ML18065A809
| ML18065A809 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 06/27/1996 |
| From: | Miller H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Thomas J. Palmisano PALISADES GENERATING CO. |
| References | |
| CAL-RIII-96-06, CAL-RIII-96-6, NUDOCS 9607090028 | |
| Download: ML18065A809 (3) | |
Text
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June 21, 1996 CAL 3-:96-:-006A Mr. T. :Palmisano, General Manager Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530 SUBJ.ECT:
SUPPLEMENT TO CONFIRMATORY.ACTION LETTER 3-96-006 Dear Mr.
Pal~isano~
On May 28, 1996, an event occurred involving a vsc:...24 spent fuel cask at the Point Beach Nuclear Plant. During that event~ _a hydrogen gas ignition occurred during the welding of the shield lid -0n a VSC-24 multi-assembly sealed basket (MSB).
The gas ignition displaced the shield lid, leaving it in place but tipped at a slight angl~. Although the gas ignition caused no injuries, no radiological releases, and no appa.rent damage to the spent*fuel or to the storage cask, the staff was concerned that such an.event had not
' been eva 1 uated a*nd could have resulted. in more severe consequences.. _.
Therefore, on May 29, 1996, an NRC Augmented Inspection Team (AH) was formed and sent to Point Beach to investigate the event.
In addition, on June 3,.
1996, we issued Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) 3-96-006 to you, confirming your commitment to assess the potential for such an event at your facility, to implement compensatory actions to minimize the potential for the.generation and ignition of explosive gases, and t6 have procedures in place to respond iri the ~vent of a ga~ ignition..
. The AIT investigati~n of the Point Beach event raised additional concerns about th~ use of the VSC-24 cask that were not tnown to the staff at the time cif the issuance of *cAL 3~96-006.
~pecifically, once the MSP _had been returned
- to the spent fuel pool, a white precipitate was observed under the shleld lid.-*
when.it was removed from the MSB.
The precipitate's impact on the ability of the cask to safely store spent fuel over a 20-year period has not been evaluated.
As a result of the All findings, the staff is preparing a generic communication to 1 icensees and. cask vendors based on both: the potential for the generation and ignition of explosive gases during all phases of cask
- operation and*the-long term effects-of any such reactions on the ability of the cask to safely store fu.el.
Pursuant t~ a telephone conversation between J. Grobe, and R. Fenech on June 26, 1996, it is our understanding that you will take the following actions prior to loading or unloading a VSC-24 cask with spent fuel or plating a VSC-24 cask into the spent fuel pool:
9607090028 960627 PDR ADOCK 05000255.
S PDR
- 1.
You will provide the response required in the forthcoming generic conununication. *
- 2.
Upon completion of the above action, you will not load or unload a VSC-24 cask or place a VSC-24 cask into the spent fuel pool until the NRC has reviewed and accepted your response and verified *any subsequent actions taken in response to the forthcoming generic conununication.
. Item 4 of th_e June 3, 1996 CAL, included a 14-day advance.nofice to NRC prior to loading or unloading a VSC-24 cask with spent fuel or placing a VSC_,;24.cask into the spent.fuel pool. This provision is superseded by item 2 above.
However, nothing in this supplement precludes you from submitting any information you have developed as a result of the June 3, 1996 CAL.* *
- Pursuant. to Sect i Ofl 182 of. the Atomic Energy Act, 42 U.S. C. 2232, you are
. required to:
- . 1)
Notify me immediately if your understanding differs* from that set forth above;
- 2)
Noti.fy nie if for any reason you.cannot complete the actions within.
the specified schedule and advise me in writing of your modified
- schedule in a~vance of the change; and
- 3) *. Notify me in wridng when you have completed the actions addressed
. in this Confirmatory Action Letter.
Issuance of this Confirmatory Action Letter does not preclude issuance of.an order formalizing. the above commitments or requiring other actions on the part of the licensee; nor does it *preclude the.NRC from taking.enfQrcement action
- for vio*lations 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.
- The responses-directed *by this letter are not subjett *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 ARules of Practice, A a copy of this letter, its enclosure(s), and your response ~ill be placed in the NRC *
, Public*oocument Room (PDR). To.the extent possible, your response should not
-*-* ~- -'include-any personal privacy' -proprfetary ~--or safeguards *information. so that -
it can be placed in the PDR without redaction. However, if you find it necessary to include such information, you should clearly indicate the
.e T. Palmisano specific infQrmation that you desire not to be placed in the PDR, and provide the.legal basis to support your request for withholding the information from the public.
Sincerely,
/s/ A. B. Beach Hubert J. Miller Regional Administrator Docket No. 50-255
. cc:
Robert A. Fenech, Vice President,
. Nuclear Operations R. W. Smedl_ey, Manager, Licensing Dept.
James R. Padgett, Michigan Public Service Commission.
Michigart Departme~t-o~
Public Health Department of Attorney General (Ml)
Pistribution:
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. ;-c;..- :-:.;1 OC/LFDCB SRI Palisades, Big Rock Project Manager, NRR.
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. DOCUMENT NAME:
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