IR 05000255/1979021
| ML18044A582 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 01/10/1980 |
| From: | Boone J, Essig T, Grant W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18044A580 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-255-79-21, NUDOCS 8002290609 | |
| Download: ML18044A582 (9) | |
Text
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION III
Report No. 50-255/79-21 Docket No. 50-255 Licensee:
Consumers Power Company 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson, MI 49201 Facility Name:
Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant Inspection At:
Palisades Site, Covert, MI Inspection Conducted:
December 3-7, 1979 y(S ~~-.A/
Inspectors:
W. B. Grant j_ (V.._, --ScN\\.L J. Boone (Cooperative Student)
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Approved By: T.~~, Chief Environmental and Special Projects Section Inspection Summary:
License No. DPR-20 I
1/ to{ea Inspection on December 3-7, 1979 (Report No. 50-255/79-21)
Areas Inspected:
Routine, unannounced inspection of (1) Environmental Protection, including a review of license management controls; quality control; environmental monitoring program and results and radioactive effluent release rates and limits; (2) Emergency Planning including a review of the site Emergency Plan and implementing procedures; discussions with offsite support agency representatives; review of training, examination of facilities, emergency and first aid kits and supplies; emergency plan drills and critiques; and (3) Confirmatory Measurements including discussion of previous sample results and collection of samples for future compariso The inspection involved 40 inspector-hours on site by one NRC inspecto Results:
Of the fifteen areas inspected no apparent items of noncompliance or deviations were identified in two areas; two apparent items of noncom-pliance were identified in one area; (infractions-excessive thermal dis-charge-Paragraph 6.d; discharge below pH limits Paragraph 6.b).
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DETAILS Persons Contacted Licensee Employees
- T. Meek, Plant Health Physicist
- L. Kenaga, Environmental Supervisor
- G. Petitjean, Technical Engineer
- R. McCaleb, QA Superintendent
- H. Keiser, Operation/Maintenance Superintendent
- S. Pierce, Senior Chemistry and Radiation Protection Technician M. Evans, Training Clerk J. Hadl, Radiation Protection Technician G. Cole, Radiation Protection Technician
- Denotes those present at exit interview Other Personnel T. Sarno, Chief, Covert Fire Department and Ambulance Service M. Morford, Director of Nursing, South Haven Community Hospital N. Nuemann, Emergency Room Supervisor, South Haven Community Hospital L. Wilds, Lieutenant, Michigan State Police, South Haven Post H. Plezia, Director of Nursing, Mercy Hospital K. Jeffery, Medic I, Ambulance Service R. Stump, Sheriff, Van Buren County Licensee Action on Previous Inspection Findings (Closed) Open Item (255/78-20):
installation of emergency alarms in the new office buildin The inspector verified that the installation of emergency sirens on all levels of the new office building was completed on January 12, 197 (Closed) Outstanding Inspection Item (255/78-15):
reliability of the computer terminal in the control roo Discussions with licensee personnel and a review of the documentation confirmed that the computer terminal has worked satisfactorily since the
"bugs" were worked out of the syste Licensee personnel stated that this system has a 95% data recover (Closed) Outstanding Inspection Item (255/78-15):
potential problem with the pH of a liquid discharge during the addition of sulfuric acid to the cooling tower wate Discussion with the licensee determined that the sulfuric acid feed pump had been repaired and a metered valve added to the system.
- 2 - (Closed) Outstanding Inspection Item (255/78-15):
intake and discharge temperature thermocouples and repair of strip chart recorde The inspector determined by discussion with the licensee personnel and review of strip chart recorder data; that new thermocouples had been installed in the discharge canal and the method of installation has been improved to reduce winter ice damag The inspector was also informed that the strip chart recorder has been repaired, so that it is accurate and linear for both the intake and discharge temperature.
Management Controls Manageme~j controls remain as described in a previous inspection report. - Quality Control of Analytical Measurements The inspector examined the various procedures and instrumentation for monitoring chlorine, pH, and conductivit The inspector also examined the daily logbook of results for these analyse No pro-blems were identified concerning either the instrumentation or procedures examine No apparent items of noncompliance or deviations were identifie.
