ML20236B533
| ML20236B533 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 05/04/1987 |
| From: | Kahle J, Ross W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236B513 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-424-87-27-01, 50-424-87-27-1, IEIN-86-106, NUDOCS 8707290139 | |
| Download: ML20236B533 (5) | |
See also: IR 05000424/1987027
Text
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's AT L ANTA, GEORGI A 30323 ] , ,o$ % %,x 4 u.** MEY n 91987 Report No.: 50-424/87-27 i i ' Licensee: Georgia Power Company P. O. Box 4545 ' Atlanta, GA 30302 Docket No.: 50-424 License No.: NPF-61 i Facility Name: Vogtle Unit 1
1 l Inspection Conducted: April 24-25,1987 . Inspecto : buga, /Y p.g>ps f-$ff C' W. J. Ross V Date Signed Approved by d E s , 2 [[/ /- n M z , $54Af /[4cd.B.Kahle,SectionChieT' u Date Signed Division of Radiation Safety and Safeguards SUMMARY
Scope: This routine unannounced inspection was conducted in the area of plant chemistry. 1 Results: No violations or deviations were identified. $$$$$$ - -. -_ - -
___ _ . _ - _ ._ _ _ - _ _ ! s:
REPORT DETAILS 1. Persons' Contacted Licensee Employees D. ' F. Hallnen, Chemistry Superintendent
- W. C. Gabbard, Senior Regulatory Sp(ecialistOperations)
- C
E. Bellflower, QA Site Manager
- J. Sills, Chemistry Supervisor
B. Hand, Chemistry Support Supervisor- A. Caudel, Performance Engineer NRC Resident Inspectors - H. Livermore R. Schepens
- Attended exit interview
2. Exit Interview The inspection scope and findings were summarized on_ April 24, 1987, with those persons indicated in Paragraph 1 above. .The inspector described the areas inspected and discussed in detail the inspection findings. No. ' dissenting comments were received from the licensee. The licensee did not identify as proprietary any of the materials provided to or reviewed by 1 the inspector during this inspection.- 1 3. Licensee Action on Previous Enforcemerit Matters This subject was not addressed in t'ne inspection. , 4. Plant Chemistry (79701) ! i This abbrevf ated inspection was performed to review and evaluate the licensee's capability to operate the balance of plant and to control water i chemistry in a manner that will prevent degradation of the primary coolant i pressure boundary. At the time of this inspection, the licensee was performing initial startup tests on Vogtle Unit 1 and this Unit was operating at 75% power. a. Operation of Balao , of Plant During Startup _ Through an audit of chemistry data and discussions .with cognizant plant personnel the inspector reviewed the _ effectiveness of the major - components of the secondary coolant system during startup and low power tests. - - _ - _ _ - _ . _ -
i. . 2 i (1) Main Condenser The titanium condenser tubes had provided a dependable barrier against inleakage of condenser cooling water. However, the ' licensee was still attempting to decrease the rate of air inleakage (approximately 30 standard cubic feet per minute or SCFM) by identifying and repairing the sources of air leaks. (2) Water Treatment Plant Water of very high quality (conductivity approximately 0.06 umho/cm) was being provided routinely for use in the primary and secondary coolant systems. As reported earlier (see Inspection Report 50-424/86-92 dated November 3,1986) the licensee was injecting hydrazine into the water in the Condensate Storage Tank, to minimize the concentration of dissolved oxygen, before this water was valved to the auxiliary 1 feedwater pumps during each startup of the unit. (3) Condensate Cleanup System The major difficulty with control of secondary water chemistry during the startup period had been related to the condensate polishers. One problem was that the powdered resins had been leaking through the demineralized systems and causing high differential pressure in the feedwater lines (as the result of the resin strainers plugging) as well as increasing the cation 1 conductivity and sulfate concentration in the steam generator water. During this inspection the licensee (Operations and Chemistry Department personnel) was attempting to eliminate resin leakage by mixing the powdered anion and cation resins (Powdex).with an inert fibrous filler (Ecodex). This problem was exacerbated by the need to provide fresh resin coatings at increasingly frequent intervals as the power level increased because the resins were being fouled. The fouling was attributed to organic material (oil and grease) that was being flushed from the high and low pretsure turbines as the rate of steaming increased with power ascension. The condensate cleanup system had been used for full-flow cleanup of solid and soluble species in the condensate that had been transported to the hotwell during the pre-startup and initial power operation phases. Although there were periods of one or two days when Action Level 1 limits had been exceeded because of high sulfate and cation conductivity, an acceptable level of chemistry control had been maintained during the first month of power ascension tests. When the power level was increased to the 75 percent