ML18064A873
| ML18064A873 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 08/23/1995 |
| From: | Grant G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Thomas J. Palmisano CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18064A874 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-95-169, NUDOCS 9509050018 | |
| Download: ML18064A873 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000255/1995010
Text
EA 95-:-169
Mr. T. Palmisano
General Manager
August 23, 1995
Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant
27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway
Covert, MI
49043-9530
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-255/95010(0RS)
Dear Mr. Palmisano:
- This refers. to the inspection conducted by Messrs. R. Winter and 0. Butler of -
this office from August 1 through 4, 1995.
The inspection included a review
~f activities authorized for your Palisades Nuclear Generating Facility.
-After the inspection, the findings were discussed with you and members of your
staff i dent i fi ed .in the' enc 1 osed report.
. .
Areas exami.ned during the inspection are identified in the report.
The
inspectors reviewed the circumstances surrounding the installation of printed
circuit board jumpers that disabled the six Reactor Protection System (RPS)
matrix trip logics for containment high pressure. Within these areas, the
inspection tonsisted of selective examinations of procedures and
representative .records and interviews with per$onne 1.
The purpose of the
inspection'was to determine whether attivities authorized by the license were
conducted safely and according to NRC requirements.
Based on the *results of this inspection, two apparent violations were
identified and are being considered f6r escalated enforcement action in_
accordance with the "General -Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC
Enforce~ent Actions" (Enforcement Policy), 60 FR 34381,- June 30, 1995.
The
apparent violations involve:
1) failure of the post-modification test for a
1992 facility change to identify that the RPS containment high pressure matrix
trip logics were bypassed; and 2) failure to maintain the six RPS matrix logic
channels for containment high pressure operable in accordance with Technical
Specification 3.17.
No Notice of Violation is presently being issued for
these inspection findings.
The number and characterization of apparent
.*violations described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result
of further NRC review.
An Enforcement Conference to discuss these apparent violations has been
scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (COT) on September 7, 1995, at the Region III office.
L. . 1 ,'"\\ _, " i ~
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9509050018 950823
ADOCK 05000255
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T. Palmisano
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August 23, 1995
The decision to hold an enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has
determined that a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will be
taken.
The purposes of this conference are to discuss the apparent
violations, their causes and safety significance, and to provide you the
opportunity to point out any errors in our inspection report and to present
your proposed corrective actions.
In particular, we expect you to address the
following:
1) the safety significance of a delayed reactor trip; 2) root
cause(s) of this event; 3) the missed opportunities to identify this condition
earlier through variOU$ testing; 4) the method Palisades will use to eniure
that documents sent to a manufacturer are correct and the work performed is
- acceptable; .and 5) the adequacy of the post-modification and surveillance test
programs to assure proper testing.
In addition~ this enforcement conference is an opportunity for you to provide
any information concerning your perspectives.on 1) the severity of the
violation£; 2) the application of the factors that the NRC considers when it
determines the amount of a civil penalty that may be assessed in accordance
with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy; and 3) any other application of
the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the exercise of disc~etion in
accordance with Sectipn VII.
You will be advised by separate correspondence
of the results of our deliberations on this matter.
No response regarding
these apparent violations is required at this time.
- Acc~rding to 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this
letter and its enclosure. will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Docket No. 50-255
License No. DPR-20 .
Sincerely,
/s/ J. A. Grobe (for)
Geoffrey E. Grant, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosure:
Insp~ction Report
No. 50-255/95010(DRS)
Distribution:
See attached list
SEE ATTACHED CONCURRENCES
Document:
G:\\DRS\\PAL95010.DRS
To receive a co
of this document
tndtcete tn the boa *c* * Co
w o attach encl *£* * Co
OFFICE
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NAME
Butler
Gardner
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DATE
08/ /95
08/ /95
08/ /95
08/ /95
OFFIC,_IAL, RECORD COPY
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T. Palmisano
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The decision to hold an-enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has
det~rmined that a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will be
taken.
The purpose~ cif this conference ~re to discuss the apparent.
violations, their causes and safety significance, to provide you the
ripportunity to point out any errors in our inspection report, and to provide
an opportunity for you to present your proposed corrective actions.
In
particular, we expect you to address the following:
l} the safety
significance of a delayed reactor trip (for transients that rely on
containment high press~re as the dominant reactor trip} as 1t pertains to the
safety analysis; 2} the barriers (root causes} that caused this event and
prevented early identification of the jumpers; 3} missed opportunities to
identify this condition earlier; 4} how Palisades will ensure that documents
$ent to a manufacturer are configured correctly and the work performed is
acceptable; and 5} what assurances that the current PMT program and
surveillance program are fulfilling their intended functions and that testing
activities are providing for proper testing overlap.
In addition, this is an
opportunity for you to provide any information concerning your perspeGtives on
l} the severity of the violations, 2} the application of the factors that the
NRC considers when it determines the amount of a civil penalty.that may be
assessed in accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy, and
3} any tither application of th~ Enforcement Polici to this case, including the
- exercise or discretion in accordance with Section VII.
You _will be advised by
separate*correspondenc~ of the results of our deliberations on this matter.
No respon~e regarding these apparent *violations is required at this time;
According to 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of thi~
letter and its enc'losure will be placed in the NBC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
Geoffrey E. Grant, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-255
License No. DPR-20
Enclosure:
Inspection Report
No.
50~255/95010(DRS}
Distribution:
See attached list
Document:
G:\\DRS\\PAL95010.DRS
To receive a co
of thf s document
fndfcate fn the box *c* * Co
OFFICE
E.
RIII
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RIII
NAME
Gardner~>>- Kro
DATE
08/~\\/95
08/Z"l-f95
08/'l1 /95
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
RIII
- Grobe
08/
RIII
Grant
/95
08/ /95
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- Distribution:
Letter to T. Palmisano. Dated:
August 23. 1995
cc w/encl: Robert A. Fenech, Vice Presid~nt,
Nuclear Operations
Kurt M. Haas, Safety and
Licensing DirectQr
James R. Padgett, Michigan Public
Service Commission
Michigan Department of Public Health
Department of Attorney General (Ml)
Distribution:
Docket File w/encl
PUBUC IE-01 w/encl ,\\t)
OC/LFDCB w/encl
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DRP w/encl
DRS w/encl
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RII I PRR w/encl
SRis, Palisades, BRP w/encl
G. E. Grant, Riii w/encl
LPM, NRR w/encl
IPAS w/encl .
J. Lieberman~ OE
J. Goldberg, OGC
R. Zimmerman, NRR
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