05000293/LER-1917-006, Regarding Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement

Regarding Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement

ML17171A231
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	06/13/2017
From:	Perkins E Entergy Nuclear Operations
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
2.17.044 LER 17-006-00
Download: ML17171A231 (6)

LER-1917-006, Regarding Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement

Event date:
Report date:
Reporting criterion:	10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(ii)(A), Seriously Degraded 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(viii)(A) 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(ii)(B), Unanalyzed Condition 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(viii)(B) 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(iii) 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(ix)(A) 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(iv)(A), System Actuation 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(x) 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(v)(A), Loss of Safety Function - Shutdown the Reactor 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(v)(B), Loss of Safety Function - Remove Residual Heat 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(v), Loss of Safety Function 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(i)(A), Completion of TS Shutdown 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(i)(B), Prohibited by Technical Specifications 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(vii), Common Cause Inoperability
2931917006R00 - NRC Website

text

• !:~* Entergx June 13, 2017 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 600 Rocky Hill Road Plymouth. MA 02360

SUBJECT:

Licensee Event Report 2017-006-00, Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Docket No. 50-293 Renewed License No. DPR-35 LETTER NUMBER: 2.17.044

Dear Sir or Madam:

The enclosed Licensee Event Report 2017-006-00, Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement, is submitted in accordance with Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations 50. 73.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact me at (508) 830-8323.

There are no regulatory commitments contained in this letter.

Sincerely,

~t?~(\\_

Everett P. Perkins, Jr. ~

Manager, Regulatory Assurance EPP/sc Attachment: Licensee Event Report 2017-006-00, Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement (3 pages)

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station cc:

Mr. Daniel H. Dorman Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2100 Renaissance Blvd., Suite 100 King of Prussia, PA 19406-2713 Mr. John Lamb, Senior Project Manager Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 0-8C2A Washington, DC 20555 NRC Senior Resident Inspector Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Letter No. 2.17.044 Page 2 of 2

Attachment Letter Number 2.17.044 Licensee Event Report 2017-006-00 Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement (3 Pages)

NRCFORM 366 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION APPROVED BY OMB: NO. 3150-0104 EXPIRES: 03/31/2020 (04-2017) htto://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nurfil)s/staff/sr1022/r3/)

the NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, the information collection.

1. FACILITY NAME

12. DOCKET NUMBER

13. PAGE Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 05000293 1 OF3

14. TITLE Source Range Monitor Inoperable During Fuel Movement

5. EVENT DATE

6. LER NUMBER

7. REPORT DATE

8. OTHER FACILITIES INVOLVED SEQUENTIAL REV FACILITY NAME DOCKET NUMBER MONTH DAY YEAR YEAR NUMBER MONTH DAY YEAR N/A NO.

1o~noo NIA 04 14 2017 2017

- 006

- 00 06 13 2017 FACILITY NAME DOCKET NUMBER N/A 05000 N/A

9. OPERATING MODE

11. THIS REPORT IS SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMEtil'S OF 10 CFR §: (Check all that apply)

N D 20.2201(b)

D 20.2203(a)(3)(i)

D 50.73(a)(2)(ii)(A)

D 50.73(a)(2)(viii)(A)

D 20.2201(d)

D 20.2203(a)(3)(ii)

D 50.73(a)(2)(ii)(B)

D 50.73(a)(2)(viii)(B)

D 20.2203(a)(1)

D 20.2203(a)(4)

D 50.73(a)(2)(iii)

D 50.73(a)(2)(ix)(A)

D 20.2203(a)(2)(i)

D 50.36(c)(1)(i)(A)

D 50.73(a)(2)(iv)(A)

D 50.73(a)(2)(x)

10. POWER LEVEL D 20.2203(a)(2)(ii)

D 50.36(c)(1)(ii)(A)

D 50.73(a)(2)(v)(A)

D 73.71(a)(4)

D 20.2203(a)(2)(iii)

D 50.36(c)(2)

D 50.73(a)(2)(v)(B)

D 73.71(a)(5) 0 D 20.2203(a)(2)(iv)

D 50.46(a)(3)(ii)

D 50.73(a)(2)(v)(C)

D 73.77(a)(1)

D 20.2203(a)(2)(v)

D 50.73(a)(2)(i)(A)

D 50.73(a)(2)(v)(D)

D 73.77(a)(2)(i)

D 20.2203(a)(2)(vi)

~ 50.73(a)(2)(i)(B)

