ML20196B844
| ML20196B844 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/30/1988 |
| From: | Stone J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Lainas G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8812070055 | |
| Download: ML20196B844 (14) | |
Text
r-h.
November 30, 1988 MEMORANDUM FOR:
Gus C. Lainas, Assistant Director for Region 11 THRU:
David B. Matthews, Director Project Directorate 11-3 Division of Reactor Projects -I/II FROM:
James C. Stone, Project Manager Project Directorate 11-3 Division of Reactor Projects -1/II
SUBJECT:
MEETING BETWEEN NRR AND NUMARC TO EXCHANGE INFORitATION ON SUBSTANDARD ELECTRICIAL EQUIPMENT On Tuesday, November 22, 1988, NRR management and staff met with members of NUMARC to exchange information in regard to substandard electrical equipment issues. A sumary of this meeting and a list of attendees is enclosed for your information.
A handout that was distributed during the meeting is also enclosed.
In addition, a copy of a letter the National Electrical Manufactures Association to NASA and a prest release concerning Westinghouse activities are enclosed.
F/ David B.
Matthews James C. Stone, Project Manager Project Directorate 11-3 Division of Reactor Projects -1/11 Office of Nuclear Regulation
Enclosure:
1.
Meeting Sumary 2.
List of Attendees 3.
Outline, Industry Initiative 4.
Press Release i
g ?l y
,)[
'I lb,
P
'l -
I-3 pp3 g/ }Q'h)
@JStone:sw 0Matthews
\\
'y 0/40/88
\\\\ /p /88 l\\\\
es12070055 G81130 h
PDR REVGP ERON C
ij
i
SUMMARY
OF NRC/HUMARC MEETING ON NOVEMBER 22, 1988 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT to On Tuesday, Noverber '22,1988, NRR management and staff met with renbers of NUMARC to discuss the idustry initiative being developed by NUMARC to address substandard circuit breakers. Because Bulletin 88-10 had been recently issued, j
i NUMARC will compare the initiative with the bulletin and revise the initiative i
i l
accordingly.
t L
L a
l i
1 e
I I
)
I L
l
Enclocuro 2 ATTENDEE LIST Name ORGANIZATION Jim Stone NRC/NRR PD I-2 Faust Rosa NRR/ DEST /SELB Bill Brach NRR/DRIS/VIB Russ Bell NEMA Bill Rasin NUHARC Alen Marion NUMARC Jeff Jacobson NRR/DRIS/VIB Rich McIntyre NRR/DRIS/VIB Ray Wharton NRR/DLPQ/PQEB Tony Gody HRR/DLPR/PQEB S) Weiss NRC/ SOP Pay Clausen NRC/NRR/DRIS Kamal Naidu NRC/NRR/DRP David Matthews NRC/NRR/DRP Carl H. Berlinger NRC/NRR/00EA/0GCB Brian Grimes NRC/NRR/DRIS Paul Gill NRC/NRR/SELB Jaime Guillen NRC/NRR/0GCB
PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE INDUSTRY INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS SUBSTANDARD CIRCUIT BREAKERS INITIATIVE WILL FOCUS ON:
o IDENTIFYING SR AND NSR BREAKERS FROM KNOWN SUSPECT SUPPLIERS o
REMOVAL OF SUSPECT BREAKERS FROM SERVICE OR STOCK o
PREVENTING ADDITIONAL SUSPECT BREAKERS FROM BEING ACCEPTED ON SITE
ELCMENT ONE:
PROCUREMENT REVIEW o
IDENTIFY SUSPECT SUPPLIERS:
1.
IDENTIFIED BY NRC 2.
IDENTIFIED BY INDUSTRY o
REVIEW PROCUREMENT ACTIVITY IN PAST 5
YEARS WITH IDENTIFIED SUPPLIERS 1.
FOR SR AND NSR ORDERS 2.
DIRECT WITH IDENTIFIED SUPPLIERS 3.
INDIRECT VIA DISTRIBUTORS A.
VIA DROP SHIPMENT B.
