Bulletin 88-05: Supplement 1, Nonconforming Materials Supplied by Piping Supplies, Inc. at Folsom, New Jersey And West Jersey Manufacturing Company at Williamstown, New Jersey

                                                  OMB No.: 3150-0011
                                                  NRCB 88-05, Supplement 1


                                  UNITED STATES
                          NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
                      OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C.  20555

                                  June 15, 1988


NRC BULLETIN NO. 88-05, SUPPLEMENT 1:  NONCONFORMING MATERIALS SUPPLIED BY 
                                       PIPING SUPPLIES, INC. AT FOLSOM, NEW 
                                       JERSEY AND WEST JERSEY MANUFACTURING 
                                       COMPANY AT WILLIAMSTOWN, NEW JERSEY


Addressees:

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power 
reactors.

Purpose:

The purpose of this supplement is to 1) provide additional information con-
cerning material supplied by Piping Supplies, Incorporated (PSI) and West 
Jersey Manufacturing Company (WJM), 2) reduce the scope of the requested 
materials review to only flanges and fittings, 3) delineate actions licensees 
are requested to take to identify these materials and to determine whether the 
materials comply with ASME and ASTM design and material specifications, and 4) 
clarify what actions licensees are requested to take once they identify 
material that does not comply with the above material specifications.  

Description of Circumstances:

On June 10, 1988 the NRC staff was informed by Carolina Power & Light (CP&L) 
that the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant had tested two flanges from their ware-
house that had been supplied by WJM.  The two flanges were identified as 
belonging to Heat No. 7218, SA-105 material.  The CP&L test results did not 
match those reported on WJM's Certified Material Test Reports (CMTRs) and did 
not meet the tensile and yield strength requirements for SA-105 material.  
Required minimum tensile strength is 70 KSI whereas the measured tensile 
strengths were 45 KSI and 46 KSI.  The tensile strength reported on the CMTR 
was 77 KSI.  Required minimum yield strength is 36 KSI whereas the measured 
yield strengths were 27 KSI and 31 KSI.  The yield strength reported on the 
CMTR was 50 KSI.  Measured chemistry composition was also out of 
specification, notably percent carbon was very low at 0.045 and manganese was 
measured at 0.32 (required range 0.6 to 1.05).  

Bulletin 88-05 requires that all PSI and WJM supplied material be identified 
and that a determination be made as to its suitability for the intended or 
actual application.  This supplement narrows the scope of review from ASME 



8806150186
.                                                  NRCB 88-05, Supplement 1
                                                  June 15, 1988 
                                                  Page 2 of 3 


and ASTM "materials" to ASME and ASTM fittings and flanges.  In view of the 
recent verification that flanges which do not comply with ASME and ASTM speci-
fications have been supplied to the nuclear industry, the time frames for 
certain actions are also modified by this supplement.  

Actions Requested:

The actions requested in Bulletin 88-05 remain in effect with the following 
additions: 

1.   Review of purchasing records may be reduced in scope from ASME and ASTM 
     "materials" to ASME and ASTM "fittings and flanges" and the review should 
     be initiated and completed promptly. (1)

2.   The scope of paragraph 2 of Bulletin 88-05 is reduced from ASME and ASTM 
     "materials" to ASME and ASTM "flanges and fittings."  All other 
     provisions of paragraph 2 of Bulletin 88-05 remain in effect.

3.   The scope of paragraph 3 of Bulletin 88-05 is reduced from ASME and ASTM 
     "materials" to ASME and ASTM "flanges and fittings."  For ASME and ASTM 
     flanges and fittings furnished by PSI or WJM already installed in safety-
     related systems in operating plants, the following actions are requested:

     a.   Commence appropriate testing of accessible flanges and fittings 
          promptly to identify conformance of materials to ASME and ASTM 
          material specifications.  Test results for flanges and fittings 
          reported to be from the same heat should be compared for consistency 
          and for conformance to the ASME/ASTM specifications and to values 
          listed on material CMTRs.  Any deviation from the specification 
          requires an appropriate analysis justifying continued operation. 

     b.   If any inaccessible flanges or fittings are identified, an analysis 
          must be performed justifying continued operation. 
          
     c.   All other provisions of paragraph 3 of Bulletin 88-05 remain in 
          effect.

4.   For flanges and fittings already identified as having been supplied by 
     PSI or WJM, the actions requested in 3a and 3b above are to be completed 
     within 30 days of receipt of this supplement.  For flanges and fittings 
     identified after receipt of this supplement, the actions requested in 3a 
     and 3b above are to be completed within 30 days of identifying the 
     flanges or fittings as being supplied by PSI and WJM. 

__________________________________________

(1)/ Based on the discovery by CP&L of nonconforming flanges and on NRC review
     of records of WJM's production of numerous flanges purportedly from Heat 
     No. 7218, licensees should specifically be alert to identify records for 
     flanges from Heat No. 7218.
.                                                  NRCB 88-05, Supplement 1
                                                  June 15, 1988 
                                                  Page 3 of 3 


5.   Addressees are requested to retain nonconforming materials until advised 
     further by the NRC.  Nonconforming materials should be segregated to 
     ensure that they are not inadvertently used.

6.   Addressees are encouraged to report the results of tests of PSI and WJM 
     supplied flanges and fittings to the INPO Nuclear Network for dissemi-
     nation to the industry.

Reporting Requirements:

The reporting requirements of Bulletin 88-05 remain in effect with the 
following additions:

1.   The NRC Operations Center should be notified by telephone, 202-951-0550, 
     of the need for analysis to justify continued operation as required in 
     paragraphs 3a and 3b.  Where the need for analysis to justify continued 
     operation results in a requirement for a report under 10 CFR 50.72, the 
     notification to the Operations Center should be in accordance with the 
     reporting times required by 10 CFR 50.72.  If the need for analysis to 
     justify continued operation would not result in a requirement for a 
     report under 10 CFR 50.72, the notification to the Operations Center 
     should be made within 48 hours.

2.   Include the results of all tests of PSI or WJM materials in the written 
     response to Bulletin 88-05.

The written reports required above shall be addressed to the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, ATTN:  Document Control Desk, Washington, D.C. 20555, 
under oath or affirmation under the provisions of Section 182a, Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954, as amended.  In addition, a copy shall be submitted to the appro-
priate Regional Administrator.  

This requirement for information was approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget under blanket clearance number 3150-0011.  Comments on burden and 
dupliications should be directed to the Office of Management and Budget, 
Reports Management, Room 3208, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 
20503.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact one of the 
technical contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the 
appropriate NRC regional office.




                              Charles E. Rossi, Director
                              Division of Operational Events Assessment
                              Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Technical Contacts:  Ray Cilimberg, NRR
                     (301) 492-3220

                     Ed Baker, NRR
                     (301) 492-3221 

Attachment:  List of Recently Issued NRC Bulletins 
 

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