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Gentlemen:
The enclosed Information Notice 82-02, " Westinghouse NBFD Relay Failures in Reactor Protection Systems at Certain Nuclear Power Plants," is forwarded to you for information.
No written response is required.
If you desire additional information regarding this matter, please contact this office.
i Sincerely, w >n.Rfw id C. Haynes egional Administrator
Enclosure:
IE Information Notice No. 82-02 with 2 Attachments CONTACT:
S. Ebneter (215) 337-5283 i
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o-LIST OF HOLDERS OF NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR OPERATING LICENSES AND CONSTRUCTION PERMITS RECEIVING
~IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 82-02 Baltimore Gas and Electric Company-Docket Nos. 50-317 ATTN: Mr. A. E. Lundvall, Jr.
50-318 Vice President, Supply P. 0. Box 1475 Baltimore, Maryland 21203 Boston Edison Company M/C Nuclear.
Docket No. 50-293 ATTN: Mr. J. E. Howard Vice President, Nuclear 800 Boylston Street Boston, Massachusetts 02199 Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company Docket No. 50-213 ATTN: Mr. W. G. Counsil Vice President - Nuclear Engineering and Operations P. O. Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06101 Consolidated Edison Company of Docket Nos. 50-03 New York, Inc.
50-247 ATTN: Mr. John D. O'Toole Vice President - Nuclear Engineering and Quality Assurance 4 Irving Place New York, New York 10003 Duquesne Light Company Docket No. 50-334 ATTN: Mr. J. J. Carey Vice President Nuclear Division P. O. Box 4 Shippingport, Pennsylvania 15077 GPU Nuclear Corporation Docket No. 50-219 ATTN: Mr. Philip R. Clark Vice President - Nuclear GPU Nuclear 100 Interpace Parkway Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 f
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2 Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company Docket No. 50-309 ATTN: Mr. John H. Garrity Senior Director-Nuclear Engineering and Licensing 83 Edison Drive Augusta, Maine 04336 GPU Nuclear Corporation Docket No. 50-289 ATTN: Mr. H. D. Hukill Vice President and Director of TMI-1 P. O. Box 480 Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 GPU Nuclear Corporation Docket No. 50-320 ATTN:
Mr. J. J. Barton Acting Vice President and Director of TMI-2 P. O. Box 480 Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Docket No. 50-220 ATTN: Mr. T. E. Lempges Vice President Nuclear Generation 300 Erie Boulevard West Syracuse, New York 13202 Northeast Nuclear Energy Company Docket Nos. 50-336 ATTN:
Mr. W. G. Counsil 50-245 Senior Vice President - Nuclear 50-423 Engineering and Operations Group P. O. Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06101 Philadelphia Electric Company Docket Nos. 50-277 ATTN: Mr. S. L. Daltroff 50-278 Vice President Electric Production 2301 Market Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 Power Authority of the State of New York Docket No. 50-286 Indian Point 3 Nuclear Power Plant ATTN: Mr. J. C. Brons Resident Manager P. O. Box 215 Buchanan, New York 10511
3 Power Authority of the State of New York Docket No. 50-333 James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant ATTN: Mr. Corbin A. McNeill, Jr.
Resident Manager P. O. Box 41 Lycoming, New York 13093 Public Service Electric and Gas Company Docket Nos. 50-272 ATTN: Mr. Richard A. Uderitz 50-311 Vice President - Nuclear Mail Code T15A-P. O. Box 570 Newark, New Jersey 07101 Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation Docket No. 50-244 ATTN: Mr. John E. Maier Vice President Electric and Steam Production 89 East Avenue Rochester, New York 14649 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Docket No. 50-271 ATTN: Mr. Robert L. Smith Licensing Engineer 1671 Worcester Road-Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 Yankee Atomic Electric Company Docket No. 50-29 ATTN: Mr. James A. Kay Senior Engineer-Licensing 1671 Worcester Road Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 Duquesne Light Company Docket No. 50-412 ATTN: Mr. E. J. Woolever Vice President 435 Sixth Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219 Jersey Central Power & Light Conipany Docket No. 50-363 ATTN: Mr. J. T. Carroll Acting Director Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station P. O. Box 388 Forked River, New Jersey 08731 Long Island Lighting Company Docket No. 50-322 ATTN: Mr. M. S. Pollock Vice President - Nuclear 175 East Old Country Road Hicksville, New York 11801
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4 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Docket No. 50-410 ATTN: Mr. Gerald K. Rhode-Vice President System Project Management c/o Miss Catherine R. Seibert 300 Erie Boulevard, West Syracuse,-NY 13202 Pennsylvania Power & Light Company Docket Nos. 50-387 ATTN: Mr. Norman W. Curtis 50-388 Vice President Engineering and Construction - Nuclear 4
2 North Ninth Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101 Philadelphia Electric Company Docket Nos. 50-352 ATTN: Mr. John S. Kemper 50-353 Vice President Engineering and Research 2301 Market Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 Public Service Electric & Gas Company Docket Nos. 50-354 ATTN: Mr. T. J. Martin 50-355 Vice President Engineering and Construction 80 Park Plaza - 17C Newark, New Jersey 07101 Public Service Company of New Hampshire Docket Nos. 50-443 ATTN: Mr. W. C. Tallman 50-444 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 1000 Elm Street Manchester, New Hampshire 03105 i
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UNITED STATES Og4 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 6g L OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 2;
2 11 WASHINGTON, D.C.
