IR 05000271/1979003
| ML19263D412 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 02/05/1979 |
| From: | Bores R, Stohr J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19263D406 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-271-79-03, 50-271-79-3, NUDOCS 7903290194 | |
| Download: ML19263D412 (8) | |
Text
.
.
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMeiISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT Region I Report No.
50-271/79-03 Docket No.
50-271 License No.
DPR-28 Priority
--
Category C
Licensee:
Vermont Yankee N'uclear Power Corooration 20 Turnpike Road Westborough, Massachusetts 01581 Facility Name:
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Inspection at: Vernon, Vermont Inspection condu ted:
January 22-25, 1979
[
jg4M4g J g,79 Inspector :
_R. J. Bores, Radi5 tion Specialist date signed'
_
date signed
-
date signed
~ /M/
A R-079 Approved by
,
J. P. Stohr, Chiefi Envirorment.al date sighed and Special Projects Section, FF&MS Branch Inspection Summary:
Inspection on January 22-25,1979 (Report No. 50-271/79-03)
Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of emergency planning including: licensee coordination with offsite support agencies; emergency facilities, equipment, instrumentation and supplies specified in the Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures; training of emergency personnel; Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures; licensee records relating to emergency drills; the licensee's management controls in the area of emergency planning; and licensee action on previously identified inspection items. The inspection involved 26 onsite inspector-hours by one regionally based inspector.
Results : Of the seven areas inspected, no items of noncompliance were identified in five areas.
Two apparent items of noncompliance (Infraction -
failure to follow procedures / training - Details 6; Deficiency - failure to follow procedures / calibrations - Details 5) were identified in two areas.
Region I Form 12 7903290\\9(-
(Rev. April 77)
.
DETAILS 1.
Individuals Contacted Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY)
- W. F. Conway, Plant Superintendent
- W. P. Murphy, Assistant Plant Superintendent
"R. W. Burke, Engineering Support Supervisoe
- R. E. Sowja, Operations Supervisor
- G. D. Weyman, Chemistry and HP Supervisor
- B. M. Ball, Technical Assistant - Radiological & Environmental
- L. W. Anson, Training and Document Control Supervisor
- E. W. Bowles, Operations Training Supervisor
- D. C. Girroir, Engineering Assistant B. M. Gamache, Plant Nurse P. J. Klaski, Shift Supervisor B. N. Leach, Health Physicist M. E. Prystupa, Chemistry and HP Assistant Other Personnel D. L. Scott, Health Physicist, Division of Occupational Health, Vermont J. R. Stanton, Director, State Radiation Control Agency, New Hampshire Dr. H. Stevens, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital E. J. Roberts, President, Rescue, Inc.
The inspector also interviewed several other licensee employees of the Operations, HP and Security staffs.
- denotes those present at the exit interview on January 25, 1979.
2.
Licensee Action on Previous Inspection Findings (Closed) Infraction (77-18-02): Failure to follow procedures -
shelf-life of chemical stocks.
The inspector determined through discussions with the licensee and examination of chemical stock reagents in the chemistry lab that at the time of inspection no outdated solutions were present on the shelves.
The inspector noted each reagent container had a label indicating preparation date and expiration date (if applicable).
The inspector had no further questions in this area at this tim '
.
(Closed) Unresolved item (77-25-01): Emergency Operating Procedure covering LOCA outside containment. The inspector determined through discussions with the licensee and review of the Emergency Operating Procedures (EOP) that the licensee now had an approved E0P for handling a LOCA outside reactor containment.
The inspector had no further questions in this area.
3.
Coordination with Offsite Agencies The inspector reviewed records, procedures and written agreements relating to the licensee's coordination of emergency planning with agencies listed in the Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures.
The inspector discussed this subject with licensee representatives and persons of the following offsite agencies:
Division of Occupational Health, Vermont State Department of Health; State Radiation Control Agency, New Hampshire; Brattleboro (Vermont) Memorial Hospital; and Rescue, Inc.
These discussions v:.rified that the existing agreements between the licensee and these agencies remain in effect, and that the licensee's contact and coordination were adequate for these agencies to maintain an effective response capability.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
4.
Facilities and Equipment The inspector examined facilities, equipment and instrumentation to verify that items specified in the licensee's Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures were available for use and maintained in an operable state.
The inspection included examination of: a selection of emergency communications equipment; radioactive release monitoring instruments - area and process monitors, and meteorological instru-ments; rredical treatment / decontamination facilities, both onsite and at the local hospital; three emergency equipment kits; and the primary and alternate emergency coordination centers and associated supplies and equipment.
The inspector discussed with the licensee provisions for measuring airborne activity in the Emergency Coordination Center. The licensee stated that this area would be evaluated and appropriate actions would be taken in this regard.
The inspector had no further questions re-garding this item at this tim The inspector's review of the above areas indicated that the equired facilities, equipment and supplies were present and operable ac the time of inspection.
The inspector noted that the licensee's instrumentation for emergency air sampling and analysis consisted of low-volume air samplers (approximately 201pm), particulate filters and charcoal cartridges, and G-M detector / rate-meter detection instrumentation.
The inspector determined, through the review of Procedure OP-3010, Revision 4,
"Off-Site and Site Boundary Monitoring" and discussions with the licensee, that the above combination of procedures and equipment was inadeguate for the licensee to evaluate air iodine concentration of 1X10-o microcuries/cc or less.
(The inspector noted that the Vermgnt Yankee Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures utilized <1X10-lu (MPC);1X10-10 to 1X10-9 (10 MPC); and >1X10-9 (10 MPC) microcuries/cc, at specified locations as the respective criterla in defining local site and general emergencies.) The inspector determined through discussions with the licensee and review of licensee meeting minutes, that the licensee had identified the above inadequacy and was in the process of rectifying this problem through a combination of Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedure modifications and instrumentation changes.
The inspector s'.ated that until the above modifications are fully imple-mented and are subsequently reviewed by the NRC, this area is consicered unresolved.
(79-03-01)
The inspector noted that the licensee's present instrumentation and procedures were adequate to determine those Emergency Plan action levels based on direct radiation measurements.
No items of noncompliance were identified.
5.
Calibration, Inventory, and Operational Checks of Emergency Equipment The inspector reviewed a sampling of calibration, inventory, and operational check records covering ihe period November 1977 through December 1978, for the emergency response equipment listed in the Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures.
Records reviewed covered survey instrument calibration, emergency equipment inventories / checks, microwave radio tests, emergency personnel dosimeter calibrations and meteoroloc cal instrumentation calibrations.
The inspector discussed with the licensee the methodology and results of calibration of the emergency kit instruments for analyzing charcoal cartridges.
The inspector noted that the method of " spiking" the
.
cartridge with I-131 involved the layering of a spiked solution on the cartridge.
The inspector stated that this technique could result in a higher apparent counting efficiency than would result from the sampling of radiofodine in air.
(T! '. inspector noted that the counting efficiency used for the detector was higher than found when other spiking techniques were employed.)
The licensee stated that the use of other calibration techniques would be evaluated and the counting efficiency of the emergency instruments would be redetermined.
The inspector stated that until the above rvaluation/ determinations are completed and subsequently reviewed by the NRC, this item is considered unresolved.
(79-03-02)
The inspector noted that at present, Procedure OP-3010, Revision 4, requires that the charcoal cartridge and particulate filter be counted together.
The inspector discussed with the licensee the merits of separate analyses of these collectors.
The licensee stated that this area would also be evaluated, along with the calibration of the detector for this purpose.
The inspector had no further questions in this regard at this time.
The inspector's review of personnel dosimeter calibrations for dosimeters, including Nos. 504004, 504006, 12987, and 13053, used in the Emergency Kits indicated that the last calibration performed on these dosimeters was in February 1978.
Procedure DP 4559, Revision 1, requires that personnel dosimeters be calibrated at six month intervals.
The inspector stated that the failure to calibrate the Emergency Kit personnel dosim *i:rs in accord with the procedure was in noncompliance with T.S. 6.5. A. and B., which require, in part, that procedures relative to emergency conditions and radiation control, respectively, be followed.
(79-03-03)
The inspector's review of this area indicated, that with the exception of the items discussed above, the licensee had maintained and checked emergency related equipment as required.
6.
Training The inspector reviewed training related documentation and procedures and interviewed six persons assigned to the licensee's emergency organization to verify that training required by the Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures had been conducted.
