Electrical Cable Aging and Condition Monitoring Codes and Standards for Nuclear Power Plants

1. Electrical Cable Aging and Condition Monitoring Codes and Standards for Nuclear Power Plants • Electrical Cable Task Group (ECTG) • NESCC Update: 7 November 2013 • Co-Chairs: • Dr. Stephanie Watson, NIST Dr. Corey McDaniel, R-SCC

2. ECTG Scope Objectives: • Inventory of relevant standards with gaps and overlaps analysis. • Recommendations for revisions or new electrical cable standards. • Review of current citations of electrical cables codes and standards in NRC regulatory documents. • Short, Medium, and Long-term Recommendations

3. Status and Path Forward • July: • Added task group co-chair from industry. • Draft report submitted to Steering Committee for review and comment. • Task group co-chair facilitating review and update of draft report by industry. • October: • Draft final report to NRC and DOE for final comments • November: • Publication.

4. RECOMMENDATIONS • Short-Term Actions (<3 year) • Revise RG 1.89 Revise RG 1.189 • NRC provide guidance on RG 1.1.31 • Cable aging studies • Research on adequacy of cable characterization techniques • Low smoke zero halogen research • Medium-Term Actions (3 to 8 years) • Revise RG 1.218 • Research on water submergence • Research on activation energy • Definitions of low and medium voltage • Long-Term Actions (> 8 years) • Correlation between accelerated exposure and natural aging conditions

5. EMERGING ISSUES: Korea • Background • June 2013 – NSSC reveals cable falsifications, 4 reactors shutdown • More than 100 officials have been indicted to date; KHNP CEO, Minister • Reactor head cables removed and replaced using domestic supplier • Cable in two new reactors was “re-tested” – APR-1400 (UAE ref. plants) • Testing conducted in October – cables failed flame tests, must be removed • KHNP issues ITB two days later; 20 KHNP executives dismissed • 2 U.S. companies are the only invited bidders (domestic not allowed) • Bids accepted last Friday (1 November); award expected 2-3 weeks • Implications • Korea used IEEE to “re-test” cables; are “re-test procedures” needed? • Will cables at other reactors be re-tested as a result of Korea? • Will re-testing expand beyond Korea? • Research implications of re-testing, beyond condition monitoring?

6. Gaps in Research and Standards Existing NPPs • Cable Aging Studies • Accelerated aging and extrapolation to 60 years • Thermal and radiation sequence • Diffusion limited oxidation • Water Submergence and its Effects • Medium versus low voltage • Activation Energy Determination • Adequacy of Cable Characterization Techniques • Destructive versus non-destructive • Line Resonance Analysis (LIRA) • Low voltage cable applications; SDOs need to develop a method • Currently used in NPPs (I&C, power), T&D, Wind Parks (on/offshore), Process Industry, Oil and Gas Industry (above ground, underground, submarine, umbilical cables), Cable Manufacturers (reference measurements, QC) • Joint Time and Frequency Domain Reflectometry • Cable field tests for non-shielded cables (5 kV and above) • Universal procedure for walk-downs of cable installations

7. Gaps in Research and Standards New NPPs • Qualification testing on low smoke zero halogen cables • Performance correlation between fast non-oxidative diffusion limited oxidation controlled exposure (IEEE 323) with oxidatively driven materials degradation for long term plant normal operation (low dose radiation and low temperature) • Commonly accepted definitions of low and medium (action for SDOs)