IR 05000324/2003009

IR 05000325-03-009 & IR 05000324-03-009, on 11/03/2003 - 11/21/2003; Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2; Biennial Baseline Inspection of the Identification and Resolution of Problems

ML033450122
Person / Time
Site:	Brunswick
Issue date:	12/11/2003
From:	Fredrickson P NRC/RGN-II/DRP/RPB4
To:	Gannon C Carolina Power & Light Co
References
IR-03-009
Download: ML033450122 (12)

Text

ber 11, 2003

SUBJECT:

BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT - NRC PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION INSPECTION REPORT 05000325/2003009 AND 05000324/2003009

Dear Mr. Gannon:

On November 21, 2003, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an inspection at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant. The enclosed report documents the inspection results, which were discussed on November 21, 2003, with you and other members of your staff.

This inspection was an examination of activities conducted under your license as they relate to the identification and resolution of problems, and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulations and with the conditions of your operating license. Within these areas, the inspection involved selected examination of procedures and representative records, observations of activities, and interviews with personnel.

On the basis of the sample selected for review, there were no findings of significance identified during this inspection. The inspectors concluded that problems were properly identified, evaluated, and resolved within the problem identification and resolution programs (PI&R).

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records (PARS) component of NRCs document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Paul E. Fredrickson, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 4 Division of Reactor Projects Docket No.: 50-325, 50-324 License No.: DPR-71, DPR-62

Enclosure:

NRC Inspection Report No. 05000324/2003009 and 05000325/2003009 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information

REGION II==

Docket No: 50-324, 50-325 License No: DPR-71, DPR-62 Report No: 05000324/2003009, 05000325/2003009 Licensee: Carolina Power and Light Facility: Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 & 2 Location: 8470 River Road SE Southport, NC 28461 Dates: November 3-7, and 17-21, 2003 Inspectors: J. Stewart, Senior Resident Inspector, Crystal River 3 (Lead Inspector)

M. Scott, Senior Reactor Inspector, Division of Reactor Safety J. Austin, Resident Inspector, Brunswick R. Maxey, Reactor Inspector, Division of Reactor Safety Approved by: P. Fredrickson, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 4 Division of Reactor Projects Enclosure

SUMMARY

OF ISSUES

IR 05000325/2003-009, 05000324/2003-009; 11/03/2003 - 11/21/2003; Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2; Biennial baseline inspection of the identification and resolution of problems.

The inspection was conducted by a senior resident inspector, one resident inspector, and two Region II reactor inspectors. No findings of significance were identified. The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, Reactor Oversight Process, Revision 3, dated July 2000.

Identification and Resolution of Problems The licensee was effective at identifying problems at a low threshold and entering them into the corrective action program. The licensee prioritized issues and performed adequate evaluations that were technically accurate and of sufficient depth. Corrective actions developed and implemented for problems were appropriate for the safety-significance of the issue. The licensees self-assessments and audits were effective in identifying deficiencies. Based on discussions conducted with licensee employees and a review of station activities, the inspectors did not identify any reluctance to report safety concerns.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA2 Problem Identification and Resolution

a. Effectiveness of Problem Identification

(1) Inspection Scope The inspectors used risk insights provided by the licensee to select nuclear condition reports (NCRs) that had been initiated since October 2001 (the date of the last NRC baseline problem identification and resolution inspection) to verify that safety-significant problems were being identified and appropriately characterized in the Brunswick corrective action program (CAP). NCRs and work orders related to safety-significant problems were checked for adequacy of the problem statement. In addition, the inspectors reviewed a representative number of NCRs that were identified and assigned to the major plant departments including operations, maintenance, engineering, security, chemistry, health physics, and emergency preparedness.

The inspectors toured the following plant areas (high pressure coolant injection system, chlorination, safety batteries, AC electrical distribution systems, emergency diesel generators, and service water pump area) to check that problems had been properly identified and characterized in the CAP. System performance was reviewed by discussion with system engineering personnel. The inspectors reviewed completed maintenance work orders (WOs), system review reports, and the Maintenance Rule database for these risk-significant systems to verify that equipment deficiencies were being appropriately entered into the CAP and the Maintenance Rule program. The inspectors reviewed control room operator logs and discussed plant operations with operators and engineering personnel to verify that equipment deficiencies were entered in the CAP.

The inspectors reviewed selected industry operating experience items, including NRC generic communications, to verify that they were appropriately evaluated for applicability and whether issues identified through these reviews were entered into the CAP.

The inspectors reviewed licensee audits and self-assessments to verify that findings were entered into the CAP and to verify that these findings were consistent with the NRCs assessment of the licensees performance.

The inspectors attended several plant daily status meetings to observe management oversight functions in the corrective action process. The inspectors also interviewed plant personnel to evaluate their threshold for identifying issues.

