ML19341C071
| ML19341C071 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Arkansas Nuclear  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/1981 |
| From: | Seyfrit K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Cavanaugh W ARKANSAS POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8102280580 | |
| Download: ML19341C071 (1) | |
Text
CENTRAL FILES
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UNITED STATss
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'g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSICN iLPOR M
$ ?S. $ ' f 3 W REGION IV gg((
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,8 A AUNGTON. TEXAS 76011 STATE January 16, 1981 Docket Nos.
50-313 50-268 ci w
e 50 Arkansas Power and Light Ccmpany
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ATTN:
-Mr. William Cavanaugh III A gc3 J O B g
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Vice President of Generation p41 and Construction g
P. 0. Box 551-
' Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 Gentlemen:
a This IE Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly
.significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for oossible 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 ce issued to reccmend er request specific licensee -
s actions.
If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Sincerely,
/
1 f !-
M, r / }:
'p.li -
f'y Karl V. Seyfrit fl Di rector-
'/
Enclosures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 31-01 2.
List of. Recently Issued IE Information Notices
- c:. James ?.:C'Har.len, Plant Manager Artansas'NuCIear One i'
?.'Q. IoA iC8 Russeilville, Arkansas-71201
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8 i 0 g g 8'off 0
SSINS No.:
6835 Accession No.:
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
,Q j OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D. C.
20555 IE Information Notice No. 81-01 January 16, 1981 Page 1 of 1
Purpose:
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 'Jnit 4 (Docket No. 50-250).
Description 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 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 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 reques;ed 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.
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 Solencid 10/31/80 All light water reactor Valves Manufactured By facilities holding Valcor Engineering Corporation power reactor Operating Licenses (0Ls) or Construc-tion Permits (cps) 80-40 Excessive Nitrogen 11/7/80 All power facilities Supply Pressure with an Operating License Actuates Safety-Relief (OL) or Construction Valve Operation to Permit (CP)
Cause Reactor Depressuriza-tion 80-41 Failure of Swing Check 11/10/80 All power reactor Valve in the Decay Heat facilities with an Operating Removal System at Davis-License (0L) 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 (0L) at Dresden Unit No. 2 or Construction Permit (CP) 80-44 Actuation of ECCS in the 12/16/80 All power reactor Recirculation Mode While facilities with an in Hot Shutdown Operating License (0L) or Construction Permit (CP) 80-45 Potential Failure of 12/17/80 All pressurized water BWR Backup Manual Scram reactor facilities with Capability an Operating License (0L)
Construction Permit (CP)
Enclosure
.