ML17206A612

Responds to NRC Ltr Re Violations Noted in IE Insp Rept 50-389/78-10.Corrective Actions:Presents Explanation of Problem W/Loose Impeller Locking Nut & Why Incident Was Not Reported to Nrc.W/Encl Correspondence Re Issue

ML17206A612
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	12/19/1978
From:	Robert E. Uhrig FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	Murphy C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
Shared Package
ML17206A611	List: IR 05000389/1978010 ML17206A612
References
L-78-391, NUDOCS 7901180316
Download: ML17206A612 (13)

Text

P. O. IIOX 013100, MIAMI. FL 33101 FLORIDA POIlVER a LIGHT CO'".PA/. ~

December 19, 1978 L-78-391 Mr. C. E. Murphy, Chief Reactor Construction and Engineering Support Sranch U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 101 Marietta Street, Suite 3100 Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Dear Mr. Murphy:

Re: RII:RWW 50-389/78-10 Florida Power & Light Company has reviewed the subject inspection report and its response is contained in Attachment A. There is no proprietary information con-tained in the report.

Very truly yours,

~gj g.>> c Robert E. Uhrig Vice President REU:LLL:cf Attachment cc: Mr. James P. O'Reilly Office of Inspection and Enforcement Harold F. Reis, Esquire

1 I

ATTACHMENT A RESPONSE TO RII:RWW, 50-389/78-10 Findin 1: 2 Inch Tar et Rock Safet In ection Valve Deficienc The RII inspector noted that both CE and the RII had informed FPL of an excessive pressure drop with the subject valves, and that FPL appeared to incorrectly evaluate the incident as non-reportable, contrary to CE's conclusion that it indeed was reportable under 10 CFR 50.55(e).

~Res onse:

Me wish to note that 10 CFR 50.55(e) clearly states that the holder of the construction permit is responsible for the determination of whether a construction incident is reportable, and not the NSSS vendor. FPL has used the assistance of a number of parties, including CE, in its determin-ation of the reportability of this item, but by no means does the opinion of an outside organization bind us to its conclusion.

It appears that the major difference between RII and FPL, regarding the reportability of this " item, lies in the interpretation of the phrase in 10 500 50.55( 5(11(, ~iifl 5 fl 1 1 fl 1 d fg ." (5 dl added.) FPL's review of this problem concluded that the issue was a valid safety-related defect, but not a significant one; therefore, no reporting was required. This judgement is based on the fact that (1) the valves were not to be installed for sometime, (2) the problem was identified through normal gA channels (via CE), and (3) the repair was minor and easily performed without extensive evaluation or redesign. Based upon the above, FPL must take exception to the findings noted by the inspector.

It is FPL's opinion that problems such as the above, identified and resolved through routine channels, are normal repair items typically encountered on a construction site. Due to the fact that safety-related equipment was involved, FPL invoked the evaluation procedures and maintained records of the resolution to ensure proper handling of the issue and compliance with the appropriate gA procedures.

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TTACHt<ENT A - RESPONSE TO RII:RWW, 50-389/78-10 Page 2 Findin 2: In ersol 1-Rand I-R Low Pressure Safet LPSI and Containment S ra Pum CSP Oeficienc The RII inspector noted that FPL knew of a problem with an impeller locking nut assembly working loose at one of its other plants (Turkey Point) in November 1975 and was informed by RII on August 23, 1978 of the potential deficiency as well. The inspector further states that despite "knowledge of this potential significant deficiency in final design" FPL failed to report the matter to the NRC in accord-ance with 10 CFR 50.55(e).

~ll 2:

This issue arose from FPL's concern over a maintenance item. The Turkey Point problem was resolved by tack-welding the nut tight, and in 1975 FPL requested assurance from I-R that this or some other satisfactory method of securing the locknuts for pumps to be supplied for St. Lucie Unit 2 would be provided. At this time the pumps were not yet'manufac-tured. Me are attaching copies of our correspondence on this matter, which were not available to the inspector, which we believe will further clarify the issue. Our opinion on the significance of this item is the same as that for the finding above. This is a minor item, picked up by FPL's normal gA and preventative maintenance program and is non-reportable.

Further, a deficiency either in final design or construction, has not been identified with the pumps supplied for Unit 2. Based upon the above, FPL must take exception to the finding noted by the inspector.

