ML20006G103

Readiness for Operation.* Urges Commission to Require Applicant to Identify & Replace Potentially Defective Rosemount Transmitters Before Commencement of Full Power Operation,Per Recent NRC Insp

ML20006G103
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	02/28/1990
From:	Curran D HARMON, CURRAN, SPIELBERG & EISENBERG, LLP., MASSACHUSETTS, COMMONWEALTH OF, NEW ENGLAND COALITION ON NUCLEAR POLLUTION, SEACOAST ANTI-POLLUTION LEAGUE
To:	Carr K, Curtiss J, Roberts T, Rogers K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML20006G104	List: ML20006G103 ML20006G108 ML20006G115
References
CON-#190-9988 OL-1, NUDOCS 9003050051
Download: ML20006G103 (2)

Text

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HARMON, CURRAN & TOUSLEY

'. L<OLKEILO 2001 S STREET, N.W. UbNitC SUITE 430 r

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009112h FEB 28 P3 :23  !*

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&ANDRA K PlWU February 28,Bi4440 of counsel:

JANNE G. GAILAGHER KATHERINE A. MEYER*  !

i ERIC R. GLITZENSTEIN

'Also admitted in Maryland - l Kenneth M. Carr, Chairman- '

Thomas M. Roberts Kenneth-C. Rogers

. James R. Curtiss * ,

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

SUBJECT:

Seabrook readine.ss for coeration

Dear Commissioners:

On February 1, 1990, I wrote to you on behalf of Intervenors ,

New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution, the Seacoast Anti-  ;

Pollution. League, and the Attorney General of Massachusetts, to alert you to serious safety problems raised by numerous recent a NRC Staff inspection and examination reports. In our view, the Staff's reports reveal a pattern of equipment failures, operator incompetence, and procedural deficiencies that demonstrate the Seabrook reactor is not ready to operate at full power.

In one of these inspection reports, the Staff noted that at I least 61 potentially defective Rosgmount installed in the Seabrook reactor.

transmitters are These transmitters, at least ,

some of which are used in safety related applications at J Seabrook, may fail as a result of loss of fill oil. In the f e inspection report, the Staff approved the Applicants' program for monitoring Models 1153 and 1154 transmitters during full power operation, with replacements to occur as " consistent with support of station activities." Isb.,at 18. Thus, apparently Applicants intend to operate the reactor at full power levels with the potentially defective transmitters in place.

The NRC Staff has prepared a draft bulletin, however, which j states that "in some cases the failure of a transmitter that is leakina fill-oil is not detectable durina operation."4 The draft l l

! .l' Inspection Report.No. 50-443/89-13, dated January 9, 1990, at .;

18-19. 1 2- Draft Bulletin 90-xx, " Loss of Fill Oil in Transmitters j Manufactured by Rosemount." The NRC Staff reportedly plans to 1

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