Information Notice 1988-58, Potential Problems with Asea Brown Boveri ITE-51L Time-Overcurrent Relays

Potential Problems with Asea Brown Boveri ITE-51L Time-Overcurrent Relays

ML031150022
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Crane
Issue date:	08/08/1988
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-88-058, NUDOCS 8808020102
Download: ML031150022 (6)

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UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 August 8, 1988 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 88-58: POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH ASEA BROWN BOVERI

ITE-51L TIME-OVERCURRENT RELAYS

Addressees

nuclear power

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for

reactors.

Purpose

to potential

This information notice is being provided to alert addressees relays. It

problems involving ASEA Brown Boveri ITE-51L time-overcurrent applicability

is expected that recipients will review this information for avoid similar

to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to notice do not

problems. However, suggestions contained in this information written response

constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or

is required.

Description of Circumstances

relays have

Several spurious actuations of ASEA Brown Boveri (ABB) ITE-51L resulted

actuations

occurred at the Beaver Valley nuclear power plant. These safety-related

to

in unnecessary interruptions of the electrical power supply the magnitude

equipment. The ITE-51L relays monitor circuit current. When the relay

of the current exceeds a reference value for a specific duration, licensee has

actuates to energize the circuit breaker's trip coil. The by faulty silicon- determined that the spurious relay actuations were caused

Company.

controlled rectifiers (SCRs) that were manufactured by the Motorola

in electrical

SCRs are solid-state devices that are used as electronic switches the SCR, the device

circuits. When a voltage is applied across the terminals of

or switched on by the

is designed to allow current to flow only when 'gated" allowed cur- proper electrical signal. The SCRs that failed at Beaver Valley

signal. These "leakage"

rent to flow in the absence of the proper gating of the as- currents were of sufficient magnitude to energize the trip coil

sociated circuit breaker.

the late

The licensee was informed by Motorola that SCRs manufactured between these

of failure and that

1970s and early 1980s are susceptible to this mode 1982, all

SCRs are likely to fail within the first 2 years of service. Since

a "burn-in" test. In this

SCRs manufactured by Motorola have been subjected to with and with-'

test, the SCRs are placed in a high-temperature environment both

perform normally

out voltage applied. SCRs that pass this test are expected to

for an extended period.

88080200

IN 88-58 August 8, 1988 Beaver Valley Unit 2 has approximately 105 ITE-S5L relays installed in

related applications, and Unit i has 10. The licensee is testing all safety- in Units 1 and 2 to determine whether the SCRs are faulty. the relays

No specific action or written response is required by this information

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact one of the notice.

contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate technical

office.

regional

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: K. R. Naidu, NRR

(301) 492-0980

N. E. Fields, NRR

(301) 492-1173 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

S

Attachment

IN 88-58 August 8, 1988 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

88-57 Potential Loss of Safe 8/8/88 All holders of OLs

Shutdown Equipment Due to or CPs for nuclear

Premature Silicon Controlled power reactors.

Rectifier Failure

88-56 Potential Problems with 8/4/88 All holders of OLs

Silicone Foam Fire Barrier or CPs for nuclear

Penetration Seals power reactors.

88-55 Potential Problems Caused 8/3/88 All holders of OLs

by Single Failure of an or CPs for nuclear

Engineered Safety Feature power reactors.

Swing Bus

88-54 Failure of Circuit Breaker 7/28/88 All holders of OLs

Following Installation of or CPs for nuclear

Amptector Direct Trip power reactors.

Attachment

88-53 Licensee Violations of NRC 7/28/88 All manufacturers and

Regulations, Which Led to distributors of radio- Medical Diagnostic pharmaceuticals for

Misadministrations human use, nuclear

pharmacies, and

medical licensees.

88-52 Failure of Intrauterine 7/27/88 Medical licensees.

Tandem of Fletcher

Applicator Brachytherapy

Devices During Patient

Treatment

88-46, Licensee Report of 7/26/88 All holders of OLs

Supplement 1 Defective Refurbished or CPs for nuclear

Circuit Breakers power reactors.

88-51 Failures of Main Steam 7/21/88 All holders of OLs

Isolation Valves or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 88-58 August 8, 1988 Beaver Valley Unit 2 has approximately 105 ITE-51L relays installed in safety- related applications, and Unit 1 has 10. The licensee is testing all the relays

in Units 1 and 2 to determine whether the SCRs are faulty.

notice.

No specific action or written response is required by this information technical

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact one of the regional

contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: K. R. Naidu, NRR

(301) 492-0980

N. E. Fields, NRR

(301) 492-1173 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• see previous concurrence

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KNaidu* N1Fields* DFischer*BCj re* EBaker* WBrach* BGrimes* WLanning*

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CHBerlinger LShao

8/1/88 7/29/88 'V/3/88

IN 88- July , 1988 Beaver Valley Unit 2 has approximately 105 ITE-51L relays installed in safety- related applications, and Unit 1 has 10. The licensee is testing all the relays

in Units 1 and 2 to determine whether the SCRs are faulty.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contacts listed below or the regional administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contact:

K. R. Naidu

(301) 492-0980

N. E. Fields, NRR

(301) 492-1173 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• see previous concurrence 'ink

EAB:NRR EAB:NRR EAB:NRR H: NRR:RVIB VIB:NRR AD:DRIS C:EAB:NRR

KNaidu

• NFields* DFischer*BC &re* EBaker WBrach* BGrimes* WLanning

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CHBerlinger LShao 88 CERossi

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IN 88- July , 1988 Beaver Valley Unit 2 has approximately one hundred and five ITE-51L type

relays installed in safety-related applications. Unit 1 has ten of the faulty

relays in safety related applications. The licensee is in the process of

testing all the relays in Units 1 and 2 to determine whether the SCRs are

faulty.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi. Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contact:

K. R. Naidu

(301) 492-0980

N. E. Fields, NRR

(301) 492-1173 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

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