FPL believes that utilities which use the experiences of other units to uncover and correct problems before they develop, as happened in these instances, should be corenended, and not found to be in blanket non-compliance with NRC reporting'procedures. Should RII disagree with our interpretation of "significant", we suggest that further discussion to clarify the issue may be appropriate.

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~ l FLORIDA POWER 5 LIGHT CO:.IPAiV November 21, 1975 EBASCO SERVICES, INC. COMBUSTION ENGINEERING Two Rector Street P 0. Box 500 New York, New York 10006 Qindsor, CT 06095 Attention: Mr. L. Tsar.ris, Attention: Mr. A. S. Janeson, Project Manager Project Manager

/. ST- IVCIE PLANT

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UNIT 81 1974 890 Kf INSTALI KTION UNIT 82 1979 890 Kl EKTENSION ST. I.VCIE UNIT f/2 PSL 2 LPSI AND CONTAIN -hT SPP4Y PlM'S PILES: CE-950-0775 AND NY-422527 FL0-566, FF-860 Gentlemen:

P.L's Turkey Point nuclear units we use pumps for Residual Heat Removal ervice which are of the same brand (I-R) and similar in design to PSL 2 JZSI "nd contain-ent spray pcs. During disassembly'of the Turkey ?oint pumps for seal maintenance it vas ooserved on more than one occassion that tne impeller locking ".. - arse-bly had worked loose. F?L tack-welded the loc::nut assemblies to preclude the possibility of loosening.

Indica"fons from the local I-R representative are that the impeller locknut assemo 'es to be usec a: ?SL 2 are the same as those furnished at Turkey Point. Please obtain assurance from I-R that they vill provide loc'Inputs secured =y tack-welding or some other satisfactory method. Also since there was considerab~e difficulg experienced vith gasket leakage at Turkey?Oi=t please obtain from I-R assurance that we vill not have this problem a" S=. Lucie 2.

Yours very truly, C. S. Kent Project Manager ,h;

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'ee Attachment

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0 Jameson N er 21, 1975 ccrc RE: FLO-566, PF-860 Hra C. B. Amos Mr. Lou Borchardt Mr. G. E. Crowell Mr. R. A. DeLorenzo Hr. J. D. Distel Mr. J. H. Risher Mr. 0. R. Gray Mr. K. N. Harris Mr. R. W. Kammann Hr. J. L. Legier Mr. G. N. Lemmon Mr. J. E. Ramondo Mr. W. H. Rogers, Jr.

Hr. A. D. Schmdit Mr. D. J. Stephens Dr. R. E. Uhrig Mr. J. E. Vessely Mr. C. E. Waddell Mr. L. J. Weber N. T. Weems

'i -E Power Systcins Tel 203/063 lgl l

,, Combusr<on r ngulcrrinrr, Inc. Telex ~J iJ2J7 00 Prosper.'rirl Road sor. Ccnnccncut 06095

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~ pOVlf:-R SYSTEMS April 6, 1976 L-CE-1328 St. Lucie Plant Unit No. 2 1978-890 i'xtension Mr. C. S. Kent Enr ineering Project Manag r Florida Power & Light Co.

P. O. Box 3100 Miami, Florida 33101

SUBJECT:

LPSI PFG'S

Dear Mr. Kent:

FP&L letter FF-860 of i".ovenber 21, 1975 advised C-E that you had experienced on the Turkey Point plant loosening of the impeller locknut assembly on t.ho In crsoll-Rand residual heat rcr oval pumps and Basket leakage, and requested ance from the a nufacturer that these same problems would not occur with nit 2 LPSI and containment spray pu=ps.

Ve have taken uu this r.".atter with Ingersoll-Pand, the supplier of the LPSI pumps i;l the C-E sco"=, and t.ley )lave respond d to the concern about the lnce- ~,

nut. assembl" (but not the gasket lea'kage problem); two (2) cop'es of the In"ersoll-Rand letter of "..arch 23, 1976 are attached for your in.ormation. ie will "o back to Innersol -:=--..d to detert ine what remedy tlrey propose to elitlinate gasket I::ak- e p ob " .:.,a t you lrave i "ced on the Turkey ~~ ~

Po int pumpsni an:

will le'o-".ow their resp=nse to this other concern as soon as we receive it.

Uery truly yours,

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A. S. Janeson Project Manager ASJ/es F >.a r.co e;va,er.T.crir-Enclosur s (") DP1 ~.

