Part 21 Report - 2001-021

 

Entergy	Entergy Nuclear Northeast Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. lndian Point 3 NPP PO Box 308 Buchanan NY 10611 Tel 914 736 8001 Fax 736 8012
	Robert J. Barrett Vice President Operations

January 12, 2001
IPN-01 -004

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
ATTN: Document Control Desk
Mail Stop O-P1-17
Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

SUBJECT:

Indian Point 3 Nuclear Power Plant Docket No.50-286 License No. DPR-64 Report Under 10 CFR 21 of Replacement Capacitors for a Safety Related Static Inverter Affected bv a Defect

Dear Sir:

The attached 10 CFR 21 report is submitted by Entergy in accordance with 10 CFR 21.21 (d)(3)(ii). This written report contains the information requested by 10 CFR 21.21 (d)(4) regarding the event reported by ENS notification on December 14, 2000. This event is recorded in the Indian Point 3 corrective action process as Deviation Event Report 00-02683.

Entergy is making no new commitment in this letter. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. K. Peters.

Very truly yours,

Vic President Operations
Indian Point 3 Nuclear Power Plant

cc: See next page

Docket No.50-286

IPN-01-004

Page 2 of 2

cc: Mr. Hubert J. Miller
Regional Administrator
Region I
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
475 Allendale Road
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406-1415

INPO Record Center
700 Galleria Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia 30339-5957

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Resident Inspectors' Office
Indian Point 3 Nuclear Power Plant

Docket No.50-286

IPN-01-004

Attachment 1

Page 1 of 2

Report Under 10 CFR 21
Replacement Capacitors for a Safety Related Static Inverter Affected by a Defect

1. Name and address of the individual or individuals informing the Commission.

Robert J Barrett, Indian Point Unit 3, P. O. Box 308, Buchanan, New York.

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.

Safety related 7.5 Kva static inverter 34 which contained the 6 deficient capacitors until replaced on October 26, 2000.

3. Identification of the firm constructing the facility or supplying the basic component which fails to comply or contains a defect.

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Repair and Replacement Services, 2000 Cheswick Avenue, Cheswick, Pennsylvania, 15024.

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.

By letter dated September 5, 2000, Westinghouse advised Indian Point 3 that the capacitor with Westinghouse part number 454A839H10, manufactured by either Mallory or Aerovox, could no longer be supplied for inverter applications. Indian Point 3 investigated and determined that six (6) aluminum electrolytic capacitors manufactured by Mallory Inc. (Part number CGS432T200X4C) were installed in safety related static inverter 34 during the refuel outage that ended October 20,1999.

The capacitors had a restriction against mounting them in a horizontal direction that was not identified in the Westinghouse instruction manual that identified the components as replacement parts. The design of the Westinghouse static inverter required the capacitors to be horizontally mounted. The horizontal mounting could result in failure (i.e., short circuit) of the capacitor with consequential failure of the static inverter and loss of the associated instrument bus. This represents a potential substantial safety hazard because the plant is not designed for a postulated design basis accident with two failures, i.e., failure of another inverter with the potential failure of the 34 static inverter due to degraded capacitors.

Docket No.50-286

IPN-01-004

Attachment 1

Page 2 of 2

The cause of the defect was a change in the internal design of the capacitor that resulted in the mounting restriction. The part was purchased as non-safety grade from Westinghouse. The dedication was not considered to be a contributing cause because mounting restrictions were not considered a critical characteristic for replacement parts in this application.

5. The date on which the information of such defect or failure to comply was obtained.

On October 4, 2000, Indian Point 3 received the Westinghouse letter of September 5, 2000 providing notification of the unacceptability of the Mallory capacitor for use in the static inverter. On December 14, 2000 Indian Point 3 concluded that the deviation of the capacitors was a defect because a substantial safety hazard could have existed. The event was reported that day (Log 37602). The capacitors had been replaced on October 26, 2000.

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 of this part.

The number of capacitors supplied to Indian Point 3 was 6. They were used only for the 34 static inverter. No additional capacitors were in the warehouse.

7. The corrective action which has been, or 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.

On October 26, 2000, the plant was shutdown and corrective action was completed to replace the 6 capacitors prior to their failure. Operating experience notice OE11745 was completed and distributed to the industry on the INPO nuclear network on December 20, 2000.

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.

None beyond the operating experience notice.