Headquarters Daily report NOVEMBER 30, 1994 *************************************************************************** REPORT NEGATIVE NO INPUT ATTACHED INPUT RECEIVED RECEIVED HEADQUARTERS X REGION I X REGION II X REGION III X REGION IV X *************************************************************************** PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION II NOVEMBER 30, 1994 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Etc Engineers, Inc. MR Number: 2-94-0102 Date: 11/30/94 Memphis,Tennessee License No: R-79243 Subject: STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE RECOVERED Reportable Event Number: N/A Discussion: Tennessee, an Agreement State, notified Region II that a portable gauge, Troxler Model 3440, that had been stolen from a licensee's vehicle had been recovered. The device containing 8 millicuries of cesium-137 and 40 millicuries of americium-241:beryllium was stolen from the licensee's vehicle while parked at the licensee's address on November 25, 1994. Local authorities were notified and a press release was issued on November 26, 1994. The device was recovered about two blocks from the licensee's facility on November 29, 1994. The recovered device was reported to be undamaged with the source locked in the shielded position. The outer Type A shipping container was reported missing from the device. Tennessee responded to the incident on Monday, November 28, 1994 and are continuing their evaluation of the incident. Regional Action: No Regional assistance was needed. Contact: R. Woodruff (404)331-5553 PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION II NOVEMBER 30, 1994 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Tennessee Valley Authority MR Number: 2-94-0103 Sequoyah 1 Date: 11/30/94 Soddy-Daisy,Tennessee Dockets: 50-327 PWR/W-4-LP Subject: CONTROL/LUBRICATION OIL PERTURBATIONS ON DRESSER-RAND STEAM DRIVEN PUMPS Reportable Event Number: N/A Discussion: On November 6, 1994 Sequoyah personnel were conducting final MODE 3 testing of the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater (TDAFW) pump after completing a refueling outage. The TDAFW pump is manufactured by Dresser Rand (Terry Turbine). After the pump was shut down a condition was identified where turbine bearing/control oil was found on the pump skid after the pump was shut down. Additional pump operation identified that the oil was coming out of the turbine oil system near the turbine outboard bearing housing. In addition, the inboard bearing sight glass level was decreasing below the minimum level indicator mark. Troubleshooting evolutions, including ultrasonic testing, concluded that air voids were forming in the outboard bearing drain line, preventing adequate oil return from the outboard housing and resulting in the oil level fluctuations between the two bearing housings. The accumulation of air voids caused enough restriction of drain flow to cause the outboard housing oil level to exceed its capacity and overflow, simultaneous with the inboard housing losing level due to the oil pump predominantly taking suction from that housing. Initial reviews indicated that the phenomenon of air voiding in the oil system was time dependent, which raises questions regarding previous test conditions for the pump turbine. Factors such as pump speed, oil system configuration, and oil system pressure each could potentially affect operation when this adverse condition occurs. The TDAFW turbine oil system provides cooling/lubricating oil to the turbine bearings and other internal components, as well as acting as the control oil for the turbine EHC system. The turbine oil system is skid mounted and consists of a shaft driven, gear-type pump, separate inboard and outboard bearing housings, each installed with a one inch drain leading to a reservoir, which also acts as an equalizing line between the two bearing housings. A relief/bypass line is installed on the oil pump discharge piping, which allows for bypassing flow back to the oil pump's suction, which provides system pressure and flow control. The outboard bearing housing also served as an oil return for the EHC and other oil functions in addition to the normal bearing flows; whereas the inboard bearing housing only served to collect the inboard bearing expended oil capacities. Corrective actions for the problem were to install an atmospheric vent at the top of the outboard bearing drain line. This allowed the air voids to vent off, rather than restrict drain flow. In addition, a portion of the one inch outboard bearing housing drain line was replaced with 1.5 inch diameter piping. Testing verified these modifications appeared to have corrected the problem. On November 27, Browns Ferry Unit 2 was shut down due to similar pump oil perturbations on the reactor core isolation cooling (RCIC) pump, also a steam driven pump manufactured by Dresser Rand. Similar modifications were performed on the Browns Ferry pump and testing is currently in progress to verify the corrective actions have resolved the problem. Regional Action: The Resident Inspectors at Sequoyah and Browns Ferry are monitoring the licensees corrective actions for the identified problem and are evaluating previous pump testing. A draft information notice is also being prepared on the subject based on possible generic implications. Contact: Mark S. Lesser (404)331-0342 PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION III NOVEMBER 30, 1994 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Commonwealth Edison Co. MR Number: 3-94-0227 Quad Cities 1 2 Date: 11/28/94 Cordova,Illinois Dockets: 50-254,50-265 BWR/GE-3,BWR/GE-3 Subject: SUPERVISOR TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL Reportable Event Number: N/A Discussion: A licensee Integrated Analysis Administrator, tested positive for alcohol (.07 blood alcohol content) during a random fitness-for-duty test on 11/28/94. The individual's site access was suspended. The individual is considered to be a supervisor but the individual has no staff reporting to him, and the individual at the time of the test was not acting for another supervisor. The individual's duties included making recommendations, based on analysis, for safety and non-safety related work activities. Drug test results were negative. A work performance analysis is being conducted. The licensee is continuing to evaluate this matter. Regional Action: Regional safeguards staff will followup on licensee action. Contact: J. CREED (708)829-9857 PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION IV NOVEMBER 30, 1994 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Omaha Public Power District MR Number: 4-94-0136 Ft Calhoun 1 Date: 11/30/94 Fort Calhoun,Nebraska Senior Resident Inspector Dockets: 50-285 PWR/CE Subject: NOTIFICATION OF UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED BECAUSED OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION REQUIRED SHUTDOWN Reportable Event Number: 28088 Discussion: On November 29, 1994, at 9:16 p.m. (CST), with the plant at 100 percent power, the licensee entered an 8-hour limiting condition for operation (LCO). This LCO was entered (Technical Specification 2.7.4.h) as a result of a fuse blowing in Inverter B for the vital 120VAC power system. This Technical Specification provides 8 hours for the licensee to return the inverter to service, otherwise the plant shall be placed in Hot Shutdown during the following 12 hours. The bypass transformer automatically transferred, as expected, to supply power to the bus. Troubleshooting activities were initiated to identify the cause for the blown fuse. At 5:01 a.m., a Notification of Unusual Event was declared because troubleshooting activities had not identified the cause for the fuse blowing and it was evident that the inverter would not be returned to service within 8 hours of having been declared inoperable. The operators initiated a reactor power decrease at approximately 5 percent per hour. Subsequently, the licensee identified a failed card in the inverter. The card was replaced and the postmaintenance test satisfactorily completed. The inverter was declared operable and the licensee exited the notification of unusual event at 7:30 a.m. The licensee has initiated a reactor power increase from 94 percent. The senior resident inspector observed the licensee's troubleshooting and postmaintenance testing activities on the inverter and the operators performance during the power decrease. It was found that the control room demonstrated appropriate command and control over these activities. Regional Action: Resident inspector followup. Contact: Ray Mullikin (402)426-9611 Bill Jones (817)860-8147