ML20236L320

Summary of 870924 Meeting W/Util,Bechtel & Rl Cloug Assoc Re Problems Concerning Qualification of V-Type Electrical Splices at Facility.Attendance List Encl

ML20236L320
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	11/05/1987
From:	Reeves E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
CIVP-A-094, CIVP-A-94, NUDOCS 8711100264
Download: ML20236L320 (12)

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<1 Docket Nos. 50-348 DISTRIBUTION:

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and 50-364 See attached list

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LICENSEE:

Alabama Power' Company (APCo)

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FACILITY:

. Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 j

SUMMARY

OF MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 24, 1987, BETWEEN NRC 1

STAFF AND APCo REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS RECENT PROBLEMS j

RELATED TO QUALIFICATION OF V-TYPE ELECTRICAL SPLICES AT j

FARLEY FITE.

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Introduction

]

TheNRCProjectManager(E. Reeves)reviewedtheourposeofthemeetingand i

asked all personnel in attendance to state their name and affiliation. A list l

of attendees is enclosed.

}

NRC (S. Varga) noted that the NRC staff has serious concerns about the quali-

.l tication of V-type electrical cable splices at Farley site.

Region II Administrator (N. Grace) reviewed briefly the recent history of V-splice problems and actions taken by Alabama Power Company (APCo, the licensee) at l

Farley site. He reiterated the NRC staff concerns.

APCo (P. Mcdonald) spoke to the challenge being offered to discuss this matter.

He stated he would speak to the safety of the plant in which he maintains a strong confidence of the continued safety.

APCo (J. Woodard) discussed the j

basis of actions taken to date, the actions already taken, actions now underway, and actions planned. The history of the EQ V-splice Program at Farley site was reviewed.

In June 1987, APCo set up a review program of 6000 work request packages completed at Farley.- This action resulted from the-Yendor/ Procurement team audit conducted by NRC for three-weeks concluding on June 5, 1987. APCo is reviewing each category of equipment considered of safety significance. They subsequently inspected and repaired those.V-splices found not to be in accordante with design. APCo stated that the V-splices which were found were not considered as inoperable. They-had replaced the i

splices with RAYCHEM type splices known' to be qual _ified in a steam environment. Other splices were destroyed during the inspection process and RAYCHEM type splices were used as replacements; He noted that the Unit 2 refueling shutdown is scheduled to start on October 3, 1987. ' Unit I refueling l

shutdown is scheduled March 17, 1988. APCo plans walkdown inspections, including inside containment, to be performed and corrective actions'taken, where necessary.

In sunmary, Mr. Woodard stated that APCo never declared a splice to.be inoperable, always acted with safety as the overriding criterion, and alwayG acted rapidly and conservatively.

APCo (G. Hairston) stated.that the hydrogen recombiner splices are to be left "as is" 'pending further study. A justification for continued operation was P

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provided to Region II on September 23, 1987, by APCo. Test results at Wyle Laboratory are underway now for fourteen configurations of "as found" splices at Farley, Results are expected in October 1987, with preliminary results in about a week.

APCo (R. Mcdonald) stated the following comitments to NRC:

1.

APCo will not start up Unit 2 from its projected 52-day refueling outage starting on October 3, 1987, without assurance that APCo has resolved all operating issues on EQ matters (i.e., EQ issues which affect operability) for Unit 2 with the NRC.

2.

APCo will keep the NRC advised of any emerging operating EQ issues found in either Unit 1 or 2 not addressed in the September 24, 1987 meeting.

3.

APCo will not start up Unit 1 from the Spring 1988 refueling outage without reaffirming assurance that APCo has resolved all operating EQ issues involving Unit 1.

4.

APCo will take appropriate action if an operating issue emerges at any time on Unit 1 or Unit 2.

AFCo (W. Shipman) noted that the splice problem had occurred because of a field installation error in reading the design documents for " terminations" vice for " splices". Also, each splice had not been specifically identified on the EQ list of safety related components.

The NRC staff questioned various reasons why APCo took the actions to date.

The APCo staff responded to each question which was asked with specific emphasis on the logic involved in each action taken. APCo (J. Woodard) l l

sumarized that the Farley plants are considered to be safe to continue to operate as follows:

1.

Pigtail splices are considered qualified.

2.

Instruments inside containment are not expected to have pigtail splices.

3.

No known pigtail splices exist inside containment.

)

i 4.

Have not found a safety problem yet.

APCo (G. Hairston) stated that preliminary test results just received from Wyle Laboratory indicate that the V-type, pigtail splices being tested appear 3

to be acceptable. This preliminary report gives AFCo additional confidence.

