IR 05000346/2002009

IR 05000346-02-009, Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. Special Inspection, Inspection on 06/10-21 & 07/22-26/2002. Violations Noted

ML022560237
Person / Time
Site:	Davis Besse
Issue date:	09/13/2002
From:	Grobe J NRC/RGN-III
To:	Myers L FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co
References
IR-02-009
Download: ML022560237 (26)

Text

ber 13, 2002

SUBJECT:

DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER STATION NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION -BORIC ACID CORROSION EXTENT OF CONDITION - REPORT NO. 50-346/02-09(DRS)

Dear Mr. Myers:

On July 26, 2002, the NRC completed a special inspection at your Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. This inspection reviewed your actions to resolve Restart Checklist Item No. 2c, associated with the adequacy of safety significant structures, systems and components located inside of containment. Specifically, this inspection focused on review of activities as described in the Containment Boric Acid Extent of Condition Plan. This plan described your activities to identify, evaluate and disposition the extent of condition throughout the reactor coolant system and containment structures systems and components relative to the nozzle cracking and boric acid corrosion mechanisms that occurred on the reactor pressure vessel head (reference NRC IR 50-346/02-03(DRS)). Our review of this plan, included evaluation of your staffs inspection methods (lighting, visual aides, access), control of walkdown boundaries, resolution of obstructed examinations, and control of data sheets/video records. The enclosed report presents the results of our review.

The inspectors identified two findings of very low safety significance (Green) that were determined to involve violations of NRC requirements. The first finding is associated with lack of acceptance criteria and requirements to follow inspection plans. The second finding is associated with inadequate training and certification of inspection personnel used to perform containment area inspections. Additionally, inspectors identified weaknesses in your staffs inspection efforts such as, inconsistent methods to track completion of inspected components, lack of demonstrated visual inspection quality requirements and components with corrosion/boric acid that were not identified during your inspections. These findings and observations indicate that your Containment Boric Acid Extent of Condition Plan was not effectively implemented in all respects. Therefore, Restart Checklist Item No. 2.c will remain open, pending additional NRC inspections of your activities to address this item. In response to these findings and observations, your staff revised your inspection plans and procedures, re-trained and re-certified inspection personnel and implemented corrective actions to repeat these inspections. Because of the very low safety significance of the findings and because these issues have been entered into your corrective action program, the NRC is treating these issues as Non-Cited Violations in accordance with Section VI.A.1 of the NRCs Enforcement Policy. If you deny these Non-Cited Violations, you should provide a response with a basis for your denial, within 30 days of the date of this inspection report, to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington, DC 20555-0001, with copies to the Regional Administrator, Region III; the Director, Office of Enforcement, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; and the NRC Resident Inspector at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.

In accordance with 10 CFR Part 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 Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's 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/

John A. Grobe, Chairman Davis-Besse Oversight Panel Docket No. 50-346 License No. NPF-3 Enclosure: NRC Special Inspection Report No. 50-346/02-09(DRS)

cc w/encl: B. Saunders, President - FENOC Plant Manager Manager - Regulatory Affairs M. OReilly, FirstEnergy Ohio State Liaison Officer R. Owen, Ohio Department of Health Public Utilities Commission of Ohio President, Board of County Commissioners Of Lucas County President, Ottawa County Board of Commissioners D. Lochbaum, Union of Concerned Scientists