ML18065A728

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Forwards Insp Rept 50-255/96-04 on 960318-0429.No Violations Noted
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

PDR

ADOCK 05000255

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PDR

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

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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

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RIII:DRS

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY