IR 05000259/1978036
| ML18024A693 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 01/11/1979 |
| From: | Ford E, Julian C, Martin R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18024A692 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-259-78-36, NUDOCS 7902280463 | |
| Download: ML18024A693 (9) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION II
101 MARIETTASTREET, N.W.
ATLANTA,GEORGIA 30303 Report Nos.:
50-259/78-36 and 50-296/78-36 Docket Nos.:
50-259 (Unit 1) and 50-296 (Unit 3)
I,icense Nos ~
DPR-33 (Unit 1) and DPR-68 (Unit 3)
Licensee:
Tennessee Valley Authority Attn:
Mr. N. B. Hughes 830 Power Building Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401 Facility Name:
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and
Inspection at:
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Athens, Alabama Inspection conducted:
December 26-29, 1978 Inspectors:
C. Julian E. For Approved by:
R.
D. Martin, Chief Nuclear Support Section No.
Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch Ins ection Summa Ins ection on December 26-29 1978 (Re ort Nos. 50-259/78-36 and 50-29 /78-36 post refueling testing activities conducted on Unit 3 during October and November 1978, and observation of the refueling activities in progress on Unit 1 during the inspection period.
The inspection involved 51
. inspector-hours on-site.
,Results:
Of the areas inspected, no deviations or items of noncompliance were identified.
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RII Report Nos. 50-259/78-36 and 50"296/78"36 DETAILS I Prepared by:
C. Julian, Reactor Inspec r
Nuclear Support Section No.
Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch~
E.
-
o 'nspe r
Nub Jar Suppor Secti No.
Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch ate 8 rc Date Dates of Inspecti December 26-29, 1978 Reviewed by:
R. D. Martin, Chief Nuclear Support Section No.
Reactor Operations and Nuclear Support Branch 1.
Persons Contacted-J.
G. Dewease, Power Plant Supervisor-H. L. Abercrombie, Assistant Power Plant Supervisor
"RE G. Metke, Results Section Supervisor-R.
G. Cockrell, Reactor Engineer-J.
D. Glover, Shift Engineer (Training)
- J. L. Harness, (}uality Assurance Supervisor R. Hunkerpillar, Assistant Operations Supervisor M. Gant, Assistant Shift Engineer During the inspection, the inspectors interviewed numerous additional plant personnel.
-Denotes those present at the Exit Interview.
2.
Licensee Action on Previous Ins ection Findin s No previous enforcement matters were within the scope of this inspection.
3..
Unresolved Items No unresolved items were disclosed during this inspectio RII Report Nos. 50-259/78-36 and 50-296/78-36 I-2 4.
Exit Interview a
~
The inspectors met with licensee representatives (denoted in paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on December 29, 1978.
The scope and findings of the inspection were reviewed and discussed.
b.
The inspectors made a plant tour with satisfactory results.
c.
The inspectors suggested the need for an enhanced captivation techniques program (paragraph 6) and the licensee stated improved methods would be sought.
d.
The inspectors reviewed Unit 3 startup data and suggested use of a sign-off for verification of SRM/IRM overlap.
The licensee agreed to provide a signature block on the current procedure.
This was left as an open item (paragraph 5).
e.
The inspectors discussed the reportability of unlatching a
fuel element during refueling; the licensee is continuing to investigate the event and will provide an information report.
f.
The inspectors discussed the implications of welding machine generated noise on the SRM recorders during refueling operations.
The licensee is evaluating the problem.
This was left as an open item (paragraph 7).
5.
Review of Refuelin and Startu Testin on Unit 3 The inspectors reviewed documentation of the refueling activities and startup testing conducted on Unit 3 during October to December 1978.
Procedures and resulting data were reviewed in detail on the following Refueling Test Instructions.
RTI-3, Unit 3 (Refueling Test Report:
10/29-11/12/78 RTI-4 (Full Core Shutdown Margin-Open Vessel):
11/12/78 RTI-5 (Control Rod Drive System-Open Vessel):
ll/18/78 RTI-5 (Control Rod Drive System-Closed Vessel):
ll/24-28/78 RTI-13 (Process Computer and Core Performance):
ll/26/78 RTI-12 (APRM Calibration):
11/24/78 RTI-72 (Drywell Atmosphere Coding System):
ll/24/78 RTI-26 (Test of S/R Valves):
12/2/78 RTI-4 (Full Core Shutdown Margin-Closed Vessel:
ll/22/78 RTI-18 (Core Power Distribution):
12/11-13/78 The material was satisfactory with a single exception.
In step 6'.6 of RTI-4, during the verification of a one decade minimum overlap between the IRM's and SRM's, the SRM detectors are driven
RII Report Nos. 50-259/78-36 and 50-296/78-36 I-3 full into the core to demonstrate full scale response capability.
RTI-4 did not require documentation of this step.
This matter was discussed with the licensee and in the exit interview the licensee stated that the procedure RTI-4 would be modified to require docu-mentation of step 6.3.6.
The inspectors stated that this would be an open item to be reviewed during a later inspection.
No deviations or items of noncompliance were identified during this review.
6.
Observation of Refuelin Floor Activities The inspectors observed fuel handling activities on Unit 1 on two separate occasions (December 26 and 28, 1978).
Required staffing was adequate, an approved procedure was being followed and work observed was conducted in accordance with generally accepted practice(s).
The inspectors reviewed the Assistant Shift Engineer's log of refueling floor activities for the period of the Unit 1 fuel handling.
Several events of interest were discussed with the licensee.
During the fuel handling and open vessel maintenance activities, log entries showed four items having been unintentionally dropped into the reactor vessel.
Three of the i'tems, a metal hook, a short section of metal pipe, and a roll of video tape, were recovered; however, an aluminum tube of silicon grease could not be located.
This event had been previously reported to the NRC and resolution of the problem is pending further study by General Electric and TVA personnel.
The inspectors determined from log review on December 28, 1978 that at 1445 on December 27, 1978, a fuel bundle being loaded into the core came unlatched from the fuel grapple and lodged in a position with the lower end approximately two feet below the top of the top grid.
The frame mounted hoist was used to grapple the loose fuel bundle and lower it into its intended core position.
The fuel bundle was subsequently removed and inspected for damage, the adjacent control rod was inspected for damage, and the fuel grapple was removed from the pool for visual inspection.
The incident was discussed by the inspectors with various involved licensee personnel.
The licensee has agreed that investigation of the cause of this occurrence would continue and that a report for information only would be sent to Region II.
Evaluation of this report will continue at a later date.
No devia-tion or items of noncompliance were identified in these area RII Report Nos. 50-259/78-36 and 50-296/78-36 I-4 7.
Observation of Control Room Activities A tour of the control rooms of all three units was made with emphasis placed on the Unit 1 control room during refueling activities.
The inspector-verified that necessary prerequisites and precautions for refueling were being met, and discussed the activities with several licensee personnel.
It was observed that all four source range instrumentation channels experienced a large increase in count rate due to spurious electrical signals in the circuitry caused by operation of welding machines in the drywell.
The implications of these spurious signals were discussed with various plant personnel in the control room and pointed out to plant management at the exit interview.
The licensee stated that further evaluation of this phenomenon would be carried out.
The inspectors left this as an open item to be pursued at a
later inspection.
No deviations or items of noncompliance were identified in these area w l a r(< g w4