ML20044B169

LER 90-011-00:on 900612,chemical Technician Supervisor Discovered That No Sample Collected in Condenser Air Removal Sys Radiation Monitor Moisture Collection Tank. Caused by Inadequate procedure.W/900706 Ltr

ML20044B169
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	07/06/1990
From:	Head S, Vaughn G HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
LER-90-011, LER-90-11, ST-HL-AE-3499, NUDOCS 9007180024
Download: ML20044B169 (5)

Text

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M 1 The1 Light '

l companyS ue nasl'roject ElectricGeneratingStation P.O. Itox 289 ' Wadsworth, Texas 77483 [

.Ilouston Lighting & Power

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. July 06, 1990 '

ST-llL AE 3499 -  ;

File No.: 026- , 7i

>6 '10CFR50.73 .I L

-U. S. Nuclear' Regulatory Commission o ' Attention: Document Contro1~ Desk i Washington, DC 20555 South Texas Project Electric Cenerating-Station

, Unit 1 ,

J Docket No. STN 50 498.

Licensee Event Report 90 011 Regarding an Inocerable Radiation Monitor Due to an Inadeauate Procedure' Pursuant to 10CFR50.73,-llouston Lighting & Power Company (llL&P) submits -

the attached Licensee Event Report (LER'90-011) regarding an inoperable

= radiation monitor due to an inadequate procedure. This event did not have any <

i M adverse impact on the health and safety of the public.-

t If you should have any questions on this matter, please contact .

Mr.:S.:M. Ilead at-(512) 972-7136 or myself at (512) 972-7921. .?

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.? -E.-Vaughn

[VicePresident Nuclear Generation

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, 'BEM/n'1 Attachhent: LER 90-011 (South Texas, Unit 1) 1 l

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,.- ~ Houston Lighting & Power Compan ST-HL AEo3499 l9:

[ ' South Texas Project Electric Generat ng Station (I*No.:C26 g,

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Regional Administrator, Region IV Rufus S. Scott Nuclear Regulatory Commission- Associate General Counsel

.611 Ryan Plaza _ Drive, Suite 1000 Houston Lighting & Power Company Arlington, TX 76011 P. O. Box 61867

, Houston, TX 77208 George Dick, Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission INPO ,

Wathington, DC 20555- Records Center 1100 circle 75 Parkway

'J. I. Tapia Atlanta, GA 30339 3064 Senior Resident Inspector c/o U. S. Nuclear Regulatory . Dr. Joseph M. Hendrie

, commission- 50 Bc11 port Lane P. O. Box 910 Be11 port. NY 11713 Bay City. TX 77414 D. K. Lacker J. R. Newman, Esquire

. Bureau of Radiation Control.

Newman & Holtzinger, P.C. Texas Department of Health  :

1615 L Street, N.W. 1100 West 49th Street ',

. Washington, DC 20036 Austin, TX 78704 D, E.' Ward /R. P. Verret Central' Power & 1.11,ht Company

'P. O.' Box 2121 '

Corpus Christi, TX 78403

-J. C ~Lanier ,

Director of Generation

' City.of Austin Electric Utility 721 Barton Springs Road' Austin, TX 78704 '

R. J.' Costello/M. T. Hardt City Public Service Board P, 0, Box 1771 '

San Antonio, TX 78296 Revised 12/15/89 L4/NRC/

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-An Inoperable Radiation Monitor Due to an Inadequate Procedure fvtNT Daft (63 LER NURADER I6I kiPORT DAT8171 OYMER F ACILifitS INLOLVIO IB)

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On June 12, 1990, Unit 1 was in Moda 3 following a refueling outage. During the performance of the weekly Technical Specification required surveillance of the Condenser Air Removal System (CARS) particulate and. iodine levels, the l- Chemical Technician supervisor discovered that no sample had been collected in the CARS radiation monitor moisture collection tank. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the sample line between the CARS radiation monitor and the moisture collection tank had been left disconnected l following corrective maintenance on May 30, 1990. The cause of this event-was I an inadequate procedure for connection of temporary sampling equipment.

