ML19290C113
| ML19290C113 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/31/1979 |
| From: | Gilbert L, Randy Hall, Hunnicutt D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19290C111 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99900079 99900079-79-1, NUDOCS 8001090491 | |
| Download: ML19290C113 (7) | |
Text
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT REGION IV Report No.
99900079/79-01 Docket No.
99900079 Vendor:
The Lunkenheimer Company Post Office Box 14360 Cincinnati, Ohio 45214 Investigation at: Lunkenheimer Plant, Cincinnati, Ohio and Waterford Unit 3 Site, Taft, Louisiana Investigation Conducted: September 14 and 19-21, 1979, and October 10-11, 1979 Inspectors:
/>[1/ 7f gf L. D' Gilbert, Reactor Inspector
/Date
~r Engineering Support Section 5
[
lin M/3/hr R. E. Oiler, Contractor Inspector Date Vendor Inspection Branch Investigator:
r 6
//p?//7 R.
K.' Heir, Investigator
'Date
/
/ /
Approved:
[D.M.Hunnicutt, Chief
'Date ComponentsSection II Vendor Inspection Branch f
v y
/
R. E. Hall, Chief, Engineering Support
,Date Section, Reactor Construction and Engineering Support Branch 1728 210 8001090t7/
Investigation Summary; Investigation on September 14 and 19-21 and October 10-11, 1979 (Report No.
99900079/79-01)
Areas Inveatigated: Special investigation of allegations wherein nuclear valves marufactured by the Lunkenheimer Company prior to October 1978 were not welded with the correct welding materials and the certification records were falsified.
The investigation involved forty-eight inspector-hours by two NRC inspectors and one NRC investigator.
Results: The allegations were determined to have no merit. No deviations were identified.
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INTRODUCTION The Lunkenheimer Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, periodically on contract manu-factures nuclear valves for various consumers.
REASON FOR INVESTIGATION On August 21, 1979, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.
C.,
received a letter from the United States General Accounting Office indicating that they had received a telephone call from an anonymous caller on the GA0 Fraud Task Force Hot Line. The alleger claimed that certain nuclear plant valves, manufactured at Lunkenheimer Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, do not meet proper specifications. The caller alleged that No. 70 mild steel wire had been substituted for stainless steel wire in welds and that the certification records pertaining to these welds had been falsified.
SUMMARY
OF FACTS On September 13, 1979, the Region IV Director was notified by NRC headquarters that the GA0 Fraud Task Force Hot Line received an anonymous phone call wherein the caller alleged irregularities concerning welding practices by the Lunkenheimer Valve Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. The anonymous caller expressed the following specific allegations:
All Class I valves manufactured prior to October 1978 do not meet a.
specifications because No. 70 mild steel wire had been used for the welds instead of the specified stainless steel wire.
b.
That Lunkenheimer Valve Company falsified certification records for nuclear valve welding.
CONCLUSIONS The allegations were substantiated to the extent that welds for one valve were improperly made, but the allegations have no merit, in that, the improperly made welds were removed and rewelded correctly.
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DETAILS SECTION 1.
Persons Contacted Lunkenheimer Employees
- J.
S. Mikovich, Senior Vice President
- R. J. Rowan, Vice President of Operations
- D. Stubblefield, Plant Manager J. Quinn, QA Manager D. A. Bontrager, Director of Industrial Relations M. McMannon, Quality Control Metallurgist Louisiana Power & Light (LP&L) Employees
- - denotes those attending exit interview on September 14, 1979.
- - denotes those attending exit interview on September 21, 1979.
- - denotes those attending exit interviews on September 14, 1979, and October 11, 1979.
2.
Investigative Details The allegations and resultant investigative findings are stated below:
a.
Allegation No. 1 Welding on Lunkenheimer Class 1 nuclear valves was accomplished using No. 70 mild steel wire in place of stainless steel wire.
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Investigative Findings (1) Interviews On September 14, 1979, the investigation developed Individual A, formerly employed by the Lunkenheimer Valve Company, as a welder, who executed a signed statement wherein he stated he witnessed a coworker use No. L-60 (Lincoln) mild steel wire with A-100 (Lincoln) weld flux to weld a seat ring being installed in a Class 1 nuclear valve, instead of the required stainless steel wire.
In addition, Individual A claimed that the improper welding procedures occurred during the night shif t in the summer /
fall of 1978.
