ML19253C727

Modifies ASLB Partial Initial Decision Permitting Interim Operation of Facility.Operation Will Not Resume Pending Further Order.Nrc Shall Inform ASLB of Unresolved Items Re Seismic Issues

ML19253C727
Person / Time
Site:	Trojan File:Portland General Electric icon.png
Issue date:	11/30/1979
From:	Mark Miller Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
To:	PORTLAND GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.
References
TAC-08348, TAC-11299, TAC-12369, TAC-13152, TAC-8348, NUDOCS 7912120030
Download: ML19253C727 (5)

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INTIED STATES OF AMERICA d IE / s NUCLEAR REGUIEIORY 01NISSIN

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C THE AItHIC SAFE 1Y AND LICENSIBU BOARD d

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@a **M Marshall E. Miller, Esquire, Chairman Dr. Kenneth A. McCollcxn, Mmber 9

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Dr. Hugh C. Paxton, Mmber g

iA In the Matter of

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POKrIAND GENERAL ELECTRIC CWPANY, et al.

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Docket No. 50-344

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(Trojan Nuclear Plant)

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(Ccntrol Building)

MIFICATION OF ORDER PERMITTING INIERIM OPERATION OF TRQIAN NUCLEAR FIANT (Novsber 30, 1979)

By an Order contained in our Partial Initial Decision following evidentiary irarings in Phase I of this proceeding, interim operation of the Trojan Nuclear Plant was permitted subject to certain specified conditions and modifications of Facility Operating License No. NPF-1 (8 NRC 717, at 747-48). Thereafter the Board attspted to establish a schedule for the empletion of discovery and other matters leading to the expeditious ccnmencment of an evidentiary hearing on Phase II, dealing with the scope and timeliness of modifications required to bring the Control Building and the facility into substantial conpliance with the license, from a safety standpoint.N The Board's persistent efforts to ccnduct an evidentiary hearing on Phase II have been frustrated by the failure of the Staff to emplete its Safety Evaluation Report (SER). The Staff, in turn, has attributed its failure to file an SER to N ee the Board's Orders dated January 30, March 8, April 12, June 5, July 26, S

August 2, Sept aber 18, October 11, and October 17, 1979.

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7912120 b

. the failure of the Licensee to supply in full all information requested by the Staff regarding the proposed modifications to the Control Building (Orders dated Septaber 18, October 11 and October 17,1979).

The Board is concerned that there were safety related pipes and corresponding supports and restraints in the Trojan Building cmplex that were not analyzed to determine whether they were adequate to meet design basis conditicns during interim operation. The Board's Partial Initial Decision allowing interim operation assumed that all safety related equipment had been checked to assure its ability to withstand a Safe Shutdown Earthquake (SSE).

It is now apparent that this had not been done.

This, in turn, has caused the Board to reevaluate the extended length of time it has taken the Staff to cmplete the SER on nodifications to strengthen the walls in the Control Building. From the weekly reports to the Board, it is very difficult to tell what progress is being made toward coupleting the SER.

Essentially, no quantitative inforantion is being given in these weekly reports.

Although the Board was not directly and clearly so informed by the Licensee or the Staff, it appears that the Trojan facility is presently shut down and is not operating.

In response to a telephone call placed by the secretary of the Board chairman to Staff counsel an Novenber 28, 1979, we were informed orally that the Trojan facility has not gone back into operation, that operation would not resme until the Licensee had resolved a problen regarding the ability of certain thin block walls to resist earthquake-generated reaction forces, and that the IEC Division of Inspection and Enforement will not allow operation until this probl e is resolved.

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. This problem of the adequacy of certain thin block walls (non-shear walls) to resist the earthquake-generated reaction forces from equipnent or piping attached to such walls, was first mentioned in a rather limited way in the Staff's weekly report to the Board dated October 26, 1979. The matter was briefly alluded to in Staff reports dated November 9 and 16. However, a Stumary of Meeting Held on October 26, 1979, prepared on Novmber 8,1979 by Mr. C. M. Tranmell, Project Manager, was received by the Board on Novaber 16, 1979. This stnmary indicates song other things that on October 12, 1979, the Trojan facility was shut down to repair primary-to-secondary leakage in the A and D stean generators, and to conduct an inspection of piping supports in inaccessible areas as reqyired by IE Bulletin 79-14. There was also some discussion of the problem with certain walls.

A detailed report dated Nov mber 13, 1979, entitled Newly Discovered Problems With Reaction Forces On Certain Concrete Block (Non-Shear) Walls at Trojan, was furnished to the Board and parties. At page 4, it was stated:

"In any event, as indicated in the NRC's imwlimte action letter of October 22, 1979, any necessary investigations and corrective actions uust be completed prior to any resunption of operation."

It appears that persmnel of the NRC Office of Inspection and Enforement are performing their responsibilities regarding investigation of the wall problem and corrective action required to resolve it. However, that is not the end of the matter as frr as the Licensee is concerned. We regard this Board as having continuing jurisdiction and responsibilities over the Trojan control building design errors and resulting seismic capability and safety margins. The bifurcation of Phase I and Phase II evidentiary hearings was a matter of convenience in handling different types of issues expeditiously but there was no loss of jurisdiction by the Board between these two phases of evidentiary hearings. Moreover, it was 1534 234

. never contenplated that interim operation of the plant would be unduly prolonged before modification plans were completed and sulxnitted to the Staff for safety evaluation, and to the Board for an adjudication of their adequacy frcm a safety standpoint. Accordingly, it is hereby Ordered as follows:

1.

Operation of the Trojan nuclear facility shall not be resumed pending further order of this Licensing Board.

2.

The Staff shall 1-Mntely inform the Board, explicitly and clearly, what unresolved problens renain which might have a bearing upon the seismic and other issues in this proceeding.

This information shall be kept current upon a regular basis.

3.

'Ihe Licensee shall imnediately render a full written report to the Board as to the status of all informatirn requested of it by the Staff and not fully supplied to the Staff's satisfaction.

Current and updated information as to the wall problem and any other matters which might affect the issues in this proceeding shall also be furnished upon a regular basis.

4.

The Staff shall furnish a date reasonably anticipated for the ccrapletion and filing of its SER, and a full justification and explanation for any further slippage in that regard.

5.

All parties shall state and docunent their views as to how long interim operation of the Trojan facility should be permitted, in the absence of the sulxnission of firm plans for control room 1534 335

. modifications, adequate frm a safety standpoint to brirg the facility into substantial cmpliance with the license.

It is so ordered.

ETR DE AIUiIC SAFEIY AND LIGIEING BOARD Oh ah b/

Mars ull E. Miller, Ch, m'n Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 30th day of Novmber 1979.

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