ML19246C371
| ML19246C371 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Clinton  |
| Issue date: | 06/07/1979 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Gerstner W ILLINOIS POWER CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7907240425 | |
| Download: ML19246C371 (1) | |
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Docket No. 50-461 Docket No. 50-462 Illinois Power Company ATTN:
Mr. W. C. Gerstner Executive Vice President 500 South 27th Street Decatur, IL 62525 Gentlemen:
This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the infor-mation for possible applicability to their facilities. No specific action or response is requested at this time.
If further NRC evaluations so indi-cate, an IE Circular, Bulletin, or ER Generic Letter will be issued to recoc: mend or request specific licens e actions.
If you have questions regarding the matter, please co4 tact t?e Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Sincerely, w Yo W
ames G. Keppler Director
Enclosure:
IE Information Notice No. 79-15 cc w/ enc 1:
Central Files Director, NRR/DPM Director, NRR/ DOR PDR Local PDR NSIC TIC Mr. Dean Hansell, Office of Assistant Attorney General b/ww 790724o425
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCT!ISSICS OFFICE OF,INSpECTICS AND ENFORCEMENT REGION III June 7, 1979 IE Infor=ation Notice No. 79-15 DE71CIEN~ ?ROCIDURIS Su==ary On June 2, 1979, at Arkansas Nuclear One - Unit 1, while observing conditions dn the control room, an NRC inspector discovered an operational deficiency tnat could have resulted in the emergency feedwater syste= re=aining isclated during subsequ mt power operation.
Description of Circu= stances On June 2 while Arkansas Nuclear One - Unit 1 was preparing for startup, an NRC inspecter in the control roce found that during a surveillance test of the =ain feedvater check valves, the controls of the emergency feed-water system were pusitioned so that the syste= could not auto =atically respond if needed. The NRC inspector found that the test procedure being used by the licensed operators did not include, as it should have, instruc-tiens either to bypass the e=ergency feedwater system or to return it to normal. The plant operators, without approved procedures covering this aspect of the test, bypassed the controls that would have started the feedwater system autcreatic. ally. Lacking a procedural require =ent to re-turn the syste= to nor:Al, there was no assurance that e=ergency feedwater would be provided auto =atically if needed.
Following the Three Mile Island accident, the NRC.equired that operators be trained to initiate prosptly the emergency feedwater syste= canually if it does not come on auto =atically. Thus, while no i==ediate safety hazard existed at the Arkansas Unit 1 plant because of the i= proper action, the NRC staf f is concerned about the potential safety ha:strd of leaving the e=ergency feedwater system in the bypassed conditice, about the possibility that other procedures at the Arkansas plant may be ceficient and about the fact that the operators deviated fro: procedares in perfor=ing the surveillance test.
Arkansas Power and Light Cc=pany nas returned the plant to cold shutdown.
The June 2, 1979, NRC Order confir=ed the require =et.t for a cold shutdown until the Co==ission s taf f is satisf' t' ^' M* ' "7"*Ny"
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