The investigation further developed the identity of the individual who made the anonymous call to GAO Fraud Hot Line.
Interview on September 14, 1979, of Individual B, a Lunkenheimer employee (welder), disclosed that the anonymous caller, also a Lunkenheimer employee, who is not associated with the welding procedures, told him confidentially during the past few months that he had heard a rumor, to the effect, that improper welding procedures had been conducted on nuclear valves in 1978 and that he intended to notify the nuclear authorities in Washington, D. C.
Individual B remarked that he also heard the same rumors, however, did not possess any firsthand knowledge except that the questioned welding procedures reportedly occurred during a night shift.
(According to Individuals A & B, the valves in question were shipped to a utility company in Louisiana.)
On October 10, 1979, Individual C, a welder of Lunkenheimer Valve Company, executed a signed statement wherein he stated that during the summer of 1978 he improperly welded the seat rings on a nuclear Class 1 valve, explaining that he did not use the proper flux.
Individual C, when confronted with the fabrication welding records dated June 20, 1978, explained that when he realized that he made a mistake he notified his supervisor and a coworker.
Individual C stated that his supervisor ordered the weld to be machined out and rewelded correctly.
Individual C advised that subsequently the seat rings were welded correctly.
On October 10, 1979, Individual D, a Lunkenheimer welder, was interviewed at the Lunkenheimer Valve Company.
Individual D exe-cuted a signed statement wherein he advised that upon reporting for work (second shift) on or about June 20, 1978, 1728 2114 5
a coworker (Individual C), told him of making an improper neld on one side of the seat rings on a nuclear Class 1 valve.
Indi-vidual D remarked that both he and Individual C notified their supervisor who then ordered that the weld be machined out.
Individual D remarked that Individual C apparently had utilized the wrong flux on the weld.
On October 10, 1979, Individual E, a Welding Supervisor of Lunkenheimer Valve Company was interviewed at his residence.
Individual E executed a signed statement where he advised that on June 21, 1978, Individual C and Individual D approached Lim during the end of the first shift (about 3:00 p.m.)
and told him of an improper veld.
Individual E stated he inspected the weld and found it to be in fact improper and immediately instructed the machine shop to bore out the weld.
Individual E explained he investigated the cause of the improper welds and discovered that Individual C had used the wrong flux and the wrong welding wire.
(2) Review of Records The IE inspector determined that PO NY403469 was the purchase order containing the Class 1 nuclear valves described La the allegation by Individual A.
The purchase order consisted of four 12-inch gate valves and four 14-inch gate valves made of austenitic stainless steel. The Fabrication Welding Record for each of the eight valves manufactured under PO NY403469 were reviewed for use of proper welding material to make the installation weld on each of the seat rings into the valve body.
The records for each valve documented that weld wire type 308L and flux 880 were used to install all seat rings in accordance with welding Procedure SP-2223, Revision D.
(3) Site Investigation On September 19-21, 1979, the eight valves specified in Purchase Order NY403469 were located at Waterford SES, Unit 3.
Seven of the eight valves were accessible for testing of the seat ring installation welds. The seven accessible valves were tested with acceptable results using a calibrated Severn Ferrite Indicator by the licensee and monitored by an IE inspector.
The welds identified by Individuals C, D and E as having been improperly made and then corrected on Shop Order No. 23605-37 are the two seat ring installation welds for valve SI 644/ISI-V1508 TK2B. This valve was one of the seven valves tested 1728 215 6
e with the Severn Ferrite Indicator and found to contain the proper weld deposit delta ferrite content which confirms that the welds were corrected as stated by Individuals C, D and E.
The allegation was substaintiated to the extent that welds were improperly made but the allegation has no merit, in that, the welds were removed and rewelded correctely.
b.
Allegation No. 2 That Lunkenheimer Valve Company falsified certification records for nuclear valve welding.
Investigative Findings Same as stated in paragraph 2.a above.
3.
Exit Interview The IE investigator met with the Lunkenheimer Valve Company representatives (denoted in paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the investigation at their plant on September 14, 1979, and October 11, 1979. The IE investigator summarized the scope of the investigation to date, and advised that Lunkenheimer would be appropriately notified when the investigation was completed.
The IE inspector met with LP&L representatives (denoted in paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the investigation on September 21, 1979, and summarized the scope of the investigation to date.
4.
Supoorting Documentation Documents used in preparation of this report are on file in the Region IV IE office.
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