ML20248M259

Notice of Nonconformance from Insp on 980114-16 & 0302-06. Nonconformance Noted:In September 1997,licensee Failed to Promptly Identify & Correct Significant Quality Problems W/Certain Program Controls & Process of Vendor

ML20248M259
Person / Time
Issue date:	06/10/1998
From:	NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20248M243	List: ML20248M242 ML20248M256 ML20248M259 ML20248M263
References
REF-QA-99901298 99901298-98-01, 99901298-98-1, NUDOCS 9806150212
Download: ML20248M259 (2)

Text

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NOTICE OF NONCONFORMANCE

! Nuclear Logistics incorporated Docket No.: 99901298 Fort Worth, Texas Report No.: 98-01 Based on the results of an inspection conducted on January 14-16, and March 2-6,1998, it appears that certain activities were not conducted in accordance with NRC requirements.

A. Criterion XVI, " Corrective Action," of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, " Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants," states that measures shall be established to assure that conditions adverse to quality, such as failures, malfunctions, deficiencies, deviations, defective material and equipment, and nonconformances are promptly identified and corrected.

Contrary to the above, in September 1997, NLI failed to promptly identify and correct significant quality problems with certain program controls and processes of its vendor, GNB Technologies (GNB), which manufactures Class 1E lead-acid storage batteries.

The NLI quality assurance manager had documented the problems in two internal memoranda, dated October 6,1997, and October 19,1997, regarding a September 30, 1997, meeting / assessment performed at GNB, manufacturing facilities at Fort Smith, Arkansas and a September 26,1997, meeting / assessment, performed at the GNB corporate office, Lombard, Illinois, respectively. (99901298/98-01-02)

8. Criterion lil, " Design Control," of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, states in part: " Measures ,

shall be established to assure that applicable regulatory requirements and design basis j

, . are correctly translated into specifications, drawings, procedures, and instructions.

The design control measures shall provide for verifying or checking the adequacy of design, such as by the use of alternate or simplified calculational methods, or by the l performance of a suitable testing program.

Cc,ntrary to the above, NLI Calculation C-04010-W, " Pole Shaft Weld Evaluation,"

Revision 0, dated January 16,1998, was not adequate to check the adequacy of design i for the commercial pole shafts installed in Westinghouse Type DS-416 low-voltage metal-enclosed circuit breakers, supplied by NLI to the New York Power Authority for {

safety-related service in the Indian Point 3 nuclear plant. (99901298/98-01-03)

C. Also contrary to the requirements of Criterion lli of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, NLl Calculation C-017002-11, was not adequate to justify the extension of qualified life for the seismic qualification of certain GNB batteries in nuclear safety-related service.

(99901298/98-01-05)

D. Criterion ll, " Quality Assurance Program," of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, requires, in part, that the quality assurance program provide for indoctrination and training of  ;

personnel performing activities affecting quality as necessary to assure that suitable proficiency is achieved and m aintained.

9906150212 990610 PDR GA999 ENVNUCLO 99901298 PDR ,

Contrary to the above, NLI QA inspectors had not received adequate training to assure proficiency in monitoring key GNB manufacturing processes (in particular, cell plate to busbar fusion or " burn" process), an activity affecting quality. Consequently, NLl QA inspectors failed to recognize that certain practices in common use at GNB were not in compliance with engineerir.g specifications or with posted GNB process control instructions. Also, NLl did not develop adequate training requirements for technicians who perform electrical circuit breaker dedication and refurbishing (99901298/98-01-06)

E. Criterion V, " Instructions, Procedures and Drawings," of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, states that activities affecting quality be prescribed by instructions, procedures, and drawings appropriate to the circumstances, that those instructions, procedures, and drawings be followed, and that the instructions, procedures, and drawings contain appropriate quaPative and quantitative acceptance criteria to determine if important activities have bc en satisfactorily accompi;shed.

Contrary to the above; (a) the fusing of plates to the cell busbar for GNB safety-related battery cell types being manufactured for NLl, an activity affecting quality, was being performed without a procedure that was appropriately qualified for the double burn process being used and (b) NLI quality assurance inspectors routinely witnessed this process, and were expected to be able to ensure that it was being done in accordance with specified requiremer;ts, but were not required to be familiar with, nor did they refer to the applicable specifications or orocedures and instructions (9901298/98-01-07).

F. Also contrary to the requirements of Criterion V of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, NLI Standard Verification Plan SVP-31, "GNB Batteries and Hardware," Revision 10, dated October 1997, which prescribed NLI activities affecting the quality of GNB batteries built for NLI for use in nuclear safety-related applications, did not contain appropriate acceptance criteria, or in some cases, any acceptance criteria, for certain essential attributes of the batteries or their manufacturing processes to be verified by the plan.

(99901298/98-01-08)

Please provide a written statement or explanation to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington, D.C. 20555, with a copy to the Chief, Quality Assurance, Vendor inspection and Maintenance Branch, Division of Reactor Controls and ,

Human Factors, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, within 30 days of the date of the letter tranunitting this notice. This reply should be clearly marked as a " Reply to a Notice of Nonconformance" and should include for each nonconformance: (1) a description of steps that have been or will be taken to correct these items; (2) a description of steps that have been taken or will be taken to prevent recurrence; and (3) the dates your corrective actions and preventive measures were or will be completed.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland This [Qth day of June,1998 Enclosure 2 4

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