ML20054M406

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Forwards IE Insp Rept 50-309/82-05 on 820323-0503. Noncompliances Noted
ML20054M406
Person / Time
Site: Maine Yankee
Issue date: 05/28/1982
From: Starostecki R
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To: Randazza J
Maine Yankee
Shared Package
ML20054M396 List:
References
NUDOCS 8207130157
Download: ML20054M406 (3)


See also: IR 05000309/1982005

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Docket No. 50-309

Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company

ATTN: Mr. John B. Randazza.

Vice President

83 Edison Drive

Augusta, Maine 04336

Gentlemen:

Subject:

Inspection 50-309/82-05

This letter refers to routine safety inspection conducted by Messrs. P. Swetland

and H. Gray of this office on March 23 - May 3, 1982 at the Maine Yankee

Nuclear Power Station, Wiscasset, Maine of activities authorized by NRC License

No. DPR-36 and to the discussions of our findings held by Mr. P. Swetland with

Mr. E. Wood of your staff at the conclusion of the inspection.

Apparent violations of NRC requirements.are discussed in the inspection report

enclosed with this letter. This report includes significant violations and we

are considering these items for appropriate enforcement action. We will be

addressing these mattcrs unde'r separate correspondence at a later time.

We .are concerned-with the apparent lack of management and procedural controls

in the areas'of design changes and modifications.

In one instance, a terminal

lug anchor nut, which is required to insure the operability of a safety injec-

tion system relay, was not installed during a system modification. This same

modification package had been the subject of Enforcement Action in our Inspec-

tion Report 82-04 forwarded to you by letter dated April 21, 1982. The current

finding and those identified in Report 82-04 regarding your control of safety-

related modifications are of concern.

We are further concerned with plant operations. The lack of management and

procedural controls in the area of plant operations has resulted in two recent

events involving written procedures which were inadequate. The first event

involved the failure to specify step-by-step adherence to the plant heatup

procedure and resulted in the draining of 5,000 gallons of radioactive

reactor coolant to a tank which was vented to atmosphere and which was

outside the area normally designated for control of contaminated water.

The excess capacity of the tank and prompt operator recognition and

corrective action prevented a release to the environment. This event was

aggravated, however, by the operators' failure to report the occurrence to

the NRC in a timely manner.

A second event resulted in a loss of containment integrity when two locked

closed, manual containment isolation valves for the steam generator blowdown

penetration were left open. We determined that procedural controls do not

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MAY 2 81982

address valve position status during the startup period. This event is

similar to that addressed in our inspection report 81-20, for which a civil

penalty was issued.

We consider the recurrent nature of events associated with design control,

modifications, and procedural compliance to be serious and believe that

improved management and procedural controls in these areas are necessary.

We have also concluded that a management conference is necessary. You will

be contacted subsequently regarding a mutually acceptable date and time for

the conference. At the conference, you should be prepared to discuss the

circumstances surrounding these' events, and your immediate corrective

actions.

In addition, you should also be prepared to discuss the controls

that are currently in place and those that are contemplated in order to

prevent future occurrences.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790(a), a copy of this letter and the enclosure

will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room unless you notify this

office, by telephone within 10 days of the date of this letter and submit

written application to withold information contained therein within thirty

days of the date of this letter. Such application must be consistent with

the requirements of 10 CFR 2.790(b)(1).

Your cooperation with us in this matter is appreciated.

Sincerely,

-

Original Signed Evi'

Richard W. Starostecki, Director

Division of Project and Resident

Programs

Enclosure: NRC Region I Inspection Report No. 50-309/82-05

cc w/ encl:

E. C. Wood, Plant Manager

E. W. Thurlow, President

J. H. Garrity, Director, Nuclear Engineering and Licenses

R. H. Groce, Senior Engineer, Licensing

J. A. Ritsher, Esquire

Public Document Room (PDR)

local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident Inspector

State of Maine

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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