ML20033G819
| ML20033G819 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | North Anna  |
| Issue date: | 03/30/1990 |
| From: | Ebneter S NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | Stewart W VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20033G820 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-90-021, EA-90-21, NUDOCS 9004120172 | |
| Download: ML20033G819 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000338/1989035
Text
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MAR 3 0 390
Docket No.
50-338
License No.
NPF 4
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EA 90-021
Virginia Llectric and Power Company
ATTN: Mr. W. L. Stewart
Senior Vice President
Power
6000 Dominion Boulevard
Glen Allen, Virginia 23000
Gentlernen:
SUBJECT:
(NRC INSPECTION rep 0RT NO. 50 338/89-35)
This refers to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection conducted by
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Mr. J. L. Caldwell on November 18, 1989 - January 3,1990, at the horth Anna
Power Station. The inspection included a review of the circumstances surround-
ing the loss of containment integrity on Unit I discovered on December 28,
1989. The report documenting this inspectiol was sent to you by letter dated
February 6, 1990. As a result of this inspection, a significant failure to
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comply with NRC regulatory requirements was identified, and accordingly, NRC
concerns relative to the inspection findings were discussed in an Enforcement
Conference held on February 27, 1990.
The letter summarizing this Conference
was sent to you on March 8, 1990.
The first violation described in the enclosed Rotice of Violation (Notice)
involved a significant f611ure to maintain coatainment integrity as required
by plant Technical Specifications. On December 28, 1989, members of your
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Health Physics staff were conducting routine weekly walkdown surveillances when
they heard air leaking into the containment through the equipment hatch escape
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air lock outer door.
Following prompt notification of the shif t supervisor,
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plant personnel attempted to determine the "as found" leakage.
During prepa-
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ration for testing of the outer door stal, it was discovered that the handwheel
coor operator for the inner door was not in the fully closed position which
caused the prtssure equalizing valve between the containpent and the escape air
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lock to be in a partially open position.
The handwheeCooor operator was
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placed in the fully closed position and leakage into the containment stopped.
Subsequent testing resulted in the detection of a leak in the outer door seal.
Cleaning, rescating, and testing of the outer door seal assembly returned the
outer door to an operable condition.
Although the root cause of this evtnt was not definitely determined, it appears
that personnel error contributed to the inner door not being fully closed and
inadequate door scal maintenance / installation procedures contributed to the
outer door leakage.
Nevertheless, your corrective actions should preclude
inadvertent movement of the door operators and upgrading of the door seal
mainterenct/ installation procedures should minimize future leakage problems.
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S004120172 900330
ADOCK0500g8
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Virgin a Electric and Power Company
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MAR 3 0 90
Of additional concern to the NRC is the way the reportability detemination of
this event was handled.
The second violation described in the Notice concerns
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the untirnely 10 CFR 50.72 notification nede for this problem, Although your
staf f realized that the event was requirtd to be evaluated for reportability
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and a 10 CTR 00,73 report was properly made, your staff's initial focus only
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on the leakage rate to mate the reportability decision resulttd in en untimely
10 CTR 50.72 report.
in accordance with the * General Statement of Policy and Procedure for hRC
Enforcement Actions," 10 CFR Part 2 Appendix C (1989), the first violation
cescribed in the enclosed Notice has been classified as a Severity Level 111
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violation. A civil penalty is considered for a Severity Ltvel 111 violation.
However, after consultation with the Director. Office of Enforcement, and the
Deputy Executive Director for Nucleer Materials Safety, Safeguards, and
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Operations Support, I have decided that a civil penalty will not be proposed in
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this case because the violation was identified by your Health Physics personnel
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during performance of surveillance activities and a high level of concern for
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plant operations was displayed by those individuals through their quick actions
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to nutify shift operations of the problemt the corrective actions that were
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formulated to address the problem were extensive and thorough; and your past
performance has generally been good.
The second violation in the Notice.
concerning the late 10 CFR 50.72 report, has bten classified at Severity
Level IV.
You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions
specified in the enclosed hotice when preparing your response,
in your response,
you thculd document the specific actions taken and any additional actions you
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plan to prevent recurrence. After reviewing your response to this Notice,
including implementation of your corrective actions, the NRC will determine
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whether further NRC enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with
NRC regulatory requirements,
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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 its enclosure
will be pieced in the NRC Public Document Room.
The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed Notice are not subject
to the clearance >roceduros of the Office of Management and Budget as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 Pub. L. No.96-511.
Sincerely,
Stewart D. Ebneter
Regional Administrator
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Enclosure:
ec w/ encl:
See page 3
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' irginia Electric and Power Company
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CC W/ enc 1
'E. W. Harrell
Patrick A. O' Hare
Vice President - Nuclear Operations
Office of the Attorney General
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Virginia Electrit & Power Company
Supremme Court Building
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6000 Dominion Beulevard
101 North 8th Street
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Glen Allen VA 23060
Richmond, VA -23219
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'J. P. O'Hanlon
C. M. G. Cuttery, M.D. , M.P.H.
Vice President - Nuclear Services
Department of Health
,
Virginia Electric 8 Power Company
109 Governor Street
5000 Dominion Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23219
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Glen Allen, VA 23000
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R. F. Saunders, Manager
Nuclear Licensing
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Virginia Electric & Power Company
5000 Dominion Boulevard
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Glen Allen, VA 23000
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G. E. Kane, Station Manager
North Anna Power Station
P. O. Box 402
Mineral, VA 23117
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Executive Vice President
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Old Dorainion Electric Cooperative
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Innsbrook Corporate Center
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4222 Cox Road, Suite 102
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Glen /slien VA 23060
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W. T. Lough
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Virginia Corporation Comission
Division of Energy Regulation
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P. O. Box 1197
Richmond, VA 23209
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William C. Porter, Jr.
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County Administrator
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Louisa Ceunty
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P. O. Box 160
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Louisa, VA 23093
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Michael W. Maupin, Esq.
Hunton and Williams
P. O. Box 1535
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Richmond, VA 23212
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Commonwealth of Virginia
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Virginia Electric and Power Company
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DISTRIBUTION:
LPDR
SECY
CA
HThompson, DLD5
SLbneter, R11
JLiebern an, OE
JLuehman, OE
TMurley, NRR
JPartlow, NRR
Enforcenent Coordinators
R1, Ril, Rlli, RIV, RV
Fingram, GPA/PA
BHayes 01
DWilliams OlG
EJordan, AE0D
EA File
NRC Resident Inspector
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Connission
Route 2. Box 78 A
Mintrt), VA 23117
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