NRC (Reeves) asked if APCo would expedite the walkdown inspections on Unit 2.

APCo responded that the walkdowns were scheduled for the entire outage period. This was of concern to the NRC staff since Unit I would continue operating for that length of time without knowing if other splice problems may exist there. APCo noted that they would take imediate action on Unit i for similar problems found on Unit 2 during the Unit 2 walkdowns.

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o fr; Following'aniNRCi staff caucus 'NRC '(d.; Grace)) presented tho. NRCistaff[ concensus

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H Willl.acceptthejAPCojudgementthatsplihes!a'requallifiabl'e;at?thisi

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, 2h iRequested APCo to submit to::NRCfApCo's judgment and a basis' fore ';

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'APCo should; accelerate the: inspection insideTUnit-2 containment:to:.

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APCo:should document the Wyle LaboratoryEsplice test'results as~soon--

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as:possible'tofthe;NRC (AL Gipson RII)<.'4

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documenting t'eir plan to resolve they

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. APCo agreed:to provide 'a' written sunnary !

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. entire < issue ' Region II'willtthen provide ~a-comf.irmatory ac' ion;41etter;to q

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~ APCo-(Mcdonald).thankedtheiNRCstafffor?the:confidencetsh n.3 W

,APCo.

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'EdwardASReeves,.Sf.'ProjectManager c Project Directorate:nII-1.

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.DivisionofReactor?Projectsi.I/II!,

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J Mr. R. P. Mcdonald

.1 Alabama Power Company Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant I

cc:

Mr. W

0. Whitt-D. Biard'MacGuineas, Esquire Executive Vice President

'Volpe, Boskey and Lyons Alabama Power. Company 918 16th Street', N.W.

Post Office Box 2641 Washington, DC 20006'-

Birmingham, Alabama 35291-0400 Charles! R. Lowman-Mr. Louis B..-Long, General Managers Alabama' Electric Corporation Southern Company Services, Inc.

Post Office' Box 550 l

Post Office Box 2625 Andalusia, Alabama 36420' Birmingham, Alabama 35202 Regional Admin'strator, Region II' i

Chairman' i

l Houston County Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comissiont Dothan, Alabama 36301 101-Marietta Street, Suite 2900 I

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Atlanta, Georgia 30303 1

Ernest L. Blake, Jr., Esquire

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Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge Claude Earl Fox, M.D.

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2300 N Street, N.W.

State Health Officer-L Washington, DC 20037.

State' Department of Public Health-E l

. State' Office Building

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Montgomery, Alabama :36130 Robert A. Buettner, Esquire Balch, Bingham, Baker, Hawthorne,~

Mr. J; D. Woodard l

l Williams and Ward General Manager - Nuclear Plant I

l Post Office Box 306

. Post Office L Box 470 Birmingham, Alabama 35201 Ashford, Alabamai 36312 l

l Resident Inspector

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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission.

4 Post Office Box 24 - Route 2 Columbia, Alabama 36319 l

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Enclosure

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.j EQ MEETING ~

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l-September 24,=1987 1

j NRC.

APCo

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5d E. Reeves LW. 'Ha'irston' i

. W. Bradford R. Mcdonald 1

T. Conlon:

J. Woodard A. Herdt.

D.-Jones 5

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Dance W.1. Shipman L. Reyes

'A. Gibson

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'J. Grace Bechtel J

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L.<Dewey 8

R. Anand X. Gandhi' i

H. Walker J. Ltve '

ll G. Lainas.

E. Adensam W. Troskoski Other Associates H.- Wong E. Merschoff V.' Noonan -'R. L. Cloug Assoc.

R. Wilson z

N. Merriweather 1i A. Thadani' S. Varga J

J. Craig, J. Sniezek R. Starostecki t

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,2 MEETING'

SUMMARY

DISTRIBUTION 7.t 1

'i DocketNo(s):450pgg)S0p36[

j NRC PDR i

' Local PDR'

PD 11-1 r/f E. Adensem

. Attorney, 0GC L

P. Anderson E.. Jordan J. Partlow

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' ACRS(10)

Project Manager E. Reeves I

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'NRC PARTICIPANTS i

E. Reeves W. Bradford T. Conlon A.'Herdt H. Dance L. Reyes 4,

A. Gibson J. Grace

-i 1 L. Dewey

..- l R. Anand H. Walker s

G. Lainas E. Adensam u

W. Troskoski l

H. Wong E. Merschoff

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R. Wilson N. Merriweather A. Thadani S. Varga J. Craig' I