D 50.73(a)(2)(vii)

D 73.77(a)(2)(ii)

D so.73(a)(2)(i)(C) 0 OTHER Specify in Abstract below or in NRC Form 366A

12. LICENSEE CONTACT FOR THIS LER LICENSEE CONTACT r1LEPHONE NUMBER (Include Area Code)

IMr. Everett P. Perkins, Jr. - Regulatory Assurance Manager 1(508) 830-8323 CAUSE SYSTEM COMPONENT MANU-REPORTABLE

CAUSE

SYSTEM COMPONENT MANU-REPORTABLE FACTURER TOEPIX FACTURER TOEPIX x

IG DET R220 y

14. SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT EXPECTED

15. EXPECTED MONTH DAY YEAR*

D YES (If yes, complete 15. EXPECTED SUBMISSION DATE)

~ NO SUBMISSION DATE

~BSTRACT (Limit to 1400 spaces, i.e., approximately 15 single-spaced typewritten lines)

I On April 15, 2017, with the reactor at 0 percent core thermal power in a refueling outage, Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station discovered that during fuel movements (core alterations) conducted on April 14th and April 15th in reactor quadrant 'B', source range monitor channel B (SRM B) was inoperable due to not meeting the signal to noise ratio of no less than 2 to 1 required by FSAR section 7.5.4.1.

This event is reportable under 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(i)(B), any operation or condition which was prohibited by the plant's Technical Specifications.

There was no impact to public health and safety from this condition.

BACKGROUND:

SEQUENTIAL NUMBER

- 006 REV NO.

- 00

!The Source Range Monitors (SRMSs) provide neutron flux information during reactor startup and low flux level operations. There are four SRM channels, each of which includes one detector that can be remotely positioned in the core from ~he control room. The detectors are inserted into the core for a reactor startup and may be withdrawn if the indicated count rate is above preset limits or if the Intermediate Range Monitors (IRMs) are on the third range or above.

EVENT DESCRIPTION

During fuel movements (core alterations) conducted on April 14th and April 15th in reactor quadrant 8, SRM channel B was inoperable due to not meeting the signal to noise ratio of no less than 2 to 1 required by FSAR section 7.5.4.1. This was a condition prohibited by Technical Specification 3.10.8.

CAUSE OF THE EVENT

The cause of the event was that SRM B had faulty or dirty pre amp connectors which led to the signal to noise ratio margin degrading to less than the minimum required 2 to 1 ratio. This condition was not recognized as being required or validated by the stations procedures.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

IThe following corrective actions to reduce the probability of similar events occurring in the future were performed:

The SRM B detector was replaced.

The SRM cables and connectors were cleqned.

A ground path between the preamplifier and the cabinet frame was cleared.

(After the ground path was cleared, the noise was significantly reduced.)

SRM calibration test procedure was revised to include determinations of signal to noise ratio.

SRM discriminator setting procedure was revised to include determinations of signal to noise ratio.

I

SAFETY CONSEQUENCES

!There are no consequences to the general safety of the public, nuclear safety, industrial safety and radiological safety from this event. The inoperability of SRM B had no significant impact on the public other than not being able to monitor an inadvertent criticality at a very low level in one quadrant of the core.

No actions to reduce the frequency or consequence are necessary.

NRC FORM 3660 (04-2017)

Page 2 of 3 (04-2017)

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION APPROVED BY OMB: NO. 3150-0104 EXPIRES: 3/31/2020 LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER)

CONTINUATION SHEET (See NUREG-1022, R.3 for instruction and guidance for completing this form http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1022/r3/)

, the NRG may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, the information collection.

3. LERNUMBER YEAR Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 05000-293 2017 REPORT ABILITY:

SEQUENTIAL NUMBER

- 006 REV NO.

- 00 On April 15, 2017, after moving fuel during the current Refueling Outage, it was discovered that Source Range Monitor (SRM) B was inoperable. The SRM B was located in a core quadrant in which fuel was moved. This situation created an event that is reportable under 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(i)(B), a condition prohibited by the plant's Technical Specifications.

PREVIOUS EVENTS:

A. review of PNPS LERs for the last ten years did not find a similar event as described in this LER.

REFERENCES:

CR-PN P-2017-3541 CR-PNP-2017-3659 CR-PNP-2017-3660 CR-PNP-2017-3773 CR-PNP.-2017-3952 CR-PNP-2017-5294 Page 3 of 3