ML20236Q262

Special Rept SR-87-005-00:on 871103,Tech Specs 3.3.3.1 & 6.9.2 Violated.Caused by Inoperability of Effluent Accident wide-range Gas Monitor for More than 7 Days Due to Damaged Connectors.New Monitor Should Be Installed by 871125

ML20236Q262
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	11/13/1987
From:	Carns N LOUISIANA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
SR-87-005-00, SR-87-5, W3A87-0150, W3A87-150, NUDOCS 8711190277
Download: ML20236Q262 (4)

Text

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Ref:

10CFR50.36(c)(2)

.i r4 Louissama /

POWER & LIGHT WATERFORD 3 SES

• P. O. BOX B e KILLONA, LA 70066

$fuNshfsY$

November 13, 1987 W3A87-0150 A4.05 QA U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTENTION:

Document Control Desk Washington, D.C.

20555

SUBJECT:

Waterford 3 SES Docket No. 50-382 License No. NPF-38 Reporting of Special Report Attached is Special Report Number SR-87-005-00 for Waterford Steam Electric Station Unit 3.

This Special Report is submitted per 10CFR50.36(c)(2) and Technical Specifications 3.3.3.1 and 6.9.2.

Very truly yours, l

i N.S. Carns Plant Manager - Nuclear NSC/WMCirk Attachment cc R.D. Martin, NRC Resident Inspectors Office, INP0 Records Center l

(J.T. Wheelock), E.L. Blake, W.M. Stevenson, J.H. Wilson 1'

8711190277 87111'3 ADOCK 0500 2

gDR i

\\t "AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER" r

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SPECIAL REPORT SR-87-005-00 Inoperability of Plant Stack Effluent Accident Wide Range Gas Monitor Due to a Failed Detector j

INTRODUCTION At 1134 hours0.0131 days <br />0.315 hours <br />0.00187 weeks <br />4.31487e-4 months <br /> on October. 23, 1987, Waterford Steam Electric Station Unit 3 was operating at 100% reactor power when Operations personnel declared the Plant Stack Effluent Accident Wide Range Gas Monitor'(WRGM), PRM-IRE-0110, inoperable.

In accordance with Technical Specification 3.3.3.1 Action 27, Health Physics personnel implemented the preplanned alternate method for monitoring Plant i

Stack Effluent Gas as defined in procedure EP-2-050, "Off-Site Doce Assessment j

(Manual)."

Since the monitor could not be returned to service within seven days, this report is submitted pursuant to Technical Specification 3.3.3.1 and 6.9.2.

NARRATIVE On October 23, 1987, Waterford Steam Electric Station Unit 3 was operating at 100% reactor power when an Instrument and Controls (I&C) Technician preparing to perform a functional test on the Plant Stack Effluent Accident Wide Range Gas Monitor (WRGM) noticed that the instrument was indicating a " loss of counts" on the count room monitor.

The instrument had previously been logged as operating properly. The technician then performed a rcmote check source test and still had a " loss of counts" indicated.

Installing test equipment locally at the detector, the technician discovered-that by adjusting the position of the connector, indication of detector counts could intermittently l

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be obtained. The technician concluded that there was a problem with the i

I connector and it needed to be replaced. Therefore, at 1134 hours0.0131 days <br />0.315 hours <br />0.00187 weeks <br />4.31487e-4 months <br /> on October 23, 1987, operations personnel declared the WRGM inoperable.

In accordance with Technical Specification 3.3.3.1 Action 27, Health Physics personnel implemented the preplanned alternate method for monitoring Plant Stack Effluent Gas as defined in procedure EP-2-050, "Off-Site Dose Assessment (Manual)."

There were no connectors available in stock, therefore twelve were ordered and one was expedited. The expedited connector arrived on October 31, 1987, and maintenance personnel immediately attempted to replace the connector.

Due to the small size and delicate construction of this part, several attempts were

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required to properly complete the installation. The installation was completed and verified by Quality Control personnel on November 3, 1987, however the detector continued to indicate a " loss of counts" with the new connector, and

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Maintenance personnel determined the detector to be bad. The removed connector contained a broken wire which may have shorted the detector although the precise fat. lure mode could not be determined.

Five similar detectors had been returned to the vendor for repair since February 1987 and no estimated repair date was available.

Therefore, on

-November.5, 1987, a new detector was ordered on an expedited basis and it arrived on November 7, 1987. Maintenance personnel immediately. installed the detector and discovered it to be inoperable.

The detector was sent back to the vendor for repair and was returned on November 12, 1987.

Upon installation of the detector, the connector was inadvertently damaged. Due to the difficulty in obtaining connectors, the connector will be replaced with a cable and connector combination piece.

Since this operation may involve unanticipated difficulties the equipment is not expected to be fully operational until November 25, 1987.

Since the monitor was not returned to service within the seven day limit (October 23,.1987 to October 30, 1987) as defined in Technical Specification 3.3.3.1, this Special Report is submitted pursuant to Specifica-tion 6.9.2.

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Since Health Physics personnel have an alternate method of monitoring Plant Stack activity and the probability of an accident which would allow use of the monitor is extremely low, the inoperability of the wide range gas monitor does not pose a significant safety concern.

PLANT CONTACT j

D.E Vinci, Maintenance Superintendent 504/464-3138.

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