Headquarters Daily Report DECEMBER 12, 1995 *************************************************************************** REPORT NEGATIVE NO INPUT ATTACHED INPUT RECEIVED RECEIVED HEADQUARTERS û REGION I û REGION II û REGION III û REGION IV û PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION I DEC. 12, 1995 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Consolidated Edison Co. Of N.Y. MR Number: 1-95-0152 Indian Point 2 Date: 12/07/95 Buchanan,New York SRI FAX Dockets: 50-247 PWR/W-4-LP Subject: EDG SERVICE WATER COOLER DEGRADATION/REPLACEMENT Discussion: On September 27, 1995, the lube oil level for the 23 EDG was observed to be high and the oil discolored. Con Edison later identified and plugged one leaking tube in the lube oil cooler heat exchanger. Subsequent eddy current testing identified seven other tubes, that while not leaking, had indications severe enough to require plugging. On October 9, 1995, operators again identified a level increase in the lube oil level for the 23 EDG as a result of service water leakage through the lube oil cooler heat exchanger. The 23 EDG was declared inoperable and because of ongoing maintenance on component cooling water pumps, a technical specification required shutdown was performed. Con Edison returned the EDG to service after identifying and plugging an additional leaking tube. Con Edison replaced the 23 EDG lube oil heat exchanger tube bundle with a spare on November 20, 1995. The 23 EDG jacket water cooler was also eddy current tested at that time to ensure no tube degradation had occurred. Con Edison initially reported verbally that no problems requiring corrective action existed with the jacket water cooler. However, on December 1, 1995, Indian Point 2 personnel received a written report that evaluated the eddy current data. This report indicated that 35 percent of the tubes in the jacket water cooler tube sheet area had 70% or more degradation. Based on these results, the jacket water heat exchanger was replaced on December 4, 1995. Subsequent physical inspection of the jacket water cooler heat exchanger tubes indicated that these eddy current results were due to crushing and thinning incurred during the rolling and pulling process for installation of the tubes into the tube sheet and not an indication of flow induced erosion as was intially thought. The failure of the lube oil cooler tubes was determined to be the result of possible manufacturing defects in the tubes, and also not related to flow induced corrosion. Con Edison now believes that no unusual erosion has been experienced in the jacket water and lube oil heat exchanger tubes. Con Edison is still preparing to replace the 22 and 21 EDG jacket water and lube oil coolers by the end of the year with new thicker walled tube bundles. Regional Action: The resident inspectors will continue to monitor Con Edision plans for replacement of these heat exchanger tubes. Regional specialist inspectors in the materials area have been consulted in this matter. Contact: Richard Barkley (610)337-5065 _ REGION III MORNING REPORT PAGE 2 DECEMBER 12, 1995 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Combustion Engineering, Inc. MR Number: 3-95-0186 Hematite Fuel Fabrication Plant Date: 12/11/95 Hematite,Missouri VIA PHONE CALL TO RIII Dockets: 07000036 Subject: CONTAMINATED METAL TRANSFERRED TO UNAUTHORIZED NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT) FIRM Discussion: On December 11, 1995, the licensee notified Region III that two pieces of uranium-contaminated metal had left the Hematite facility during the week of December 4, 1995, without the knowledge of the radiation safety staff. The metal pieces were formerly parts of a chemical reactor in the licensee's oxide conversion plant which had been removed or released from the restricted area at some point in the past. The metal pieces, which the licensee subsequently discovered were contaminated with fixed alpha contamination of approximately 3300 disintegrations per minute (dpm) and fixed beta contamination of approximately 170,000 dpm, had been stored in a desk drawer in the facility's engineering offices. Engineering sent one of the pieces to Combustion Engineering's (CE) Windsor, Connecticut, facility and one to a non- destructive testing (NDT) firm in St. Louis, Missouri, for metallurgical analyses without considering that the pieces might be contaminated from prior operations. Windsor is authorized to receive special nuclear material, but the NDT firm is not, although the laboratory does handle other radioactive materials under an NRC license. When an engineer at Hematite discovered the error, the radiation protection staff at Windsor and Hematite were notified and the metal at Windsor was recovered to the restricted area. A technician at Windsor had performed some grinding on the piece and had contaminated the grinding wheel and his hands slightly (below 100 dpm removable on the palm of the hand). No other removable contamination was identified at Windsor. On December 8, 1995, CE Hematite sent a health physics supervisor to the NDT firm to recover the other piece and to perform contamination surveys of the facilities. No removable contamination was found on the piece or in the lab and the metal was returned to CE Hematite. Subsequent searches of the Hematite engineering offices have not identified additional pieces of contaminated metal. The metal pieces do not present a health and safety hazard to members of the public. Regional Action: NMSS, Region I, and the State of Missouri have been notified. Region III inspectors will perform a follow-up inspection at the Hematite facility in January 1996. Contact: J. JACOBSON (708)829-9831 G. L. SHEAR (708)829-9875 _ REGION IV MORNING REPORT PAGE 3 DECEMBER 12, 1995 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Houston Lighting & Power Co. MR Number: 4-95-0160 South Texas 1 2 Date: 12/11/95 Wadsworth,Texas Senior Resident Inspector Dockets: 50-498,50-499 PWR/W-4-LP,PWR/W-4-LP Subject: LITIGATION SETTLEMENT WITH WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION REGARDING STEAM GENERATORS Discussion: On December 7, 1995, a press release was issued from Houston Lighting & Power Company pertaining to the settlement of ongoing litigation with Westinghouse Corporation over steam generators that had been supplied to the South Texas Project. An excerpt from the release follows: "The owners of the South Texas Project (STP) and Westinghouse Electric Corporation announced the settlement of a long-standing dispute regarding steam generators provided by Westinghouse to STP. "The settlement ends costly litigation for both parties while providing for the long term economic viability of STP. Westinghouse and the owners of STP also said the settlement would strengthen their business relationship for the future and would further their strategic goals. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed. "Both the STP owners and Westinghouse expressed satisfaction that the dispute was settled in an amicable and mutually beneficial manner. "The owners of STP sued Westinghouse in 1990 over steam generators that Westinghouse had provided with the plant. The dispute between Westinghouse and the STP owners was being heard in the 23rd District Circuit Court in Matagorda County, Texas. The trial began in July and would have continued until late December if a settlement had not been reached. "STP is a two-unit, 2500-megawatt electrical (total) nuclear plant owned by Houston Lighting & Power Company, Central Power and Light Company, City Public Service of San Antonio, and the City of Austin." Regional Action: For information only. Contact: John L. Pellet (817)860-8183 Ronald A. Kopriva (817)860-8104 _