ML20035A405
| ML20035A405 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 03/17/1993 |
| From: | Hodges M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | J. J. Barton GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP. |
| References | |
| EA-93-055, EA-93-55, NUDOCS 9303260014 | |
| Download: ML20035A405 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000219/1993080
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Docket No. 50-219
EA 93-055
Mr. John J. Barton
Vice President and Director
GPU Nuclear Corporation
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station
P.O. Box 388
Forked River, New Jersey 08731
Dear Mr. Barton:
SUBJECT:
DEGRADED SHUTDOWN COOLING EVENT: APPARENT VIOLATION
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OF NRC REQUIREMENTS
(NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-219/93-80)
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This letter refers to the special safety inspection conducted on January 26 - February 2,
1993, as detailed in NRC Augmented Inspection Team Repon No. 50-219/93-80. This
inspection team investigated the circumstances that led to the degradation of shutdown
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cooling at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station on January 25,1993. You reported
the event to the NRC in Licensee Event Report Number 93-002, dated February 26,1993.
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Based on the above inspection, it appears that certain of your actions were not in full
compliance with applicable NRC requirements. These actions are b.ang considered for
escalated enforcement in accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedure for
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NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy),10 CFR Part 2, Appendix C (1992).
Accordingly, no Notice of Violation is being issued for the inspection findings at this time.
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Specifically, the temporary procedure change made to Oyster Creek Procedure Number 305,
" Shutdown Cooling," on January 22,1993, was apparently inadequate as it caused the
reactor coolant temperature to increase inadvertently above 212 degrees F without operator
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knowledge of the heatup, or completion of the required technical specification prerequisites
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for operation at the higher temperatures. This is contrary to 10 CFR 50, Appendix B,
Criterion V which requires that activities affecting quality be prescribed by documented
procedures of a type appropriate to the circumstances.
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY G:OCLTR1.ENF
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9303260014 930317
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MAR 171993
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Mr. John J. Barton
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.An enforcement conference to discuss this apparent violation has been scheduled for
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April 2,1993. The purposes of this conference are to discuss the apparent violation, its
cause and safety significance; to provide you the opportunity to point out any errors in our
inspection report; and to provide an opportunity for you to discuss your proposed corrective
action (s). In pardcular, we expect you to address: (1) your practices and management
expectations with regard to temporary procedure changes and procedure changes which may
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constitute a change of " intent"; (2) the significance of operation during shutdown at
conditions outside the technical specification limits as described in the Licensee Event
Report; and (3) the commonality of the event described in the inspection report with previous
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violations related to annulus / core communication issues.
The conference is an opportunity for you to provide any information concerning your
perspective on the severity of the issue; the factors that the NRC considers when it
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determines the amount of a civil penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section
V.B of the Enforcement Policy; and the possible basis for exercising discretion in accordance
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with Section V.G of the Enforcement Policy. You will be advised by separate
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correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this matter,
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In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter
will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
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Marvin W. Hodges, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
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cc-
M. Utggart, Manager, Corporate Licensing
P. Czaya, Acting Licensing Manager, Oyster Creek
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Public Document Room (PDR)
Local Public Document Room (LPDR)
Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)
NRC Resident Inspector
State of New Jersey
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Mr. John J. Barton
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Region 1 Docket Room (with concurrences)
DRS/EB SALP Coordinator
J. Joyner, DRSS
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R. Blough, DRP
J. Rogge, DRP
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V. McCree, OEDO
A. Dromerick, NRR/PD 1-4
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F. Young, SRI, Three Mile Island
N. Dudley, SRI, Seabrook
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