Enviromental Monitoring Program and Program Results Radiological Monitoring Program The inspector reviewed the licensee's reports of analytical results from January 1978 through December 197 All samples were taken as required, and any difficulties or anamalous results were noted where ever appropriate, and formally re-viewe Air Sampling Stations The inspector visited. selected air sampling stations and found all to be operatin Records of calibrations of the pumps and monthly checks were examine No problems were note Nonradiological Monitoring Program The inspector reviewed various logbooks and reports of the analytical results for the period of June 1978 through November 197 All samples were taken and analyses performed as require No problems were identified in'this are No apparent items of noncompliance or deviations were note / IE Report No. 50-255/77-06
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- Nonradioactive Effluent Release Rates and Limits Chlorine Discharges The concentration of chlorine in water discharged to the lake is limited by Technical Specification 3.9.6 to 0.02 ppm at the point at which the water enters Lake Michiga Chlorination is limited by 'Technical Specification 3.9.7 to 60 minutes dur-ing a period of one da The inspector reviewed various forms and results of analyses performed from July 1978 through October 197 The amperometric titrator and equipment for chlorination were also examine No problems were identified in these area P.!! The pH of all discharges from the plant to Lake Michigan is limited to the range of 6.5 to The inspector examined the continuous pH monitor and selected results of pH determination of grab sample The inspector also examined the method of determinations of p No problems were identified with these pH determination On April 6, 1979, the licensee reported a noncompliance re-garding the discharge of water to Lake Michigan, with a cal-culated pH of 5.2 on March 21, 197 The apparent cause was operator error in that a valve was inadvertently left open allowing water to flow into the neutralizer tan The tank then overflowed its contents with a pH of approximately into the mixing basin at about 150 gpms for approximately one hou The discharge to the lake from the mixing basin was calulated to have a pH of 5.2. This constitutes noncompliance with Technical Specification 3. The inspector discussed this incident with licensee personnel and determined that cor-rective action has been taken to reinstruct the operator on procedures and include additional training on operation of the neutralizer tank for all auxiliary operation Temperature of the blowdown from the closed cycle cooling system is limited by Technical Specification 3.9.9 to 5F0 above the ambient temperature of the lake at the shorelin Heat rejection shall not exceed 0.5 billion BTU per hou These limits can be exceeded by no more than 20%, for no more than twelve hours or up to seven days on loss of one dilution pum The inspector examined various temperature strip charts from July 1978 to the date of this inspectio Intake and discharge temperatures are printed out in the control room on strip charts and LlT temperatures are calculated from those reading The inspectors examined the recorder and the various records of6T determination.... -**
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No problem areas with the records or methods are note Licensee Event Report 78-044 The licensee reported this occurrence as required by Technical Specifications 6.9.3.2. on January 18, 197 The report dealt with a thermal discharge to the lake, resulting in a temperature increase of greater than 6F 0 above the ambient temperature of the receiving wate The condition lasted for approximately 49 hour5.671296e-4 days <br />0.0136 hours <br />8.101852e-5 weeks <br />1.86445e-5 months <br /> This constitutes noncompliance with Technical Specifica-tions 3. According to the report, damage to the north wier stoplogs resulted in excess outflow of warm wate The repairs to the stoplogs corrected the proble Discussions with licensee personnel determined that corrective action had been to mount an instruction card above the temperature stripchart recorder re-minding the operators of the temperature Technical Specification (T/S) requiremen In addition, training is scheduled for oper-ators on the T/S requiremen This corrective action by the licensee appears to be adequat.
Licensee Audits An audit of the enviromental program by the Consumers Power corporate office was conducted at the Palisades Plant on October 17-19, 197 Audit reports AUD-3 and AUD-4 were reviewed by the inspector and no problem areas were note.
Licensee Actions on IE Bulletins Inspector examined records and interviewed licensee representatives to determine the corrective action taken with respect to IE Bulletin 79-1 The inspector found that due to the current outage at the Palisades Plant which started September 7, 1979, action required by the IE Bulletin is postponed and further response will be submitted 30 days after plant start u This response was documented in a letter to IE Region III dated September 28, 197.
Procedures The inspector reviewed the Health Physics Procedures that had been revised since June 197 Procedures reviewed were HP 3.1, HP 3.2, HP 3.3, HP 3.4, HP 3.10 and HP 3.1 There are a total of thirteen HP Procedures involving the environmental progra The inspector found no problems associated with these procedure *
1 Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures The inspector reviewed the Site Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures. The procedures are in the form of individual cards that include a job title; principal position, alternate position, respon-sibilities, and immediate action require The Emergency Procedure cards have all been reviewed and where required, updated in 197 The inspector determined that the site Emergency Plan has been re-viewed as require.
