ML17305A976

LER 90-008-00:on 900704,discovered That RCS Boron Concentration Not Determined within Frequency Required,Per Tech Spec 3.1.2.7 Action Requirements.Caused by Personnel Error.Personnel counseled.W/900728 Ltr

ML17305A976
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	07/28/1990
From:	Bradish T, James M. Levine ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. (FORMERLY ARIZONA NUCLEAR
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
192-00682-JML-T, 192-682-JML-T, LER-90-008-01, LER-90-8-1, NUDOCS 9008060141
Download: ML17305A976 (14)

Text

ACCELERATED D STRIBUTION DEMONS RATION SYSTEM REGULATORY INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (RIDS)

ACCESSION NBR:9008060141 DOC.DATE: 90/07/28 NOTARIZED: NO DOCKET FACIL:STN-50-529 Palo Verde Nuclear Station, Unit 2, Arizona Publi 05000529 AUTH. NAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION BRADISH,T.R. Arizona Public Service Co. (formerly Arizona Nuclear Power LEVINE,J.M. Arizona Public Service Co. (formerly Arizona Nuclear Power RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION R

SUBJECT:

LER 90-008-00:on 900704,RCS boron sample late resulting in missed action.

W/9 1tl. D DISTRIBUTION CODE: IE22T COPIES RECEIVED:LTR ENCL SIZE: S TITLE: 50.73/50.9 Licensee Event Report (LER), J Inciden Rpt, etc.

/

NOTES:Standardized plant. 05000529 A

RECIPIENT COPIES RECIPIENT COPIES D ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL PD5 LA 1 1 PD5 PD 1 1 D PETERSON,S. 1 1 TRAMMELL,C. 1 1 INTERNAL: ACNW 2 2 ACRS 2 2 AEOD/DOA 1 1 AEOD/DS P/TPAB 1 1 AEOD/ROAB/DSP 2 2 NRR/DET/ECMB 9H 1 1 NRR/DET/EMEB9H3 1 1 NRR/DLPQ/LHFBll 1 1 NRR/DLPQ/LPEB10 1 1 NRR/DOEA/OEAB11 1 1 NRR/DREP/PRPB11 2 2 NRR/DST/SELB 8D 1 1 NRR/DST/SICB 7E 1 1 RR/SDSZ/SPLB8D1 1 1 NRR/DST/SRXB 8E RES/DSIR/EIB 1

1 1

1

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1 1

EXTERNAL: EG&G BRYCE,J.H 3= 3 L ST LOBBY WARD 1 1 LPDR 1 1 NRC PDR 1 1 NSIC MAYS,G 1 1 NSIC MURPHY,G.A 1 1 NUDOCS FULL TXT 1 1 NOTES 1 1 D

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NOTE TO ALL "RIDS" RECIPIENTS:

PLEASE HELP US TO REDUCE iVASTE! CONTACT THE DOCUMENT CONTROL. DESK, ROOb I Pl-37 (EXT. 2%79) TO ELIMINATEYOUR NAME FROM DISTRIBUTION LISTS FOR DOCUiVIENTS YOU DON'T NEED!

FULL TEXT CONVERSION REQUIRED TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED: LTTR 36 ENCL 36

Qi ii ~ ll Arizona Public Service Company PALO VERDE NUCL'EAR GENERATING STATION P.O. BOX 52034 ~ PHOENIX, ARIZONA 850?2-2034 JAMES M,.LEVINE 192-00682-JML/TRB/RKR VICE PRESIDENT NUCLEAR PRODUCTIDM July 28, 1990 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attention: Document Control Desk Mail Station Pl-37 Washington, DC 20555

Dear Sirs:

Sub) ect: Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS)

Unit 2 Docket No. STN 50-529 (License No. NPF-51)

Licensee Event Report 90-008-00 File: 90-020-404 Attached please find Licensee Event Report (LER) No. 90-008-'00 prepared"and submitted pursuant to 10CFR50.73. In accordance with 10CFR50.73(d),, we are forwarding a copy of,t'e LER'o the Regional Administrator of the Region V office.

If you have any questions, pl'ease contact T. R. Bradish, Compliance Manager at (602) 393-2521.

Very truly yours, JML/TRB/RKR/dmn Attachment CC': W. F. Conway (all with attachment)

J. B. Martin D. H. Coe C. M. Trammell A. C. Gehr AD H. Gutterman INPO Records Center 900806O I 4 2 5'O072::-:

PDR I-"IDOCK 0= OOC629 I PI+

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NRC FOAM 366 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (64)9) APPROVED OMB NO. 31504104 EXPIAES: 4/30(92 IMATED BURDEN PER RESPONSE TO COMPLY WTH THIS INFORMATION COLLECTION REOUESTt 50.0 HRS. FORWARD LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) COMMENTS REGARDING BURDEN ESTIMATE TO THE AECORDS

~ AND REPORTS MANAGEMENT BRANCH (P4)30). U.S. NUCLEAR

'EGULATORY COMMISSION. WASHINGTON. DC 20555. AND TO THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION PROJECT'(31500104), OFFICE OF MANAGEMENTAND BUDGET. WASHINGTON. DC 20503.

