ML18033B193
| ML18033B193 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 03/02/1990 |
| From: | Crutchfield D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Kingsley O TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18033B195 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-89-226, NUDOCS 9003130021 | |
| Download: ML18033B193 (6) | |
See also: IR 05000259/1989043
Text
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Docket Nos.
50-259,
50-260,
and 50-296
License
Nos.
and
EA 89-226
March 2,
1990
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D, C. 20555
Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.
Senior Vice President,
Nuclear
Power
Valley Authority
6N 38A Lookout Place
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga,
37402-2801
Dear Mr. Kingsley:
SUBJECT:
NOTICE OF VIOLATION (NRC INSPECTION
REPORT
NOS. 50-259/89-43,
50"260/89-43,
AND 50-296/89"43)
This refers to the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
(NRC) special
inspection
conducted
by K. D. Ivey on September ll - October 11, 1989, which included
a
review of activities authorized for your Browns Ferry facility.
This special
inspection
was conducted to review a number of violations related to your
Technical Specification
(TS) surveillance
program.
The report documenting
this inspection
was sent to you by letter dated
November 2, 1989.
The
apparent violations described
in the inspection report,
when viewed
collectively, raised significant concerns
regarding your control of licensed
activities,
and accordingly,
NRC concerns relative to the inspection findings
were discussed
in an Enforcement
Conference
held on November 21,
1989.
The
letter summarizing this conference
was sent to you on January
2, 1990.
Surveillance testing
has
been
an ongoing problem at Browns Ferry and contributed
to the multi-unit shutdown in 1985.
The violations described
in the enclosed
Notice and referenced
inspection report encompass
many aspects
of your survei 1-
lance testing program.
The violations include inadequate
test procedures,
failure to meet surveillance test intervals, failure to implement and maintain
compensatory
measures
required
by technical specifications,
and the failure to
follow procedures.
These violations are similar to numerous other violations
that occurred over the past
two years'while all three units have
been shut down.
In summary,
these deficiencies indicate that sufficient management
attention
was not directed to fully correcting. the identified problems
and adequately
implementing the improved surveillance test program developed
since
1986, until
the
NRC became
involved.
In accordance
with the "General
Statement
of Policy and Procedure for NRC
Enforcement Actions," 10 CFR Part 2, Appendix
C (1989), the violations described
in the enclosed
Notice have
been categorized
in the aggregate
as
a Severity
9003i3002i
900302
ADOCK 0 000259
A
PDI.
Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.
~
~
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"2"
March 2,
1990
'Level III problem.
A civil penalty is normally considered for a Severity Level
III violation or problem.
However, after consultation with the Director, Office
of Enforcement,
and the Deputy Executive Director for Nuclear Materials Safety,
Safeguards,
and.Operations
Support, I have decided that
a civil penalty will
not be proposed
in this case.
This decision is based
on the merits of the case
after consideration of the guidance in Section
V.G. of the
NRC Enforcement
Policy.
The safety significance of the violation is minimized because all
Browns Ferry units have
been in an extended
shutdown since
1985.
We recognize
you are implementing
an
NRC approved
program to ensure
compliance prior to the
restart of Unit 2.
Also, your overall performance
in this area
has
improved
significantly since you were
made
aware of the violations.
This is evidenced
by the various steps
you have taken to improve personnel
accountability
and
adherence'to
the surveillance testing program requirements.
It appears
that
this has resulted in the subsequent
absence
of new
LERs or violations in this
area.
However,
we emphasize
that if Browns Ferry had not been in its extended
shutdown,
a civil penalty would have
been proposed.
You are required to respond to this letter and the enclosed Notice,
and should
follow the instructions specified therein
when preparing your response.
In
your response,
you should document the specific actions
taken
and any additional
actions
you plan to prevent recurrence.
In preparing your response,
you should
give particular attention to explain those actions to be taken to improve the
communication
between your surveillance,
maintenance,
engineering,
and operations
staffs.
After reviewing your response
to this Notice, including your proposed
corrective actions
and the results of future inspections,
the
NRC will determine
whether further
NRC enforcement action is necessary
to ensure
compliance with
NRC regulatory requirements.
In accordance
with Section 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice,"
Part 2,
Title 10,
Code of Federal
Regulations,
a copy of this letter and the enclosure
will be placed in the
NRC Public Document
Room.
The responses
directed
by this letter and the enclosed
Notice are not subject
to the clearance
procedures
of the Office of Management
and Budget's
required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980,
Pub.
L.
No.96-511.
Should you have
any questions
concerning this letter, please contact
us.
Sincerely,
en
ss
. Crutch
se d,
As
ciate Director
for Special
Projects
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
cc w/enclosure:
See next page
0
0
Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.
-3-
March 2,
1990
cc w/enclosure:
General
Counsel
Valley Authority
400 West Summit Hill Drive
ET 118
33H
Knoxville, Tennessee
37902
Mr.
F.
L. Moreadith
Vice President,
Nuclear Engineering
Valley Authority
400 West Summit Hill Drive
WT 12A 12A
Knoxville, Tennessee
37902
Dr. Mark 0. Medford
Vice President
and Nuclear
Technical Director
Valley Authority
6N 38A Lookout Place
Chattanooga,
37402-2801
Manager,
Nuclear Licensing
and Regulatory Affairs
Valley Authority
5N 157B Lookout Place
Chattanooga,
37402-2801
Mr, 0. J.
Zeringue
Site Director
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Valley Authority
P.
0.
Box 2000
Decatur,
35602
Mr.
P. Carier
Site Licensing Manager
, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Valley Authority
P.
0.
Box 2000
Decatur,
35602
Mr.
G.
Campbell
Plant Manager
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Valley Authority
P.
0.
Box 2000
Decatur,
35602
Chairman,
Limestone
County Commission
P.
0.
Box 188
Athens,
35611
Claude Earl
Fox,
M.O.
State Health Officer
State
Department of Public Health
State Office Building
Montgomery,
30323
Regional Administrator,
Region II
U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
101 Marietta Street,
N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia
30323
Mr. Danny Carpenter
Senior
Resident
Inspector
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
Route 12,
Box 637
Athens,
35611
Dr. Henry Myers, Science
Advisor
Committee
on Interior
and Insular Affairs
U. S.
House of Representatives
O.
C.
20515
Valley Authority
Rockville Office
11921 Rockvi1 le Pike
Suite 402
Rockvi lie, Maryland
20852