ML17312B570
| ML17312B570 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 07/18/1997 |
| From: | James M. Levine ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. (FORMERLY ARIZONA NUCLEAR |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| 102-03976-JML-A, 102-3976-JML-A, 50-528-97-10, 50-529-97-10, 50-530-97-10, NUDOCS 9707290194 | |
| Download: ML17312B570 (20) | |
Text
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station James M. Levine Senior Vice President Nuclear TEL (602)393-5300 FAX(602)3936077 Mail Station 7602 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ65072.2034 102-03976 - JML/AKK/DRL July 18, 1997 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Mail Station: P1-37 Washington, DC 20555-0001
Dear Sirs:
Subject:
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS)
Units 1, 2, and 3 Docket Nos. STN 50-528/529/530 Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise Weaknesses 50-628/529/530/9710-01 and 50-628/629/530/9710-02 Arizona Public Service Company (APS) has reviewed NRC Inspection Report 50-528/529/530/9710 dated June 24, 1997. Pursuant to your request to provide your office with a description of the corrective measures and a schedule for completing, these
- actions, APS'esponse is enclosed.
The additional performance issues discussed in the Inspection Report will be evaluated under the APS Corrective Action program.
Should you have any further questions, please contact Ms. Angela K. Krainik, Department Leader, PVNGS Nuclear Regulatory Affairs, at (602) 393-5421.
JML/AKK/0RL
Enclosures:
Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise Weaknesses Sincerely, V
t
Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise Weaknesses 50-528/529/530/9710-01 and 50-628/529/630/9710-02 1.
50-528/529/530/9710-01 Weakness The failure to promptly recognize and declare the notification of unusual event was identified as an exercise weakness.
Event Descri tion During the 1997 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) biennial emergency exercise, an emergency action level (EAL)was reached at 0815 hours0.00943 days <br />0.226 hours <br />0.00135 weeks <br />3.101075e-4 months <br />. At this time, the EAL required the event to be classified within fifteen (15) minutes as a notification of unusual event (NUE) by the Shift Supervisor. At approximately 0834 hours0.00965 days <br />0.232 hours <br />0.00138 weeks <br />3.17337e-4 months <br />, the Control Room Exercise Controller gave the exercise contingency message to the Shift Supervisor. The NUE declaration was subsequently made at the same time, 0834 hours0.00965 days <br />0.232 hours <br />0.00138 weeks <br />3.17337e-4 months <br />, by the Shift Supervisor.
APS remains confident, as discussed in the Inspection Report, that during an actual event the information about the impending emergency classification would have been provided during the shift turnover. The classification would not have been missed or delayed without the artificialityposed by the exercise scenario.
The cause of failure to promptly recognize and declare the notification of unusual event is determined to be: a) the artificialityofthe exercise scenario, and; b) personnel error by the Shift Supervisor for failing to remove himself from the immediate operation of the plant and follow procedural and training guidance.
Corrective Actions to Prevent Recurrence 1.
The Emergency Plan exercise scenario development process will be revised to ensure a credible and logical sequence of events.
This action is expected to be complete no later than September 26, 1997.
2.
As an interim action, the Emergency Coordinator/Emergency Plan training conducted during the NLR97-02 training cycle included a description of the failure to classify the event in the required time during the exercise. (complete)
li i
Emergency Services willrevise procedure 16DP-OEP17, "Emergency Operations Facility Actions" to clarify the process for communicating a PAR to offsite agencies. This action is expected to be complete no later than August 29, 1997.
3.
Emergency Services willcomplete revision 19 of the PVNGS Emergency Plan to clarify the process for communicating a PAR to offsite agencies and to clarify the block diagram which illustrates that process. This action is expected to be complete no later than August 29, 1997.
j/
l
REGULATORY INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (RIDS)
ACCESSION NBR:9707290194 DOC.DATE: 97/07/18 NOTARIZED: NO CIL:STN-50-528 Palo Verde Nuclear Station, Unit 1, Arizona Publi SVN-50-529 Palo Verde Nuclear Station, Unit 2, Arizona Publi
~
STN-50-530 Palo Verde Nuclear Station, Unit 3, Arizona Publi AUTH.NAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION LEVINEiJ.M.
Arizona Public Service Co. (formerly Arizona Nuclear Power RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION Document Control Branch (Document Control Desk)
DOCKET t 05000528 05000529 05000530
SUBJECT:
Responds to NRC 970624 ltr re violations noted in insp repts 50-528/97-10,50-529/97-10
& 50-530/97-10.Correct've actions:
will revise Emergency Plan exercise scenario development process to ensure credible a logical sequence of events.
DISTRIBUTION CODE:
IE35D COPIES RECEIVED:LTR ENCL SIZE:
TITLE: Emergency Preparedness-Appraisal/Confirmatory Ac ion Ltr Exercise Rep NOTES:STANDARDIZED PLANT Standardized plant.
Standardized plant.
05000528 05000529 05000530 RECIPIENT ID CODE/NAME PD4-2 PD INTERN ILE CENT M/PERB RGN4 FILE 01 E
ERNAL: NOAC COPIES LTTR ENCL 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 RECIPIENT ID CODE/NAME THOMAS,K NRR/DISP/PIPB OE DIR NRC PDR COPIES LTTR ENCL 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 NOTE TO ALL "RIDS" RECIPIENTS:
PLEASE HELP US TO REDUCE WASTE! CONTACT THE DOCUMENT CONTROL DESKi ROOM OWFN 5D"5 (EXT. 415-2083)
TO ELIMINATE YOUR NAME FROM DISTRIBUTION LISTS FOR DOCUMENTS YOU DON'T NEEDl TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED:
LTTR 9
ENCL 9
CommJ5nent Inenstka &ergy.
