ML17059B198
| ML17059B198 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 07/16/1996 |
| From: | Conte R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Sylvia B NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17059B199 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9607260040 | |
| Download: ML17059B198 (8) | |
See also: IR 05000220/1996006
Text
July 16,
1996
Hr.
B. Ralph Sylvia
Executive Vice President
and
'hief
Nuclear Officer
Niagara
Mohawk Power Corporation
(NMPC)
Generation
Business
Group D-2
300 Erie Boulevard
West
Syracuse,
NY 13202
SUBJECT:
NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND NRC COMBINED INSPECTION
REPORT
NOS.
50-220/96-06
AND 50-410/96-06
Dear Hr. Sylvia:
This report transmits
the findings of safety inspections
conducted
by
NRC
inspectors
at the Nine Hile Point Nuclear Station,
Units
1 and 2, from March
31 to June
1,
1996.
At the conclusion of the inspection,
the findings were
discussed
with you,
and members of your staff.
We are providing one
integrated report for all the inspections
conducted during'this period in
order to better consolidate
our inspection findings into a consistent
regulatory message
and more clearly communicate
how these findings may reflect
a change in your performance.
During this period, your staff operated
both units safely; the inspectors
observed
good command/control
by the control
room supervision
and generally
effective oversight
by senior station personnel.
Additionally, performance
in
your solid radioactive waste
management
and transportation
of radioactive
materials
program
was very good.
However, during the Unit 2 electrical
protection
assembly
breaker trip, operators
demonstrated
a lack of attention
to plant conditions with respect to Technical Specification
(TS) requirements,
as evidenced
by the delayed entry into TS 3.0.3,
and the failure to recognize
entry into two limiting conditions of operation
(LCOs).
The failure of a Unit
1 operator to maintain attention to the task-at-hand
during
a surveillance
procedure resulted
in an inadvertent release
to the atmosphere
albeit of
little consequence
to public health
and safety.
snform
u
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9607260040
960726
ADQCK 05000220
6
Also during our review of your refueling practices,
your staff identified
inconsistencies
between
the Unit 2 practices
and your current licensing
and
design
bases.
We are still in the process of evaluating
these
inconsistencies
with respect to enforcement,
pending further guidance
from our Office of
Enforcement.
A factor contributing to the root cause of these
inconsistencies
was
a misinterpretation of the requirements
stated
in Updated Final Safety
Analysis Report
(UFSAR).
It is our understanding
that you have committed to
clarify the wording in the Unit 2 UFSAR, Section 9.1.3, to avoid further
misinterpretation.
If this is not consistent with your understanding,
please
s in writing within 30 days of receipt 'of this letter.
0
N
~
~
Nr. B. Ralph Sylvia
Further, your corre
associated
with rad
In accordance
with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice,"
a copy of
this letter
and its enclosures,
and your response will be placed in the=NRC
Public Document
Room.
2
ctive actions to address earlier identified violations
iation work permit
(RWP) adherence
have
been ineffective in
preventing recurrence,
as evidenced
by continuing
RWP adherence
deficiencies;
Although the inspectors
considered it a strength that individuals were self-
identifying their our failure to meet
RWP requirements,
corrective actions
were ineffective to prevent recurrence.
The failure to properly implement the
radiation protection
program procedures
is
a violation of 10 CFR 20.
This
violation is cited in the enclosed
Notice of Violation (Notice),
and the
circumstances
surrounding the violation are described
in detail in the
enclosed report.
Please
note that you are required to respond to this letter
and should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed
Notice when
preparing your response.
The
NRC will use your response,
in part, to
determine whether further enforcement
action is necessary
to ensure
compliance
with regulatory requirements.
Your cooperation with us is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Original Signed
By:
Docket Nos.
License
Nos.
50-220,
50-410
Richard J.
Conte,
Chief
Projects
Branch
5
Division of Reactor Projects
Enclosures:
NRC Inspection
Report Nos. 50-220/96-06
and 50-410/96-06
0
Mr. B. Ralph Sylvia
3
cc w/enclosures:
~
R. Abbott, Vice President
5 General
Manager - Nuclear
C. Terry, Vice President - Nuclear Engineering
H. McCormick, Vice President
Safety Assessment
and Support
N. Rademacher,
Unit
1 Plant Manager
J.
Conway, Unit 2 Plant Manager
D. Wolniak, Manager,
Licensing
J.
Warden,
New York Consumer Protection
Branch
G. Wilson, Senior Attorney
M. Wetterhahn,
Winston and Strawn
J. Rettberg,
New York State Electric and
Gas Corporation
Director, Electric Division, Department of Public Service,
State of
C. Donaldson,
Esquire, Assistant Attorney General,
New York Department of Law
J. Vinquist, HATS, Inc.
P.
Eddy,
Power Division, Department of Public Service,
State of New York
State of New York SLO Designee
0
(o
Mr. B. Ralph Sylvia
4
Distribution w/encls:
Region I Docket
Room (with concurrences)
Nuclear Safety Information Center
(NSIC)
PUBLIC
NRC Resident
Inspector
D. Screnci,
PAO
R. Conte,
H. Eichenholz,
C. O'Daniell,
Distribution w/encls:
(VIA E-MAIL)
W.
Dean
OEDO
(WMD)
B. Norris - Nine Mile Point
J. Mitchell, NRR
D. Hood,
M. Campion,
RI
H. Davis,
J. White,
RI Sections
Rl R8.2
G. Heyer,
RI Section
M1.2
D. Vito, RI, Section
M1.4
M. Modes,
RI Sections El.l - E1.5
G. Kelly, RI Sections El.l - El.5
C. Gratton,
NRR Sections
E3. 1,
E8. 1,
E8.2
J.
Shea,
NRR Sections
E3. 1,
E8. 1,
E8.2
Inspection
Program Branch,
NRR (IPAS)
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