ML082530114

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NRC Investigation Report No. 1-2007-028, Dated 9/5/08
ML082530114
Person / Time
Site: Susquehanna  Talen Energy icon.png
Issue date: 09/05/2008
From: David Lew
Division Reactor Projects I
To: Mckinney B
Susquehanna
References
1-2007-028, EA-08-217
Download: ML082530114 (3)


Text

September 5, 2008 EA-08-217 Mr. Britt T. McKinney Senior Vice President, and Chief Nuclear Officer PPL Susquehanna, LLC 769 Salem Boulevard - NUCSB3 Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SUBJECT:

NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT NO. 1-2007-028

Dear Mr. McKinney:

This letter refers to the investigation initiated by the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC) Office of Investigations (OI) on April 26, 2007, at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES). On April 11, 2007, the NRC received information that a member of the refuel floor work crew exceeded the Technical Specification (TS) 72-hour weekly work limit during the week of June 4, 2006, by one hour without having prior approval. When the issue was discovered in September 2006, it was asserted that a supervisor directed that the time cards be changed to show that the 72-hour limit had not been exceeded. The investigation was initiated to determine whether a PPL supervisor falsified records of hours worked for refuel floor personnel.

Based on information gathered during the OI investigation, the NRC does not conclude that the supervisor acted with willful intent or in careless disregard of NRC requirements in directing the time cards to be changed. Rather, the NRC concludes that the supervisors actions appeared negligent in that the individual did not review the time card for accuracy and relied on a time clerk to correct the problem when it was the supervisors responsibility to do so. Nevertheless, a violation occurred since TS 5.2.2.e, Organization, Unit Staff, Work Hour Limits, requires, in part, that administrative procedures be developed and implemented to limit the working hours of unit staff that perform safety-related functions, including key maintenance personnel. The TS requirement also allows, on a temporary basis and during major maintenance, for an individual to work more than 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> in any 7-day period, provided any deviation is authorized in advance by the plant manager or designee. Contrary to this requirement, a member of the refuel floor work crew exceeded the TS 72-hour work limit in a 7-day period without receiving prior approval. Specifically, during the week of June 4, 2006, a refuel floor crew member worked 73 hours8.449074e-4 days <br />0.0203 hours <br />1.207011e-4 weeks <br />2.77765e-5 months <br /> in a 7-day period performing safety-related, refuel floor activities without receiving prior approval from the plant manager or his designee.

The NRC concluded that the violation of TS 5.2.2.e was of minor significance because the actual work hours were only one hour over the 7-day limit of 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br />; the overage would likely have been authorized by the plant manager or designee if so requested; and no actual human performance or fuel handling errors actually occurred. The current NRC Enforcement Policy is

B. McKinney 2

included on the NRCs website at http://www.nrc.gov; select About NRC, Regulation, Enforcement, and then Enforcement Policy.

A response to this letter is not required. However, if you contest this minor violation or its significance, you should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this letter, with the basis for your denial, to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN.: Document Control Desk, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, with copies to the Regional Administrator, Region I; the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.

20555-0001; and the NRC Resident Inspector at the Susquehanna facility.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and your response, if you choose to provide one, will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (ADAMS) accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To the extent possible, your response, if you choose to provide one, should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be made available to the public without redaction.

Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact Mr. Paul Krohn at 610-337-5120.

Sincerely,

/RA/

David C. Lew Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket No.

50-387/50-388 License No. NPF-14/NPF-22

B. McKinney 2

included on the NRCs website at http://www.nrc.gov; select About NRC, Regulation, Enforcement, and then Enforcement Policy.

A response to this letter is not required. However, if you contest this minor violation or its significance, you should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this letter, with the basis for your denial, to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN.: Document Control Desk, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, with copies to the Regional Administrator, Region I; the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.

20555-0001; and the NRC Resident Inspector at the Susquehanna facility.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and your response, if you choose to provide one, will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (ADAMS) accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To the extent possible, your response, if you choose to provide one, should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be made available to the public without redaction.

Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact Mr. Paul Krohn at 610-337-5120.

Sincerely, David C. Lew, Director /RA/

Division of Reactor Projects DISTRIBUTION:

SWilliams, OEDO CCarpenter, OE LLopez, OE OSamuel, OE GVeneziano, OGC EHayden, OPA HBell, OIG GCaputo, OI GGrancorvitz, OC Enforcement Coordinators SCollins, RA MDapas, RA DScrenci, RI, PAO NSheehan, RI, PAO KFarrar, RI DHolody, RI RSummers, RI EWilson, OI/RI MKowal, NRR HChernoff, NRR DLew, RI, DRP MGamberoni, RI, DRS FJaxheimer, SRI ARosebrook, RI CODaniell, RI ADefrancisco RIOE file (w/concur)

RidsOEMailCenterResource RidsOCAMailCenterResource RidsSecyMailCenterResource RII, RIII, RIV SUNSI Review Complete: PGK_____(Reviewers Initials)

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\DRP\\BRANCH4\\SUSQUEHANNA\\Traditional & Escalated Enforcement\\SQ Refuel Floor 72 Hour Violation\\SSES refuel Floor-PPL Rev3.doc Adams Accession No. ML082530114 After declaring this document An Official Agency Record it will be released to the Public.

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment/enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE RI/ORA RI/DRS RI/OI RI/RC RI/ORA NAME FGaskins/RF for PKrohn/PGK EWilson/EW KFarrar/KLF DHolodyRJS for DATE 08 /19 /08 08/ 21 /08 08 / 22 /08 08 / 22 /08 08 / 22/08 OFFICE RI/DRP OGC OE NAME DLew/ DCL

  • DATE 09/05/08
  • Prior Concurrence OFFICIAL RECORD COPY