ML20149H945
| ML20149H945 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/22/1997 |
| From: | Richards S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Bender R YUASA EXIDE, INC. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20149H948 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99900358, REF-QA-99900359 99900358-97-01, 99900358-97-1, 99900359-97-01, 99900359-97-1, NUDOCS 9707250266 | |
| Download: ML20149H945 (4) | |
Text
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'y-t UNITED STATES i
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Ej NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f'
i' WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 v
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July 22, 1997 Mr. Richard P. Bender i
Vice President Yuasa.Exide,-Inc.
i 2366 Bernville Road, Post Office Box 14145, j
Reading, Pennsylvania 19612 i
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION REPORTS 99900358/97-01 AND 99900359/97-01, NOTICE OF VIOLATION, AND NOTICE OF NONCONFORMANCE
Dear Mr. Bender:
On March 4-7, 1997, and on April 28-May 2, 1997, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted an inspection at the Yuasa-Exide, Inc. (YEI),
j facilities at Reading, Pennsylvania, and Richmond, Kentucky, respectively.
The enclosed report presents the results of those inspections.
i During the inspections, the NRC inspectors found that certain of your i
activities appeared to be in violation of NRC requirements.
Specifically, the inspectors determined that contrary to Section 21.21 of Part 21 of Title 10 of the Code of federal Regulations (10 CFR 21.21), YEI failed to inform all j
applicable licensees that certain YEI GN type battery cells that were manufactured between October 1992 and December 1992 could potentially have
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less than the manufacturer's publicized rated capacity of 8-hours.
YEI sent letters to Southern California Edison (San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station) and Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (Perry Nuclear Power Plant).
informing these affected licensees of this deviation in GN type battery cells pursuant to 10 CFR 21.21(b), but not to the Washington Public Power Supply System (Washington Nuclear Plant, Unit-2).
3 This violation is cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation (N0V), and. the i
circumstances surrounding the violation are described in detail in the enclosed report.
Please note that you'are required to respond to.this letter and should follow-the ir,structions specified in the enclosed NOV when r
preparing your response.
The NRC will use your response, in part, to i-determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance l
with regulatory requirements.
In addition, the NRC found that the implementation of the YEI quality F'
assurance program failed to meet certain NRC requirements imposed on you by your customers.
YEI did not comply with its Quality Assurance Manual requirements regarding documenting. nonconforming material upon the failure of 2GN-15 cells for the San.Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Also, the measures YEI established for review of suitability of application of purchased parts and materials to be used in Class 1E batteries and verification that those purchased parts and materials met the procurement specifications were inadequate.
The specific findings and references to the pertinent f
requirements are identified in the enclosures of this letter.
I 9707250266 970722 PDR GA999 EMVYUASA
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Mr. Bender July 22, 1997 The failure of the San Onofre cells has potentially generic implications. The l
apparent susceptibility of the 2GN cell to premature loss of capacity at elevated temperatures may be indicative of an inherent weakness in some aspect of the design or manufacturing process.
Should this be the case, it could result in the inability of station batteries to maintain required voltage for the required time under certain design basis conditions.
In particular, elevated ambient temperatures due to loss of air conditioning during design basis events such as station blackout may impact the station batteries' ability to perform their safety function. The NRC believes that this potential deviation from YEI's published product performance claims should be thoroughly investigated.
If it is found to be a deviation, all affected licensees or purchasers should be informed in accordance with 10 CFR 21.21(b).
Please provide us within 30 days from the date of this letter a written statement in accordance with the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice of Nonconformance. We will consider extending the response time if you can show good cause for us to do so.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR).
Sincerely,
/s
/
Stuart A Richards, Chief Special Inspection Branch Division of Inspection and Support Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 99900358, 99900359
Enclosures:
1.
Notice of Nonconformance 3.
Inspection Report 99900358,359/97-01 Distribution:
PSIB R/F-Project Managers For:
Central Files / RIDS IE:09 SONGS Docket Files 99900358 and 99900359 Perry PUBLIC WNP-2 SNSaba Crystal River Indian Point-3 DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\NAIDU\\YEI.IR
- See previous concurrence To rtceive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C" - Copy without enclosures "E" = Copy with enclosures "N* = No copy 0FFICE PSIB: DISP l
PSIB: DISP l PSIB: DISP l
PSIB: DISP l E PSIB: DISP l NAME KRNaidu: mas
- SAlexander*
JPetrosino*
GCwalina*
SRichards*
DATE 07/22/97 07/10/97 07/22/97 07/22/97 07/22/97 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
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Mr. Bender '
The failure of the San Onofre cells has potentially generic implications.
The apparent susceptibility of the 2GN cell to premature loss of capacity at elevated temperatures may be indicative of an inherent weakness in some aspect of the design or manufacturing process.. Should this be the case, it could result in.the inability of station batteries to maintain required voltage for i
the required time under certain design basis conditions.
In particular, elevated ambient temperatures due to loss of air conditioning during design basis events such as station blackout may impact the station batteries' ability to perform their safety function.
The NRC believes that this potential deviation from YEI's published product performance claims should be thoroughly investigated.
If it is found to be a deviation, all affected j
licensees or purchasers should be informed in accordance with 10 CFR 21.21(b).
Please provide us within 30 days from the date of this letter a written statement in accordance with the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice 4
of Nonconformance.
We will consider extending the response time if you can l
show good cause for us to do so.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR).
Sincerely,
/
/
Stuart A Richards, Chief Special Inspection Branch Division of Inspection and Support. Programs 1
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 4
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Docket Nos. 99900358, 99900359
Enclosures:
1.
Notice of Nonconformance 3.
Inspection Report 99900358,359/97-01 Dyg g.m qqqo 0368 M 94 '? o o 3 M Distribution:
PSIB R/F P u s u c--
Central Files / Rios umS 1
Project Managers for:
SONGS Perry WNP-2 Crystal River Indian Point-3 SS~bo--#
DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\NAIDU\\YEI IR i
To ricsive a copy of this document, indicate in the boa: "C' = Copy without enclosuq "E* = Copy wit) enclosures "N" = No copy 0FFICE PSIJ:P?gP l6 PSIB: DISP E
PSIB:DISPN WEE PSIBlG15F l E PSIB: DISP l @
NAME
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T 07/M/97 07/j2/)d97 i
V 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
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- D Mr. Bender d The failure of the San Onofre cells has potentially generic implications.
The 4
apparent susceptibility of the 2GN cell to premature loss of capacity at elevated temperatures may be indicative of an inherent weakness in some aspect of the design or manufacturing process.
Should this be the case, it could result in the inability of station batteries to maintain required voltage for the required time under certain design basis conditions.
In particular, elevated ambient temperatures due to loss of air conditioning during design basis events such as station blackout may impact the station batteries' ability to perform their safety function. The NRC believes that this potential deviation from YEI's published product performance claims should be thoroughly investigated.
If it is found to be a deviation, all affected licensees or purchasers should be informed in accordance with 10 CFR 21.21(b).
Please provide us within 30 days from the date of this letter a written statement in accordance with the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice i
of Nonconformance.
We will consider extending the response time if you can show good cause for us to do so.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR).
Sincerely, i
r f
w h p :r>~
Stuart A. Richards, Chief Special Inspection Branch Division of Inspection and Support Programs E
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 99900358, 99900359
Enclosures:
1.
Notice of Nonconformance 3.
Inspection Report 99900358,359/97-01
_