ML090220132
| ML090220132 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 01/22/2009 |
| From: | Gregory Bowman, Nick Hilton NRC/OE |
| To: | |
| Bowman G,OE,301-415-2939 | |
| References | |
| EA-08-272 EN-09-004 | |
| Download: ML090220132 (2) | |
Text
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE UNTIL VERIFICATION THAT LICENSEE HAS RECEIVED ACTION January 22, 2009 EN-09-004 OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT ACTION Licensee:
Northern States Power Company (EA-08-272)
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit 1 Docket No. 05000282
Subject:
ISSUANCE OF FINAL SIGNIFICANCE DETERMINATION AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION This is to inform the Commission that a Notice of Violation associated with a White Significance Determination Process finding will be issued on or about January 27, 2009, to Northern States Power Company as a result of inspections at Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit 1.
This White finding, an issue with low to moderate safety significance which may require additional NRC inspection, involved the licensees failure to ensure the discharge pressure switch block valve for the turbine-driven auxiliary feedwater pump was in its normally open position. Failure to properly control the position of this valve led to the turbine-driven auxiliary feedwater pump tripping shortly after it started in response to expected low steam generator water levels following an unplanned reactor trip. The pump was subsequently determined to have been inoperable for a period of approximately 138 days. This finding does not represent a current safety concern because the licensee took prompt corrective actions to restore the pump to an operable condition and performed valve lineup checks to verify the remaining auxiliary feedwater pumps were correctly configured.
A Notice of Violation is included based on the licensees failure to meet Technical Specification 3.7.5, which requires both auxiliary feedwater trains to be operable in Modes 1, 2, or 3. An inoperable train must be restored within 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br />, or the plant is required to be taken to Mode 3 within six hours and Mode 4 within 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br />. Contrary to Technical Specification 3.7.5, the isolated pressure switch caused the turbine-driven auxiliary feedwater pump to be inoperable for a period of significantly greater than 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> and the plant was not taken to Mode 3 as required.
It should be noted that the licensee has not been specifically informed of the enforcement action. The schedule of issuance and notification is:
Mailing of Final Significance Determination January 27, 2009 Telephone Notification of Licensee January 27, 2009 The State of Minnesota will be notified.
Contacts: Greg Bowman, OE, (301) 415-2939 Nick Hilton, OE, (301) 415-3055
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE UNTIL VERIFICATION THAT LICENSEE HAS RECEIVED ACTION PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE UNTIL VERIFICATION THAT LICENSEE HAS RECEIVED ACTION Distribution: EN-09-004, January 22, 2009 OWFN Chairman Klein Comm. Jaczko Comm. Lyons Comm. Svinicki SECY OCA OPA OIP OWFN EDO DEDR DEDMRS OE OGC NRR OI NSIR TWFN OCFO OP CENTER NMSS OIG OIS RES ACRS FSME Regional Offices RI RII RIII RIV MAIL PUBLIC OE staff DISTRIBUTION: (Hard copy)
C. Carpenter, OE S. Magruder, OE G. Bowman, OE N. Hilton, OE OE r/f EN binder Publicly Available X Non-Sensitive X ML090220132 OFFICE OE:ES OE:BC NAME GBowman NHilton DATE 1/21/09 1/22/09 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY