ML20045A813
| ML20045A813 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Cooper  |
| Issue date: | 06/09/1993 |
| From: | Collins S NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Horn G NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20045A814 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9306150020 | |
| Download: ML20045A813 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000298/1993018
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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REGION IV
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Docket:
50-298
License: DPR-46
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Nebraska Public Power District
ATTN: Guy R. Horn, Nuclear Power
Group Manager
P.O. Box 499
Columbus, Nebraska 68602-0499
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-298/93-18 (NOTICE OF VIOLATION)
This refers to the inspection conducted by Mr. C. E. Johnson of this office on
April 26-30 and May 10-14, 1993. The inspection included a review of
activities authorized for your Cooper Nuclear Station facility. At the
conclusion of the inspection, the findings were discussed with those members
of your staff identified in the enclosed report.
Areas examined during the inspection are identified in the' report. Within
these areas, the inspection consisted of selective examinations of procedures
and representative records, interviews with personnel, and observation of
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activities in progress.
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Based on the results of this inspection, certain licensed activities appeared
to be in violation of NRC requirements, as specified in the enclosed Notice of
Violation (Notice).
The Notice contains two violations that pertain to your
handling of radiation monitors.
The first violation concerns inadequate corrective actions to properly
maintain a safety-related control room ventilation ra<liation monitor. This
violation is of concern because it indicates the failure to resolve a long-
standing weakness in the establishment of adequate corrective' actions and root
causes of inoperability.
The second violation concerns an inadequate safety evaluation review of a
design change modification to a drywell ventilation radiation monitor. This
proposed change, which had been partially completed at the time of the
inspection, involved the replacement of a radiation monitor with a low-
pressure rated radiation monitor. This change created an unreviewed safety
question. The safety issue created was that in the event of the design basis
accident, the primary containment would have been breached, personnel in
secondary containment would have been exposed to high radiation levels as they
exited, and reentry to secondary containment would have been delayed, and the
likelihood of radiation to the general public would be increased. The
violation is of concern because it indicates a lack of thoroughness in your
review process. At the exit meeting, your representative agreed that the
violation had occurred, but stated that the violation should be considered as
an non-cited violation in that your staff had identified the concern. We
9306150020 930609
ADOCK 05000298
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agree that your staff had identified, in the week prior to our inspection, a
concern with meeting Appendix J "as is" testing requirements associated with
the modification. However, your staff had not formally halted the
installation of the modification, and moreover, was unable to show
documentation that it had identified that the modification would constitute a
significant safety issue.
In addition, on the day of the exit, your staff
identified that a nonconformance report on this matter had not been issued,
although new design changes were underway to rectify the originally faulted
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design modification.
Consequently, we believe that the criteria for a non-
cited violation have not been met.
In regard to an unresolved item involving local leak rate testing of reactor
feedwater check valves, it is our understanding that, during the exit meeting
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conducted on May 14, 1993, Mr. J. Meacham, Site Manager, made a commitment.
The commitment was to revise the Standard Clearance Order to incorporate the
use of the newly installed vents and drains for the local leak rate testing of
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the reactor feedwater check valves. This revision should enable a consistent
testing methodology for these valves.
If your understanding of this
commitment differs from ours, please contact me immediately.
You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions
specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your response.
In your
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response, you should document the specific actions taken and any additional
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actions you plan to prevent recurrence. Wa request that your response
specifically address the circumstances associated with not having issued a
nonconformance report on the drywell ventilation radiation monitor prior to
initiating efforts to redesign this modification. After reviewing your
response to this Notice, including your proposed corrective actions and the
results of future inspections, the NRC will determine whether further NRC
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enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with NRC regulatory
requirements.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of
this letter and its enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Recm.
The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed Notice are not subject
to the clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No. 96.511.
Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, we will be pleased
to discuss them with you.
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Sincerely,
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y - Samuel J. Collins, Director
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Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosures:
(see next page)
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Enclosures:
1.
Appendix A - Notice of Violation
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2.
Appendix B - NRC Inspection Report
50-298/93-18 w/ attachments
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cc w/ enclosures:
Nebraska Public Power District
ATTN:
G. D. Watson, General Counsel
P.O. Box 499
Columbus, Nebraska 68602-0499
Cooper Nuclear Station
ATTN: John M. Meacham, Site Manager
.
P.O. Box 98
Brownville, Nebraska 68321
,
Nebraska Department of Environmental
Control
ATTN: Randolph Wood, Director
P.O. Box 98922
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-8922
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Nemaha County Board of Commissioners
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ATTN: Richard Moody, Chairman
Nemaha County Courthouse
1824 N Street
Auburn, Nebraska 68305
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Nebraska Department of Health
ATTN:
Harold Borchert, Director
Division of Radiological Health
301 Centennial Mali, South
P.O. Box 95007
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-5007
Kansas Radiation Control Program Director
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