Offsite Support Agencies The inspector reviewed the letters of agreement between the licensee and the various offsite support agencie These letters were updated in 197 A licensee representative stated.that the letters of agree-ment are updated once every two years, unless required soone The inspector visited representatives of the off site agencies listed in Paragraph 1 and discussed coordination between the agency and the Palisades Plan Representatives of all agencies stated that they considered the *coordination between their agencies and the Palisades Plant to be adequat These agencies are trained by representatives of Consumers Power annuall The inspector reviewed training records and and the training content and determined training has taken place as require The inspector identified no problems with coordination between offsite agencies and the plan.
Training The inspector reviewed selected training records for plant personnel and examinations administered to determine adequacy of the trainin These records substantiated that plant personnel have been trained in the site Emergency Plan on an annual frequency as required. First aid training has also been given to selected personnel on a frequency to maintain current first aid card The training is the American Red Cross multi-media program, and cards are renewed on a three year basi The inspector identified no problems with trainin. Facilities and Equipment First Aid Facilities Inspector toured the first aid facility and whole body counter located in a room on the turbine dec Supplies and equipment in the room are as noted in the Emergency Pla Emergency Kits The inspector reviewed records of inventories of the emergency kits and additional equipment specified in the Emergency Plan.
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- The records indicate that inventory of these kits had been con-ducted on the required frequenc Missing supplies were replaced on a timely basi The contents of various emergency kits were examined and found to be as specified in the enclosed inventory shee First Aid Equipment The inspector reviewed documentation of the monthly inventories of the first aid kits and determined that inventories had been conducted as required in the appropriate procedur Missing supplies had been replaced in a timely fashio The inspector also examined selected first aid kits and found contents to be as specifie Decontamination Supplies The review of the decontamination supply inventory records revealed that inventories have been conducted as required in the appropriate procedur Missing supplies have been replaced in a timely fashio The inspector examined decontamination supplies and found them to be as specifie Monitoring Equipment and Survey Instruments The inspector examined calibrations and daily checks of the stack gas and liquid effluent monitor All checks were made in accordance with procedural requirement The inspector also examined portable survey instruments main-tained in the emergency kits and found them to be operational and calibrated as require No problems were identified in these area.
Emergency Drills The inspector reviewed records of emergency drills conducted since the previous emergency planning inspectio These drills were conducted as required in the Site Emergency Pla The drills have been properly reviewed and critiqued, and recommendations noted have been implemente The inspector identified no problems associated with the drills of the site Emergency Pla.
Licensee Audits There was a Consumers Power corporate review of the emergency planning activities in October 17-18, 197 No discrepancies in the plan or
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- procedures were noted, and recommendations made were implemented on a timely basi *
1 Confirmatory Measurements Quality Control of Analytical Measurements The Radiological Materials Control Officer (RMC) is responsible for the Confirmatory Measurements Progra He reviews results of all analyses of plant radiological plant effluent The chemistry department personnel collect and count samples and report the results to the RMC office Analytical ins.trumentation is calibrated every six months by the chemistry department personne When instrumentation is in use, daily background and source checks are performed by the chemistry department personne The inspector reviewed selected calibration procedures, proce-dures for nonradioactive analyses of the primary coolant and records of daily background and source check No problems were identified by the inspector Confirmatory Measurements Results of the comparative analyses performed on effluent sam-ples collected at the site during the fourth quarter of 1978 are shown in Table The criteria for comparing measurement results with the results from the NRC Reference Laboratory are given in Attachment For 15 sampl~ comparisons, the licensee's results yielded 11 agreement The results were discussed with the license The licensee failed to detect manganese-54 on a particulate filte The licensee checked his calculations and efficiency determinations and found no explanation for this discrepanc The licensee results for gross beta~ iodine-131, and cobalt-60 in the liquid waste were in disagreement with the results from the NRC Reference Laborator The licensee's results were approximately 2.6 to 3.3 times higher than the results from the NRC Reference Laborator A check of the licensee calculations and efficiencies did not determine the reason for the apparent discrepancie If these disagreements were real, and the licen-see's results were representative, of discharges during the time of the inspectio~, they may have over estimated releases of these nuclides during the time of the comparison and thus have been conservative in reporting the true activity.
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Particulate and charcoal filters and a split sample of liquid and gaseous waste were collected for future comparison under the Confirmatory Measurements Progra The results of these samples will be compared with those of the NRC Reference Labora-tory and reported in a future inspection repor Exit Interview The inspector met with the licensee representatives as denoted in Paragraph 1 at the conclusion of the inspection on December 7, 1979, and summarized the purpose and scope of the inspection and its find-ing The two apparent items of noncompliance were discussed with G. Petitjean by telephone on December 21, 1979.
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