IR 05000387/2002005

IR 05000387-02-005, 05000388-02-005 & 07200028-02-001; PPL Susquehanna, LLC; on 06/30-09/28/2002; Susquehanna Steam Electric Station; Units 1 & 2. Event Follow-up and Operation of an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

ML023160228
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	11/12/2002
From:	Blough A Division Reactor Projects I
To:	Shriver B Susquehanna
References
EA-02-216 IR-02-001, IR-02-005
Download: ML023160228 (35)

Text

ber 12, 2002

SUBJECT:

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION - NRC INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT 50-387/02-05, 50-388/02-05; 72-28/02-01

Dear Mr. Shriver:

On September 28, 2002, the NRC completed an inspection at your Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the inspection findings which were discussed on October 7, 2002, with you and other members of your staff.

This inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.

The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel.

Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC identified one apparent violation and one finding of very low safety significance (Green).

The apparent violation was a violation of NRC requirements and is being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the General Statement of Policy and Procedures for NRC Enforcement Actions (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600, Supplement VI. The current Enforcement Policy is included on the NRCs website at www.nrc.gov/what-we-do/regulatory/enforcement.html. This violation concerns pressurizing a Dry Shielded Cannister (DSC) with a mixture of Argon and Helium gas rather than 100%

Helium gas as required by the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for the Susquehanna Dry Spent Fuel Storage System (NUHOMS-52B), CoC No.1004. The details of this violation are discussed in Section 4OA5 of the enclosed Inspection Report. The NRC became aware of this event on July 26, 2002, when you identified the condition and made a prompt notification to the NRC Operations Center. This violation did not represent an immediate safety concern and was corrected by your staff.

Bryce As discussed with your staff, inspections of independent spent fuel storage activities are covered under NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 2690, and are not covered under a reactor safety cornerstone in the revised oversight programs (ROPs) significant determination process (SDP). Therefore, this apparent violation is to be addressed under the traditional enforcement process.

In addition, since you identified the violation and based on our understanding of your corrective actions, a civil penalty may not be warranted in accordance with Section VI.C.2 of the Enforcement Policy. The final decision will be based on your confirming that the corrective actions previously described to the staff have been or are being taken.

Before the NRC makes its enforcement decision, we are providing you an opportunity to either (1) respond to the apparent violation addressed in this inspection report within 30 days of the date of this letter or (2) request a predecisional enforcement conference. If a conference is held, it will be open for public observation. The NRC will also issue a press release to announce the conference. Please contact Dr. Ronald Bellamy at (610) 337-5200 within 7 days of the date of this letter to notify the NRC of your intended response.

If you choose to provide a response, it should be clearly marked as a Response to An Apparent Violation in Inspection Report Nos. 50-387/2002-05, 50-388/2002-05, 72-28/2002-01; EA 02-216 and should include for the apparent violation: (1) the reason for the apparent violation, or, if contested, the basis for disputing the apparent violation, (2) the corrective steps that have been taken and the results achieved, (3) the corrective steps that will be taken to avoid further violations, and (4) the date when full compliance was achieved. Your response may reference or include previous docketed correspondence, if the correspondence addresses the required response. If an adequate response is not received within the time specified or an extension of time has not been granted by the NRC, the NRC will proceed with its enforcement decision or schedule a predecisional enforcement conference.

In addition, please be advised that the number and characterization of the apparent violation described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review. You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this matter.

The Green finding was a violation of NRC requirements. However, because of the very low safety significance and because the issue was entered into your corrective action program, the NRC is treating this issue as a Non-cited Violation, in accordance with Section VI.A.1 of the NRCs Enforcement Policy. Violations of very low safety significance identified by PPL are listed in Section 4OA7 of the report. If you contest any Non-cited Violation in this report, you should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this letter, with the basis for your denial, to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington DC 20555-0001; with copies to the Regional Administrator Region I; the Director, Office of Enforcement, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; and the NRC Resident Inspector at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station.

Bryce The NRC has increased security requirements at Susquehanna in response to terrorist acts on September 11, 2001. Although the NRC is not aware of any specific threat against nuclear facilities, the NRC has issued an Order and several threat advisories to commercial power reactors to strengthen licensees capabilities and readiness to respond to a potential attack.

The NRC continues to inspect the licensees security controls and its compliance with the Order and current security regulations.

In accordance with 10CFR2.790 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter, its enclosure, and your response (if you choose to provide one) will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records (PARS) component of the 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). To the extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be made available to the Public without redaction.

If you have any questions please contact me at 610-337-5229.

Sincerely,

/RA/

A. Randolph Blough, Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos. 50-387, 50-388 License Nos. NPF-14, NPF-22 Enclosure: Inspection Report 50-387/02-05, 50-388/02-05, 72-28/02-01 Attachment 1 - Supplemental Information

Bryce