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January 27, 1982 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 82-02: WESTINGHOUSE NBFD RELAY FAILURES IN PROTECTION SYSTEMS AT CERTAIN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS Discussion:
Westinghouse has notified the NRC of a higher-than-expected failure rate of Westinghouse type NBFD relay coils in reactor protection systems at certain power reactor plants.
Investigation into the cause for failure revealed that, at high ambient temperature conditions, relay coils could fail due to the inductive voltage spike generated by the deenergization of the relay coil.
It was also determined that the relay coil failures have been confined to normally energized relays used in the reactor protection systems where high ambient temperature conditions exist due to heat generated by the normally energized relays.
To date, no failures of NBFD relay coils have been reported in safeguard cabinets -
where these relays are normally in a deenergized state and temperature conditions are normal.
After reviewing the NBFD relay problem, Westinghouse issued technical bulletin NSD-TB-81-14 on December 7, 1981 to Westinghouse-designed power plants using BFD or NBFD relays in the reactor protection and safeguard systems. An extract of this bulletin is attached for your information and appropriate use. The bulletin provides interim test methods for verifying the operability of normally deenergized and energized NBFD relay applications and recommends replacement of NBFD relays manufactured prior to January 1, 1981.
The bulletin also provides relay coil numbers as well as data codes to facilitate affected licensees' replacement efforts if required.
This information notice is provided as an early notification of a potentially significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is required at this time.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Regional Adm?nistrator of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Attachments:
1.
Extract of Westinghouse technical bulletin NSD-TB-81-14, dated 12/7/81 2.
Recently issued IE Information Notices h
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e IN 82-02 January 27, 1982 Page 1 of 3 EXTRACT OF WESTINGHOUSE TECHNICAL BULLETIN NSD-TB-81-14
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Subject Number BFD (NBFD) RELAYS NSD-TB-81-14 System (s)
Date REACTOR PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDS SYSTEMS December 7, 1981 Affected Plants S.O.(s)
All those utilizing BFD or. NBFD relays in the above systems.
385 References Sheet Of NSD-TB-79-5, 76-16, & 76-2.
NRC IE BULLETIN 79-25 1
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' BACKGROUND This bulletin pertains to the modified Westinghouse BFD relays designated as NBFD with the style number 5072A49 (followed by the letter G'and a two-digit number, depending on pole configuration)'and with coil style number 1271C50G01.
The NBFD relay was first made available in December 1976. The purpose of this bulletin is to describe a Potential Substantial Safety Hazard attributable to the Westinghouse NBFD relay in certain applications.
Westinghouse has been notified of NBFD relay coil failures which have occurred in the reactor protection cabinets at certain sites. As a result, Westinghouse initiated an investigation to determine the failure mechanism involved.
It was concluded that at high ambient temperature, relay coils could burn open due to an inductively induced voltage spike generated upon de-energization of.the relay.
.NBFD relay coil failures have been confined to the normally energized relays in the reactor protection rack where high ambient-temperature conditions exist due to heat generated by the normally energized relays.
NBFD relays located in the safeguards cabinets are normally de-energized, and are energized to provide safeguards actuation. To date, no failures of NBFD relay coils have been reported in the safeguards cabinet.
NBFD relays located in the safeguards cabinets are not subject to high temperature conditions due to the normally de-energized state. Also cyclic tests performed quarterly at j
the relay vendor show no abnormal coil failure.
I Since an undetected open coil condition in the safeguards actuation circuitry (however remote) would prevent actuation of functions importanc to safety, it was reported by Westinghouse as a potential safety hazard for those plants 3
which utilize these relays in the safeguards cabinet.
