ML18058B914

Confirms 930708 Conversation Re Numerous Problems Experienced at Facility During Refueling & Other Previous Fuel Handling Activities

ML18058B914
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	07/08/1993
From:	Martin J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Hoffman D CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.)
References
CAL-RIII-93-10, NUDOCS 9307140086
Download: ML18058B914 (4)

Text

Docket No. 50-255 License No.

DPR~20 CAL No. Rill-93-010 Consumers Power Company.

ATTN:

Mr. David P. Hoffman Vice~President, Nuclear Operations

. 1945 W. Parnall Road Jackson, MI 49201

Dear Mr. Hoffman:

Jli 0 8199j

SUBJECT:

CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER (CAL) Rill-93-010 This confirms the conversation on July 8, 1993, between Messrs. Hubert J.

Miller, Deputy* Regional Administrator, Region Ill, and Gerald B. Slade.of your staff related to numerous problems experienced at Palisades during refueling and other previous fuel handling a~tivities. These problems include; the failure to uncouple a control rod prior to lifting the reactor vessel head, extensive damage to a fuel rod, the inadvertent lifting of a fuel bundle duririg upper guide structure remdval, and the unauthorized use of the o~erride key switch on the spent fuel pool fuel handling machine.

With respect to these matters, we understand that. you will perform the following actions:

1.

Conduct an investigation to determine the root causes of the damage to fuel bundle 1~24 and the inadvertent lifting of fuel bundle SAN-8 with the upper guide structure (accounting for the similar events in 1988 and 1992).. You will also develop appropriate corrective actions to pre~ent recur~ence of these type of events.

Documentary evidence of your investigation and corrective actidns will be maintained and made available to the NRC.

2.

Ar~ange to have an independent safety assessment to review the facts

• surrounding the damage to fuel bundle 1-24 and the recent and previous inadvertent lifting of fuel bundles with the upper guide structure. This assessment will also determine whether the licensee's root cause analyses and c6rrective actions are.appropriate:

The assessment will be documented and made available to the NRC.

9307140086 930708

. PPDR ADOCK 05000255 PDR.

JUL O 8 1993

• I Consumers Power Company 2

3.

Conduct a *prompt assessment of the recent problems experienced during refusling and fuel handling activities t~ determin~ what near-term corrective actions are necessary prior to resumption of these activities. This assessment will consider, but will not be limited to, the adequacy of management oversight and operator training and the adequacy and adherence to procedures.

You will review the results of this assessment a~d near-t~rm corrective actions with the NRC's Augmented Inspsc~ion Team prior to the resumption of r~fueling or fuel handling activities, other than actions necessary to place the reactor in a safe condition.

. ** 4.

Maintain senior site or corpo~ate managers onsite at all times to visually observe work activities in progress throughout the remainder of

• the current refueling outage.

A senior ~ite manager is defiried as one level below the plant general manager.

5.

Promptly quarantine equipment determined to be appropriate by the Augmented Inspectidn Team.

6.

• Plan to meet with Senior NRC Management prior to resumption of power operations to discuss the results of the.stated assessments and the corrective a~tions.

None of the actions specified herein should be construed to take precede~ce over actions which you feel necessary to ensure* plant and pers~nnel safety.

Pursuant to Section 182 of th~ Atomic Energy Act, 42 U.S.C. 2232, you are required to:

1)

Notify me immediately if your un<;!erstanding d-iffers from that set forth above,

2)

Notify me if for any reason you-cannot complete the actions within th~ specified schedule and advise me in writing of your modified schedule in advance of the change, and

3)

Notify me in writing When you have completed the actions addressed in this Confirmatory Act~on Letter.

Issuance of this Confirmatory Action Letter does not preclude issuance of an order formalizing the above commitments or requiring other actions 6n the part of the licensee; nor does it preclude the NRC from taking enforcement action for violations of NRC requirements that may have prompted the issuance of this letter.

In addition, failure to take the actions addressed in this Confirmatory Action Letter may result in enforcement action.

Jut 0 8 '993 Consumers Power Company 3

The responses directed by this letter are not subject to the.clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No.96-511.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

We will gladly discuss any questions you may have concerning this ~atter.

cc:

Michael G.

Mor~is, Chief Operating Officer Gerald B. Slade, General Manager

• bee:

David W. Rogers, Safety and Licensing Director OC/LFDCB Resident Inspector, RIII James R. Padgett, Michigan Public Service Commission

• Michiga.n Department of Public Health J.. M. Taylor, EDO J. H. Sniezek, DEDR H. L. Thompson, DEDS T. E. Murley, NRR J. G. Partlowi NRR J. W.* Roe, NRR J. A. Zwolinski, NRR E. L. Jordan, AEOD J. Lieberman, OE J. R. Goldberg, OGC W. Dean, NRR A. H. Hsia, NRR R. J. Strasma, Riii Big Rock Point SRI Public Sincerely, *

. ORIGINAL SIGNED BY HUBERT J. MILLER John B. Martin Regional Administrator (see attached concurrence)

Q RI II RI II RII I RIII

~~k RI II McCabe Shafer Martin Berson 1~2n

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1/!/1'?

JUL O 8 '\\993

• Consumers Power Company 3

The responses directed by this letter are not subj~ct to the clearance

~roced~res of the Office of Man~gement and Budget as required by ~he Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No;96-511.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter ~rid your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

We will gladly discuss any questions you may have concerning this matter.

cc~ Michael G. Morris, thief Operating Officer Gerald B. Slade, General

. Manager David W. Rogers, Safety a.nd Licensing Director OC/LFDCB Resident Inspector, Rill.*

James R. Padgett, Michigan Public Service Commission Michigan Department of Public Health J. M. Taylor, EDO J. H. Sniezek, DEDR H. L. Thompson, DEDS T. E. Murley, NRR J. G. Partlow, NRR J. W. Roe, NRR J. A. Zwolinski, NRR E. L. Jordan, AEOD J. Lieberman, OE J. R. Goldberg, OGC W. Dean, NRR A. H. Hsia, NRR R. J. Strasma, Rill Big Rock Point SRI bee:

Public RJil

~'~lr' Martin 1\\~\\G3 Sincerely, John B. Martin

.Regional Administrator RII I Greenman Rill Martin*

• • A