Electrical Cable Aging and Condition Monitoring Codes and Standards for NPPs

1. Electrical Cable Aging and Condition Monitoring Codes and Standards for NPPs Dr. Stephanie Watson Engineering Laboratory NIST 100 Bureau Drive, MS 8615 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 stephanie.watson@nist.gov(301) 975-6448

2. DOE/NRC Objectives and Expectationsfor Task Groups • Focus not onlycompilation of: • Standards • NRC Documents but also • Understand Drivers for Revisions of Standards: • Emerging Technical Issues • Demand from End-Users Final Report should show the connection

3. ECTG Membership • Re-engage task group members • Find utilities’ contacts 30+ members Diversity: cable manufacturers power companies/associations SDOs government universities

4. Identified SDO’s American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM International) – develops international standards based on voluntary consensus. Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)- develops international standards for telecommunications, information technology and power generation products and services; consensus-building collaborative from more than 160 countries. Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC)-technical committee of IEEE within the Power Energy Society Institute of Electrochemical Commission (IEC)-world organization for the preparation and publication of International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies; fully consensus-based and represent the needs of key stakeholders of every nation participating in IEC work-every member country has one vote and a say in what goes into an IEC International Standard. Insulated Cable Engineers Association (ICEA)- professional organization dedicated to developing cable standards for the electric power, control, and telecommunications industries; "Not-For-Profit" association whose members are sponsored by over thirty of North America's leading cable manufacturers. National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) -the trade association for the electrical manufacturing industry; NEMA provides a forum for the development of technical standards that are in the best interests of the industry and users, advocacy of industry policies on legislative and regulatory matters, and collection, analysis, and dissemination of industry data; devotes time, effort, and resources to voluntary standardization activities. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)- US trade association (albeit with some international members) that creates and maintains private, copywrited, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments; all standards and codes created and written by the members of NFPA who volunteer their services at the expense of their sponsors Underwriters Laboratory (UL) - independent product safety certification organization; develops standards and test procedures for products, materials, components, assemblies, tools and equipment, chiefly dealing with product safety; non-profit part of company develops standards. Also found standards from the British Safety Institute and Danish Safety Standards Task Group included as many SDO’s as needed when discussing standards

5. ECTG Standards Evaluation • Identify and review current standards documents related to materials, testing, installation, and service life- UPDATED LIST; need input from TG about needs for revision • Categorize • Status today: in uses, up to date, needs clarification • What needs to be changed for application to a nuclear power plant? Is there overlap between this standard and another? • Why does the standard need to be changed? • Is this specific to safety or non-safety related applications? • Is the gap related to a lack of research, material data, or a specific application of the nuclear industry? Is the gap critical? Does it inhibit the wide application of a specific material or structure class to the nuclear industry? • Technical Issues Compiling Data • End-User Applications Compiling Data • Draft and submit report on findings with recommendations to NESCC

6. Discussion Points Previous • After review of standards, most have been revised or in the revision process -show specific examples of changes made in recent IEEE revisions- IEEE 323 and IEEE 383; highlight any technical advances and/or safety improvements • New standards are being created to monitor the condition of electrical cables • Looking outside the conventional standards for electrical cables • Review of Military Specifications • Non-Class 1E requirements • Research Documents • DOE-Sandia, Brookhaven, etc.; NRC document, EPRI reports • Challenge: New versus Old NPP Construction • Challenge: Qualification of cables upon accident conditions • Challenge: SDOs prefer NRC to cite most recent version of standards in licensing process Still Relevant

7. Gaps in Research Previous • Determination of aging mechanisms • Low voltage cable under wet conditions • High voltage cables under temperature, radiation, and wet conditions • Accident condition qualification • Newly developed insulation materials • Determination of extended service life of aged cables • Determination of the effectiveness of cable splicing and aging process • Standardization of procedures for condition monitoring test methods • Calibration of equipment and optimization of test parameters • Optimization of acceptance criteria Still Relevant

8. Discussion Points Now (from ‘re-engagement’) • RG 1.218: Condition and Monitoring Techniques • Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Techniques, such as dielectric spectroscopy, on-line partial discharge, VLF include • Cable Indenter discuss caveats • Acceptable for elastomer polymers, but NOT reliable for semicrystalline polymers like PE and XLPE • Complex results for multi-component/multi-polymer cables • DC HiPot: clarify potential harmful influence with regard to degree of degradation • Note that EPRI guides -1020804, 1020805, and 1021629 are being used by US NPPs for programmatic and condition monitoring techniques. • Use of 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) • Even if we determine new or revisions-needed standards, how will the changes be driven? Cannot ‘control’ SDOs; SDOs are revision “rules”; not always from emerging technical issues or demands of users • Cable field tests for non-shielded cables • Low voltage-determine condition, life extension or effect of submersion • Medium voltage- same as for low voltage concerns • Universal procedure for walk-downs of cable installations

9. Moving Forward • Draft Version of Final Report for Task Group Review • Complete by mid-May • Need April to reach out to TG members, especially utilities; attend Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC) meeting April 29-May1 • Preliminary Review of Report by NESCC Board late April: Are we on the right ‘track’? Expert Panel candidates? • Review of Report by Task Group beginning early May • Present the Draft Report to the NESCC Board by June • Move to Expert Panel Review