Part 21 Report - 1997-541

 
 

ACCESSION #: 9708080194



   Con

Edison    memorandum



FAX TRANSMISSION

INDIAN POINT UNIT NO.2, DOCKET No. 50-247

BROADWAY & BLEAKLEY AVE

BUCHANAN, NY 10511

(914) 734-5127

FAX: (914) 737-8364



To:       NRC Operations Center    Date: August 6, 1997



Fax#:     (301) 816-5151           Pages: 3, including this cover sheet.



From:     Charles W.  Jackson



Subject:  10 CFR 21-21



COMMENTS:



Attached is an Initial notification per 10 CFR 21.21 relative to a

condition discovered with Westinghouse W-2 switches having Texin

starwheels.  As required, a detailed report will be submitted within 30

days of this facsimile transmission.  Should you have any questions,

contact Mr. Charles W. Jackson.



   Con

Edison    memorandum



                                        August 5, 1997

                                        Indian Point Station

                                        Docket No. 50-247



TO:       Stephen E.  Quinn

          Vice President

          Nuclear Power



FROM:     Charles W.  Jackson

          Manager

          Nuclear Safety & Licensing



SUBJECT:  Preliminary Evaluation per 10 CFR Part 21 Report of Condition

          W-2 Switches with Texin Starwheels



A preliminary evaluation has been performed to determine if the condition

reported could create a substAntial safety hazard and is thereby

reportable under 10 CFR Part 21.



This results of this preliminary evaluation indicate that the subject

condition:



x is reportable.     is not reportable.



The preliminary evaluation justifying this determination is attached.



               Accepted

                         Designated Responsible Company Officer



               Date                Time



Indian Point Unit No. 2

Docket No. 50-247



Westinghouse Technical Bulletin No. NSD-TB-74-10, dated 9/9/74, as

revised on 9/30/74, reported that the starwheels, made of a material

called Texin, in certain types of W-2 switches have exhibited failures.

All plants with such switches installed, including IP-2, were instructed

to replace all Texin starwheels in the affected W-2 switches.  However,

the Technical Bulletin noted that "all switches having more than three

stages" can be "positively identified as not affected by this Bulletin".



During the recent refueling outage at IP-2, it was discovered that

several safety-related W-2 switches, having more than three stages, did

indeed have the Texin starwheels.  This was verified by chemical tests

and infrared spectroscopic studies at Catholic University.



The affected starwheels have been replaced prior to unit restart.  In

addition, the discovery of the Texin starwheels in these W-2 switches has

been communicated to industry via the INPO Nuclear Network.



A written report on this condition will be prepared and submitted to NRC

as required by 10CFR21.21.



POWER REACTOR                           EVENT NUMBER: 32731



FACILITY: INDIAN POINT   REGION: 1      NOTIFICATION DATE:  08/06/97

UNIT:     [2] [ ] [ ]    STATE: NY      NOTIFICATION TIME:  15:00 (ET)

RX TYPE: [2] W-4-LP, [3] W-4-LP         EVENT DATE:         08/06/97

                                        EVENT TIME:         00:00[EDT]

NRC NOTIFIED BY: JOHN BALLETTA          LAST UPDATE DATE:   08/06/97

HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE



                                             NOTIFICATIONS

EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE

10 CFR SECTION:                         RICHARD CONTE       RDO

CCCC 21.21     UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH

                                        VERN HODGE, NRR     RVIB



UNIT SCRAM CODE RX CRIT INIT PWR INIT RX MODE     CURR PWR   CURR RX

MODE

2     N             Y     100    POWER OPERATION     100  POWER OPERATION



                               EVENT TEXT

10 CFR PART 21 NOTIFICATION REGARDING W-2 SWITCHES WITH TEXIN

STARWHEELS

THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM THE

LICENSEE:



"WESTINGHOUSE TECHNICAL BULLETIN NO.  NSD-TB-74-10, DATED 9/9/74, AS

REVISED ON 9/30/74, REPORTED THAT THE STARWHEELS, MADE OF A MATERIAL

CALLED TEXIN, IN CERTAIN TYPES OF W-2 SWITCHES HAVE EXHIBITED

FAILURES.

ALL PLANTS WITH SUCH SWITCHES INSTALLED, INCLUDING [INDIAN POINT UNIT

21,

WERE INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE ALL TEXIN STARWHEELS IN THE AFFECTED W-2

SWITCHES.  HOWEVER, THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN NOTED THAT 'ALL SWITCHES

HAVING MORE THAN THREE STAGES' CAN BE 'POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS NOT

AFFECTED BY THIS BULLETIN.'"



"DURING THE RECENT REFUELING OUTAGE AT [INDIAN POINT UNIT 2], IT WAS

DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL SAFETY-RELATED W-2 SWITCHES, HAVING MORE

THAN

THREE STAGES, DID INDEED HAVE THE TEXIN STARWHEELS.  THIS WAS

VERIFIED BY

THE CHEMICAL TESTS AND INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES AT CATHOLIC

UNIVERSITY."



"THE AFFECTED STARWHEELS [HAD] BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO UNIT 2 RESTART. 

IN

ADDITION, THE DISCOVERY OF THE TEXIN STARWHEELS IN THESE W-2

SWITCHES HAS

BEEN COMMUNICATED TO INDUSTRY VIA THE INPO NUCLEAR NETWORK."



THE LICENSEE STATED THAT THIS ISSUE AFFECTED THE RECIRCULATION

SWITCHES

FOR SAFETY INJECTION (RECIRCULATION MODE).



THE LICENSEE PLANS TO NOTIFY THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR.



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