ML19309H706
| ML19309H706 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 04/28/1980 |
| From: | Seyfrit K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Eric Turner HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8005190628 | |
| Download: ML19309H706 (1) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES NSIC ne NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION CENTRAL FILES
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April 28, 1980 In Reply Refer To:
RIV Docket Nos. 50-498/IE Circular No. 80-09 50-499/IE Circular No. 80-09 Houston Lighting & Power Company ATIN:
Mr. E. A. Turner, Vice President Power Plant Construction and Technical Services Post Office Box 1700 Houston, Texas 77001 Gentlemen:
The enclosed IE Circular No. 80-09 is forwarded to you for information.
No written response is required; however, should you have any questions regarding the Circular or its recommendations, please contact this office.
Sincerely, 3
J V.Sehrit 4-Karl Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Circular No. 80-09 2.
List of IE Circulars Recently Issued
SSINS No.:
6830 Accession No.:
UNITED STATES 8002280663 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 IE Circular No. 80-09 Date: April 28, 1980 Page 1 of 2 PROBLEMS WITH PLANT INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS Description of Circumstances at the Kewaunee Power Plant:
On January 17, 1980, the Kewaunce Nuclear Power Plant lost offsite power to its 4160V non-safeguards buses.
Since the system used for internal communica-tions, paging and evacuation alarm purposes (Gai-tronics) was powered from a non-safeguards bus, plant communications were degraded during the outage.
This degraded condition persisted until power was restored to the affected bus thru an emergency safeguards bus.
While in the degraded mode, the licensee used two-way portable radios for internal communications.
The radios performed satisfactorily, per se; however, when transmitting in the vicinity of certain electronic equipment, they induced false signals into the electronic equipment.
Description of Circumstances at the Davis-Besse Power Station:
On October 15, 1979, the Davis-Besse Power Station lost all offsite power.
During the period when offsite power was not available, the licensee noted that the internal three digit telephones (GTE) would not function.
In addition, the NRC " Red Phone" was subsequently reported to have been out of service. Other licensee phone systems (Gai-tronics and the outside four digit Ohio Bell phones) did work.
Following this event, the licensee provided emergency power to its phones and the NRC took action through AT&T to provide emergency power to all Red Phones.
(Note: Although the communications system at Davis-Besse was not designed to meet the single failure criterion, its FSAR states that the main internal communications system is supplied by two redundant power feeders from the uninterruptable instrumentation distribution panels.)
l RECOMMENDED ACTION FOR LICENSEES AND HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION PERMITS All licensees of nuclear power reactors and holders of construction permits l
should be aware of the potential problems described above.
Because of the
'neric implications of the above problems, it is recommended that the
.11owing actions be considered:
1.
Determine the source of power for plant internal communications systems; 2.
Upgrade the internal communications systems to assure operability during the loss of offsite power or other foreseeable events;
IE Circular No. 80-09 April 28, 1980 Page 2 of 2 3.
Determine whether any plant electronic equipment may be adversely affected by portable radio transmissions.
This determination should include, but not be limited to, the computer system, electre-hydraulic system, and nuclear instrumentation system; and 4.
Instruct employees on the use of radios in areas susceptible to electro-magnetic interference.
No written response to this Circular is required; however, if additional information regarding these matters is required, contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
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IE Circular No. 80-09 April 28, 1980 RECENTLY ISSUED IE CIRCULARS Circular Subject Date Issued To No.
Issued 80-03 Protection from Toxic Gas 3/6/80 All holders of a power Hazards reactor Operating License (OL) 80-04 Securing of Threaded 3/14/80 All holders of a power Locking Devices on Safety-reactor Operating License Related Equipment (OL) or Construction Permit (CP) 80-05 Emergency Diesel-Generator 4/1/80 All holders of a power Lubricating Oil Addition reactor Operating License (OL) and Onsite Supply or Construction Permit (CP) 80-06 Control and Accountability 4/14/80 Medical licensees in Systems for Implant Categories G and G1 Therapy Sources 80-07 Problems with HPCI Turbine 4/3/80 All holders of a power Reactor Operating Licenses (OL) or Construction Permit (CP) 80-08 BWR Technical Specifi-4/18/80 All General Electric BWR's cation Inconsistency -
holding a power reactor RPS Response Time Operating License (OL)
Enclosure
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