FACILITY NAME (II DOCKET NUMBER (2) PAGE 3 TITLE I ~ I Palo Verde Unit 2 0,5'0005291'OFp RCS Boron Sample 'Late 'Resulting Inr Missed Action EVENT DATE (5) .LER NUMBER (6) REPORT DATE (7) OTHER FACILITIES INVOLVED (0)

MONTH DAY YEAR YEAR SEQUENTIAL rr 0 vrSIOrs OAY YEAR FACILITYNAMES DOCK ET NUM 0 E R(SI

>~gN NUMBER yi~( NVMSEsr MONTH N A 0 5 0 0 0 P 7 P4 9 P9P P,.P 8 p p P 7 2 8 9 P N/A 0 5'0 0 0 OPERATING.

THIS REPORT IS SUBMITTED PURSUANT T 0 THE RtQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFA ()t (Chere one or more ol the followinp) (Ill MODE (0) 20.402(bl. 20.405(cl i '0.73(el(2)(iv) 73.71(bl POWER 20.406 ( ~ I (1)(i) 5020(c)(I) 50.73(e) (2) (v) 73.71(c)

LEVEL (10) p p p 20.405 (~ ) (I ) (i(I 50.36(cl(2) 60.73(e) (2) (vii) OTHER ISpeclfy in Abstrecr below encl ln Text; HRC FOrm 20.405( ~ I (1)(i( i I .', '0.73( ~ I (2) I I) 50.73(el(2)(vitri(B) 50.73(e) 12) (viii)IAI 3BBA) 20.405( ~ ) (I ) (iv) 50.7 3(e) (2) (ii) 20.405(e)(1)(v) 50.73(e I (2 I (iI I I 50.73( ~ ) (2) (x I LICENSEE CONTACT FOR THIS LER (12)

NAME TELEPHONE NUMBER AREA CODE Thomas R. Bradish, Compliance Manager 6 P2 393 -25 21 COMPLETE ONE LINt FOR EACH COMPONENT FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT (13)

CAUSE SYSTELI COMPONENT MANUFAC. EPORTABLE MANVFAC. EPORTABLE 'Vox(

TVRER TO NPADS gNqg@o; Wgc CAUSE SYSTEM COMPONENT TUREA TO NPRDS W"N

%Nil SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT EXPECTFD (14) MONTH OAY YEAR EXPECTED SUBMISSION DATE (15)

YES (lf yeL complere EXPECTED SUBhtlSSIOhl DATE) NO ABSTRACT ltlmit tO 1400 a>>ces. I e.. epproxlmetely lilteen rinple specs typewritten linesl (10)

At approximately 1620 MST on July 4, 1990, Palo Verde Unit 2 was in Mode 3 (HOT STANDBY) when a Control Room operator discovered that the Reactor Coolant System (RCS) boron concentration had not been determined within the frequency required by the ACTION requirements of Technical Specification, (TS) 3.1.2..7.

This resulted in noncompliance with the ACTION requirements of TS 3.1.2.7.

The ACTION requirements were not met for approximately 28 minutes.

The cause of the event was a cognitive personnel error by Control Room personnel responsible for determining the sampling frequency.

Immediate corrective action was taken to. notify plant chemistry of the required sample frequency and revise the sample schedule. The Control Room personnel involved in this event were counselled to maintain full awareness of the requirements of procedures and TS requirements.

No other previous events have been reported pursuant to 10CFR50.73 where an RCS boron, concentration sample was missed due to a change in sample frequency.

NRC Form 300 (689)

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NRC FORM 366A U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION APPROVED 0MB NO. 31504)104 (64)9)

EXPIRESI 4/30/92 ESTIMATED BURDEN PER RESPONSE To COMPLY WTH THIS LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) LNFORMAT(oN CoLLECWON REOUFSTI 50J) HRS. FoRWARD COMMENTS REGARDING BURDEN ESTIMATE To THE RECORDS TEXT CONTINUATION AND REPORTS MANAGEMENT BRANCH (P4)30). U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON. DC 20555, AND To THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION PROJECT (3150411041. OFFICE OF MANAGEMENTAND BUDGET, WASHINGTON. DC 20503.