Training conducted since November 1978 included sessions for Emergency Coordinators, Plant Emergency Directors, Emergency Assistance Personnel, Security personnel, First-aid members, and local medical support personnel.
.
.
The inspector noted that Procedure 0P 3012, Revision 1, " Emergent.
Plan Training" requires that for Emergency Coordinators to be qualified initially or to maintain qualifications, these personnel must partici-pate annually in at least two classroom exercises evaluating various meteorological conditions and calculations of offsite airborne activity.
The inspector determined that four of the nine personnel designated as Emergency Coordinators did not participate in at least two class-room exercises as defined above since November 1977.
The inspector stated that the failure to qualify Emergency Coordinators in accord with Procedure OP 3012, Revision 1, was in noncompliance with TS 6.5.A.
(79-03-04)
The inspector also discuss?d with the licensee the lack of clarity in documenting emergency training conducted for offsite support groups, such as, hospital or ambulance personnel.
The licensee stated that the documentation of training in this area would be reviewed.
The inspector determined that except as identified above, the required training had been provided.
7.
Emergency Drills The inspector reviewed the records of the radiation and medical emergency drills conducted by the licensee during 1977 and 1978, in-cluding licensee conducted mini-drills.
The inspector determined that the required drills had been conducted and included the coordination with and participation by Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Rescue, Inc.,
and the states of Vermont and New Hampshire.
The inspector determined that the licensee used qualified personnel to evaluate the organization's response; critiques were held, during which discussions highlighted improvement possibilities; and appropriate actions had been initiated or completed to correct any areas needing improvement.
The inspector also reviewed the licensee's followup of items identified during the 1977 and 1978 emergency drills. The inspector verified that appropriate evaluation and resolution of the 1977 drill identified improvement items had been completed and that the licensee had initiated the evaluation / resolution of the 1978 drill improvement items.
No items of noncompliance were identifie.
.
,
.
8.
Emergency Plan and Implemeating Procedures The inspector reviewed and evaluated any changes to the Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures and determined that the revised pro-cedures provided the same or higher degree of preparedness as the previous ones. The inspector examined four copies of the Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures located in the Control Room, the Emergency Coordination Center and Emergency Kits and verified that they were current.
With respect to the Emergency Plan, the inspector determined that the required annual review of the Plan had not been completed by October 1978.
The licensee stated that since the Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures were currently undergoing major revisions (see Details 4), another formal review of the current Plan would serve no additional purpose.
The licensee stated that the new plan should be completed, reviewed and implemented within the next four or five months.
The inspector stated that until the new Emergency Plan is completed and formally reviewed, this item is corisidered unresolved.
(79-03-05)
9.
Management Control - Emergency Planning a.
Established / Documented Program The inspector reviewed procedures, applicable technical specifi-cations and held discussions with responsible licensee personnel and verified that a clearly defined program of management control over emergency planning activities had been established.
This program consists of: the delineation of planning responsi-bilities and authorities; provisions for periodic reviews, audits and updates of Emergency Plan implementation; and delineation of responsibility for overall conduct of reviews, audits and updates.
b.
Reviews and Audits The inspector reviewed reports of two licensee audits, 77-17 and 78-14, covering the Emergency Plan and Implementing Pro-cedures, conducted during 1977 and 1978.
These reports noted several items requiring further action.
Further review indicated that all items had been evaluated and resolution was either complete or in progress.
No items of noncompliance were identifie *,.
,
,
10.
Unresolved Items Unresolved items are matters about which more information is required in order to ascertain whether they are acceptable items, items of noncomplial. e or deviations.
Unresolved items disclosed during tSis inspection are described in Details 4, 5 and 8.
11.
Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph 1)
at the conclusion of the inspection on January 25, 1979.
The inspector summarized the purpose and the scope of the inspection and the inspec-tion findings.
The licensee acknowledged the items of noncompliance and provided the following additional information regarding unresolved items noted during the inspection: With regard to item 79-03-01, Modifi%utions of Emergency Plans, Procedures and equipment to assure adequacy of air monitoring, the licensee scated that until the Emerge.c:'
Plan and Procedures are revised (and equipment, if necessary), interim provisions would be made to enable air samples to be analyzed in plant (if accessible) or at one of the Yankee system laboratories to insure that the required sensitivities are achieved.
.