In addition, the inspectors reviewed immediate corrective actions related to two events which occurred during the inspection period. The first was a Unit 2 reactor scram on November 4, where one train of standby gas treatment did not start and both reactor feedwater pumps locked out. The other was a Unit 2 high pressure coolant injection (HPCI) system exhaust diaphragm rupture on November 13, due to a valve misalignment during post-maintenance testing.

Documents reviewed to support the inspection are listed in the Attachment.

(2) Assessment The inspectors determined that the licensee was effective in identifying problems and entering them into the CAP. NCRs provided complete and accurate characterization of the subject issues. The threshold for initiating NCRs appeared low and employees were encouraged by management to initiate NCRs. Equipment performance issues involving maintenance effectiveness such as maintenance errors, and rework were being identified at an appropriate level. The inspectors noted one instance where an NCR was not initiated for cracking found during an inspection of the Unit 1 steam dryer. The inspectors verified that the issue had been identified to management, assessed for operability, and that appropriate actions were in place to monitor the cracking such that safety was assured.

Specfically for the reactor scram event, the issues resulting from the transient were identified by the licensee and entered into the CAP. For the HPCI event, the licensee identified the problem, implemented some immediate corrective actions, and initiated a high priority investigation of the occurrence.

The licensee was effective in evaluating internal and external industry operating experience items for applicability and entering issues into the CAP.

Department self-assessments and audits performed by the Nuclear Assessment Section were effective in identifying issues and these deficiencies were entered into the CAP.

b. Prioritization and Evaluation of Issues

(1) Inspection Scope The inspectors checked NCRs and operating experience items to verify that the licensee appropriately prioritized and evaluated problems in accordance with Brunswick Procedure CAP-NGGC-0200. While the majority of NCRs reviewed were classified as Priority 1, the review also included a representative number of Priority 2 and Priority 5 NCRs. The inspectors review was intended to verify that the licensee adequately determined the cause of problems commensurate with the safety-significance and addressed operability, reportability, common cause, generic concerns, and extent of condition. For significant conditions adverse to quality, the inspectors checked that the licensee adequately identified the causes and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

The inspectors also reviewed a sample of NCRs reported as No Further Investigation Required to verify they were adequately resolved.

(2) Assessment The inspectors determined that the licensee adequately prioritized and evaluated issues entered into the CAP. The evaluations were technically accurate and of sufficient depth.

The inspectors found one issue where some corrective actions were not linked to the cause determination, that being actions to prevent flooding of an emergency diesel generator room from a postulated fault in service water piping. NCR 111486 was initiated to correct this isolated issue.

c. Effectiveness of Corrective Actions

(1) Inspection Scope The inspectors evaluated licensee event reports, NRC violations, WO backlogs, self-assessments, audits, Maintenance Rule reports, nuclear safety committee meeting minutes, a selection of NCRs, and operating experience items to verify that the licensee had identified and implemented timely and appropriate corrective actions to address problems.

The inspectors verified that corrective actions were documented, assigned, and tracked to completion. On a selected basis, the inspectors verified that corrective actions were implemented as intended. The inspectors verified the adequacy of corrective actions to address equipment deficiencies that were selected for the focused review.

(2) Assessment The inspectors found that corrective actions developed and implemented for problems in the CAP were timely and effective commensurate with the safety-significance of the issues.

d. Assessment of Safety-Conscious Work Environment

(1) Inspection Scope During discussions with licensee staff, the inspectors evaluated the safety-conscious work environment at the site. The effort was aimed at determining if any conditions existed that would cause employees to be reluctant to raise safety concerns. The inspectors also verified that concerns were being properly reviewed and resolved in the Employee Concerns Program.

(2) Assessment The inspectors found that licensee management emphasized the need for all employees to identify and report problems. Problem reporting methods including the CAP, the WO system, and the Employee Concerns Program, were accessible to all employees and were being appropriately used. The inspectors did not identify any reluctance to report safety concerns.

4OA6 Management Meetings

The inspectors presented the inspection results to Mr. Gannon and other members of licensee management at the conclusion of the inspection on November 21, 2003. The inspectors confirmed that proprietary information was not retained following the inspection.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

L. Beller, Supervisor Licensing

M. Grimstead, Supervisor Self-Assessment

G. Johnson, Nuclear Assessment

C. Elberfeld, Lead Engineer, Technical Support

W. Noll, Director of Site Operations

J. Gawron, Training Manager

D. Hinds, Manager Brunswick Engineering Support Section

C. Gannon, Site Vice President

E. ONeil, Manager Site Support Services

H. Wall, Manager Maintenance

M. Williams, Manager Operations

NRC Personnel

L. Wert, Deputy Division Director, Division of Reactor Projects (DRP)

G. Mac Donald, Senior Project Engineer, Division of Reactor Projects (DRP)

E. DiPaolo, Senior Resident Inspector, Brunswick

LIST OF ITEMS

OPENED, CLOSED AND DISCUSSED

None