ML18067A817
| ML18067A817 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 02/02/1998 |
| From: | Grobe J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Thomas J. Palmisano CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18067A818 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-255-97-16, NUDOCS 9802100187 | |
| Download: ML18067A817 (2) | |
See also: IR 05000255/1997016
Text
..
J.
February 2, 1998
Mr. T. Palmisano
Site Vice President and General Manager
Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant
Consumers Energy Company
27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway
Covert, MI 49043-9530
SUBJECT:
NRC RADIATION PROTECTION INSPECTION REPORT 50-255/97016(DRS)
Dear Mr. Palmisano:
On January 16, 1998, the NRC completed an inspection of your Palisades Nuclear Generating
Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.
The inspection was an examination of activities conducted under your license as they relate to
radiation safety and to compliance with the Commission's rules and regulations and with the
conditions of your license. The purpose of this inspection was to review the control room
. habitability system, the respiratory protection program, plant water quality, the plant chemistry
program, fuel integrity monitoring, the post accident sample monitoring system, and radiation
protection activities. The inspection consisted of a selective examination of procedures and
representative records, walkdowns throughout the plant, and interviews with personnel.
Overall, the plant systems and water quality were well managed, and the various chemistry
programs were effectively implemented. In particular, improvements in the makeup water
system have resulted in a capability of delivering ultrapure water sufficient to meet a wide
variety of plant needs. Your staffs performance in various outage and operational work
activities was generally well controlled, and the radiation protection staffs ALARA post job
reviews of outage tasks effectively identified problems and made good recommendations to
improve dose control.
However, one violation of NRC regulations was identified regarding the failure to post a high
radiation area. Of particular concern was the fact that this violation was primarily attributable to
poor communications between various departments at your facility. The operations staff did not I
notify radiation protection that fresh reactor coolant gas was vented to a small tank room and I
the radiation protection staff did not sufficiently act to determine which planned plant evolutions
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could change radiological conditions within the plant.
In addition, our office is concerned about several problems which were identified with post
accident sampling systems that have challenged your staff. Despite repair and maintenance
activities, the post accident sample monitoring system's overall operability has declined
recently, as this system's capability to measure reactor coolant hydrogen levels and deliver
suitable water samples was unreliable. In particular, there have not been any analyses to verify
that this system is capable of delivering a representative sample of reactor coolant, which is a
primary function of the system, for the past two years. A problem with your plant's ability to
9802100187 980202
ADOCK 05000255
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February 2, 1998
collect and analyze a post accident stack effluent sample with the high range iodine filter was
also identified. This silver zeolite canister was well beyond the vendor's recommended shelf life
and your staff has not had a calibrated geometry for gamma spectrometry analysis of this
canister for several years. Therefore, this high range iodine filter may not have been capable of
fulfilling its function in your assessment of offsite dose due to post accident gaseous iodine
effluents. Your staffs actions to resolve these post accident sampling/monitoring concerns will
be reviewed during future inspections.
In accordance with 1 O CFR 2. 790 of the NRC's "Rules and Practice," a copy of this letter and its
enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR).
We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this inspection.
Sincerely,
Original Signed by John A. Grobe
Docket No. 50-255
License No. DPR-20
John A. Grobe, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosures:
2. Inspection Report 50-255/97016(DRS)
cc w/encls:
Robert A. Fenech, Senior Vice President,
Nuclear, Fossil and Hydro Operations
Thomas C. Berdine, Licensing Manager
Richard Whale, Michigan Public
Service Commission
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Attorney General (Ml)
Distribution
Docket File w/encls
PUBLIC IE-01 w/encls
LPM, NRR w/encls
DRP w/encls
DRS w/encls
Rll I PRR w/encls
SRI, Palisades w/encls
J. L. Caldwell, Riii w/encls
. A. B. Beach, Riii w/encls
DOCUMENT NAME: G:/DRS/PAL97016.DRS
OFFICE
Riii
NAME
RGlinski:jp
DATE
1/')0/98
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Riii Enf. Coordinator w/encls
TSS w/encls
DOCDESK w/encls
CAA 1 w/encls
f3. Riii
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