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'PHILLLPSGURG, N. J. 08bdS Combustion Engineering, Inc. 23 MR 76 IOOO Prospect Hill Road

)windsor, CT 06095 Attention: Mr. A. S. Jameson Project llanager

Subject:

Florida Power C Light St. Lucie Unit P2 C.E. P.O. 9500775 LPSI Pumps I-R Ref: OOI-35382

Reference:

(A) C.E. letter L-PCE-408 dated l9 DE 75.

entlemen:

response to Ref. (A) on shaft/impeller locking nuts, I-R nas in:esti-aated several occurrences in which the locking nuts lo"sened and fn nd that the causes were either improper installation afier maintenance or opera io.. of the unit in wrong rotation whi!c installing mtor lea"s.

To ass 're that the Io"kirg nuts are properly applied, we are expand!no the inst2 I I a-: Ion/esse-."!y ins if u tions to clarify this op rati"n. In addition, we are also investigating oiher metho"s of positively lockirg the n.-s to the s!. i-: to preven loos ning, L e anticip. te thai his m. thod will De finalize in time to "e i~p Iemented on the present contract. On the units in the ',.'-IC it is accep.able to tack weld the two ts tcge-,he a e i'heynt ~ ~

are pro.-.e.-Jy instaile"'. Proper installation should be fo torque the ja-..

nut into pla"e then whi!e holding the jam nut to pre;ant rotation tc"qua the cap ". t in o place.

'I'fe apol"=i-= ',or such a la.e response but as indicated aBove, we were un aware n! a.-y serious problems prior to your letter.

I f theP- "e any qu t ions, please fee I frcc to conta" t thi", of f i cn or our Hart for" ~ranch of i i ..".

Very 1ruly your I tiGERSOLL-Rh:<D CO'Ipi'.'! (

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C/2 Com)ust I on Eng i neer I ng f.

Attn: lf. C. Stnndin tt. De.'tnrdo

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R. J. Landrigas Camcron Iluclear Pun C/2 I-R llartford, C. Bricklcy (I) r'e n n riant 0 h A~n (I)

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CC>>PY EBASCO SERVlCES .

Its'Ol >OL+TCO February 3, 1976 SL-2-76-5w File: HY-4

?fr Kent p.s L- '/To R. P4

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C S ggcgLW vps tA Engineerirg Pro)ect Hnnager gs 1 o)1',li Florida Power 6 Light Company P 0 Box 013100

%hami, Florida 33101 < gt>t~

Dear ~fr Kent:

~C Re: ST LUCRE PLPZiT uc'~< l..~ gi',t&aL.

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1979 - 890 llil (c) E'T25ION - Uil?T NO. 2 CO.'O'All~i" .i. SPiXKY PZfPS i pgfi

Reference:

PAL Letter FLO-566 dated November 2, 875 Pur uant to your rcauest we have been advised by Ingersoll-Rand (in their letter of January 23, 1976, a copy attached) that as a result of tne mess rcs und=rtak n t'.".e problem of loosenin" of the Impeller nuts and gasket leakage as experienced on RlB Pumps at Turkey Point Station vill not be repeat D on St Lucie Unit >>o. 2 Containment Spray Pumps.

i) Presently I/? is investigating the use of other a thods to ensure that the I=p 'er locknut does not loosen itself. However, as a mini"um the locknuts will be shop-tack velded.

ii) aae problem of gaslwt leakage has been resolved by utili"ing nn EPT '0'ing in lieu of a flat fiber vasher between the shaft and shaft sleeve.

I/R has also given assurance that any modifications made in future to improv the d si n of these type of pumps vill also be used in the de-sign o= St Lucic iso. 2 Containment Spray Pumps.

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Q/Q<') pp EBASCO SERVlCES C S Kent 2 Peb~ry 3 1976 SL-2-76-54 Wee hoope the above info~tfon gill answer all your questions. Should y ou desire any further clarfficatfon please advise by Fe brua ruary 20 1976.

Very truly yours, P J Sgeeney, Jr Chief Hechanical-Huclear Enginerr T 0 Hathisen Attachment Supervising Engineer ~y!

XH:lh J PPt cc: 4 H Rogers, Jx (2)

B Z Ynrfg C B Icos A D Schmidt H D 1!ant" KH Harris 0 El Gray P. A D Loren=o J F. Vessely G Crogell L Borchardt L Vsa~fris D J Stephens J C P~~ondo J D Di"tel G N Leamon