ML20033C382
| ML20033C382 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Maine Yankee |
| Issue date: | 11/12/1981 |
| From: | Deyoung R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | Thurlow E Maine Yankee |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20033C383 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-81-088, EA-81-88, NUDOCS 8112030070 | |
| Download: ML20033C382 (3) | |
Text
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Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company C NOV161981* 11 0 l
ATTN:
Mr. E. W. Thurlow, President H{
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Gentlemen:
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During an NRC inspection conducted on Sunday, July 19, 1981 at the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Station, the Resident Inspector determined that the i
plant was operated in violation of a Technical Specification limiting j
condition for operation (containment integrity) from 1:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
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Technical Specifications establish a limiting condition for operation wherein containment integrity is to be maintained any time that the reactor coolant system is above_210 degrees F.
If this condition cannot be met, NRC regulations i
then require shutdown of the reactor or im permitted by the Technical Specification. plementation of any remedial action
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However, on July 19, 1981 containment
.i integrity was not maintained with the reactor operating at 2 percent power and l
540 degrees F nor was action taken to shut down the reactor and cool down the j
reactor coolant system to below 210 degrees F.
Containment integrity was not maintained in that, in the alternate letdown system, one automatic containment j
Isolation valve failed in the open position and was left open, and a second i
j non-automatic containment isolation valve was opened by plant operators.
This j
violation existed until it was identified by the NRC Resident Inspector and j
communicated by him to the Assistant Plant Manager; your staff then took j
immediate and effective corrective action.
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This matter is of particular concern because your staff was aware of the con-i tainment integrity limiting condition for operation requirement but apparently j
acted independent of Technical Specifications and initiated less conservative i
precautionary remedial actions in lieu of shutdown of the reactor as was i
required by NRC regulations.
The failure of the plant management to shut down j
the reactor as required was appareatly based upon the practice of specifying mitigating circumstances or taking remedial actions other than those in the l
Technical Specifications and continuing plant operation, in the belief that such actions satisfy what had been considered to be the intent of the Technical i
Specifications.
In this case, notwithstanding that the (xisting plant conditions i
did not warrant departure from the Technical Specifications, you continued l
operation on the basis of the above practice and apparently the belief that the system could be repaired within a short period of time.
In addition, the d
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NOV lt1981 Maine' Yank'ee Atomic l' Power Company-i i-
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' NRC was.not informed by you on July 19 that plant operation was continuing in a manner other than required.
This concern is of added significance because
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' during a telephone contact initiated by Pegion I management with your staff
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before the resident inspector arrived onsite, no mention was made of the j
off-normal operation of the alternate letdown system.
-The potential for adverse affects on the public health and safety did exist while the reactor was operated at normal temperature and two percent power with one automatic containment isolation valve failed open and one nonauto-l matic-containment isolation valve open.
In the event of a break in the reactor coolant system, operator action would be required to close a motor operated valve which had not been leak tested to the requirements of r.ontainment l
isolation valves.
These measures did not provide the same level of protection as'the containment isolation design described in the plant safety analysis-report.
j On September 2,1981 Mr. J. Randazza, Vice President-Manager of Operations, and l-other members of your staff met with Mr. R. C. Haynes, Director, Region I, and members of the Region I staff to discuss the NRC's concerns about the inade-quacies in the training of operators regarding limiting conditions for opera-tion which led to this occurrence.
Mr. Randazza stated that he had held a meeting with the plant operating staff on Auaust 13, 1981 to clarify their responsibilities in complying with Technical Specifications.
Further, Mr. Randazza made the following commitments:
(1) His staff will review the facility Technical Specifications and submit a proposed amendment to the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation by November 15, 1981 to correct identified conflicts or ambiguities and, (2) operational policy statements would be upgraded with respect to Technical Specification compliance by September 22, 1981.
In order to emphasize the importance the NRC places on adherence-to Technical Specifications and prompt management consultation with NRC when deviations appear to be appropriate, we propose to-impose civil penalties in the cumula-tive amount of Forty Thousand Dollars for the violations set forth in the Appendix to this letter.
The violations in the Appendix have been categorized at the level described in accordance with the Interim Enforcement Policy published in the Federal Register, 45 FR 66754 (October 7, 1980).
You are required to respond to the Appendix and should follow the instructions therein when preparing your response.
In your reply, you should give particular attention to those actions designed to assure continuing compliance with NRC requirements.
Your reply to the Appendix and the results'of future inspections will be considered in determining whether further enforcement action is appropriate.
In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and the enclosure will.be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
NOV !L1 Gdi Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed Appendix are not subject to'the clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, PL 96-511.
l Sincerely, I
p astsigned be i
. n.c.l s oung i
Richard C. DeYoung, Director Office of Inspection and Enforcement i
Enclosure:
Appendix - Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalties cc-a/ enc 1:
J. Randazza, Vice President-Manager of Operations E. Wood, Plant Superintendent J. H. Garrity, Director, Nuclear Engineering & Licensing L
j Distribution PDR Department of Human Services NSIC ATTN:
Mr. Wallace Hinckley, Mgr -
LPDR Radiological Health Program i
ACRS 157 Capitol Street SECY Augusta, ME _04330 l-CA i
VStello, EDROGR Office of the Attorney General i
RDeYoung, IE ATTN: Hon. Richard S. Cohen i
JSniezek, IE Attorney General GBarber, IE State House RWessman, IE Augusta, ME 04330 FIngram, PA JMurray, ELD Public Utilities Commission JLieberman, ELD ATTN: Mr. Ralph Gelder JCrooks, AEOD Chairman JCummings, 01A State House i
Enforcement Coordinators, Augusta, ME 04333 RI, RII, RIII, RIV, RV IE ciles Central Files CP Book
.APuglise, CON L-316 EI Reading File GRequa, NRR:0RB3 RClar, NRR:0RB3
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