ML19343C492

Interim Deficiency Rept (Significant Const Deficiency 25) Re GE Circuit Breakers AKR-30 & AKR-50 Failure to Close.Ge Will Supply Parts & Technical Supervision to Replace Bearing Assemblies.Final Rept Will Be Submitted on 811130

ML19343C492
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	03/16/1981
From:	Aswell D LOUISIANA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	Seyfrit K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
References
10CFR-050.55E, 10CFR-50.55E, W3K-81-0129, NUDOCS 8103240378
Download: ML19343C492 (4)

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4 LOUIStANA sn e u acNeestnen P O W E R & LI G H T! A C ECA SCCS

• Ne# CALCANs* (504) LCUS!ANA 366 2345 70174 NSYsbs$

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Y. arch 16, 1981 v.a o,- =c. a-uw if3K-81-0129 Q-3-A35.07.25 Mr. K. V. Seyfrit, Director, Region IV U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Ccemission Of fice of Inspection and Enforcenent S / Hb 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 8 /

Arlington, Texas 76012 8 #%

SUBJECT:

IIaterford SES Unit No. 3 m

Dockct No.58-382 f

%J Interim Report of Significant -

Construction Deficiency No. 25 87 A

" Defective GE Circuit Breakers 4 ,

(AKR-30 and/or AKR-50)" 4 , [<

Reference:

GE Letter to Ebasco dated rebruary 12, 1981

Dear Mr. Seyfrit:

In accordance with the requirements of 10CFR50.55(e), we are hereby providing two copies of the Interi= Report of Significant Construction Deficiency No. 25, " Defective GE Circuit Breakers (,utR-30 and/or AKR-50)".

If you have any questions, please advise.

Very truly yours, WI  %#- p D. L. Aswell '

DLA/LLB/grf Attachment

/

cc : /1) Director $

Office of Inspection & Enfercement U. S. in: clear Regulatory Cc=nissior.

IJashingter, L. C. 20555 $

(with 15 copies of report)

2) Director Office of Management Information and ?regram Centrol U. S. Nuclear RegCatory Cc :nission IIachington, D. C. 20.~55 (with 1 copy of report) 810324037 8

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LOUISIANA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY WATERFORD SES Ci1T NO. 3 Interim Report o.~

,p Significant Construction Defic.'ency No. 25

" Defective GE Circuit Breakers (AKR-30 and AKR-50)"

. Reviewed by O -

, MS[9/

ptJ S4adalino i Proj6ct Engineer 'Da'te Reviewed by

/ Wills - Project Superintendent / Date Revictied by 3/8/6/

} HaYt - Project Licensing Engineer Date l

.Reviewedby.',b h 3)f/8/

R L Hymeqf/- Project Quality Assurance Engineer Date l

t March 3, 1981 l

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INTERIM REPORT OF SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION "r""NCY No. 25

" DEFECTIVE GE CIRCUIT BREAKERS (AKR-30 AND AKR-50)"

INTRODUCTIOM This report is submitted pursuant to 10CFR50.55(e). It describes potential fail-ures in the General Elentric AKR-30 and AKR-50 Low voltage Power Circuit Breakers supplied to the Waterford III project.

DESCRIPTION General Electric AKR-30 and AKR-50 Low Voltage Power Circuit Breakers purchased from GE between mid-1976 and Deccaber 19, 1980, have been tested by GE and, in a limited nenber of instances, the electronica1? v operated AKR-50 Low Voltage Power Circuit Breakers have failed to close upon coma:ad. Failure occurred after the circuit breaker had been lef t in the charged position for several hours. The cause of the failure was traced to deformation of a lead Teflon' sleeve serving as a bearing in the breaker. GE was not aware of any failure in the AKR-30 Cir-cuit Breakers, but the AKR-30 uses the same lead Teflon sleeve and may be sub-ject to the same failure mode.

SAFETY IMPLICATIONS ,

These breakers have been installed in the 480V switchgear. Failure of these breakers to close can inhibit safety-related equipment from operating and thus compromise the safe shutdown of the plant.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS General Electric has urged that "the bearing and associated assembly be replaced on all electrically operated AKR-30 and AKR-50 circuit Breakers used in applica-tions where the breaker may be lef t in the charged state for a period of time."

The General Electric Company will be supplying parts and technical supervision to aid in replacing the bearing assemblies.

A specific General Electric commitment for scheduled shipment of replacement parts cannot be otained at this time. Corrective action will be implemented once the material has arrived and General Electric technical supervision is available. A Final Report will be issued to the USNRC upon completion of cor- *

, rective action. It is estimated that this Final Report will be submitted on or before November 30, 1981.

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GENER AL @ ELECTRIC SERVICE ENGINEERING OENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY. TWO uETAoPLEX oR su!TE 301. P.O. box 637 C1 VISION

, sRMINGHAM. ALAGAMA 35201. Phone (205) 477-4000 C4) I

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Febrvary 12, 1981 '

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. EBASCO Services, Inc.

Post Office Box 70 T t## g,m ac. p/. -

• • • • 3 9 n3 tillona, Louisiana 700G6 j

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. Attention Mr. R. J. Mikhiser, Project Superintendent e c-

• ', AKR-3', O AKR-50 Breakers at Waterford III, Service dyice 175-9.6

• According to our records, you purchased General Electric AKR-30 and/or

• ' AKR-50 Low Voltage Power Circuit Breakers between mid-1976 and December 19, 1980. We have recently encountered a limited number of instances where electrically ocerated AKP.-50 Low Voltage Power Circuit Breakers failed to close upon commana.

This failure occurred after the circuit breaker had been left in the charged position for several hours. The cause of the

' failure has been traced to deformation of a lead Teflon sleeve serving

.- as a bearing in the breaker. We are not aware of any failures of this

.- type in AKR-30 Circuit Breakers, but the AKR-30 uses the sa=e lead Teflon Sleeve and may be subject to the same failure mode.

While the number of identified failures. is small, we urge that this bearing and the associated assembly be replaced on all. electrically orrated AKR-30 and AKR-50 circuit Brtakers used in applications wnere tie breaker may be left in the chargei state for a period of time.

Examples of such applications would be those used ir. hospitals, stand-by -

bitakers, generator breakers, alternate source breakers, etc. We strcngly recomend that you review other applications of these electrically operated circuit breakers ar.d replace bearing assemblies ,as scan as possible after -

.- receipt of replacement parts from the General Electric Company.

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The General Electric Company will supply parts and technical supervi: ion to aid in replacing the bearing assemblics.

Ver truly yours, l

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. . Calk .

Supervisor-Nucicar Engineering Services *

,.JCC/cg cc: P. F. MacDonald George Kaate - -

i Narvey Kellerman .

Ja A. Andegis

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