculated applied stresses were found to be less than code design limits.
There is no conclusive evidence at this time to identify those aggressive chemical species which promoted this IGSCC attack.
Further other system welds are being pursued.
DUPLICATE DOCUMENT Entire document previously entered into system under:
ANO 998 7,236 /W No. of pages:
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