ML20062G369

Forwards IE Bulletin 78-14

ML20062G369
Person / Time
Site:	Summer
Issue date:	12/19/1978
From:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Mary Johnson SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS CO.
References
NUDOCS 7812280034
Download: ML20062G369 (1)

Text

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. k .- 'A U 4 UNITED STATES ht2 ,g(g NUCLEAR REGULAYORY COMMISSION

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In Reply Refer To: Jh /7/7s' .

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- South Carolina Electric and Gas Company Attn: Mr. M. C. Johnson, Vice President 4 and Group Executive - Special i Services and Purchasing P. O. Box 764 Columbia, South Carolina 29218 O Gentlemen:

The enclosed Bulletin 78-14 is forwarded to you for information. No written response is required. If you desire additional information regarding this matter, please contact this office.

Sincerely,

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t ames P. Reilly l Directo 3

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Enclosures:

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- Qm 1. IE Bulletin 78-14 l i 2. List of IE Balletins

.! Issued in 1978 l l cc w/ encl:

H. I. Donnelly, Jr.

j Quality Assurance I  ? P. O. Box 8 i Jenkinsville, South Carolina 29065 l

T. B. Conners, Jr.

! Conners, Moore and Corber i 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.

f Washington, D. C. 20006 l

l l  ; 781228 co7f(

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UNITED STATES T.}

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

'] 0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

' WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 December 19, 1978

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. y ;"; IE Bulletin No. 78-1L DETERIORATION OF BUNA-N COMPONENTS IN ASCO SOLENOIDS Description of Circu= stances:

Following a reactor scra at the Monticello Nuclear Power Statien on July 27,1978, one control rod was determined to have a slov sera insertion time. While measuring the average control rod scrat insertion

times (as required by Technical Specifications), the same control rod h failed to sera =. Subsequent investigation revealed that a Buna-N in the scra pilot valve solenoid core assembly had fractured. S all disc j pieces of the Buna-N material vedged between the core asse=bly and the valve pilot body. This prevented proper move =ent of the core assently (plunger), and thus prevented the valve from properly venting centrol air from the scram valves. A similar event occurred during sera =

testing on June 5, 1978. On both occasions theIncontrol rod failed to these instances, had scra= during control rod surveillance testing.

a sera = occurred during normal operation of the reactor, the affected rods would have inserted by action of the backup sera: solenoid valves.

The reactor was placed in cold 3hutdown on July 28, 1978. All of the sera = pilot solenoid valves and sera = backup valves were disassentled and inspected. Six additional fractured Buna-N dises were found, a'l in

! sera = pilot solenoid valves. Northern States Power Company replaced the

.I plunger Buna-N discs in all 2L2 sera = pilot valves and the 2 backup O r.cra= va1ve -

In addition to the Monticelle failures, similar events were recently d reported from the Big Rock Point and Pilgric facilities. At Eig Rock 4

i Point, two failures were experienced in October while at Pilgric one failure was found in July and two in December. All cf these failurer

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vere encountered during surveillance testing.

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General Electric had previously issued Service Information Letters ,

1 SIL 128 (March 31, 1975) and EIL 128 Revision 1 (January 30, 1976),

addressing the deterioration through natural aginF of Puna-N components in CRD scram pilot valves. These letters recommended that a caintenance proEran be adopted which replaced certain Buna-N components in sera pilot valves on a regularly scheduled basis. However, the Buna-N diser

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- in the scrat pilot valve core assemblies were not included in these recommendations. As a result of the Monticello experience and sutsequent investigation, General Electrie has issued in August 1978, SIL 128 g; Revision 1, Supplement 1, which recommends that all Bh*P operators take ll3(.[; the following actions:

I' " Establish a preventive maintenance program to replace all core yN assemblies, diaphrag=s and associated parts in all CRD scra:

90 , pilot valves, backup scram valves, scra= discharge volu=e vent 9f34 and drain pilot valves, and scras discharge volume test valves,

, , at periodic intervals. The Buna-N parts used in these valves have

. at least a seven year shelf and in-service life fro = the packaginE date on the rebuild kit. Thus, the valves should be rebuilt O" periodically to assure that the Buna-N parts are not used in excess

' of seven years. It is reco== ended that the work be scheduled in any one outage such that the associated CRDs are selected fro: a distributed checkerboard pattern. The retaininE valves car. be rebuilt during subsequent outages."

For clarity, it is noted that the above seven year limit recommended by GE includes all of The time from packaging through installation to the end of service life. In addition, it is noted that the March 31,19~5 issue of SIL 12S stated that the design specification for Buna-3 specified a mini =ur design life of three years.

