Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS No.: 6835
IN 82-34 Rev. 1
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
September 17, 1982
Information Notice No. 82-34, REV 1: WELDS IN MAIN CONTROL PANELS
Addressees:
All holders of a nuclear power reactor operating license (OL) or
construction permit (CP).
Purpose:
This revision is made to provide the specific time period during which R1
the potentially significant problem pertaining to welds in main R1
control panels may have existed. The panels of concern were supplied to R1
a number of operating plants and construction sites by Systems Control R1
of Iron Mountain, Michigan prior to March 1980; Reliance Electric of R1
Stone Mountain, Georgia prior to March 1982; and Comsip of Linden, New R1
Jersey prior to March 1982. Only those panels manufactured prior to R1
these dates are now included in the list of sites which may have panels R1
with defective welds. The potential safety significance of this problem R1
is still under review by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff. R1
If NRC evaluation so indicates, further licensee action may be R1
requested. In the interim, the staff expects licensees to review the R1
information herein for applicability to their facilities. No specific R1
action or response is required at this time. R1
Description of Circumstances:
Inspections at the vendors' facilities conducted in March of 1980 R1
(Systems Control) and March of 1982 (Reliance and Comsip) disclosed R1
numerous welding practices not in accordance with the American Welding
Society (AWS) Standards and several quality assurance practices not in
compliance with the vendors' procedures or NRC requirements. Among these
were the following:
1. Certified material test reports not obtained, not available, R1
or not in accordance with AWS specifications
2. Changes to drawings not properly reviewed and accepted
3. Welding being done by unqualified individuals without qualified
procedures and using uncalibrated equipment
4. Poor welds, including lack of fusion, undercuts in excess of
1/32", and weld wire remnants from 112" to 4" in accepted welds.
5. Welding procedure qualification and welder qualification testing
required by AWS Standards not accomplished
6. Essential variables as specified by AWS Standards violated
7. Management oversight not accomplished for lengthy periods; lack of
separate review and approval for Quality Assurance
8. Unidentified weld filler metal used
9. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process used but not documented in
place of required gas metal arc welding (GMAW) or shielded metal
arc welding (SMAW) processes
8208190222
.
IN 82-34, Rev 1
September 17, 1982
Page 2 of 2
Since the inspection determined that the non-conforming practices of all
three vendors were similar and widespread at each manufacturing R1
facility, it can be assumed that any panel furnished by these R1
vendors prior to the respective NRC inspection dates may have R1
defective welds. Although the vendors have seismically qualified R1
similar panels, improper welding practices and defective welds prior R1
to the NRC inspection may affect the validity of those qualifications. R1
Some control panels were identified during vendor inspections as R1
having defective welds. Sites which have received panels that may have
defective welds are as follows: Palo Verde 1, 2, and 3; Byron 1 and 2; R1
Braidwood 1 and 2; Midland 1 and 2; Vogtle 1 and 2; Callaway 1; R1
Comanche Peak 1 and 2; Waterford 3; Wolf Creek; Brunswick 1 and 2; R1
Seabrook; Susquehanna; Three Mile Island 1; Salem 1 and 2; Hope Creek;
Monticello; Perry 1 and 2; Hatch 1 and 2; Indian Point 2; Shearon R1
Harris 1, 2, 3, and 4; St. Lucie 2; Shoreham; Virgil Summer; Dresden; R1
and LaSalle.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the
administrator of the appropriate Regional Office or this office.
Edward L. Jordan, Director
Division of Engineering and
Quality Assurance
Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Technical Contact: M. S. Wegner
301-492-4511
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices
