ML19106A359
| ML19106A359 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos Nuclear Center |
| Issue date: | 04/16/2019 |
| From: | Feyrer M GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| 53983 | |
| Download: ML19106A359 (2) | |
Text
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Matt Feyrer Site Manager, Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Rd.
Sunol CA 94586 USA T (910) 233-6121 matt.feyrer@ge.com M190079 April 16, 2019 Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555-001 Attn: Document Control Desk
Subject:
GEH VNC Written Follow-Up Report - NTR Not Properly Secured
References:
- 1) NRC License R-33, Docket 50-73
- 2) GEH Event Report 53983, 4/5/19
- 3) Vallecitos Nuclear Center (VNC) Technical Specifications for the R-33 Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR), 5/15/07
Dear Sir or Madam:
In accordance with NTR Technical Specification Section 6.6.2(a)(2) Special Reports, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC (GEH) hereby submits a written follow-up report for Event Notification 53983 that was provided to NRC on April 5, 2019 (Reference 2). As discussed in the initial event report, GEH reported a discovery that the NTR facility control room console had not been properly secured.
Additional information is provided as follows:
Event Details and Safety Significance On 4/4/19 at approximately 1250 PDT, it was discovered that the NTR facility control room console had not been properly secured at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center.
According to license technical specifications and internal procedures, the console key, required to start up the reactor, is considered properly secured when either in the custody of the licensed operator or when stored in the approved locked safe. Contrarily, at 1250 PDT, the licensed operator exited and locked the control room but failed to remove the console key from the console lock switch and store it in the designated safe. At the time, the reactor was shut down and the console lock switch was in the off position.
No personnel entered the control room until 1345 PDT when an authorized Radiation Monitoring Technician entered, discovered the key, and immediately notified a licensed operator.
No unsafe condition existed; however, the event was reported to the NRC pursuant to an inadequacy of an administrative or procedural control in NTR Technical Specification 6.2.2(a)(2) because availability of the key to an unlicensed and unsupervised individual could have caused the existence or development of an unsafe condition with regard to reactor operations.
US NRC M190079 Apt'il16, 2019 Immediate Action Taken
- 1) The key was immediately placed In the possession of a licensed operator.
Page Z ofl
- 2) The Senior Reactor Operator licensed manager and the Site Manager were notified
- 3) The event was reported to the NRC as required by NTR Technical Specification Section 6.6.2.
Probable Cause of Event A preliminary Investigation determined that the event was caused by a human performance error.
Short Term and Interim Corrective Actions 1 >. Condition Report # 31168 was initiated in the GEH qorr~ctlve Action Program to track additional investigation findings, causes, and corrective arid preventive actions.
- 2) The key was attached to a large, highly visible key chain.
- 3) A flagging sy~tem was Implemented whereby a flag js attached to the key when. it is in the stor~ge aafe and is separated from the key and hung on the hasp outside the control room door whenever the key is removed from the safe.
- 4) An Independent review of the event as required by NTR Technical Specification Section 6.2.3 Is In progress.
Longer Term Corrective Action
- 1) Additional actions are being evaluated as a part of the corrective action program.
If you have any questions regarding thl~ matter, please contact me at (925) 918-6018.
Ma~ Feyrer, Site Manager Vallecitos Nuclear Center Attachments: None cc: NRC Region IV Administrator
- 0. Hardesty, NRC NRRIOPR MJF 19-007
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