ML19284A496
| ML19284A496 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Millstone  |
| Issue date: | 02/09/1979 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Counsil W NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7903060640 | |
| Download: ML19284A496 (1) | |
Text
>R a f Go, UNITED STATES y
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMisslON
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KING OF PRUS$1 A, PENNSYLVANI A 19406 February 9, 1979 Docket Nos. 50-245 50-336 50-423 Northeast Nuclear Energy Company ATTN: Mr. W. G. Counsil Vice President - Nuclear Engineering and Operations P. O. Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06101 Gentlemen:
This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for po::sible applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is requested at this time.
If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE Circular or Bulletin will be issued to reconmend or request specific licensee actions.
If you have questions regarding the matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely, o
Boyce H. Grier
' Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 79-03 2.
List of IE Information Notices Issued in 1979 "i9030666 f6
Northeast Nuclear Energy Company 2
cc w/encis:
J. F. Opeka, Station Superintendent K. W. Gray, Construction Quality Assurance Lead D. G. Diedrick, Manager of Quality Assurance H. R. Nims, Director of Nuclear Projects J. R. Himmelwright, Licensing Safeguards Engineer A. Z. Roisman, Natural Resources Defense Council
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
205E5 IE Information Notice No. 79-03 Date:
February 9, 1979 Page 1 of 1 LIMITORQUE VALVE GEARED LIMIT SWITCH LUBRICANT Description of Circumstances:
At Commonwealth Edison reactors excessive failure rates of the Limitorque valve geared limit switches were being experienced.
Investigation revealed that the failure mode was a drying out and hardening of the Beacon 325 lubricant. Once hardening takes place, the brass gears within the limit switch become immobile and destroy themselves when an attempt is made to operate the valve.
The Limitorque Corporation has recommended Mobilgrease 28 as a replaceme.
grease for switch applications where the temperature exceeds 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Tests conducted by Mobil and Limit iue Corporation indicate that Mobilgrease 28, in addition to having a superior temperature rating, will satisfy the same environmental conditions and meet the same qualificatico parameters as Beacon 325.
All licensee and construction permit holders should consider conducting a review to determine if Beacon 325 lubricant is being used in geared limit switches in environments conducive to drying out and subsequent hardening of the lubricant.
If conditions are found to be conducive to failures, consideration should be given to replacing the grease with a more suitable grease.
This information 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 specific action or response is requested at this time.
If further NRC evalua-tions so indicate, an IE Circular or Bulletin will be issued to recom-mend or request specific licensee actions.
If you have questions re-garding this matter, please contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Enclosure:
List of IE Information Notices Issued in 1979
IE Information Notice No. 79-03 Date:
February 9, 1979 Page 1 of 1 LISTING 0F IE INFORMATION NOTICES ISSUED IN 1979 Information Subject Date Issued To Notice No.
Issued 79-01 Bergen-Paterson Hydraulic 2/2/79 All power reactor Shock and Sway Arrestor facilities with an Operating License (0L) or a Construction Permit (CP) 79-02 Attempted Extortion -
2/2/79 All Fuel Facilities Low Enriched Uranium