FROM DISTRIBUTOR STOCK o
IDENTIFY SUSPECT BREAKERS o
INFORM NUMARC 0F FINDINGS
ELEMENT TWO:
WAREHOUSE INSPECTION o
EXTERNAL INSPECTION OF SR AND NSR BREAKER INVENTORY o
BASED ON MANUFACTURER GUIDANCE o
PLACE SUSPECT BREAKERS ON HOLD o
ATTEMPT TO CORRELATE THE SOURCE OF SUSPECT BREAKERS VIA PROCUREMENT REVIEW o
INFORM NUMARC 0F FINDINGS
4 ELEMENT THREE:
PLANT WALKDOWN FOR SUSPECT BREAKERS IDENTIFIED FROM ELEMENTS 1 AND 2:
SAFETY-RELATED:
1.
LOCATE INSTALLED BREAKERS 2.
REPLACE OR PREPARE JC0 PENDING l
REPLACEMENT OR EVALUATION l
NON-SAFETY-RELATED:
l l
BEST EFFORTS TO LOCATE INSTALLED BREAKERS REPLACE OR
- EVALUATE, i
DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER AND TYPE IDENTIFIED (PLACE SUSPECT BREAKERS ON HOLD)
ELEMENT FOUR:
IMPROVE PROCUREMENT PRACTICES 1.
SPECIFY "NEW" FOR ALL FUTURE i
PURCHASE ORDERS t
2.
ENSURE BREAKERS ACCEPTED IN THE FUTURE ARE
- NEW, INCLUDING ORDERS PENDING i
(MORE COMPREHENSIVE CHANGES TO l
PROCUREMENT PRACTICES WILL BE i
FORTHCOMING FROM NUMARC NPEP WG) l
ELEMENT FIVE:
POPULATION ASSESSMENT AND SUBSEQUENT ACTION S
o ELEMENTS 1, 2 AND 3 WILL:
1.
ESTABLISH THE NATURE AND SIZE OF THE SUSPECT BREAKER POPULATION 2.
REMOVE SUSPECT BREAKERS FROM SERVICE AND P0TENTIAL SERVICE i
o NUMARC WILL RECOMMEND A COURSE FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTION AS APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE INITIATIVE RESULTS R.EGARDING:
A.
THE SUSPECT POPULATION B.
THE NEED FOR FURTHER UTILITY REVIEW I
^
,c PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE INDUSTRY INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS SUBSTANDARD CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOCUS:
o ESTABLISH THE POPULATION OF SUSPECT M0LDED CASE CIRCUIT BREAKERS (SR AND NSR) o REMOVE THEM FROM SERVICE OR POTENTIAL SERVICE o
RE-ESTABLISH REASONABLE ASSURANCE IN CIRCUIT BREAKERS AT NUCLEAR FACILITIES o
PREVENT RECURRENCE OF THIS OR SIMILAR SCENARIO IN FUTURE
Enclocuro 4 k
National Electri:al Manufacturers Association
.(
~
2101 L Street, N.W. Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20037 1581 (202) 457 8400 Telex 904077 NEMA WSH November 21, 1988 Ms. Vicki Easterling Investigator Offico of the Investigator General NASA P.O.
Box 1088 Downey, Ca. 90240
SUBJECT:
Rebuilt Circuit Breakers
Dear Ms. Easterling:
As you know from our discussion, NEMA's Molded Casa Breaker Section is extremely concerned, for a number of reasons, over the fact that it appears that one or more companies may be rebuilding circuit breakers, and ropackaging and resolling them as now.
We are concerned that 1) sinco manufacturer's tests indicate that at least some of these rebuilt products may not operate to fulfill their intended saf ety function, a safety hazard may be prosentod; and 2) since the rebuilder may falsely represent such product as heing now, the original equipment manufacturer may be prosanted with additional liability exposure and/or loss of user confidence in the manufacturer's products.
In that regard, we are currently working to 1) provide NAC and tWMARC with guidance related to circuit breaker inspection and pe r f ormance verification; 2) establish some recommendations regarding the possible scope / limitations of a suggestod 3rd Party Cortification Program for robuilt circuit breakors; and
- 3) undortako a public awaronoss/oducation program intended to advise both the gonoral user public and circuit breaker rebuilders of the potontial hazat'do involved in the impropor robuilding 7f circuit b; aakers.
I would liko to taxo this opportunity to of fer our atiuistanco, however we can, in aringing the current situation to a swift resolution. As a indication of the level of our involvement with NRC and NUMARC, I have included copion of some of our correspondence with thoso organizations.