J. Sniezek R. Starostecki i

.o1 CC: Applic ct:& Service List-

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MEETING' SUMMA'RY DISTRIBUTION 7

DocketNo(s): 50-348 & 50-364-NRC PDR Local PDR PD 11-1 r/f E. Adensam Attorney,.0GC P. Anderson E. Jordan l

J. Partlow ACRS(10)

Project Manager E. Reeves l

88 NRC PARTICIPANTS E. Reeves W. Bradford T. Conlon A. Herdt l

l H. Dance l,

L., Reyes

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A. Gibson 1

J. ' Gr ace L. Dewey R. Anand H. Walker G. Lainas i

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E. Adensam l-W. Troskoski H. L'ong E. Merschoff Li R. Wilson N. Merriweather l-A. Thadani i

S. Varga J. Craig J. Sniezek R. Starostecki

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CC: Applicaht: & Service. List l

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[__-____..

._.,_-=---_.--.______._-.--_-J

N OV ' 5 '.1987 W

Docket Nos.'50-348--

DISTRIBUTION:

and 50-364 See attached list-LICENSEE:

Alabama Power Company (APCo)'

FACILITY:

Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF-MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 24, 1987 BETWEEN NRC STAFF'AND APCo REPRESENTATIVES.TO DISCUSS RECENT PROBLEMS RELATED TO QUALIFICATION OF V-TYPE ELECTRICAL SPLICES AT FARLEY SITE Introduction The NRC' Project Manager (E. Reeves) reviewed the. purpose of.the meeting:and asked all personnel in-attendance to state their name and affiliation. A list of attendees is enclosed.

-t NRC (S. Varga) noted that the NRC staff has serious con'cerns about the quali-fication of.V-t Administrator (ype electrical cable splices at Parley site.. Region IIN. Grace) rev problems and actions taken by Alabama Power Company (APCo, the licensee) at Farley site. He reiterated the NRC staff concerns..

APCo (P. Mcdonald)' spoke to the challenge being offered to discuss this matter.

He stated he would speak.to the safety of the plant in which he maintains a strong confidence of the continued safety.. APCo '(J.- Woodard). discussed the basis of actions taken to date, the actions already taken, actions now-underway, and actions planned. The history of the EQ V-splice Program at Farley' site was reviewed.

In June 1987 APCo set up a. review' program of 6000 work request packages completed at Farley. This action resulted from the Vendor / Procurement team audit conducted by NRC for' three-weeks concluding on June 5, 1987. APCo is= reviewing each category of equipment' considered of safety significance. They subsequently; inspected and repaired those V-splices found not to be in accordance with design. APCo ' stated.that the V-splices which were found were not considered as-inoperable.. They had replaced the splices with RAYCHEM type splices known to be qualified in a' steam-

~

environment. Other splices were destroyed during the-inspection process and RAYCHEM type splices were used as replacements. -He noted that the Unit 2 refueling shutdown is scheduled to start on October 3',1987. : Unit I refueling shutdown is scheduled March 17, 1988. APCo plans walkdown inspections,.

including inside containment, to be perfonned and corrective. actions,taken, where necessary.

In sunnary, Mr. Woodard stated that APCo never declared a.

splice to be inoperable, always acted-with~ safety'as the overriding criterion, and always acted rapidly and conservatively.-

AECo (G. Hairston) stated that the hydrogen recombiner splices are to be left "as is" pending further study. A justification for continued operation was.

-_a_-____._-

j i

S provided to Region II.on September 23. 1987, by APCo. Test results at Wyle:

Laboratory are underway now for fourteen: configurations of."as found" splices

.at Farley. Results are expected in October 1987, with preliminary results in' i

about a week.

.i APCo (R. Mcdonald) stated the following comitments..to NRC:

1.-

-APCo will not start u'p Unit 2 from_its projected 52-day refueling outage-starting on October 3,1987, without assurance that APCo has-resolved all j

operating issues on EQ matters '(i.e.',.EQ issues which affect operability) l; for Unit 2 with the NRC.

1 2.

APCo will keep the NRC advised of any emerging operating EQ issues found i

in either Unit 1 or 2 not addressed in the Septem'oer.24. 1987 meeting.

.l i

3.

APCo will not start up Unit'1 from the Spring 1988 refueling outage

..l without reaffirming' assurance that APCo has resolved.all operating EQ issues involving Unit 1.

4.

