IR 05000456/1996018

Forwards Insp Rept 50-456/96-18 on 961012-1113 & Nov. Violation of Concern Because Broad Spectrum of Circumstances That Led to Event Including Lack of Procedural Guidance

ML20134B579
Person / Time
Site:	Braidwood
Issue date:	01/22/1997
From:	Caldwell J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Stanley H COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
Shared Package
ML20134B421	List: IR 05000456/1996018 ML20134B418 ML20134B594
References
NUDOCS 9701300211
Download: ML20134B579 (2)

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l p @""' % e UNITED STATES gy hj NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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j* 801 WARRENV:i.LE ROAD uSLE, ILUNCKS 60532-4351

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'i January 22, 1997 iir. H. ' Site Vice President i Braidwood Station '

Commonwealth Edison. Company i

RR #1. Box 84

'Braceville, IL 60407 -

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SUBJECT: SPECIALINSPEbi10NREPORTNO. 50-456/96018 AND NOTICE OF .ATION

Dear Mr. Stanley:

This refers to the special safety inspection conducted on October 12 through November 13. 1996, to assess the unplanned opening of the pressurizer power

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operated relief valve during a cooldown on Braidwood Unit 1. At the  ;

conclusion of the inspection, the findings _ were discussed with Mr. T. Tulon. i plant manager and other memt,ers of your staff identified in the enclosed report.- l

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Dur inspection concluded that the actual opening of.the pressurizer power j operated relief valve created minimal threat to the public safety, plant l workers or to the plant and that the investigations your staff performed of i the event were prompt and thorough. However. lifting a pressurizer relief valve was a challenge to the integrity of the reactor coolant system pressure- '

boundary creating the threat of a potential loss of coolant accident. We are concerned about the broad spectrum of circumstances that led to the event '

including the lack of appropriate procedural guidance, the lack of safety i consideration in the nonconservative cooldown evolution that appeared to be schedule driven, the operation with a degraded charging flow control valve exhibiting erratic behavior at low flow conditions for an extended period of time without any corrective action until this event and what appeared to be the lack of good communications in several instances.

Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC concluded that a violation of NRC. requirements occurred as cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice). You are required to respond to this violation. The circumstances surrounding the violation are described in detail in the inspection report.

Because of the complexity of the issue and the potential safety consequences, a management meeting to discuss this violation and the related circumstances has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (CST) on January 27, 1997, at the NRC "

Region III office in Lisle. Illinois. This meeting is being held as an

. opportunity for you to provide any insights that may not be apparent in the inspection report. to discuss your corrective actions, and to provide any additional information that you deem necessary. This meeting will be open to public observation. '

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i 9701300211 970122 PDR ADOCK 05000456 PDR gCkk* ;

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H;< Stanley' -2-In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commission's regulations, a copy of this letter, with enclosures, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room. '

i We will gladly discuss any questions'you have concerning this inspection. i i

Sincerely

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ames L. Caldwell Director ivision of Reactor Projects ,

Docket No.: 50-456 ,

l License No: NPF-72 Enclosures: ..

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1. Notice of Violation- 1 2. Inspection Report No. 50-456/96018:

3. Event Timeline cc w/ encl: T. J. Maiman. Senior Vice President Nuclear Operations Division D. A. Sager..Vice President.

Generation Su) port H. W. Keiser. C11ef Nuclear O

T. perating Officer Tulon. Station Manager T. Simpkin. Regulatory Assurance Supervisor I. Johnson Acting Nuclear Regulatory Services Manager Richard Hubbard

Nathan Schloss. Economist

' Office of the Attorney General  !

State Liaison Officer i Chairman. Illinois Commerce Commission

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Document Control Desk-Licensing-i

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