ML19341B834
| ML19341B834 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/1981 |
| From: | Seyfrit K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Koester G KANSAS GAS & ELECTRIC CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8102270888 | |
| Download: ML19341B834 (1) | |
Text
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U93tTED STATES
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.-[1 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION J
REGloN IV o
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611 RYAN PLAZA DRIVE SUITE 10C0 1,,,,,='
ARLINGTON. TEX AS 76011 January 16, 1981 In Reply Refer To:
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Docket No.
STN 50-482/IE Information Notice No. 81-01 i
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i t Kansas Gas & Electric Co.
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Attn: Mr. Glenn L. Koester Vice President-iluelear Post Office Box 208 Wichita, Kansas G7201 4
3 Gentlemen:
This IE Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will revicw the infernation for possible applicability to their facility.
No specific acticn or response is requested at this time.
If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE Circular or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions.
If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact the Director of the apprcpriate NRC Regional Office.
Sincerely, I
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-Karl V. Seyfrit i
Director Enc 1csures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 81-01 2.
List of Recently Issuad IE Information Notices cc: 'w/ enclosures Messrs. Nicholas-A. Petrick, SNtJFPS
- 0. T. McPhee, Xansas City Power and Light Comcany.
Gerald Charnof', Shaw, Pittman,' Pot:s 5 Tr wbridge E. W. Creel, Kansas Gas anc Ele::tric Comcany 4' 10227 MQ
SSINS No.:
6835 Accession No.
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D. C.
20555 IE Information Notice No. 81-01 January 16, 1981 Page 1 of 1 Purposa:
The intent of this Information Notice is to alert licensees and holders of construction permits of a potentially generic problem involving defective coil spools used in General Electric (GE) type HFA relays.
Such defective relays were recently found at Turkey Point Unit 4 (Docket No. 50-250).
Descriotion of Circumstances:
The defective coil spools are fabricated of either black or clear Lexan, a polycarbonate material that is susceptible to surface cracking when exposed to hydrocarbons.
The concern here is that such surface cracks could ultimately deteriorate to such a degree that relay actuation would be blocked by the resultant debris, thereby inhibiting a required safety function.
Indications of the above mentioned cracks were recently dete.cted en the HFA relays used to sequence the emergency loads on the diesel generators at Turkey Point Unit 4 upon a less-of-coolant accident coincident with a loss of offsite power.
After detecting the cracks, the spare coils in the storeroom were in-spected and, although these coils are new units, one was found to be crackec.
The possible failures of GE type HFA relays highlights two salient points:
(1) HFA relays have had a long history of failures (e.g., GE has issued several Service Information Letters (SIL) addressing these relays, the oldest one of which dates back to 1973, and it is anticipated that GE will issue a new SIL in the near future addressing this new concern); (2) the cracking phencmena seems to be similar to that experienced on the cam followers used on GE type SSM switches (e.g., these cam followers are fabricated of Lexan, and after their exposure to hyarocaroons curing faorication or curing maintenance severe cracking resulted.
See IE Information Notice No. 30-13 for accitional details.)
The above information identifies means whereoy the integrity of a major safety-related sys em can be feccarcizec or c:morcaisec Oy t.e bi:c W ; of relay actuation.
Acc:rcingly, tnis Intermation Notice is provicec as an early notification of a acssioly significant tatter that is still ur;cer review cy the NRC staff.
Recipients shculd, therefore, review the information for possicle applicacility to their facilities.
Althougn no s:ecific action or response is requested at this time, furtner licensee actions may be requested or required pending the outccee of the NRC s:sf' evaluation.
If you :dve any cuestion regarcing tnis matter, please contac: ;he cirector of the appropriate NRC Regicnal Office.
l
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IE Information Notice No. 81-01 January 16, 1981 LISTING OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Subject Date Issued To Notice No.
Issued 80-39 Malfunctions Of Solenoid 10/31/80 All light water reactor Valves Manufactured By facilities holding Valcor Engineering Corporation power reactor Operating Licenses (OLs) or Construc-tion Permits (cps) 80-40 Excessive Nitrogen 11/7/80 All power facilities Supply Pressure with an Operating License Actuates Safety-Relief (0L) or Construction Valve Operatier. to Permit (CP)
Cause Reactor Depress >. riza-tion 80-41 Failure of Swing i.ieck 11/10/80 All pcwer reactor Valve in the Decay Heat facilities with an Operating Removal System at Davis-License (OL) or Construction Besse Unit No. 1 Permit (CP) 80-42 Effect of Radiation 11/24/80 All power reactor on Hydraulic Snubber Fluid facilities with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP) 80-43 Failures of the Continuous 12/5/80 All power reactor Water Level Monitor for facilities with an the Scram Discharge Volume Operating License (OL) at Dresden Unit No. 2 or Construction Permit (CP) 80 ~4 Actuation of ECCS in the 12/16/80 All power reactor Recirculation Mode While facilities with an in Hot Shutdown Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (C?)
50-25 Potential Pailure of 12/17/90 Al' cressurize: aatar SWR Eackup Manual Scram reactor facilities witn Capability an Ocerating Licanse (CL)
Construction Permit (CP)
Enclosure
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