Information Notice No. 79-05 - Use of Improper Materials in Safety-related Components
IN79005
March 16, 1979
MEMORANDUM FOR: B. H. Grier, Director, Region I
J. P. O'Reilly, Director, Region II
J. G. Keppler, Director, Region III
K. V. Seyfrit, Director, Region IV
R. H. Engelken, Director, Region V
FROM: Norman C. Moseley, Director, ROI, IE
SUBJECT: Information Notice No. 79-05 - USE OF IMPROPER
MATERIALS IN SAFETY-RELATED COMPONENTS
The subject document is transmitted for issuance on March 21, 1979.
The Information Notice should be issued to all power reactor facilities with
an operating license or a construction permit. Also enclosed is a draft
copy of the transmittal letter. No inspection followup is necessary since
no action by the licensee is requested.
Norman C. Moseley, Director
Division of Reactor Operations
Inspection
Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Enclosures:
1. IE Information Notice
No. 79-05
2. Draft Transmittal letter
CONTACT: D. C. Kirkpatrick, IE
(492-8180)
.
(Draft letter to all power reactor facilities with an operating license or a
construction permit)
Information Notice No. 79-05
Addressee:
The enclosed Information Notice No. 79-05 is forwarded to you for
information. No specific action is requested and no written response is
required. If you desire additional information regarding this matter,
please contact this office.
Signature
(Regional Director)
Enclosure:
IE Information Notice
No. 79-05
.
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
March 21, 1979
Information Notice No. 79-05
USE OF IMPROPER MATERIALS IN SAFETY-RELATED COMPONENTS
Two instances of the addition of improper materials to safety-related
components during maintenance have recently been identified by NRC
inspections.
Materials on Valve Seating Surfaces
An NRC inspector found that maintenance personnel at the Surry nuclear power
plant had added wax or grease to certain valve seating surfaces. These
valves included the containment spray and recirculation spray isolation
valves. This material could have affected the measured leak rate through
these containment penetrations. VEPCO personnel said that the material was
believed to have been added to prevent damage to the valve seating surfaces
during dry valve testing. It had not been removed following completion of
the maintenance procedure. VEPCO personnel also reported that a lack of any
definitive administrative guidance as to what lubricants, if any, could be
used during valve maintenance, contributed to this problem. The corrective
action included modification of the procedures to include more precise
inspection by quality control personnel following valve maintenance.
Grease in Snubbers
An NRC inspector found that maintenance personnel at the Browns Ferry
nuclear power plant had added grease to the hydraulic fluid reservoirs of
eight Bergen-Paterson snubbers. The grease had mistakenly been added,
during a scheduled lubrication procedure, through the alemite type fittings
used for normal fluid addition. A similar error involving thirteen
snubbers had previously been made at this facility. At that time the
decision had been made to install a different type of fitting on the
snubbers. However, the replacement parts had not arrived in time for
installation prior to the more recent lubrication. At the time of the
earlier occurrence, TVA personnel had removed the affected snubbers and
tested them for lock-up and bleed rate. The results had been within
specification. Nevertheless, the units had been disassembled and cleaned
prior to reinstallation. NRC inspectors witnessed the disassembly of one of
the later set of greased snubbers (a four-inch unit). Approximately one
cubic inch of grease was found in the reservoir. Although the grease
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Information Notice No. 79-05 March 21, 1979
Grease in Snubbers (continued)
had been in the reservoir for only four days, and stroking of the snubbers
was limited to that which occurred during its removal, grease was found in
the control valve assembly and the snubber cylinder. All of the recently
greased snubbers were replaced by spare units.
These two occurrences illustrate the necessity of controlling construction
and maintenance practices through the use of carefully developed procedures
designed to prevent errors, such as the introduction of foreign materials
into safety-related components.
This information is provided as a notification of a possibly significant
matter. It is expected that recipients will review the information for
possible applicability to their facilities. No specific action or response
is requested at this time. If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE
Circular or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request specific
licensee actions. If you have questions regarding this matter, please
contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Enclosure:
Listing of IE Information
Notices Issued in 1979
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