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station James M. Levine Senior Vice President Nuclear TEL (602)393-5300 FAX(602)3934077 Mail Statio'n 7602 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034 102-03976 - JML/AKK/DRL July 18, 1997 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Mail Station: P1-37 Washington, DC 20555-0001
Dear Sirs:
Subject:
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS)
Units 1,2, and 3 Docket Nos. STN 50-528/629/630 Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise tt/tieaknesses 50-528/529/530/9710-01 and 50-528/629/530/9710-02 Arizona Public Service Company (APS) has reviewed NRC Inspection Report 50-528/529/530/9710 dated June 24, 1997. Pursuant to your request to provide your office with a description of the corrective measures and a schedule for completing these
- actions, APS'esponse is enclosed.
The additional performance issues discussed in the Inspection Report will be evaluated under the APS Corrective Action program.
Should you have any further questions, please contact Ms. Angela K. Krainik, Department Leader, PVNGS Nuclear Regulatory Affairs, at (602) 393-5421.
Sincerely,
/
JML/AKK/DRL
Enclosures:
Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise Weaknesses 9707290i94 9707i8 PDR ADOCK 05000528 8
PDR r OnI'~5 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Jl
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise Weaknesses 50-528/529/530/9710-01 and 50-528/529/530/9710-02 Page 2 cc:
E. W. Merschoff K. E. Perkins B. Murray K. M. Thomas F. L. Brush G. M. Good
ENCLOSURE 1 REPLY TO EMERGENCY PLAN EXERCISE WEAKNESSES 50-528/629/630/9710-01 and 60-628/529/530/9710-02 NRC INSPECTION CONDUCTED MAY20 THROUGH MAY23, 1997 INSPECTION REPORT No. 50-628/529/530/97-10
Reply to Emergency Plan Exercise Weaknesses 50-628/529/530/9710-01 and 50-528/529/630/97102 1.
50-528/529/530/9710-01 Weakness The failure to promptly recognize and declare the notification of unusual event was identified as an exercise weakness.
Event Descri tion During the 1997 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) biennial emergency exercise, an emergency action level (EAL)was reached at 0815 hours0.00943 days <br />0.226 hours <br />0.00135 weeks <br />3.101075e-4 months <br />. Atthis time, the EAL required the event to be classified within fifteen (15) minutes as a notification of unusual event (NUE) by the Shift Supervisor. At approximately 0834 hours0.00965 days <br />0.232 hours <br />0.00138 weeks <br />3.17337e-4 months <br />, the Control Room Exercise Controller gave the exercise contingency message to the Shift Supervisor. The NUE declaration was subsequently made at the same time, 0834 hours0.00965 days <br />0.232 hours <br />0.00138 weeks <br />3.17337e-4 months <br />, by the Shift Supervisor.
APS remains confident, as discussed in the Inspection Report, that during an actual event the information about the impending emergency classification would have been provided during the shift turnover. The classification would not have been missed or delayed without the artificialityposed by the exercise scenario.
The cause of failure to promptly recognize and declare the notification of unusual event is determined to be: a) the artificialityof the exercise scenario, and; b) personnel error by the Shift Supervisor for failing to remove himself from the immediate operation of the plant and follow procedural and training guidance.
Corrective Actions to Prevent Recurrence 1.
The Emergency Plan exercise scenario development process will be revised to ensure a credible and logical sequence of events.
This action is expected to be complete no later than September 26, 1997.
2.
As an interim action, the Emergency Coordinator/Emergency Plan training conducted during the NLR97-02 training cycle included a description of the failure to classify the event in the required time during the exercise. (complete)
I 4
3.
During Operations training cycle NLR97-02, the Operations Training Section Leader discussed with the affected Shift Supervisor the performance issue of recognition and classification of emergency events. (complete)
Nuclear Licensed Operator Continuing Training (LOCT) evaluated training documentation from the NLR97-01 training cycle to determine ifa negative trend in determination and classification of emergency events exists.
No negative trend was identified.
(complete) t 2.
50-528/529/530/9710-02 Weakness The failure to notify state and county emergency management agencies of a change in protective action recommendations was identified as an exercise weakness.
Event Descri tion During the 1997 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) biennial emergency exercise, a protective action recommendation (PAR) was issued at approximately 1319 hours0.0153 days <br />0.366 hours <br />0.00218 weeks <br />5.018795e-4 months <br /> due to escalating conditions. The Emergency Operations Director (EOD) used the Operations Voice ringdown circuit ¹1 to contact the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as expected by the state and county officials. The PAR was to evacuate the five mile radius and shelter out to ten miles in sectors G, H and J. This PAR was not associated with a change in emergency classification, therefore the notification alert network (NAN)was not used.
The protective actions were taken in a timely manner.
The cause of failure to notify off-site agencies via the NAN is due to conflicts and incomplete Emergency Plan and implementing procedure guidance in defining expectations and means for transmittal of a PAR not associated with initial and/or subsequent emergency classifications.
Corrective Actions to Prevent Recurrence 1.,
Emergency Services willrevise procedure 16DP-OEP14, "Satellite Technical Support Center Actions", to clarify the process for communicating a PAR to offsite agencies. This action is expected to be complete no later than August 29, 1997.
I" l
I t
I
2.
Emergency Services willrevise procedure 16DP-OEP17, "Emergency Operations Facility Actions" to clarify the process for communicating a PAR to offsite agencies. This action is expected to be complete no later than August 29, 1997.
3.
Emergency Services willcomplete revision 19 of the PVNGS Emergency Plan to clarify the process for communicating a PAR to offsite agencies and to clarify the block diagram which illustrates, that process. This action is expected to be complete no later than August 29, 1997.