Part 21 Report - 1995-153
ACCESSION #: 9507050075
NIAGARA
MOHAWK
NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION/NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION,
P.O. BOX 63, LYCOMING, N.Y. 13093/TEL. (315) 349-7263
FAX (315) 349-4753
CARL D. TERRY June 23, 1995
Vice President NMP1L 0955
Nuclear Engineering
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Attn: Document Control Desk
Washington, DC 20555
RE: Nine Mile Point Unit 1
Docket No. 50-220
DPR-63
Subject: Part 21 - Wyle Laboratories Report
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to 10CFR Part 21, Reporting of Defects and Noncompliance,
Niagara Mohawk is reporting a deviation which could have created a
substantial safety hazard. Niagara Mohawk had previously notified the
Commission of this issue on May 26, 1995, via telephone and facsimile.
The attached report contains the information required by
10CFR21.21(c)(4).
Very truly yours,
C. D. Terry
Vice President - Nuclear Engineering
CDT/JMT/lmc
Attachment
xc: Regional Administrator, Region I
Mr. L. B. Marsh, Director, Project Directorate I-1, NRR
Mr. G. E. Edison, Senior Project Manager, NRR
Mr. B. S. Norris, Senior Resident Inspector
Records Management
ATTACHMENT
1. Name and address of the individual or individuals informing the
Commission.
Mr. Carl D. Terry
Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation
Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station
P. O. Box 63, Lake Road
Lycoming, NY 13093
2. Identification of the facility, the activity or the basic component
supplied for such facility or such activity within the United States
which fails to comply or contains a defect.
Wyle Laboratories Report 17655-ARY-1.1, Revision A, dated March 31,
1988, erroneously calculated the service life of various Agastat GP
series relays at a non-conservative 26.3 years.
3. Identification of the firm constructing the facility or supplying
the basic component which fails to comply or contains a defect.
The qualification report for the Agastat GP series relays was
provided by Wyle Laboratories of Huntsville, Alabama.
4. Nature of the defect or failure to comply and the safety hazard
which is created or could be created by such defect or failure to
comply.
Niagara Mohawk has discovered that the report used to determine the
service life of various Agastat GP series relays at Nine Mile Point
Unit 1 was erroneous. The report, Wyle Laboratories Report 17655-
ARY-1.1, Revision A, dated March 31 1988, incorrectly calculated the
service life at 26.3 years. The report utilized the electrical
characteristics of the relay bobbin material in determining the
activation energy instead of the mechanical properties of the Zytel
material. Consequently, the calculated service life and the relay
changeout frequency were non-conservative.
The Wyle Laboratories Report has been utilized for various
deenergized relays at Nine Mile Point Unit 1 since original issuance
of the report on September 19, 1986. From April 9, 1993 until April
1995 the use of the report was expanded to include energized relays
located in various plant systems including the core spray system,
reactor protection system, and ATWS/ARI system. Due to the nature
of the defect in the report, the basic components impacted by the
defect are limited to these energized relays.
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After discovery of the defect and further review of the safety
functions of the energized relays, it has been determined that all
of the energized relays are either safety-related passive, by which
the report would be conservative, or can be excluded from the EQ
program based on engineering analysis. For those energized relays
that are now excluded from the program, subsequent testing of the as
found conditions has confirmed that no installed relays were
inoperable. Therefore, the defect in the Wyle Laboratories report
did not cause a substantial safety hazard.
However, since the potential existed that the energized active
relays could have remained in the plant past their actual service
life, there was the potential that the relays could degrade and
render safety-related systems inoperable. Therefore, a potential
substantial safety hazard did exist, necessitating this report.
5. The date on which the information of such defect or failure to
comply was obtained.
Niagara Mohawk identified the defect on March 29, 1995, as a
potential Part 21 violation. An investigation was conducted in
accordance with Nuclear Licensing Procedure NLAP-IRG-140.
6. In the case of a basic component which contains a defect or fails to
comply, the number and location of all such components in use at,
supplied for, or being supplied for one or more facilities or
activities subject to the regulations in this part.
The report identified with the defect is Wyle Laboratories Report
17655-ARY- 1.1, Revision A, dated March 31, 1988. No other Wyle
Laboratories Reports have been discovered with this same defect.
7. The corrective action which has been, is being, or will be taken;
the name of the individual or organization responsible for the
action; and the length of time that has been or will be taken to
complete the action.
Immediate corrective action by Niagara Mohawk was to replace the
subject energized Agastat GP relays and to discontinue use of the
Wyle Laboratories Report. The Agastat relays currently in the EQ
program (safety-related passive) have been assigned a conservative
service life. Maintenance requirements of the remaining Agastat
relays (non-EQ) are being evaluated.
8. Any advice related to the defect or failure to comply about the
facility, activity, or basic component that has been, is being, or
will be given to purchasers or licensees.
The activation energy used in calculating a component's service life
should be based on the appropriate material characteristics.
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