ML20057C576
| ML20057C576 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 09/08/1993 |
| From: | Reese J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | Conway W ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. (FORMERLY ARIZONA NUCLEAR |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20057C577 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-93-218, NUDOCS 9309290129 | |
| Download: ML20057C576 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000528/1993029
Text
x
.
/
%g
UNITED STATES
j
'
e'e
v-
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
!
.
l
%), E
REGION V
-
1450 MARIA LANE
"% , ," [#'
%
,
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA 94596-5368
,
.
SEP 0 81933
Dockets 50-528, 50-529, and 50-530
)
'
Licenses NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74
,
EA 93-218
Arizona Public Service Company
P. O. Box 53999, Sta. 9012
Phoenix, Arizona 85072-3999
Attention:
William F. Conway
Executive Vice President, Nuclear
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-528/93-29; 50-529/93-29; 50-530/93-29
EA 93-218
From June 21 to July 9,1993, Mr. R. Bocanegra, Mr. N. Mamish, and
Mr. L. Coblentz of this office conducted an inspection of your Palo Verde
Nuclear Generating Station.
At the conclusion of the inspection, the
inspectors discussed our findings with members of your staff identified in the
enclosed report. The inspectors also held numerous telephone discussions with
members of your staff from July 12-20, 1993.
Areas examined during this inspection are described in the enclosed report.
Within these areas, the inspection consisted of selective examination of
procedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, independent
measurements, and observations of activities in progress.
Based on the results of this inspection, certain of your activities appear to
be in violation of NRC requirements, as specified in the enclosed Notice of
Violation (Notice). Three violations and one non-cited violation were
identified. The first violation involved failure to take corrective action
for a condition adverse to quality relating to the sampling techniques of
secondary steam generator water chemistry. This failure caused the calculated
primary-to-secondary leak rate to be non-conservative by a factor of 5 to 10.
Thus ten days prior to the Unit 2 tube rupture event, the leakage rate for
steam generator No. 2 spiked to greater than 100 gallons per day (gpd), yet
your report for that day to the NRC indicated values of approximately 10 gpd.
We understand that the error was apparently caused by dilution of steam
generator water samples by feedwater. The significance of the error is
exacerbated in that the steam generator manufacturer made you aware of the
potential for dilution in December 1992, but you.nonetheless decided not to
implement the recommendation for measurements involving radioactivity in the
steam generator water,
in your response, please explain why you chose not to
implement * the recommendation.
.
/,,
9309290129 930908
/ V
ADDCK 05000528-
G
/
!
,
.
j
'
.
~
2
<
The second violation identified multiple examples of failure to follow
.
approved radiation monitoring system procedures. This violation is of concern
because of the important role that this system plays in protecting the health
and safety of workers and.the public.
Of particular concern is the muffling
to reduce the vol'ume of the ~ local alarm for a radiation nonitor.
This act
indicates a lack of understanding of the purpose of radiation monitor alarms
and an insensitivity to radiation monitor alarms by members of your staff.
In
your response please address the results of your investigation into this
incident, whether you have had other such incidents, and any training you
provided your staff as a result of this incident.
,
The third violation involves the methods of performing leak checks on
radioactive sources. This violation is being cited because it is a Severity
Level IV violation that was identified by the NRC, and thus did not meet the
-
'
criteria of section VII.B of the Enforcement Policy.
Although 10 CFR 2.201
requires a written statement of explanation to this office, this violation had
been corrected and those actions were reviewed during the inspection and
subsequent telephone discussions with members of your staff.
Therefore, no
response with respect to this particular matter is required.
Finally, a violation was identified regarding the requirements of 10 CFR 19.11. However, this violation will not be cited because the criteria of
Section VII.B of the Enforcement Policy were satisfied.
'
With the exception identified above, you are required to respond to this
letter and should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice
when preparing your response.
In your response, you should document the
specific actions taken and any additional actions you plan to prevent
i
After reviewing your response to this Notice, including your
recurrence.
proposed corrective actions and the results of future inspections, the NRC
will determine whether further NRC enforcement action is necessary to ensure
compliance with NRC regulatory requirements.
l
.
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 Room.
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.96-511.
Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, we will be glad to
discuss them with you.
Sincerely,
'
/
l
l
Jam'siH. .eese, 'hi f
facilities Radiolo ical Protection Branch
.
Enclosures:
1.
2.
Inspection Report 50-528/93-29; 50-529/93-29; 530/93-29
.
y
. - -
,
-
.
-
.
.
.
. _ =
__.
-
_,
4
. -
.
cc w/ enclosures:
Mr-. Steve Olea,' Arizona Corporation Commission
[
James A. Beoletto, Esq., Southern California Edison Company
Mr. Charles B. Brinkman, Manager, Washington Nuclear Operations
l
' Mr. Aubrey Godwin, Director, Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency
Chairman, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
Jack R. Newman, .Esq., Newman & Holtzinger, P.C.
t
Mr. Curtis Hoskins, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
-
Palo Verde Services
!
Roy P. Lessey, Jr., Esq., Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld
Bradley W. Jones, Esq., Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld
,
Thomas R. Bradish, Manager, Nuclear Regulatory Affairs, APS, -
t
!
,
I
s
%
$
i
i.
l
.
1
i
1
'
t
!
I
i
-
i
1
4
1
-
-
_
f
g
h
'
'
, _ ,
4
Arizona Public Service Company
Inspection Report 50-528/93-29,50-529/93-29,50-530/93-29
bcc w/ enclosure:
Docket File
Project Inspector
Resident Inspector
G. Cook
B. Faulkenberry
State of Arizona
'
bcc w/o enclosure:
'
M. Smith
J. Zollicoffer
R c negra
1.C
egz
9/y/93
9/ /93
REQUEST
PY
REQUEST COPY
YES /N
YES / NO
-
/ A
00
Y
--M0 lumen ;lf
fvr'
r
NMgis
JR
e
i
RSc ,no
-
'I /7/43
9 /g/g
/j/g /g
/
REQUEST COPY
REQUEST COPY
REQUEST
PY
REQUEST COPY
YES I NO O
YES R NO O YES tJ NO O
YES
No O
/
SEND TO PDR
SEND TO DCS.
YES
NO O
YES
NO 0,
i
.A.
!
.
I
!
280011
reek
!
.-
,
. . . .
,,
,
--
- - - - .
. - - -
--