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=l IN 82-02 January 27, 1982 Page 2 of 3 EXTRACT OF WESTINGHOUSE TECHNICAL BULLETIN NSD-TB-81-14 (continued)
-INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS Westinghouse recommends the following interim measures for normally de-energized and normally energized NBFD relays.
(A) NORMALLY DE-ENERGIZED APPLICATIONS In normally de-energized applications, test for continuity of the relay coil and amend applicable test procedures to require a continuity test following every energized /de-energize cycle of the relay, including cycles required by periodic test procedures.
Westinghouse plants with provisions for on-line test capability can utilize these provisions to verify continuity of the NBFD relay coils.
Those plants which [do not] have on-line test capability should make use of portable test equipment to verify the continuity for each N8FD relay coil.
(a) Plants with on-line test capability:
Utilize established test procedures normally used during periodic on-line testing. These procedures which utilize the white test lamps provide indication of coil continuity.
(b) Plants without on-line test capability:
Utilize a volt-ohm meter to check resistance across the NBFD relay coil leads.
If relays are connected in parallel, use the parallel resistance law to determine if any coil is open.
If any parallel combination gives indication of an open coil, each individual coil must be checked to determine the failed coil.
(B) NORMALLY ENERGIZED APPLICATIONS Although open relay coils in normally energized applications result in the system (i.e. reactor trip) falling into a safe state tending to trip the reactor, Westinghouse recommends the following: When the relay is energized (after a previous de-energization), visually verify that the i
armature has moved to the pulled-in position by observing the pushbuttons atop the contact assembly.
The relay is energized if the pushbuttons protrude from the assembly by no more than 1/8 inch.**
- NOTE: Manual depression of pushbuttons should result in no inward movement of the armature of an energized relay and may be used if desired in lieu of visual verification.
IN 82-02 January 27, 1982 Page 3 of 3 EXTRACT OF WESTINGHOUSE TECHNICAL BULLETIN NSD-TB-81-14 (continued)
LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS
' Relays manufactured after January 1,1981 incorporate additional (mylar) insulating material which has been confirmed by tests to resolve coil burnout by high voltage spikes generated when the relay coil current is interrupted.
It is recommended that the utility consider installing this improved coil during the next scheduled outage.
Relay coils with improved insulating material manufactured after January 1981 bear the style number 1271C50G01 and a date code, visible on the unmounted coil.
Those coils manufactured after October 28, 1981 bear the style number 1293C51G01 such that code date verification is unnecessary.
Contact your Westinghouse Nuclear Service Division representative...for additional information pertaining to replacement coils.
To preclude excessive heating of the NBFD relay coil and degradation of coil in-sulation, Westinghouse reaffirms its recommendations for review of station battery charging procedures, such that the NBFD relay coils should not be subject to battery equalization voltages in excess of the coil rating. Caution should be exercised to ensure that cnarging voltage be limited to 140 VDC and that charging at 140 VDC be limited to 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> duratice, if the previous charging period [ occurred]...less than 30 days [previously].
APPLICABILITY The information in this bulletin does not apply to Westinghouse plants using a Solid State Protection System.
8a IN 82-02 January 27, 1982 RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Subject Date Issued to Notice No.
Issued 82-01 Auxiliary Feedwater 01/26/82 All holders of a Pump Lockout Resulting power reactor from Westinghouse W OL or CP Switch Circuit Modi-fication 81-39 EPA Crosscheck Program 12/23/81 All holders of a Low-Level Radiciodine power reactor In Water Intercomparison OL or CP Study 81-38 Potentially Significant 12/17/81 All holders of a Equipment Failures power reactor Resulting from Contam-OL or CP tamination of Air Operated Systems 81-37 Unnecessary Radiation 12/15/81 Selected Material Exposures to the Public Licensees and Workers During Events Involving Thickness and Level Measuriri Devices 81-36 Replacement Diaphrams 12/3/81 All holders of a for Robertshaw Valve power reactor (Model No. VC-210)
OL or CP 81-35 Check Valve Failures 12/2/81 All holders of a power reactor OL or CP 81-34 Accidental Actuation 11/16/81 All holders of a of Public Notification power reactor System OL or CP 81-33 Locking Devices 11/9/81 All holders of a Inadequately Installed power reactor on Main Steam Isolation OL or CP Valves 81-32 Transfer and/or 10/23/81 All holders of Disposal of Spent material licenses Generators as designated by IE i
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