Action to be Taken by Licensees:

I For all GE Bb'E power reactor fa:ilities with an operating license:

() 1. Review Buna-N material appli:stions in your contrcl rod sera-systets and deter =ine the time since installation, and fer installei material, the time since pa:kaginr.

j 2. Report the results of the review set forth in ite: 1 abeve and describe your schedule for replacement, both in resp:nse te this

} Bulletin and for periodic maintenance.

J 3 Describe the bases for your schedule of replacenent identified in response to ite: 2 ab:ve. Justify any prep: sed re;;a:er.ent time in excess cf three years.

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k. Within h5 calendar days of the date of issue of this Bulletin, report in writing to the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office, the results of your review, schedule and bases J, for replacement with regard to Items 1 through 3 A copy of your

b j report should be sent to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Com=ission, Office of Inspection and Enforcement, Divisien of Reactor Operations Inspection, Washington, D.C. 20555

}l For all BWR facilities with a construction permit s'ad all other power

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' ' ',}. reactor facilities with an ope'ating r license or constructien perr.it,

._ i this Bulletin is for information only and no written respense is required.

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Approved by GAO B160225 (R0072); clearance expires 7/31/50. Appr val was given under a blanket clearance specifically for identified renerie proble=s.

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Enclosure:

List of IE Bulletins Issued in 1978

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r LISTING OF IE BULLETINS ISSUED IN 1978 I

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• Bulletin Subject Date Issued Issued Tc

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$ 7 8-01 Fla==able Contact - 1/16/78 All Power Reactor Arm Retainers in G.E. Facilities with an

): CR120A Relays OL or CF Y 78-02 Ter=inal Block 1/30/78 All Power Eea: tor Qualification Facilities with a.

os or er O

j 75-03 Potential Explosive 2/6/76 All BWE F:r.cer Gis Mixture Accu =ula- Reactor Fa ilities tions Associated with with an 11 cr OF BWR Offgas Syster.

Operations 78-OL Environmental Quali- 2/21/78 All Power Reactor fication of Certain Facilities with ar.

Ste= Mounted Li=it OL or CP Switches Inside Reactor Contain=ent I

i 76-05 Malfunctioning of L/1L/75 All Power Rea: tor Circuit Breaker Facilities with a=

OL or CF 0 Auxiliary Contact Mechanism-General Model CR.105X l

78-06 Defective Cutler- 5/31/76 All Pever Feart:r Ha==er Type M Relays Facilities with ar.

With DC Coils 01 or CF 78-07 Protection afforded 6/10'76 All Power Fearter by Air-Line Respirators Fa:ilities with a .

and Supplied-Air Hood: CL, a;; c: ass E and F Research Fearters with i

ar. OL, a;; Fue: CYele Facilitie: vith an OL, and all Prf erity ;

Material Licenseer i

Enclosure 1 l Pare 1 of .'

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- Date:

LISTING OF IE BULLETINS

- ISSUED IN 1978

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Bulletin Subject Date Issued Issued To

);. - No.

78-08 Radiation Levels from 6/12/78 All Power and Research Reactor

• d Fuel Element Transfer

.,' Tubes . Facilities with a

-Oe- Fuel Element

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transfer tube and an OL.

. f'y 78-09 BWR Dryvell Leakage 6/14/78 All BWR Power 3 aeacter raci11 ties

• 'j O retas Asseciated wita Inadequate Drywell with an OL or CP J. i Closures 78-10 Bergen-Paterson 6/27/78 All BWR Power Hydraulic Shock Reactor Facilities s

Suppressor Accumulator with an OL or CP Spring Coils 78-11 Examination of Mark 1 7/21/78 BWR Power Reactor Containment Torus Facilities for Welds action: Peach Bottom 2 and 3, Quad Cities I and

' 2. Hatch 1, Monti-cello and Vermont l Yankee h All Power Reactor 78-12 Atypical Weld Haterial 9/29/78 f in Reactor Pressure Facilities with an l- OL or CP i Vessel Welds78-12A Atypical Weld Material 11/24/78 All Power Reactor l

in Reactor Pressure Facilities with an Vessel Welds OL or CP L 78-13 Failures in Source Heads 10/27/78 All General and of Kay-Ray, Inc., Gauges Specific Licensees Models 7050, 70508, 7051 with Kay-Ray Cauges l 7051B, 7060, 70608, 7061 and 7061B Enclosure 1 Page 2 of 2 i

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