ML18068A577

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Forwards Insp Rept 50-255/99-03 on 990226-0409.No Violations Noted.However,Weaknesses in Cold Weather Preparations Identified by Inspectors
ML18068A577
Person / Time
Site: Palisades Entergy icon.png
Issue date: 04/23/1999
From: Anton Vegel
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To: Thomas J. Palmisano
CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.)
Shared Package
ML18068A578 List:
References
50-255-99-03, 50-255-99-3, NUDOCS 9905030039
Download: ML18068A577 (3)


See also: IR 05000255/1999003

Text

Mr. Thomas J. Palmisano

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION Ill

801 WARRENVILLE ROAD

LISLE, ILLINOIS 60532-4351

April 23, 1999

Site Vice President and General Manager

Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant

27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway

Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES INSPECTION REPORT 50-255/99003(DRP)

Dear Mr. Palmisano:*

On April 9, 1999, the NRC completed an inspection conducted at your Palisades Nuclear

Generating Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.

The inspection covered a 6-week period. Areas examined during the inspection are identified in

the report. Within these areas, t~e inspection consisted of a selective examination of

procedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, and observations 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 .

During this inspection period, we observed that the operation of your facility was conducted in a -

deliberate and safety conscious manner. The probabilistic risk associated with planned and

emergent maintenance activities was consistently evaluated and the Instrument Inverter

modification team effectively coordinated with operations. Also, control room pperators

appropriately planned contingency actions prior to the conduct of potentially risk significant

evolutions.

However, while engineering support during this inspection period was generally timely and

effective, an opportunity was missed for engineering to be pro-active in providing control room

operators valuable information regarding Primary Coolant Pump seal vulnerabilities.

Consequently, the information was not incorporated into appropriate pre-evolution.briefings to

serve as a potential mitigating factor for the failed stage of one Primary Coolant Pump seal that*

currently exists. Also, weaknesses in your cold weather preparations were identified by the

inspectors which is a recurring issue. This is an indication that corrective actions for previously

identified weakne.sses were apparently not thorough.

1

i

No violations or deviations of NRC regl.JirE!_l!l~IJ!~ wer~JQ~ntifj_ed_. __

  • ------~----. ___ -/ \\---

/ !

I I

9905030039 990423

~DR ADOCK 05000255

PDR

/

'

'<,

T. Palmisano

-2-

In accordance with 10 CFR 2. 790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and the

enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

Sincerely,

Anton Vegel, Chief

-Reactor Projects Branch 6

Docket No. 50-255

License No. DPR-20

Enclosure:

cc w/encl:

Inspection Report 50-255/99003(DRP)

R. Fenech, Senior Vice President, Nuclear

Fossil and Hydro Operations

N. Haskell, Director, Licensing

R. Whale, Michigan Public Service Commission

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

Department of Attorney General (Ml)

Emergency Management Division, Ml Department

of State Police


*-- ---- - -

--- ------ ---------- --- ----- --------- ---------- -~-- ---- -- ------

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\PALl\\PAL99003.DRP

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box "C" = Copy w/o attach/encl "E" = Copy w/attach encl "N" = No cop

OFFICE.

iJ

Rlll/DRP

Rlll/DRP

NAME

DATE

04/

/99

04/ ~1 /99

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY


-------

T. Palmisano

Distribution:

CAC {E-Mail)

RPC {E-Mail)

Project Mgr., NRR w/encl

J. Caldwell, Riii w/encl

8. Clayton, Riii w/encl

SRI Palisades w/encl

DRP w/encl

DRS w/encl

Riii PRR w/encl

PUBLIC IE-01 w/encl

Docket File w/encl

GREENS

IEO {E-Mail)

DOCDESK {E-Mail)

-3-


-*-* --- - --------- ----- -- ---------------- -- -- ---- -