ML20056G650
| ML20056G650 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/07/1993 |
| From: | Ang W NRC |
| To: | Faulkenberry B NRC COMMISSION (OCM), NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20056G560 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9309070014 | |
| Download: ML20056G650 (2) | |
Text
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yjN 0 7 1933 MEMORANDUM FOR: Bobby Faulkenberry, Regional Administrator i
Region V
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NRC Commissioners FROM:
W. P. Ang, Chief Engineering Section Division of Reactor Safety and Projects
SUBJECT:
COMMENTS ON CONSOLIDATION STUDY REPORT A review of the Regions IV and V consolidation study has resulted in several concerns and comments and recommendations for your consideration.
All options provided by the consolidation study result in a decrease of inspection effort and a decrease in inspectors that are needed for power reactors.
At a time when power reactors are aging, many existing technical issues continue and new problems are developing. These problems necessitate a continued level, if not an increase, of inspections. Definitely not a decrease, if the agency mission of protecting the health and safety of the public is to be accomplished.
Some of the problems that I am sure you are well aware of are as follows:
Steam Generator (SG) tube degradation - The recent Palo Verde SG tube rupture has necessitated expanded licensee tube inspections. These inspections have identified free span axial cracks, intergranular attack, outside diameter (0.D.) intergranular stress corrosion cracking associated with linear deposits on the 0.D. of a significant number of tubes.
Free span axial cracks have recently been reported in two other United States reactors.
Free span axial cracks associated with linear deposits have not been previously reported. This is a problem that has potential generic implications and needs increased inspection effort.
Motor Operated Valve (MOV) failures - Palo Verde and San Onofre recently e
experienced failures to operate auxiliary feedwater motor operated valves despite performance of required inspections and tests of those valves.
These are but two examples of many similar problems nationwide.
In San l
Onofre's w.perience, the valve could also not be opened with the manual handwheel and a (4 inch wrench was needed to get the valve to open.
NRC inspections of licensee actions for assurance of design adequacy and operability of MOVs needs to be increased.
Weaknesses of licensee engineering activities - A core power oscillation j
e occurred at a BWR, MNP-2, in August of 1992 due to weaknesses in engineering actions associated with the core reload design and weaknesses in engineering interface with operations to avoid or minimize power operations using plant parameters susceptible to core power oscillations.
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At the same plant, potential inaccuracy of reactor water level instruments during a down power were not sufficiently technically recognized. These are also only two examples of many other licensee engineering weaknesses. A continued, if not increased, level of inspection of licensee engineering activities is needed.
These are but a few of a litany of issues / problems (i.e. maintenance, station blackout, fire protection, thermolag, etc) that confirm a need for increased 1
inspection effort at power reactors rather than a decrease. While budget and manpower cuts may be mandated for the agency, these cuts should not and cannot be made at the expense of the inspection staff if the public health and safety is to be protected.
1 A review of all options provided by the consolidation study will show that the i
engineering inspection staff will decrease.
Furthermore, management and control of the engineering inspection staff will be reduced.
Implementation of any of the options has a direct impact in the agency's ability to protect the pubic health and safety.
I recommend that all options of the i
consolidation study be reietted, the inspection staff be increased or left at the current level, and that mandated cuts be made in areas where licenses have not been issued or applied for (ex. advanced reactor projects).
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b W. P. Ang, Ch ef Engineering Section CC*
Congr. George Miller, D. CA l
I 118
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