IR 05000334/1981016
| ML20039C408 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Beaver Valley |
| Issue date: | 12/10/1981 |
| From: | Haynes R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Carey J DUQUESNE LIGHT CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20039C409 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8112290324 | |
| Download: ML20039C408 (5) | |
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j ENCLOSURES CONTW.6 SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION, UPON SEPARATION
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1h id 10 CG ESI 2E GD-3 '4 Docket No. 50-334
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Mr. J. J. Carey Cej.,Y_
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Gentlemen:
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Subject:
Investigation 50-334/81-16 This refers to an investigation conducted by Messrs. J. W. Devlin and D. A.
Beckman and other members of the Region I staff between June 6 and July 10, 1981, at the Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit 1, concerning the discovery on June 5,1981, of the unauthorized removal of chains and padlocks from three valves in the auxiliary feedwater system and the discovery on June 6,1981 of the unauthorized removal of the chain and padlock and the mispositioning of a manually-operated valve on the high held safety injection system.
Actions to be taken by Duquesne Light Company with respect to these matters were confirmed in a letter to you dated June 9,1981, from Mr. B. H. Grier, then G h et.i.or of the Region I office.
The status of the NRC investigation was discussed in a meeting with you and members of your staf f on June 17, 1981, as documented in our Management Meeting Report No. 50-334/31-17.
Our investigation determined that the two events did not cause an immediate danger to the health and safety of the public or your employees.
However, the safety margin required for emergency core cooling systems was reduced below that required by your NRC license during the period the plant was operated before you detected that the high head safety injection system valve was closed.
Further, we have concluded, based on the independent reviews performed by our Senior Resident Inspector and by the Investigation Team, that the prompt actions taken by Duquesne Light Company following discovery of this closed valve were effective in restoring the required safety margin and in providing continuing assurance of the integrity of plant systems vital to safe operation of the facility.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, who has Federal responsibility for investi-gation of potential acts of sabotage against nuclear power plants, investigated the events of June 5 and 6.
We understand that their findings revealed that the mispositioned valve and missing chains and padlocks were apparently acts NETI R:
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l,' 1 0 FICIAL RECORD COPY ENCLOSURES CONTAIN SAFEGUARDS INF0PMATION, UPON SEPARATION TIIIS PAGE IS DECONTRCLLED,
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8112290324 811210 PDR ADOCK 05000334
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ENCLOSURES CONTAIN SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION, UPON SEPARATION
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THIS PAGE IS DECONTROLLED,
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Duquesne Light Company
10 DEC 1981 of an individual who has since left your employment.
Further, we concluded, based on our review of those corrective measures which you implemented on and after the June 6 event, that these actions provide adequate confidence that similar events will not recur.
The Investigation Team identified two areas which we believe may have contributed to the June 5 and 6 events.
First, your procedures failed to ensure adequate access controls for individuals notified of pending employment termination under adverse circumstances.
Second, your procedures failed to minimize the number of personnel authorized access to vital areas. We understand that you have taken action to correct the weaknesses described above.
In your reply to this letter please describe your corrective program in each of the above areas.
As you are aware, personnel access to vital areas was one of the subjects addressed by the NRC Task Force which visited the Beaver Valley Power Station in August 1981.
The results of the Task Force study will be forwarded to you in the near future.
Based on the results of this investigation, it appears that several of your activities were not conducted in full compliance with NRC requirements, as set forth in the Notice of Violation enclosed herewith as Appendix A. These violations have been categorized into the levels described in the Federal Register Notice (45 FR 66754) dated October 7, 1980.
You are required to respond to this letter and in preparing your response, you should follow the instructions in-Appendix A.
Item A in the attached Notice of Violation is classified as a Severity Level III Violation in accordance with the Interim Enforcement Policy contained in the Federal Register Notice referenced above. As stated in Section IV.B of the Policy, monetary civil penalties are normally assessed for Severity Level III violations.
Careful consideration of this specific violation revealed that: the events of June 5-6, 1981, appear to have resulted from a deliberate act to embarrass Duquesne Light Company rather than operator error; you were in compliance with your security program approved by the NRC and the events which occurred were apparently not within your control; immediate action was taken, upon discovery of the more significant of the two events, to confirm that the plant was in a safe operating condition; the events were promptly reported to the NRC; and no adverse effect on the health and safety of the public resulted from the two events.
Therefore, we have exercised our discretion and have determined that civil penalties are not appropriate in this instance.
Information within the enclosed investigation report was di> cussed with you by telephone on December 7, 1981. At that time, you concluded that the investigation report contained no information that you considered proprietary, except as described in the following paragraph.
However, on December 9, 1981, after receiving the investigation report, you advised us of your concern regarding inclusion of the names of your employees in the report. We have since discussed ENCLOSURES CONTAIN SAFEGUARDS INF0PMATION, UPON SEPARATION THIS PAGE IS DECONTROLLED.
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY u
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Duquesne Light Company
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-u this matter with our legal staff and informed you on December 10 that we have been advised that there is not a legal basis for withholding the names of your employees from the report. Therefore, a copy of this letter and the appropriate sections of the enclosures are being placed in the NRC's Public Document Room.
In addition, as you are aware, a copy of this letter and the appropriate portions of the enclosures will be provided the Mines and Energy Management Committee of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
In accordance with 10 CFR 73.21 of
- NRC's regulations, documentation of findings of your facility security measures for physical protection are deemed to be Safeguards Information.
Each person who produces, receives or acquires Safeguards Information is required ta ensure that it is protected against unauthorized disclosure.
Therefore, the appropriate portions of the enclosed investigation report will not be placed in the Public Document Room, or provided to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and will receive limited distribution.
The responses directed by this Notice are not subject to the clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, PL 96-511.
Should you have any questions concerning this investigation, we will be ple. sed to discuss them with you.
Sincerely, Origi ni q -
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Ronald C. Haynes Regional Adm.inistrator Enclosures:
1.
Appendix A, Notice of Violation 2.
Office of Inspection and Enforcement Investigation Report Number 50-334/81-16 (Contains Safeguards Information)
cc (w/o Safeguards Information on pages 3, 19 and 22 and Exhibits 1 and 8):
F. Bissert, Manager, Nuclear Support Services R. Washabaugh, QA Manager Station Superintendent General Superintendent, Power Stations Department R. Martin, Nuclear Engineer J. Sieber, Manager, Nuclear Safety and Licensing T. D. Jones, Manager, Nuclear Operations R. M. Mafrice, Nuclear Engineer N. R. Tonet, Manager, Nuclear Engineering Public Docuinent Room (PDR)
Local Public Document Room (LPDR)
Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)
NRC Resident Inspector (w/cy of encis)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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Duquesne Light Company
3 0 DE C 1981 bcc:
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Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)
Chief, Operational Support Section (w/o encis)
l R. T. Carlson (w/o Safeguards Information on pages 3,19, 22 and Exhibits 1 and 8)
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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