Headquarters Daily report

                                 MAY 03, 1995

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PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED  MORNING REPORT - REGION I  MAY  3, 1995

Licensee/Facility:                     Notification:

New York Power Authority               MR Number: 1-95-0064
Indian Point 3                         Date: 05/03/95
Buchanan,New York                      SRI PC                             
Dockets: 50-286
PWR/W-4-LP                            

Subject: MOTOR-OPERATED VALVE IMPACTED BY TORQUE SWITCH CONTINUITY       
                                                                         
Reportable Event Number: N/A

Discussion:

From January to April 1995, three motor-operated valves failed to close  
after an initial one-quarter inch travel.  The licensee believes that the
failures were the result of a lack of continuity in the closing torque   
switch contacts and were potentially caused by fiberglass from degraded  
wire coating which may have worked its way between the contact faces. The
failure mode is potentially significant because it is not readily        
detectable and can occur after the valve is successfully stroked.        
                                                                         
The three failures involved Limitorque Motor Operator SMB-00, which had a
vertical stem orientation and cable type VGVA.  Cable type VGVA is a     
multi-conductor, surrounded by glass braided polyvinyl chloride (PCV)    
insulation.  The insulation of some cables was frayed at the ends, and   
the fiberglass braiding was flaking.  Pieces of fibrous material was     
observed to be lying between the two contacts of the close torque switch.
The orientation of the torque switch for the vertical stem allows the    
potential for debris to collect by gravity between the two contacts.     
The licensee believes that the debris between the two contacts may have  
worked its way between the contact faces causing a loss of continuity.   
The licensee based this conclusion on observations during the            
troubleshooting of a failed valve.  It was visually noted that the       
contact faces were touching, however, no continuity was detected across  
the contact.  When the contact was shifted slightly, continuity was      
observed. With the loss of continuity, the motor operator will attempt to
close initially because the torque switch is initially bypassed. However,
once the bypass is opened, the operator will stop because the torque     
switch contact is held opened by the debris.                             
                                                                         
The detection of this potential failure mode is not readily apparent. The
glass fibers postulated to cause this failure were not easily seen. A    
valve, which has been successfully stroked closed, does not assure that  
debris can come between the contact faces during the contact operation,  
which occurs after the valve reached its close torque limit.  Also, the  
licensee believes that slight arcing, when the contacts open, can cause  
the fiberglass material to melt and form an insulating bead at the point 
where the contact faces touch, and cause the valve to be inoperable for  
its next closing operation.                                              
                                                                         
The licensee inspected susceptible motor operator configurations with one
exception for which the close torque switch continuity was verified.     
Corrective actions included taping and cutting back insulation as needed,
verifying the cleanliness of the area between the two close torque switch
contacts, and burnishing the contact faces.                              
                                                                         
                                                                         

Regional Action:

Resident followup.                                                       
Contact:  David Lew                  (914)739-8565
          Curtis Cowgill             (610)337-5233