FACILITYNAME (II DOCKET NUMBER (2) LER NUMBER (6) PAGE (3)

YEAR fr< SEQVENTIAL N v M 6 E II 'o(

~MES AEVISION N vM 6 E II Palo Verde Unit 2 o s o o o 52 990 00 '8 00 0 20F 0 TEXT /Ifmore 4/reoe 14 rer/orred, ore eddr1/orre/NRC Form 3Nr('4/ OT)

I. DESCRIPTION OF WHAT OCCURRED:

Initial Conditions:

At approximately 1620 MST on July 4, 1990, Palo Verde Unit 2 was in Mode 3 (HOT STANDBY) following a refueling outage. The Reactor Coolant System (RCS)(AB) was at approximately 440 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and 1700 pounds per square inch absolute (psia).

B. Reportable Event Description (Including Dates and Approximate Times of Major Occurrences):

Event Classification: Operation prohibited by the plant's Technical Specifications.

At approximately 1620 MST on July 4, 1990, a Control Room operator (utility, licensed) discovered that the RCS boron concentration had not been determined within the frequency required by the ACTION requirements of Technical Specification (TS) Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) 3.1.2.7. This resulted in noncompliance with the ACTION requirements of TS 3.1.2.7.

Prior to the event, on July 3, 1990, one startup channel high neutron flux alarm [Boron Dilution Alarm System (BDAS)] (AID)(IG) was taken out of service for scheduled surveillance testing.

ACTION a.l of TS 3.1.2.7 was entered for one BDAS channel being inoperable. The ACTION requirements of TS 3.1.2.7 require an RCS boron concentration sample frequency of six hours with one charging pump operating with sample frequency changing to two and one half hours with two charging pumps operating. At approximately 1320 MST on. July', 1990, with one charging pump operating, the scheduled RCS boron concentration sample was taken.

At approximately 1322 MST on July 4, 1990, a second charging pump (P)(B) was started. When the second charging pump was started, Control Room personnel did not realize that the required sample frequency had changed.

At approximately 1620 MST on July 4, 1990, the scheduled RCS boron concentration sample was taken (common practice is to take samples at approximately half the TS required frequency). While entering the results of the RCS boron concentration sample, a Control Room operator determined that when the second charging pump was started the sample frequency requirement had changed from six hours to two and one half hours, The sample should have been taken by approximately 1552 MST on July 4, 1990. Therefore, the ACTION NRC Form 366A (669)

I

~ I

NRC FORM 366A U.S, NUCI.EAR REGULATORY COMMISSION APPROVED 0M B NO. 31504104

)64)9)

E XP IR ES: 4/30/92 ESTiMATED BURDEN PER RESPONSE TO COMPLY WTH THiS LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LERI INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST: 50A) HRS. FORWARD COMMENTS REGARDING BURDEN ESTIMATE TO THE RECORDS TEXT CONTINUATION: AND REPORTS MANAGEMENT BRANCH IP430)/U.S. NUCLEAR 11I'OCKET REGULATORY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON. DC 20555, AND TO THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION PROJECT 131504104). OFFICE OF MANAGEMENTAND BUDGET. WASHINGTON, OC 20503.

FACILI'TY NAME NUMBER 12) LER NUMBER )6) PAGE 13)

YSAA SSQVSNTIAL ASV IS ION NVMSTA NVMSEA Palo Verde Unit 2 o s o o o 5 2-990 0 0 8 000 3 QF TEXT /llmora span is rA)o/rad, usa addrrlorM/NRC Forrrr 3664'4/ I IT) were not .met for approximately 28 minutes. 0'equirements Plant chemistry was 'immediately notified, the sample frequency was changed to two and one 'half .hours and the sample schedule was revised.

Status of structures, systems,,or components that were inoperable at the start of the event that contributed to the event:

Other than the BDAS channel discussed in .Section I. B, no structures, systems, or components were inoperable which contributed to this event.

D. Cause of each component or system failure, if known:

Not applicable - no component .or system failures were involved.

Failure mode, mechanism,. and effect of each failed component, if

.known:

Not applicable - no component failures were involved.

For failures of components with multiple functions, list of systems or secondary functions that were also affected:

Not applicable - no failures of components with multiple functions were involved.

For a failure that rendered a train of a safety system inoperable, estimated time elapsed from the discovery of the failure until the train was,returned to service Not applicable - no failures which rendered a train, of a safety system inoperable were involved H. Method of discovery of each. component or system failure or procedural error:

Not applicable - there, have been no component or system failures or procedural'rrors identified.

