ML20062A642

Forwards IE Bulletin 78-12 Atypical Weld Matl in Reactor Pressure Vessel Welds Requesting Action in 60 Days.List of Bulletins Issued in 1978 Encl

ML20062A642
Person / Time
Site:	Sterling
Issue date:	09/29/1978
From:	Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Arthur J ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP.
References
IEB-78-12, NUDOCS 7810170003
Download: ML20062A642 (6)

Text

i BA UNITED S*ATES

+ f '8ctic,, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ie4 REGION I

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-[ 631 PARK AVENUE k / x NG CF PRUSSI A. PENNSYL.VANI A 19406 September 29, 1978

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Docket No. 50 485 Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation ATTN: Mr. J. E. Arthur Chief Engineer 89 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14649 Gentlemen:

Enclosed is IE Bulletin No. 78-12 which requires action by you with regard to your power reactor facility (ies) with an operating license or a construction permit, with specified exceptions.

Should you have questions regarding this Eulletin or the actions required of you, please contact this office.

Sincerely, Mh Boyce H. Grier h%

Director

Enclosures:

1. IE Bulletin No. 78-12

2. List of IE Bulletins Issued in 1978

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cc w/encis:

C. R. Anderson, Manager, QA Lex X. Larson, Esquire N. A. Pctrick, Executive Director, SNUPPS Gerald Charnoff, Esquire

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l UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

.' IE Bulletin No. 78-12 Date: September 29, 1978 Page 1 cf 3 ATYPICAL WELD MATERIAL IN REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL WELDS Description of Circumstances:

On August 4,1978, the NRC was informed by the Duke Power Company and the Babcock and Wilcox Company (B&W) that the weld wire used in some of the reactor vessel welds in Oconee Unit No. 3 may have differed from that speci fied. A chemical analysis of one samole of archive material by B&W disclosed that the nickel content was measured to be 0.1 percent (versus 0.45 to 0.8 percent nominal specified) and the silicon content was measured to be 1.0 percent (versus 0.3 to 0.6 percent nominal specified).

The heat of weld metal in question was supplied by the Page Company, a Division of the American Chain & Cable Co., Bowling Green, Kentucky to B&W, the manufacturer of the Oconee Unit No. 3 vessel. Further checks by B&W of its records have identified eleven additional vessels in which the incorrect weld material may have been used. Owners of these vessels have been notified.

The NRC staff has made a determination of the possible effects on reactor vessel integrity of the use, or possible use, of the imoroper weld material . Weldments containing the atypical material are likely to have higher than normal nil-ductility transition temperature characteristics.

Therefore to maintain reactor vessel safety margins, imolementation of new conservative pressure / temperature operating limits may be required.

While the scecific problem has been identified as possibly affecting twelve vessels manufactured by B&W, it is not possible to conclude in the absence of specific information that similar atypical weld material was not also supplied to other vessel manufacturers and used in reactor pressure vessel fabrication.

Action To Be Taken By Licensees and Permit Holders:

For all pcwer reactor facilities with an operating license or a construction atypical weldpermit, materiale{: cept those already identified as possibly having 1 The twelve nuclear units identified as having possible atypical pressure vessel weldments are: Three Mile Island Unit Nos.1 and 2, Crystal River Unit No. 3, Arkansas Nuclear One Unit No.1, Oconee -

Unit No. 3, Rancho Seco Unit No.1, Midland Unit No.1, Guad Cities Unit No. 2, Brcwns Ferry Unit No.1, Turkey Point Unit No. A and

[ Zion Unit Nos.1 and 2.

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l IE Bulletin No. 78-12 1 September 29, 1978 Page 2 of 3 c 1: Conduct a record search 2 of all primary reactor pressure vessel

-' weldments (excluding cartial penetration welds) and sutmit the following informatien3:

a. The principal vessel manufacturer. If other manufacturers were utilized, identify those comoanies and the weldments completed by those firms.

b. The type and form of weld materials and the identifying heat

< and lot numbers used in each weldment.

c. The weld material manufacturer (s) and the types and for n of materials supplied.

d. The specified properties of the weld materials and the completed weldments (Chemistry, tensile and impact properties, as appropriate).