If you have any questions please feel free to give me a ca,ll ator we may be of any assistance,
,(202) 457-8447.
sincerely, i
fhCs I
Robert W. Baird Division Staff Executive l
i cc: T.F. on Rebuilt
(
I I
l i
[
t I
Enclosuro 5 i
\\
From: HQ. DISTRIBUTIONS (WTX1447) Posted:
Thu 17 Nov-88 8:20 EST Sys 38 (52)
Subject:
Press Release from Michael Stock
Contact:
Michael J. Stock Telephone:
(412) 642 3424 FOR USE:
Imediate WESTINGHOUSE FILES SUIT REGA?. DING MISLABELED, RECONDITIONED CIRCUIT BREAKERS PITTSBURGH, Nov. 16 Westinghouse Electric Corporation has filed suit against 11 companies in southern California for alleged violations of trademark laws in the sale of Westinghouse circuit breakers.
The legal actions, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, charge the defendants with allegedly selling used, surplus, and remanufactured Westinghouse molded case circuit breakers as new, and with applying counterfeit Westinghouse labels to the circuit breakers.
Westinghouse is seeking damages for the alleged violations and injunctions against such sales.
The 11 companies named in the lawsuits are: General Circuit Breaker
& Electric Supply, General Magnetics / Electric Wholesale, HLC Electric Supply Co., California Breakers, ATS Circuit Breakers, AC Circuit Breaker Dan Luckow Electric, Luckow Circuit Breakers, Molded Case Circuit Breakers, Panelboard Specialties Wholesale Electric, and Rosen's Electrical Equipment Co.
The lawsuits were filed after an extensive investigation during which Westinghouse examined approximately 200 suspect circuit breakers.
"Circuit breakers are the principal protective device for low voltage power distribution systems," said Gordon Dore', product line manager for Westinghouse molded case circuit breakers.
"We believe that many of the products that we examined and tested represent a potential safety hazard and endangerment to the public welfare.
"We feel this kind of activity, if widespread, would disparage the integrity of the Westinghouse name and our technical reputation in molded case circuit breakers and, therefore, explains our decision to pursue legal action,' Mr. Dore' said.
Last week, the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) served search warrants on four of these defendants (Dan Luckow Electric, Luckow Circuit Breakers, Panelboard Specialties and Rosen's Electrical Equipment Co.) and scized business records and a number of circJit breakers. Tie NRC's action was taken, in significant part, as a result of the information gathered during W6stinghouse's investigation.
ffN20 46ff 1185
' SEND E MAIL REPLIES TO STOCK.M.J'
r DISTRIBUTION FOR SUBSTANDARD ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT HEMORANDUM DATED: November 29, 1988 Central-File PDR PDIl-3 Reading J. Taylor 17-G-13 P. Gill 8-D-20 T. Murley 12-G-18 D. Basdekas NLN344 G. Lainas 14-H-3 F. Hawkins 10-H-8 D. Crutchfield 13-A-2 C. Berlinger 11-A-1 F. Miraglia 12-G-18 H. Miller Rill F. Gillespie 12-G-18 J. Guillen 11-A-1 J. Sniezek 12-G-18 M. Clauson 16-H-3 T. Martin 12-G-18 R. Wharton 10-A-19 B. Grimes 9-A-2 J. Jacobson 9-0-4 C. Rossi 11-E-4 L. Shao 8-E-2 E. Brach 9-0-4 K. Naidu 9-D-4 F. Rosa 8-D-20 W. Lanning 11-E-22 S. Varga 14-E-4 B. Boger 14-A-2 D. Matthews 14-H-25 H. Rood 14-H-25 J. Stone 14-H-21 OGC-WF 15-B-18 E. Jordan MNBB-3302 A. Thadani 7-E-4 H. Schechter 3-H-5 M. Rubin 7-E-4 J. Knight 8-D-20 J. Del Pedico 16-G-19
- 5. Salomon 3-D-23 D. Muller 13-0-1 P. Shemanski 13-D-1 R. Newlin 2-G-5 K. Eccleston 14-H-3 W. Hutchison 3-E-4 L. Baker 9-D-4 S. Stein 9-A-1 F. Congel 10-D-4 U. Potapovs 9-0-4 J. Roe 10-H-5 W. Kane RI E. Greenman Rl!!
L. Reyes Ril J. Collen RIV D. Kirsch RV T. Speis RES, NL-007 R. Bernero PNSS, 6-A-4 J. Liberman 7-H-5 S. Weiss 10 H-19 W. Haass 9-D-4 W. Bulter 14-E-21 S. Goldberg O!A, PNEG 8607
.