level, fouling of the condensate . polishers became more severe and again was causing Action Level 1 limits to be exceeded because of high cation conductivity in the steam' generator water. Also the concentrations of sulfate and chloride approached Action 1 levels. _ _ _ - _ _ _ - _ _ _ . _- - - _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ - - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _- . , 1 J 3_ The presence of. high concentrations of total organic carbon - (TOC) in the steam generator water was likewise considered to be the reason that the . cation conductivity was even higher than attributable to resin leakage. In an effort to prevent fouling of the -ion exchange resins in the steam generator blowdown recovery system this system was being. bypassed, and the blowdown was being wasted until the TOC could be reduced. No violations or deviations were identified. b. Plant Chemistry Control ) . 1 The inspector reviewed the e' effectiveness of various elements of the licensee's water chemistry program during the startup period. As.the result of an audit of chemistry data, discussions with chemistry personnel, and a walk-through of chemistry facilities the following observations were made: (1) Staffing The position of Chemistry Supervisor hd not been filled on a- permanent basis. The Secondary Laboratory Supervisor was continuing to fill both positions. A staff of 30 technicians and six foremen, under the supervision of two laboratory supervisors, was operating on two 12-hour shifts during the startup period. However, the inspector considered the level of staffing to be sufficient for the startup and operation of Unit 1. Consequently, Inspector Followup Item 86-33-02 has been closed. (2) Training As the result _ of the frequent power level changes and because of the problems with the condensate polishers, the Chemistry staff had been acquiring extensive on-the-job training (0JT) during the startup period. The 12-hour shifts had also increased the technician's exposure to operational problems' and experience with chemistry procedures. Similar experience was being obtained by Operation Department personnel who were operating i the condensate polishers. Because of the delayed turnover of this system to the Operation- Department, 0JT on the use . (precoating, operation, and backwashing) of the .I filter /demineralizers had not been as extensive as the licensee forcasted when plant startup was begun. (3) Procedures All key chemistry procedures had been developed and the licensee was continuing to review chemistry procedures for adequacy. Consequently, Inspector Followup Item 86-33-01 was closed, i ,; - - - _ - _ - _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ .
_ ., o 4 (4) Facilities All chemistry laboratories and sampling stations were operable. The inspector considered these facilities to represent the state of the art and to be conductive to the "new era" of analytical chemistry consistent with the SG0G guidelines for PWR primary and secondary chemistry. The inline, continuous monitoring instrumentation in the secondary sampling room was being used effectively to diagnose the problems associated with the condensate clearup system. The inspector and the chemistry training coordinator discussed the feasibility of including a familiarization course on the use of this sampling room in the 0JT training program. On the basis of observations made during this inspection related to the operability of chemistry , facilities Inspector Followup Item 86-33-03 was closed. l (B) Analytical Instrumentation The inspector observed that both the primary and secondary water chemistry laboratories were equipped with operable state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation to complement the inline monitoring equipment. No violations or deviations were identified, b. Inspector Followup Items As discussed in Paragraph 4.b the following three inspector followup items were closed on the basis of new information acquired during this inspection. IFI 86-33-01, Completion of Procedures i IFI 86-33-02, Completion of Staffing l IFI 86-33-03, Completion of Chemistry Facilities 6. IE Notice 86-106, Feedwater Line Break Through discussions with cognizant plant personnel the inspector reviewed the licensee's actions related to this Notice concerning the factors that are thought to have been involved in the pipe break at Surry Unit 2 in December 1986. The licensee had already reviewed the piping configurations in Vogtle Unit 1 and established that there were no tee / elbow configurations identical to those involved in the Surry pipe rupture. A corporate review of this Notice is underway to determine if additional actions, such as modification of the Inservice Inspection Program, tre required. The inspector was informed that at this stage of plant operation the ISI program doesn't have any requirements for monitoring the integrity high- or low-pressure lines associated with single and dual phase water and steam systems. , - _ - - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ - _ . }}