ML19256E764

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Forwards IE Bulletin 79-17,Revision 1, Pipe Cracks in Stagnant Borated Water Sys at PWR Plants. No Response Required
ML19256E764
Person / Time
Site: Perkins, Cherokee  Duke Energy icon.png
Issue date: 10/29/1979
From: James O'Reilly
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To: Dail L
DUKE POWER CO.
References
NUDOCS 7911150161
Download: ML19256E764 (1)


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UNITED STATES 8f,g/

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,a REGION il 101 MARIETTA ST., N.W., SUITE 3100

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ATLANTA, G FoRGIA 30303 In Reply Refer To:

OCT 2 91979 RII:JPO 50-491, 50-492 50-493, 5C-488 50-489, 50-490 Duke Power Company ATTN:

L. C. Dail, Vice President Design Engineering P. O. Box 33189 Charlotte, North Carolina 28242 Gentlemen:

The enclosed Bulletin No. 79-17, Revision 1 is forwarded to you for information.

No written response is required. However, the potential corrosion be'.cior of safety-related systems as it regards your plant over the long-term should be taken into consideration.

If you desire additional information concerning this matter, please contact this ofEice.

Sincerely, "r.

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.3 James P. O'Reilly Director

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Enclosure:

IE Pulletin No. 79-17, Reiision 1 w/encls.

1338 276 7911150 / b[

00T 2 3 13/e Duke Power Company.

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J. T. Moore, Project Manager Post Office Box 422 Gaffney, South Carolina 29340 1338 277

UNITED STATES SSINS No.:

6820 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Accession No.:

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 7908220157 WASHINGTON, D.C.

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October 29, 1979 IE Bulletin No. 79-17 Revision 1 PIPE CRACKS IN STAGNANT BORATED WATER SYSTEMS AT PWR PIANTS Description of Cir:umstances:

IE Bulletin No. 79-17, issued July 26, 1979, provided information on the cracking R1 experienced to date in safety-related stainless steel piping systems at PWR R1 plants. Certain actions were required of all PWR facilities with an operating R1 license within a specified 90-day time frame.

R1 After several discussions with licensee owner group representatives and inspection R1 agencies, it has been determined that the requirements of Item 2, particularly R1 the ultrasonic examination, may be impractical because of unavai) ability of R1 qualified personnel in certain cases to complete t% inspections within the time R1 specified by the Bulletin. To alleviate this situation and allow licensees the R1 resources of improved ultrasonic inspection capabilities, a time extension and R1 clarifications to the bulletin have been made. These are referenced to the R1 affected items of the original bulletin.

R1 During the period of November 1974 to February 1977 o number of cracking incidents have been experienced in safety-related stainless steel piping systems and por-tions of systems which contain oxygenated, stagnant or essentially stagnant bor-ated water. Metallurgical investigations revealed these cracks occurred in the weld heat affected zone of 8-inch to 10-inch type 304 material (schedule 10 and 40), initiating on the piping I.D. surface and propagating ir either an inter-granular or transgranular mode typical of Stress Corrosion Cracking. Analysis indicated the probable corrodents to be chloride and oxygen contamination in the affected systems. Plants affected up to this time were Arkansas Nuclear Unit 1, R. E. Ginna, H. B. Robinson Unit 2, Crystal River Unit 3, San Onofre Unit 1, and Surry Units 1 and 2.

The NRC issued Circular No. 76-06 (copy enclosed) 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 piping and one (1) at a weld in the decay heat removal system. These cracks were found as a result of local boric acid buildup and later confirmed by liquid penetrant tests. This initial identification of cracking was reported to the NRC in a Licensee Event Report (U.R) dated May 16, 1979. A preliminary metallurgical analy

  • section of cracked and leaking weld join DUPLICATE DOCUMENT R1 - Identifies those additions or revis Entire document previously entered into system under:

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