NRC Form 366A )669)

i 0 1

NRC FONM 366A U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION APPROVED OMB NO. 31504))04 (6$ 9)

E XPIR ES: 4/30/92 ESTIMATED BURDEN PER RESPONSE TO COMPLY WTH THIS LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST: 50i) HRS. FORWARD COMMENTS REGARDING BURDEN ESTIMATE TO THE RECORDS

'TEXT CONTINUATION AND REPORTS MANAGEMENT BRANCH (P4)30). U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, DC 20555, ANO TO THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION PROJECT (31504)104). OFFICE OF MANAGEMENTAND BUDGET. WASHINGTON. DC 20503.

FACILITY NAME (11 DOCKET NUMBER (2) LER NUMBER (6) PAGE (3)

YEAR ~~j'SVISION PrKr'EQUENTIAL 'r'rO SX~: NVMSSA NVMSS4 Palo Verde Unit 2 o s o o o 5 2 9 90 00 8 0 0 0 4 OF 0 5 TEXT /I/moro NMro /4 roOIrirod. Vro odditiorro/frRC Form 366AB/I)7)

I'ause of event The cause of the event was a cognitive p'ersonnel error (SALP Cause Code A). A Control Room operator (utility, licensed) started the second charging pump and did not remember to reference the TS requirements with one channel of BDAS inoperable. Additionally, Control Room personnel (utility, licensed) who were aware of the TS requirements did not remind the Control Room operator that the TS requirements changed when the second charging pump, was started.

The second charging pump was started in accordance with the approved normal operating procedure for starting a charging pump.

However, Control Room personnel did not use the approved abnormal operating procedure for an inoperable BDAS channel when the second charging pump was started. Therefore, the cognitive personnel error resulted in not following the abnormal operating procedure which requires that the sample frequency be determined whenever there is a change in the number of operating charging pumps and chemistry be notified of the required sample frequency.

There were no procedure errors which contributed to this event.

There were no unusual characteristics of the work location that contributed to this event.

J. Safety, System Response:

Not applicable - there were no safety system responses and none were necessary.

K. Failed Component Information:

Not applicable - no component failures were involved.

II. ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES AND IMPLICATIONS OF THIS EVENT:

There were no safety consequences or implications resulting from this event. The Boron Dilution Alarm System (BDAS) is designed to

,provide alarms to alert a 'Control Room Operator to a potential boron dilution event while in Modes 3 (HOT STANDBY), 4 (HOT SHUTDOWN), 5 (COLD SHUTDOWN), and 6 (REFUELING). In the event of an alarm, the operator is procedurally directed to monitor neutron flux to determine if a boron dilution is occurring. If the alarm is determined to be valid, actions are taken to terminate the dilution. The second charging pump was started at approximately NRC Form 366A (669)

I NRC FORM 366A U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (64)9) APPROVED OMB NO. 31504)104

'EXPIRES: 4/30/92 ESTIMATED BURDEN PER RESPONSE TO COMPLY WTH THIS LICENSEE EVENT REPORT ILERI INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST: 50.0 HRS. FORWARD COMMENTS REGARDING BURDEN ESTIMATE TO THE RECORDS TEXT CONTINUATION AND REPORTS MANAGEMENT BRANCH (P-530), U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON. DC 20555. AND TO THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION PROJECT (31500104). OFFICE OF MANAGEMENTANO BUDGET.WASHINGTON, DC 20503, FACILITY NAME (1) DOCKET NUMBER (2I LER NUMBER (61 PAGE (3)

YEAR SEOVSNTIAL REYrSIQN NVM88R NVM88R Palo Verde Unit 2 o s o o o 5 2990 0 0 8 ,000 5 OF 0 TEXT ///morv 4/r448 /4 Ivr)vtrvd, v48 Pdd/obnol NRC FrNm 35643l (Il) 1322 MST on July 4, 1990. The next sample was taken at approximately 1620 MST on July 4, 1990'. Therefore, the two and a half hour frequency required to meet the ACTION requirements was exceeded by approximately 28 minutes.

The sample taken at approximately 1620 on July 4, 1990 indicated that the RCS boron concentration was acceptable. Additionally, one channel of BDAS was OPERABLE and at least two channels of the excore neutron flux logarithmic power level instrumentation (JI)(JC) were also OPERABLE during this event which would have provided indication of a boron dilution event. Therefore, this event had no impact on the safe operation of the plant or the health and safety of the public.

III. CORRECTIVE ACTION'.

Immediate:

Chemistry was notified of the required sample frequency and revised the sample schedule.

B. Action to Prevent Recurrence:

The Control Room personnel involved in this event were counselled to maintain full awareness of the requirements of procedures being worked. Unit 2 Control Room personnel were notified of this event. Units 1 and 3 were also notified of this event.

IV. PREVIOUS SIMILAR EVENTS:

No other previous events have been reported pursuant to 10CFR50.73 where a RCS boron concentration sample was missed due to a change in sample frequency.

NR C Form 366A (64)9)

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