2. Describe the procedures utilized during fabrication to verify confomance to the specifications. Specifically provide the follcwing:

a. Describe the type, number and dates of tests performed en welding materials to satisfy the material conformance testing requirements for each heat, lot or combination of heat and batch, etc., of welding materials used in the construction or repair of the reactor pressure vessel in you: facility. Indicate whether each heat, lot or batch subdivision (coil or spcol) was tested and the extent of such testing, i.e., were both ends of a coil or scool of wire tested for each sub-arc flux-wire combination or heat-flux batch combination,

b. Describe the type, number and dates of other tests such as procedure qualification, welder perfomance tests, in-process checks on post-weld tests which were performed.

4 The record search may be performed by the vessel manufacturer and the requested information reviewed as approoriate by each licensee prior to

. forwarding to the NRC. It is not the intent of this Bulletin to require each licensee to individually examine manufacturing records of a generic nature. Records of noncenforming conditions that may be identified by the manufacturer and are uniouely applicable to a specific vessel should hcwever be carefully examined by the owner.

3 Some of the infomation requested by this Bulletin may have been -

previously supplied to the NRC under the Surveillance Pmgram.

Information previcusly sucmitted may be referenced in lieu of resubmittal.

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c. For each of the tests described in 2(a) and 2(b) above, describe the parameters of each test and provide the results obtained. Identify the applicability to specific weldments by correlation of heat, lot or batch as appropriate.

3. Identify those cases of weld filler material which did not meet procurement specifications based on ver1 Ncation tests, i.e.

mechanical or chemical properties. Describe the disposition action taken or the acceptance basis for utilization in vessel fabrication. In such cases, discuss the effect that the atypical weld composition has on the fracture toughness of the weld metal.

4. Provide information on the availability of archiva weld materials which might b,e used for verification purposas.

5. Please provide your response in writing within 60 days. Reports should be submitted to the Director of the acpropriate NRC Regional Office and a copy should be forwarded to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Inspection and Enforcement, Division of Reactor Construct'3n Inspection, Washington, D.C. 20555.

Approved by GAO, B180225 (R0072); clearance expires 7/31/80. Aporoval was given under a blanket clearance specifically for identified generic probl ems.

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IE Bulletin No. 78-12 September 29, 1978 Page 1 of 2 LISTING OF IE BULLETINS

, . ISSUED IN 1978 Bulletin Subject Date Issued Issued To No.

78-01 Flammable Contact - 1/16/78 All Power Reactor Arm Retainers in G.E. Facilities with an CR120A Relays Operatin9 License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP) 78-02 Terminal Block 1/30/78 All Power Reactor Qualification Facilities with an OL or CP 78-03 Potential Explosive 2/8/78 All BWR Power Gas Mixture Accumula- Reactor Facilities tions Associated with with an OL or CP BWR Offgas System Operations 78-04 Environmental Quali- 2/ 21 / 78 All Power Reactor fication of Certain Facilities with an Stem Mounted Limit OL or CP Switches Inside Reactor Containment 78-05 Malfunctioning of 4/14/78 All Power Reactor Circuit Breaker Facilities with an Auxiliary Contact OL or CP Mechanism-General Model CR105X 78-06 Defective Cutler- 5/31 / 78 All Power Reactor Facilities with an

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Hammer, Type M Relays With DC Coils OL or CP 78-07 Protection afforded 6/12/78 11 Power Reactor by Air-Line Respirators Facilities with an and Supplied-Air Hoods OL, all Class E and F Research Reactors with an CL, all Fuel Cycle Facilities with an CL, and all Priority 1 Material icensees e

1 IE Bulletin No. 78-12 September 29, 1978 Page 2 of 2

, . LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN 1978 l

Bulletin Subject Date Issued Issued To No.

78-08 Radiation Levels from 6/12/78 All Power, Test, and Fuel Element Transfer Research Reactor Tubes Facilities with an OL having r;el Element Transfer Tubes.

78-09 BWR Drywell Leakage 6/14/78 All BWR Power Paths Assrciated with Reactor Facilities Inadequate. Drywell with an OL (for action)

Closures or CP (for information).

78-10 Bergen-Paterson 6/27/78 All Power Hydraulic Shock Reactor Facilities Suppressor Accumulator with an OL or CP.

Spring coils 78-11 Examination of Mark I 7/ 21/ 78 BWR Power Reactor Containment Torus Facilities with an OL Welds for action: Peach Bottom 2 and 3, Quad Cities 1 and 2, Hatch 1, Monticella and Vermont Yankee. All other BWR Power Reactor Facilities with an OL for information.

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