ML19325D340

Discusses Engineer Professionalism in Completing Safety Injection Check Valve Surveillance Tests Prior to Taking Unit 1 Critical After First Refueling Outage.Suspicions Re Equipment Malfunction Confirmed & Repairs Made

ML19325D340
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	10/16/1989
From:	Martin R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:	Vaughn G HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
References
NUDOCS 8910230112
Download: ML19325D340 (4)

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l OCT I 61999 In Reply Refer To:

Dockets: 50-498 l

50-499 i

ATTN:

G. ghting & Power Company l

Houston Li

n. Vaughn, Group Vice President. Nuclear

'j P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, Texas' 77483 i ',

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Gentlemen:

l All too often I find myself in the position of having to write licensees l

regarding a practice or event which requires corrective actions.

It is a welcome change for me to write to you regarding an exercise of professionalism on the part of your engineering staff.

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My staff has inforwed me of a recent event at South Texas Prvject, Unit 1 which demonstrates how the system of reviewing test results should work. As I l

l understand it, an engineer reviewing completed safety injection check valve L

surveillance tests prior to taking Unit I critical after the first refueling l

outage, noted that all the test tesults indicated zero leakage. This raised his suspicions and he ano a colleague questioned the operators and shift

l supervisors involved regarding how the tests were perfonned. The engineer's "l

suspicions that the test equipment was malfunctioning were strengthened after the equipment was demonstrated for him and he raised his concerns through his 1

management to the plant manager. The startup was delayed to investigate the-concerns which ultimately proved to be well founded in that the test equipment was in fact malfunctioning. The test equipment was repaired, the tests rerun, I

i and the startup subsequently completed.

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Although it is easy to say that the engineer was merely doing his job, far too.

often I encounter similar situatiot.s in which an individual-does not do his job or in which management does not dispnsition concerns in a timely manner.

It is refreshing to hear of situations in which individuals who are responsible I

for the safe operation of a facility professionally carry out that responsibility, i

I would encourage you to encourage the professionclism demonstrated by this kind of responsible behavior.

Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED Br ROBERT D. MARTM '

i Robert D. Martin -

Regional Administrator 6

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Houston Lighting & Power Company q t

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Brian Berwick, Esq.

i Assistant Attorney General Environmental Fu tection Division P.O. Box 12548 t

Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 i

Hcuston Lighting and Power Company l

ATTN:

J. T. Westerweier, General Manager South Texas Project P.O. Box 289 Houston, Texas 77483 Houston Lighting and Power Company ATTN:

M. A. McBurnett, Manager i

Operations Support Licensing P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth. Texas 77483 l

I City.of Austin Electric Utility ATTN:

R. J. Miner, Chief Operating Officer (2 copies) 721 Barton Springs Road Austin, Texas 78704 i

City Public Service Board ATTN:

R. J. Costello/M. T. Hardt i

P.O. Box 1771 San Antonio, Texas 78296 Bechtel' Corporation i

ATTN:

E. T. Molnar/L. W. Hurst P.O. Box 2166 i

Houston, Texas 77252-2166 l

Newman & Holtzinger P. C.

ATTN: _ Jack R. Newman, Esq.

1615 L Street NW i

. Washington, D.C.

20036 l

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- Central Power and Light Company 4

ATTN:

R,. P. Verret/R. L. Range i

P.O. Box 2121 Corpus Christi Texas 78403 Baker & Botts -

l ATTN: Melbert Schwartz, Jr., Esq.

One Shell Plaza Houston, Texas 77002 1

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Houston Lighting &' Power Company"' l Doub Muntzing and Glasgow l

Attorneys at Law i

Suite 400 l

808 Seventeenth Street N.W.

l Washington, D.C.

20006 i

INPO.

Records Center i

1100 Circle 75 Parkway l

Atlanta, Georgia 30339-3064 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission ATTN: Fesident. Inspector l

P.O. Box 910

-Bay City Texas 77414 Ms. Iris J. Jones Acting City Attorney l

City of Austin P.O. Box 1088 Austin, Texas 78767 l

l Houston Lighting & Power Company l

ATTN:

S. L. Rosen, Vice President Nuclear Engineering and J

Construction P.O. Box 289 j

Wadsworth, Texas 77483 q

Houston Lighting & Power Company ATTN:

R. W. Chewning, Vice President

- l Nuclear Operations P.O. Box 289 i

Wadsworth, Texas 77483 j

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission j

ATTN:. Regional Administrator, Region IV 611.Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 i

Arlington, Texas 76011 Office of.the Governor j

ATTN: Ms. Darla Parker Office of Intergovernmental Relations i

i Austin-Texas 78711 1

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.Mr. Joseph M. Hendrie 1

50.Bellport Lane Bellport, New York 11713 4(

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1101 West 49th Street

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Austin, Texas 78756 i

' Judge, Matagorda County a

Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Bay City, Texas 77414 Licensing Representative s

Houston Lighting and Power Company 1

Suite 610 I

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. Houston Lighting & ~ Power Company ATTN: Rufus S. Scott, Associate 1

General Counsel.'

P.O. Box 1700 LHouston, Texas 77001 bec to DMB((IE61)s,

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