Procedures which affect operation of radiation monitors will be reviewed and

revised as necessary to ensure that sufficient requirements exist to control installation and removal of temporary equipment. Training on the new requirements will be provided following their completion.

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1 DESCRIPTION OF EVENT:

On June 12, 1990, Unit I was in Mode 3 following a refueling outage. During the performance of the weekly technical Specification required surveillance of the Condenser Air Removal System (CARS) particulate and iodine levels, the-Chemical Technical Supervisor discovered that no sample had been collected in the CARS radiation monitor moisture collection tank. Upon further investigation it was determined that the sample line between the moisture collection unit and the noble gas monitor was disconnected. This resulted in the monitor sampling ambient air instead of CARS effluent.- The sample line was reconnected and the monitor returned to service.

An investigation was performed to determine the cause of the disconnected' sample line. On May 29, 1990, the CARS radiation monitor was removed from service. In order to satisfy requirements for continuous sampling, temporary sampling equipment was installed and connected in place of the noble gas monitor. This equipment drew a sample throu6h the existing moisture collection tank. .The procedure for installation of the temporary sampling equipment provided general instructions for connection and operation, but did not cover disconnection and restoration of the permanent equipment. Work on the CARS radiation monitor was completed on May 30, 1990 and the system was declared operable. Ilowever, when a Senior Chemical Technician removed the temporary sampling equipment, he failed to reconnect the permanent CARS radiation monitor. Since training on this task was based upon the deficient procedure, the technician was not aware of the need to reconnect the CARS radiation monitor. The monitor continued to sample ambient air and was effectively inoperable until discovered on June 12, 1990. Failure to estimate CARS sample flow rate every four hours and to take grab samples every 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> with the CARS radiation monitor inoperable is a violation of Technical Specification 3.3.3.11. The NRC was notified of this violation at 1621-hours on June 12, 1990.

CAUSE'OP EVENT:

The cause of this event was that the procedure for connection of the temporary sampling equipment did not provide steps for reconnection of the permanent monitor.

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South Texas.. Unit 1 l,l,l, 4 -9 8 9 l 0 ._0 l 1l 1 0l0 l0 l 3 or 0 l ~3 ters a==. ..ww sm me s mnewon ANALYSIS OF EVENT: 1 I

Failure to estimate the CARS sample flow rate every four hours and to take I grab samples every 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> with the CARS radiation monitor inoperable is'a violation of Technical Specification 3.3.3.11 which is reportable pursuant to

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100FR50.73(a)(2)(1)(B). The effluent flow rate from the CARS exhaust is less. l p than 200 SCFM as compared to the Unit Vent flow rate of approximately 210,000' j SCFM. This-flow is a small contributor to the total offsite dose. The CARS l radiation monitor is also used to detect activityLin the secondary plant.

Other mon'. tors, including the main steam line and steam generator blowdown monitors .4re also'available to provide an indication of secondary side activity. During this event, Unit 1 was shutdown. The majority of the secondary steam was being supplied by Unit 2 which had an operable monitor.

Small amounts of steam from the Unit 1 steam generators was dumped to the condensers periodically to maintain temperature. Secondary activity samples ,

on the Unit 1 steam ge nerators indicated no activity-during this' event. Based l on the above. it can be concluded that no unmonitored release of radioactivity to the environment occurred during this event.

i CORRECTIVE ACTION:

The following corrective actions are being taken as a result of this event: _

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1. Procedures which affect the operation of radiation monitors will be reviewed and revised as necessary to ensure that sufficient ,

requirements exist to control installation and removal of temporary equipment. This action will be completed by September 1, 1990.~

2. In the interim, a Special Order has been issued to' Chemical Analysis personnel which requires that the Chemical Technician Supervisor ,

verify that radiation monitors are restored properly following completion of activities which effect monitor operability.

3. Following completion of the procedure changes identified in Corrective Action 1, Chemical Technicians responsible for connection of temporary sampling equipment will be trained on the changes.

This training will be completed by December 1, 1990.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

A previous similar event was reported under LER 89-002 on Unit 2 regarding failure to properly restore the Control Room Ventilation System following a surveillance test.

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