ML18066A188
| ML18066A188 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 06/11/1998 |
| From: | Grant G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Thomas J. Palmisano CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18066A189 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-255-98-05, 50-255-98-5, NUDOCS 9806170139 | |
| Download: ML18066A188 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000255/1998005
Text
Mr. Thomas J. Palmisano
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION Iii
801 WARRENVILLE ROAD
LISLE, ILLINO.IS 60532-4351
June 11, 1998
Site Vice President and General Manager
Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant
27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway
Covert, Ml 49043-9530
SUBJECT:
PALISADES INSPECTION REPORT 50-255/98005(DRP)
Dear Mr. Palmisano:
On May 6, 1998, the NRC completed an inspection at your Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant.
The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.
The inspection was conducted from March 14 through May 6, 1998. Areas examined during the
inspection are identi~ed in the report. Within these areas, the inspection consisted of a selective
examination of procedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, and *
- observation of activities in progress. The purpose of the inspection effort was to determine
whether activities authorized by the license were conducted safely and in accordance with NRC
requirements. The summary contained in the report provides an overview of our assessment of
your performance .
The inspectors observed that control room access was well eontrolled which eliminated
unnecessary distractions to the operators. Coordination among crew members was good during
those activities performed to shut down the pl;;int for the scheduled refueling outage. The crew
- transferred feed to the steam generators from the main feedwater system to the auxiliary
feedwater system during the plant shutdown without causing an unnecessary transient which
reflected improved performance from past evolutions. However, plant operations and your
engineering personnel were challenged with continued equipment reliability issues. Specifically,
main turbine stop Valve #1 and governor Valve #1 were closed and hydraulically isolated due to
inadvertent partial closure and subsequent opening of main turbine stop Valve #1. This resulted
in plaCing the turbine control system in an off-normal manual mode. *The plant was operated in a
conservative manner while in this condition.
Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC has determined that a violation of NRC
requirements occurred regarding inadequate procedural requirements for foreign material
exclusion control for electrical components. The violation is cited in the enclosed Notice of
Violation (Notice), and the circumstances surrounding it are described in the enclosed report.
This violation is of concern because it involved the failure to use cleanliness control covers over
the emergency diesel generator's electrical generator openings during maintenance periods. The
generators permanent screens were removed for maintenance and cleanliness control covers
were not installed. The inspectors identified that inadequate procedural guidance existed
regarding foreign material exclusion controls for electrical equipment, which could result in the
undetected entry of foreign material into safety-related electrical equipment.
9806170139 980611
ADOCK 05000255
G
T. Palmisano
-2-
You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the
enclosed Notice when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part, to
determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory
requirements. In accordance with 1 O CFR 2. 790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this
letter, the enclosures, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
/s/ Marc Dapas
Geoffrey E. Grant, Director
Division of Reactor Projects
Docket No.: 50-255
License No.: DPR-29
Enclosure:
cc w/encl:
Inspection Report
No. 50-255/98005(DRP)
Robert A. Fenech, Senior Vice
President, Nuclear, Fossil
. and Hydro Operations
Nathan L. Haskell, Director
Licensing
Richard Whale, Michigan
Public Service Commission
Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality
Department of Attorney General (Ml)
Emergency Management
Division, Ml Department
of State Police
See Attached Distribution
DOCUMENT NAME: R: \\lnsprpts \\powers \\pa li\\pal98005. drp
. -----To recelve-e-copy-of-thl* document, Indicate In the box "C' = Copy without attachrnant/encloaure "E" = Copy with attachment/encl09ure
"N" = No co
OFFICE
Riii
Riii
Riii
NAME
Bur
DATE
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
T. Palmisano
Distribution:
CAC (E-Mail)
Project Mgr., NRR w/encl
C. Paperiello w/encl
J. Caldwell w/encl
B. Clayton w/encl
SRI Palisades w/encl
DRP w/encl
TSS w/encl
DRS (2) w/encl
Riii PRR w/encl
PUBLIC IE-01 w/encl
Docket Fil.e w/encl
GREENS
IEO (E-Mail)
DOCDESK (E-Mail)
1~'GOG9
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