ML20004B402

Responds to Violations Noted in IE Insp Repts 50-566/81-02 & 50-567/81-02 Re Failure to Establish Adequate Measures to Control Welding & Nondestructive Exam.Rept Revises 810330 Rept to Reflect Bend Sample Fissure Evaluation Results

ML20004B402
Person / Time
Site:	Yellow Creek
Issue date:	05/21/1981
From:	Mills L TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
References
NUDOCS 8105280180
Download: ML20004B402 (3)

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Mr. James O'Reilly, Director Office of tion and Enforcement U.S. Nuclear R tory Coenission Regie II - Suit 3100 101 Marietta Stree Atlanta, Georgia 3 03

Dear Mr. O'Reilly:

TELLOW CREEE NUCLEAR PIANT UNITS 1 AND 2 - REVISED RESPONSE TO VIOLATION 50-566,50-567/81-02 FAILURE TO ESTmm ADEQUATE HEASURES TO CONTROL WILDING AND NDE \

This is in response to R. C. Lewis' 1stter dated March 4,1981, report numbers 50-566/81-02, 50-567/81-02, concerning activities at the Tellow

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Creek Nuclear Plant which appeared to have been in violation of NRC

< regulations. Enciesed is a revision to our March 30, 1981 response to the citation. This revised rwport reflects the results of the evaluation conducted to determine the reason for fissures in the bend samples.

If you have any questions concerning this satter, please get in touch with D. L. Lambert at FTS 857-2581.

To the best of g knowledge, I declare the statements contalced herein am couplete and true.

Very truly yours, TENNESSEE VALLET AUTHORITT s

L. M. Mills, Manager Nuclear Regulation and Safety i Enclosure oo: Mr. Victor Stello, Jr., Director (Enclosure)[

Office of Inspectim and Enforcement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555

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ENCLOSURE YELLOW CREEK NUCLEAR PLANT UNITS 1 AND 2 SEVERITY LEVEL V VIOLATIONS FAILURE TO ESTABLISH ADEQUATE MEASURES TO CONTROL WELDING AND NDE 50-566,50-567/81-02-01 REVISED RESPONSE Description of Violation 10 CFR 50, appendix B, criterien IX, as implemented by TVA Topical Report TVA-TR-75-1 A, Section 17.1A.9, requires measures be established to assure special processes, including welding and nondestructive testing are controlled. AWS D1.1 and ASME B&PV Code Section IX have been identified as the applicable code fer welder qualification. Visual inspection and welding procedures compliance are conti clied. by TVA General Construction Specification G-29M.

Centrary to the above, on February 18, 1981, adequate measures were not established to control special processes, including welding and nondestructive testirg in that the following were noted:

1. A welder was considered qualified based on unacceptable bend test results.

2. A welder failed to follow bead width procedure requirements and a wolding inspector accepted the unacceptable bead width en final visual inspection.

3 A welding inspector incorrectly annotated a base material heat number j on an inspection record.

i Admission or Denial of Alleged Violation TVA aetits the violation occurred as stated.

Reason for Violation The reasons for the violation are: (1) failure of test supervisor and inspector to follcw procedure, and (2) human error in transcribing weld r data ento record from notebook.

Corrective Action Taken and Results Achieved Corrective actions taken were: ,

(A) An extensive metallurgical evaluation by Singleton Engineering Materials Laboratory (Report CSB 810504 301) and Power Systems Operations Central Laboratory (Report M81-81-1735) has been conducted to determine the reason for fissures in bend samples. Copies of these reports will be maintained onsite. The evaluation nyealed that the l fissures were a result of excessive heat input because of heavy grinding during strap preparation. Welder EABE's certification papers I were not processed for performance qualification test number GMFC-6-L-(3) R6. The certifications of all welders (5) who were previously-certified in GMFC-6-L-(3) 36 were revoked on February 23, 1981.

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e All five previously certified welders have been retested using an alternate method of strap preparation for the bend test. All five welders have passed this mtest and are again certified in GMFC-6-L-(3)

R6. Welder EABE, who was not previously certified, has been certified using a different heavy wall welding test. QCIR number 23592 was written to track potentially unacceptable welds made by improperly qualified welders. The resultant none'onformance report number 173 has been dispcsitioned use-as-is based upon laboratory evaluation of the bend samples and the above retesting of welders.

(B) Weld number 1NMSYS08016 was cut out and replaced with INMSYS08016S which was acceptable.

(C) Weld data records for weld number INMSfS08012 were corrected to show the correct heat number of the 90 elbow. Other records on the assembly were reviewed and fcund correct.

Steps Takes to Avoid Further Violations i

To avoid further recurrences, TVA has instructed the weld test supervisor

! and inspector that strict adherence to procedure is required. An independent senior inspector has reviewed all test coupons deemed acceptable by the test supervisor for two months to assure compliance and

, understanding of the procedure. Bend test specimens on future tests will t be prepared by machining, filing, or light sanding. As an alternate to bend testing, radiography may be employed. Inspectors will not use notebooks and will record weld data directly onto weld data computer cards wherever possible. The weld data reviewer was instructed to pay closse attention to the accuracy of data en records during his review.

Date of Full Compliance TVA is in fbil compliance.

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