ML19341B837

Forwards IE Info Notice 81-01, Possible Failures of GE Type Hfa Relays. No Response Required

ML19341B837
Person / Time
Site:	Perkins, Cherokee
Issue date:	01/16/1981
From:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Dail L DUKE POWER CO.
References
NUDOCS 8102270902
Download: ML19341B837 (1)

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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION y

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.I OI 1 6 1981 In Reply Refer To:

RII:JPO 50-491, 50-492 50-493, @ 8 t t, "h.)N 6 487', Q s l

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Duke Power Company S

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L. C. Dail, Vice President C

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A II Charlotte, NC 28242 Gentlemen:

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This Information Notice 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 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 tne Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.

Sincerely, 3 4,

• ,vs, James P. O'Reilly Director

Enclosures:

l 1.

IE Information Notice No. 81-01 2.

. List of Recently issued j

IE Information Notices t

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J. T. Moore, Project Manager I

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-810227 OSCA

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SSINS No.:

6835 Accession No.-

8011040254 l

UNITED STATES 3'

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION jg

,J OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMINT WASHINGTON, D. C.

20555 January 16, 1981 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 81-01: POSSIBLE FAILURES OF GENERAL ELECTRIC TT/E HFA RELAYS

Purpose:

1 The intent of this Information Notice is to alert licensees and holders of construction permits of a potentially generic problem involving defective coil i

spools used in General Electric (GE) type RFA relays.

Such defective relays were recently found at Turkey Point Unit 4 (Docket No. 50-250).

l Descriptian 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 detected on the HFA relays-used to sequence the emergency loads on the diesel generators at Turkey Point Unit 4 upon a loss-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 cracked.

The possible failures of GE type RFA 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 phenomena seems to be similar to that experienced on the cam followers used on GE type SBM switches (e.g., these cam followers are. fabricated of Lexan,~ and after their exposure to hydrocarbons.during fabrication or during maintenance severe cracking resulted.

See IE Information Notice No. 80-13 for additional details.)

The'above information identifies means whereby the-integrity of a major safety-related system can be jeopardized or compromised by the_ blocking of.

-_ relay actuation. Accordingly, 'this Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a'possibly significant matter that is still under review by the NRC staff. _ Recipients should, therefore, review the information for possible applicability to their. facilities. Although no specific action or response is requested at this time, further licensee actions may be requested or required pending the outcome of the NRC staff evaluation.

If you have any question regarding this matter, please' contact the director-of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.

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IN 81-01 January 16, 1981 RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES In fo rma tion Date of Notice No.

Subject Issue Issued to 81-01 Possible Failures of General 01/16/81 All Power reactor Electric Type HFA Relays facilities with an L

OL or CP 80-45~

Potential Failure of 12/17/80 All BWR facilities BWR Backup Manual Scram with an OL or CP Capability

'80-44 Actuation of ECCS in the 12/16/80 All PWR facilities Recirculation Mode While with an OL or CP i

in Hot Shutdown l

80-43 Failures of the Continuous 12/5/80 All power reactor i

Water Level Monitor for facilities with OL

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the Scram Discharge Volume or CP at Dresden Unit No. 2 80-42 Effect of Radiation on 11/24/8G All power reactor Hydraulic Snubber Fluid-facilities with OL or CP 80-41 Failure of Swing Check 11/10/80 All power reactor Valve in the Decay Heat facilities with an OL 7

Removal System at-Davis-or CP Besse Unit No. 1 80 Excessive Nitrogen Supply 11/10/80 All power reactor Pressure Actuates Safety-facilities with Relief Valve Operation to OL'or CP

~ Cause Reactor 7epressur-ization-

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80-39 Malfunctions of Solenoid 10/31/80 All light water reactor Valves Manufactured By facilities with j.

Valcor Engineering Corporation' OLs or cps-i 80-38~

Cracking in Charging Pump 10/30/80 All PWR facilities l-Casing Cladding with an OL or CP 80-37_

_ Containment Cooler: Leaks 10/24/80 All power reactor and Reactor Cavity facilities with j

Flooding at Indian Point-OLs or cps Unit:2 OL = Operating Licenses lCP = Construction Permits h