ML20050A849

Significant Deficiency Repts SD 413-414/82-05 Re Failure of Reset Switches to Establish Continuity When Depressed.All Contacts in safety-related Applications Operated on Infrequent Basis Will Be Replaced W/Goldplated Contacts

ML20050A849
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	03/11/1982
From:	Parker W DUKE POWER CO.
To:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
References
10CFR-050.55E, 10CFR-50.55E, NUDOCS 8204020327
Download: ML20050A849 (3)

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Mr. James P. O'Reilly, Regional Administrator p ,

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Region II 3 jp .., ,d 101 Marietta Street, Suite 3100 7 UQ,. ,, '

Atlanta, Georgia 30303 1 .m.

g '/0O ((g Re: Catawba Nuclear Station \

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Units 1 and 2 N IJ'c ' '.D' f Docket Nos. 50-413 and -414 kA

Dear Mr. O'Reilly:

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Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.55e, please find attached Significant Deficiency Report SD 413-414/82-05.

Very truly yours, jf,i //i)t > rj 6 l?CTA'O 0 i

William O. Parker, Jr. -ff,f-'/

RWO/php Attachment cc: Director Mr. Robert Guild, Esq.

Office of Inspection and Enforcement Attorney-at-Law U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 314 Pall Mall Washington, D. C. 20555 Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Mr. P. K. Van Doorn Palmetto Alliance NRC Resident Inspector 2135b Devine Street Catawba Nuclear Station Columbia, South Carolina 29205 l

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DUKE POWER COMPANY CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION Report Number: SD 413-414/82-05

_ Report Date: March 11, 1982 Facility: Catawba Nuc]: . cation Units 1 6 2 Identification of Deficiency:

Failure of E30AA switches to establish continuity due to contact film buildup. This deficiency was identified February 5, 1982.

Initial Report:

On February 12, 1982 Frank J. Long, NRC Region II, Atlanta, Georgia was notified of the deficiency by W. O. llenry, T. C. McMeekin, and J. E. Thomas of Duke Power Company, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Component and/or Supplier:

The components which failed to operate properly are E30KLA3 and E30KLA4 contact blocks (on E30AA switchoperators) manufactured by Cutler-Ilammer.

Description of Deficiency:

On December 12, 1981 while performing testing on the Engineered Safety Feature circuits at McGuire Unit 1, several initiate and reset switches failed to establish continuity when depressed. The switch assemblies consisted of E30AA operators with combinations of E30KLA3 and E30KLA4 contact blocks manufactured by Cutler-Hammer. This application controls 48 vde and 15 vde circuits and are exercised on an infrequent basis. (The NRC inspector onsite was notified of this problem the day of the incident and a formal Reportabic Occurrence Report No.81-188 was filed December 30, 1981.)

On December 23, 1981 a group of the E30 switches, including five failed units, were sent to Cutler-llammer for evaluation. Cutler-llammer concluded in their February 2, 1982 letter (received February 5, 1982) that the failure was due to an insulating film of silver sulfide on the silver contact faces. They indicated that this would normally not be a problem, but the infrequent use allowed enough silver sulfide to accumulate to prohibit continuity at the applied voltage.

Analysis of Safety Implications:

Several switch failures could result in inoperable system level manual initiation / reset of the Engineered Safety Features.

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Corrective Actions:

All contacts in safety-related applications controlling 48 volts or less which are operated on an infrequent basis will be replaced with goldplated contacts prior to fuel load.

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