ML18065A728
| ML18065A728 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades |
| Issue date: | 05/20/1996 |
| From: | Grant G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Thomas J. Palmisano PALISADES GENERATING CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18065A729 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-96-131, NUDOCS 9605290104 | |
| Download: ML18065A728 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000255/1996004
Text
EA 96-131
Mr. T. Palmisano
General Manager
May 20, 1996
Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant
27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway
Covert, MI
49043-9530
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-255/96004(DRS)
Dear Mr. Palmisano:
This refers to the inspection conducted by Messrs. E. Cobey and D. Butler of
this office on March 18 through April 29, 1996, at the Palisades Nuclear
Generating Facility.
The inspection included a review of activities
authorized for your Palisades facility .. At the conclusion of the inspection,
the findings were discussed with those members of your staff identified in the
enclosed report.
Areas examined during the inspection are identified in the report.
The
inspectors reviewed the circumstances surrounding several fire protection
conditions identified by your staff as being outside the design basis of the
facility. Within these areas, the inspe~tion consisted of selective
examinations of procedures and representative records and interviews with
personnel.
The purpose of the inspection was to determine whether activities
authorized by the license were *conducted safely and in accordance with NRC
requirements.
Based on the results of this inspection, two apparent violations were
identified*and ar~ being considered for escalated enforcement action in
accordance with the "General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC
Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600.
Accordingly, no Notice
of Violation is presently being issued for these inspection findings.
The
apparent violations involve:
1) failure to provide an operable alternative or
dedicated shutdown capability where systems required for hot shutdown were
not protected (e.g., a fire-*in the cable spreading room)'; and 2) failure to
promptly identify* and take effective corrective actions for several
significant fire protection conditions adverse to quality.
Please be advised
that the number and characterization of apparent violations described in the
enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review.
A predecisional enforcement conference to discuss these apparent violations
has been scheduled-for 10:00 a.m. (CDT) on June 21, 1996, at the Region III
office.
The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not
mean that the NRC has determined that a violation has occurred or that
enforcement action will be taken.
This conference is being held to obtain
information to enable the NRC to make an enforcement decision.
In particular, we expect .you to address the following:
1) the safety
significance of each example of the apparent violations; 2) the root cause(s)
9605290104 960520
ADOCK 05000255
Q
.
T. Palmisano
2
May 20, 1996
of the apparent violations including the apparent failure of your staff to
conduct thorough and rigorous evaluations of technical issues and implement
effective corrective actions; 3) the missed opportunities to identify and
resolve these conditions during previous evaluations and corrective actions;
and, 4) the corrective actions to resolve these apparent violations, including
an estimated completion date for each action.
'In addition, this conference is an opportunity for you to point out any errors
in our inspection report and for you to provide any information concerning
your perspectives on 1) the severity level 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 other application of the
Enforcement Policy to this case, including the exercise of discretion in
accordance with Section 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.
Jn accordance with 10 CF~ 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.
Sincerely,
/s/ J. A. Grobe
Geoffrey E. Grant, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-255; License No. DPR-20
Enclosure:
cc w/encl:
Inspection Report
No. 50-255/96004(DRS)
R. A. Fenech, Vice President,
Nuclear Operations
~R. W. Smedley, Manager,
Lic~nsing Department
James R. Padgett, Michigan Public
90 00~ . .,
... J
'-' 4
Service Commission
Michigan Department of Public Health
Department of Attorney General .(MI)
Distribution:
Docket Fi le w/encl * --* ~--- RI I I PRR w/encl
PUBLIC IE-01 w/encl
SRls, Palisades,
OC/LFDCB w/encl
BRP w/encl
DRP w/encl
LPM, NRR w/encl
H. J. Miller, RIII w/encl
A. B. Beach, RIII w/encl
IPAS w/encl
RMB/Fees, RIII w/o encl
G:PAL96004.INP
SEE ATTACHED CONCURRENCES
ceive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: *c* = Copy w/o attachmentjenclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy
RIII:DRS
RIII:DRS
RIII:DRP
RIII:EIC
Cabe
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RGardner
WKro
BBur ess
T. Palmisano
3
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice,~ a copy of
this letter and its enclosure will be place in the NRC Public Document Room.
'*
Sincerely,
Geoffrey E. Grant, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No.
50-255
License No. DPR-20
Enclosure:
Inspection Report
No. 50-255/96004(DRS)
cc w/encl:
R. A. Fenech, Vice President,
Nuclear Operations
R. W. Smedley, Manager,
. Licensing Department
James R. Padgett, Michigan Public
Service Commission
Michigan Department of Public Health
Department of Attorney General (MI)
Distribution:
Docket File w/encl
PUBLIC IE-01 w/encl
OC/LFDCB w/encl
DRP w/encl
DRS w/encl
RIII PRR w/encl
SRis, Palisades,
BRP w/encl
LPM, NRR w/encl
H. J. Miller, RIII w/encl
A. B. Beach, RlII w/encl
IPAS w/encl
RMB/Fees, RIII w/o encl
UMENT NAME.:
G:PAL96004.INP
ceive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy w/o attachment/enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure '.'N" = No copy
FICE
RIII:DRS
c:
RIII:DRP
l1
l
RIII:DRS
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY