Potential Electrical Equipment Problems
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
January 11, 1989
Information Notice No. 89-03: POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS
Addressees:
All Fuel Cycle and Major Nuclear Materials licensees.
Purpose:
This information notice is being provided to advise certain NRC fuel cycle and
materials licensees of potential electrical equipment problems that may be
caused by inadequate maintenance, equipment component defects, or procurement
practices. It is expected that you will review this information for appli-
cability, distribute it to responsible radiation safety, maintenance and
procurement staff, and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar
problems. However, suggestions contained in this notice do not constitute
new NRC requirements; no written response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
Concerns regarding electrical equipment problems with materials licensees
were prompted by recent inspection findings that counterfeit, substandard,
or questionable electrical equipment or components had been used in nuclear
power reactors. The inspection findings indicated that the electrical equip-
ment problems appeared to be significant and pervasive. As a result, several
NRC information notices were issued which reflected such equipment problems
involving nuclear utilities, equipment manufacturers, and vendors. Further-
more, several electrical suppliers were identified as those associated in
refurbishing and sale of defective equipment components to nuclear and non-
nuclear industries. Therefore, the electrical equipment problem does not
appear to be confined to nuclear power reactors or the nuclear industry.
Similar problems may also exist in non-nuclear medical and industrial
operations as well.
A review of previously published NRC information notices and bulletins ad-
dressed to materials licensees revealed that there had been incidents which
involved failure of electrical equipment and components such as pressure
regulator switches, teletherapy timers, solid-state relays, and solenoid
valves, which could have resulted in radiation overexposures. A brief
description of the incidents is provided below:
8901050122
. IN 89-03
January 11, 1989
Page 2 of 3
1. Information Notice No. 84-77:
A defective solid-state relay in a circuit board of a teletherapy unit
caused the source unit to move to the exposed position. This could
cause both the teletherapy operator and the patient to receive excessive
radiation exposures. This incident also may have generic implications
because of the non-fail-safe design of the relay circuit.
2. Information Notice No. 85-54:
A failure of a pressure regulator switch on the pneumatic system to an
Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (AECL) Theratron 60 teletherapy unit caused
an overpressure condition in the holding tank and prevented the source
drawer from immediately closing on command.
3. IE Bulletin No. 86-04:
The bulletin described how an operational malfunction of a teletherapy
timer could result in radiation misadministration to patients and possible
excessive radiation exposures to teletherapy operators.
4. Information Notice No. 87-29:
The Notice described several-related incidents at large irradiators.
One event involved an irradiator source unable to retract to its fully
shielded position due to a frozen solenoid valve.
Discussion:
Although these incidents apparently did not involve counterfeit equipment,
these incidents illustrate the need for facility management to have an
adequate maintenance and procurement program. Therefore, licensees are
urged to thoroughly review their programs to ensure that the procedures
for operations, service, repair, or replacement are being followed properly.
Licensees should also review their procurement procedures and practices,
especially in areas such as purchase orders, materials requirements, vendor
qualifications, and receipt inspections, to ensure quality control and
compliance.
. IN 89-03
January 11, 1989
Page 3 of 3
No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you should have any questions about this matter, please contact the
the appropriate NRC regional office or the technical contact listed below.
Richard E. Cunningham, Director
Division of Industrial and
Medical Nuclear Safety
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Technical Contact: K. C. Leu, NMSS
(301) 492-0696
Attachments:
1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices
2. List of All Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
. Attachment 2
IN 89-03
January 11, 1989
Page 1 of 1
LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
_____________________________________________________________________________
Information Date of
Notice No._____Subject_______________________Issuance_______Issued to________
89-02 Criminal Prosecution of 1/9/89 All holders of a
Licensee's Former President U.S. NRC specific
for Intentional Safety license.
Violations
88-23, Potential for Gas Binding 1/5/89 All holders of OLs
Supp. 1 of High-Pressure Safety or CPs for PWRs.
Injection Pumps During a
Loss-of-Coolant Accident
89-01 Valve Body Erosion 1/4/89 All holders of OLs
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
88-46, Licensee Report of Defective 12/30/88 All holders of OLs
Supp. 2 Refurbished Circuit Breakers or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
88-101 Shipment of Contaminated 12/28/88 All holders of OLs
Equipment between Nuclear or CPs for nuclear
Power Stations power reactors.
88-100 Memorandum of Understanding 12/23/88 All major nuclear
between NRC and OSHA materials licensees
Relating to NRC-licensed and utilities
Facilities (53 FR 43950, holding CPs and
October 31, 1988) OLs.
88-99 Detection and Monitoring 12/20/88 All holders of OLs
of Sudden and/or Rapidly or CPs for PWRs.
Increasing Primary-to-
Secondary Leakage
88-98 Electrical Relay Degradation 12/19/88 All holders of OLs
Caused by Oxidation of or CPs for nuclear
Contact Surfaces power reactors.
88-97 Potentially Substandard 12/16/88 All holders of OLs
Valve Replacement Parts or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
_____________________________________________________________________________
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
..
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021