Headquarters Daily Report MARCH 21, 1997 *************************************************************************** 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 - HEADQUARTERS MARCH 21, 1997 MR Number: H-97-0028 NRR DAILY REPORT ITEM GENERIC COMMUNICATIONS NRC Information Notice 97-12, "Potential Armature Binding in General Electric Type HGA Relays," dated March 24, 1997. The NRC is issuing this information notice to alert addressees that two General Electric type HGA relays failed to reposition when the coils were deenergized. Technical contacts: K. Naidu, NRR (301) 415-2980 S. Alexander, NRR (301) 415-2995 D. Skeen, NRR (301) 415-1174 NRC Information Notice 97-13, "Deficient Conditions Associated with Protective Coatings at Nuclear Power Plants," dated March 24, 1997. The NRC is issuing this information notice to alert addressees about several instances in which protective coatings have not been properly applied, maintained, or qualified for their intended use and have jeopardized the operability of safety-related equipment. Technical contacts: James Medoff, NRR (301) 415-2715 James Tatum, NRR (301) 415 2805 _ REGION IV MORNING REPORT PAGE 2 MARCH 21, 1997 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Southern California Edison & San MR Number: 4-97-0028 Diego Gas & Electric Co. Date: 03/21/97 San Onofre 2 Phone Call from Resident Inspectors San Clemente,California Dockets: 50-361 PWR/CE Subject: UNIT 2 LEAK IN A SHUTDOWN COOLING ISOLATION VALVE Discussion: On March 19, 1997, at approximately 3 a.m. (PST), San Onofre Unit 2 was operating in Mode 3 at normal operating pressure and temperature, with the shutdown control element assemblies withdrawn in preparation for a reactor startup at the end of the Cycle 9 refueling outage. Licensee personnel discovered what was later determined to be pressure boundary leakage. The leak rate was quantified as approximately 3 gallons per hour (0.05 gpm). At 5 a.m., the licensee completed a review of the valve design, concluded that the leak was unisolable and constituted pressure boundary leakage. On March 20, 1997, the licensee completed a plant cooldown to Mode 5, in compliance with Technical Specifications, in order in initiate repairs. The licensee has not yet determined the duration of the outage extension necessary to repair the valve. The leaking valve is inside the primary containment, and no radiation was released to the environment as a result of the leak. The leak was from a threaded plug in the bonnet of a valve. The valve is the shutdown cooling system isolation valve closest to the reactor coolant system. The WKM valve is a double-disc lever-locking gate valve, and reactor coolant system pressure was able to seep past the upstream disc into the bonnet area, which was designed to withstand full system pressure. The leak was unusual in that it did not come from the threads of the plug. A steam plume was observed coming from a hole near the center of the hexagonal head of the plug. The licensee also determined that the plug had been replaced earlier during the current outage. Preliminary metallurgical analysis by the licensee indicated that the plug did not meet ASME code requirements and had a manufacturing defect. The licensee checked Unit 2 valves with similar bonnet plugs and did not identify any other defective plugs. Regional Action: The resident inspectors are following the licensee's repair and investigative activities. Contact: D. Kirsch (510)975-0290 J. Sloan (714)492-2641 _