APCo will take appropriate ection-if an operating issue emerges at any' time on Unit 1 or Unit 2i APCo (W. Shipman) noted that the splice. problem had occurred because of a-i

~

field installation error in reading the design documents for " terminations" vice for " splices". Also, each splice had not been specifically identified on 1

the EQ list of safety related components.

The NRC staff questioned various reasons why APCo'took the actions to'date'.

The APCo staff responded to each question which was asked with specific emphasis on the logic inyolved in each action taken. APCo-(J.Woodard) sumarized that the Farley plants are considered to be' safe to continue to operate as follows:

1.

Pigtail splices are considered qualified.

2.

Instruments inside containment are not expected to have pigtail I

splices.

3.

No known pigteil. splices exist inside containment.

l 4.

Have not found a safety problem yet.

APCo (G. Hairston) stated that preliminary test results just received from Wyle Laboratory indicate that the V-type, pigtail splices being tested appear to be acceptable. This preliminary report gives APCo additional confidence;.

NRC (Reeves) asked if APCo would expedite the walkdown inspections onl Unit'2.

APCo' responded that the walkdowns'were scheduled for the entire outage period. This was of concern to the NRC staff since Unit I would continue-operating for that' length of time without knowing if otherTsplice problems may.

. exist there. APCo noted that they would take 1 mediate ~ action on Unit 1. for:

~

'similar problems found on Unit 2 during the Unit 2 walkdowns..

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Following an NRC staff caucus _ NRC-(J.- Grace) presented the NRC staff concensus as:

l '.

Will accept the APCo judgement that splices are quali.fiable at this1 time.

1 2.

. Requested APCo.to submit to NRC APCo's judgment and a' basis for continued operation.

3.

APCo should accelerate the inspection-inside Unit 2 containment to complete it'in about two weeks.

4.

APCo'should document the Wyle' Laboratory splice test results 'as soon.

as possible to the NRC-(A. Gipson RII).

APCo agreed to provide a written summary documenting their:planito resolve the-

)

entire issue. Region II will then~ provide a confirmatory action letter.to APCo. APCo (Mcdonald) thanked the NRC' staff for the confidence sh

,/f.

Edward:A.. Reeves, Sr. Project Manager i

Project Directorate ~II-l'-

Division of: Reactor Projects - I/II,

Enclosure:

As Stated cc w/

Enclosure:

See'next page i

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-11J/87 11/g/87 I

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l Mr.' R P. Mcdonald Alabama Power Company

' Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant' a

I cc:

i Mr. W. O. Whitt D. Biard MacGuineas, Esquire t

Executive Vice President Volpe, Boskey and Lyons

.l Alabama Power. Company 918 16th Street, N.W.

i Post Office Box 2641-Washington, DC 20006-l Birmingham, Alabama 35291-0400

-Charles R. Lowman l

Mr. Louis B. Long, General Manager Alabama Electric Corporation Southern ;ompany Services, Inc.

Post Office Box 550 j

Post Office Box 2625 Andalusia, Alabama 36420 i

Birmingham, Alabama 35202 l

Chainnan Regional Administrator,' Region II Houston County Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Dothan, Alabama 36301 101 Marietta Street, Suite 2900 Atlanta, Georgia.30303 Ernest L. Blake, Jr., Esquire Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge Claude Earl Fox, M.D.

2300 N Street, N.W.

State Health Officer Washington, DC 20037 State Department.of Public Health i

l State Office Building i

-Montgomery, Alabama 36130 1

Robert A. Buettner, Esquire Balch, Bingham, Baker, Hawthorne, Mr. J.. D. Woodard.

Williams and Ward General Manager - Nuclear Plant Post Office Box 306 Post Office Box 470 Birmingham, Alabama 35201 Ashford, Alabama 36312 l

Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Post Office Box 24 - Route 2 Columbia, Alabama' 36319 i

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Enclosure-EQ MEETING September 24, 1987 NRC APCo-E.' Reeves W.-Hairston W. Bradford' R. Mcdonald T. Conlon J. Woodard '

1 A. Herdt.

D. Jones:

H. : Dance

'W.

Shipman

~l L. Reyes-R A. Gibson J.. Grace' Bechtel L. Dewey 8

)

R. Anand K.' Gandhi.

i it. Walker J., Love, G. Lainas E. Adensam W. Troskoski' Other Associates H

s H. Wong E. Merschoff V. hoonang-R..L."Cloug Assoc..

R. Wilson N. Merriweather

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A. Thadani l

S. Vargs-j J. Craig J. Sniezek R. Starostecki 3

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