HL-5351, Responds to NRC Re Violations Noted in Insp Repts 50-321/96-10 & 50-336/96-10.Corrective Actions:Operations & Training Departments Were Provided Addl Guidance

Responds to NRC Re Violations Noted in Insp Repts 50-321/96-10 & 50-336/96-10.Corrective Actions:Operations & Training Departments Were Provided Addl Guidance

ML20135F969
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	03/28/1997
From:	Sumner H SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
HL-5351, NUDOCS 9704010531
Download: ML20135F969 (3)

Text

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. Lewis Sumner Southern Nuclear Vice Prcsidcat Openting Company,Inc.

Hatch Project Support 40 invemeas Parkway Post Office Box 1295 Birmingham. Alabama 35201 Tel 205.992.7279 Fax 205 992.0341 SOUTHERN h COMPANY Energy to Serve %ur World" March 28, 1997 Docket No. 50-321 HL-5351 50-366 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk l Washington, D.C. 20555 Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Reolv to a Notice of Violation Gentlemen:

l l In response to your letter dated March 12,1997 and according to the requirements of 10 CFR 2.201, Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) is providing the enclosed response to the Notice of Violation associated with Inspection Report 96-10. In the enclosure, a transcription of the NRC violation precedes SNC's response.

Sincerely, i i W

H. L. Sumner, Jr.

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DLM/eb L

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Enclosure:

Violation 96-10-02 and 3NC Response l

l cc: Southern Nuclear Operating Company l Mr. P. H. Wells, Nuclear Plant General Manager i NORMS i

U. S. Nuclear Regulatorv Commission. Washington. D. C.

Mr. K. Jabbour, Licensing Project Manager - Hatch U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Region 11 1 Mr. L. A. Reyes, Regional Administrator g C)'  ;

Mr. B. L. Holbrook, Senior Resident Inspector - Hatch -

9704010531 970328 PDR G ADOCK 05000321 pyg

' w Enclosure Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Vjolation 96-10-02 and SNC Response VIOLATION 96-10-02 10 CFR 50.72 (b)(2)(iii)(D), Four-hour reports, states in part that, the licensee shall notify the NRC as soon as practical and in all cases, within four hours of any event or condition that alone could have prevented the fulfillment of the safety function of structures, or systems that are needed to mitigate the consequence of an accident.

Contrary to the above:

A four-hour reporting requirement was not met on June 29,1996. During system surveillance activities to verify operability of the Unit I high pressure coolant injection system, a maintenance deficiency was discovered that made the system inoperable and a report was not made until 11:14 a.m. on July 3,1996.

This is a Severity Level IV Violation (Supplement I).

RESPONSE TO VIOLATION 96-10-02 By letter dated September 23,1996, Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) denied the violation based primarily on the fact that a rigorous review of the event performed by l personnel knowledgeable of LER reporting requirements was required to determine the event was reportable. By letter dated March 12,1997, the NRC informed SNC that after  ;

careful review, the violation did indeed occur. i Since the 10 CFR 50.72 reporting requirements do not specify requirements for events i involving systems out of service for planned activities, Operations supervision concluded the failure of the control valve need not be reported since the system was out of service; and thus, did not contact on-call Nuclear Safety and Compliance staff personnel. The fact that on-call personnel were not contacted was not the result of failure to assess the  !

reportability of the control valve failure but was from the conclusion that the reporting requirements did not apply in this case.

To help ensure the consistent determination of reportability and the subsequent reporting of events are performed as quickly as practical, actions were taken to inform Operations supervision that reporting requirements apply to an event or condition that affects the safety function of a system, regardless of whether or not the system is operable at the time the event occurs or when the condition is discovered.

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• 1 i ;, r o Enclosure Violation 96-10 02 and SNC Response I;

j Corrective steps which have been taken and the results achieved:

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! On August 30,1996, the Operations and Training Departments were provided additional )

! guidance addressing when an event or condition is reponable under the requirements of 10 i

CFR 50.72 (b)(2)(iii)(D). The guidance stated that reporting requirements apply to an i j . event or condition that affects the safety function of a system, regardless of whether or not the system is operable at the time the event occurs or when the condition is discovered.

l 4 Corrective steps which will be taken to avoid further violations: l t i

No additional corrective actions to prevent further violations are necessary at this time. l Date when full compliance will be achieved

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~ Full compliance was achieved on July 3,1996, when the event that rendered the Unit 1 1 high pressure coolant injection system inoperable was reported to the NRC per the .;

i requirements of 10 CFR 50.72 (b)(2)(iii)(D). '

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