ML20127M846
| ML20127M846 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Millstone  |
| Issue date: | 01/25/1993 |
| From: | Calvo J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Opeka J CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER CO., NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20127M850 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC-M85470, NUDOCS 9301290029 | |
| Download: ML20127M846 (4) | |
Text
,
9
- p ream'o
{ h' UNITED STATES
~g 8~
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION n
,I W ASHINo TON, D. C. 20555 k..
f f
January 25, 1993 Docket No. 50-423 Mr. John r.
Opeka Executive Vice President, Nuclear Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company Northeast Nuclear Energy Company Post Office Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06141-0270
Dear Mr. Opeka:
SUBJECT:
MILLSTONE, UNIT N0. 3 - TEMPORARY WAIVER OF COMPLIANCE FROM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 4.7.10.e, "SNVBBERS, SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS" (TAC NO. M85470)
By letter dated January 15, 1993, supplemented on January 21, 1992, you requested a temporary waiver of compliance from Technical Specification 4.7.10.e to allow a one time extension to the current 18-month snubber functional tests surveillance, plus the additional 25 percent of the surveillance requirement frequency while an emergency Technical Specification amendment is being processed by the NRC. The functional tests of snubbers are currently required to be performed no later than January 22, 1993. -The proposed change would defer the functional tests until the 1993 (fourth) refueling outage, but not beyond September 30, 1993.
You indicated that the current surveillance interval for snubbers began on March 7,1991, and, as a result of an unusually long maintenance outage during 1991, you have rescheduled the Millstone Unit No. 3 refueling outage from November 1992 to approximately September 1993.
Increasing the interval between refueling outages will cause Millstone Unit No. 3 to exceed the 18-month surveillance interval, plus the additional 25 percent allowance allowed by Technical Specification 4.0.2.
To perform the tests, as currently required, would require an unscheduled shutdown resulting in significant accumulation of radiation exposure as well as posing an industrial safety risk in performing these additional maintenance activities. At the present, the Millstone Unit No. 3 is at full power.
You indicated that, from a nuclear safety perspective, a plant shutdown is not the appropriate course of action.
As we discussed with your staff on January 22, 1992, we have reviewed the justification and proposed compensatory actions provided in your letter and-conclude that deferral of the functional tests of snubbers to not later than September 30, 1993, provides an acceptable level of safety and does not present any undue risk to the health and safety of the pub,lic.
The temporary waiver of compliance with the cited Technical Specification p
requirements was verbally granted to your staff on January 22, 1992.
This letter confirms the granting of a temporary waiver of compliance with the p
970135 9301290029 930125
(
PDR ADOCK 05000423 6
P PDR
1 Mr. John-F. Opeka..
cited Technical-- Specification requirements-and the temporary waiver of_
compliance will -be in effect until we complete the processing of-an emergency license amendment.
Yo'u have acknowledged, in your letter of January 15, 1993, that you were not timely in recognizing the fact that the 18-month functional tests-of snubbers would expire on January 22, 1993, and that you failed to track surveillance due dates effectively.
Such failure could be indicative of possible failures of tracking other systems' 18-month surveillances, not only for Millstone 3 but also for your other units as well.
It appears that the need for this emergency action was entirely _ avoidable since snubber functional testing is a standard scheduled activity.
You have committed a task force to investigate =
and verify that all 18-month surveillances required to be performed during plant shutdown are properly identified and you have committed the Quality
. Services Department to investigate this event and determine the root causes and recommend any appropriate corrective actions. We request your report on' the results of these two activities, not only for Millstone 3 but other units as well, and that you provide us your schedule for such report within 30 days-of receipt of this letter.
This request affects one respondent.and, therefore,-is not subject to Office of Management and Budget review under P.L.96-511.
A copy of the Safety Evaluation supporUng this action is enclosed.
Sincerely, Original signed by W. Butler for Jose A. Calvr, Assistant Direciar for Region I Reactors Division of Reactor Projects - 1/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation cc: See next page OFFICE LA:PDI-4 PM;PDL+f DrPDJ-4 BC:E}tEB a i Region 1 JStob JN/rNr
[p 8dhe NAME S
is c
onE
/ /15/93
/ /fS793
/ / 2 593
/ /6 793
/ //r/93 0FFICE
.AQ:DRPE 1 O NAME Calvo f
( g [/93'
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
WE OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Document Name:
G:\\R00NEY\\M85470.WAV
e e
-Q L*-
- Distribution 1 Docket file NRC & Local-PDRs PD I-4 Plant TMurley FMiraglia--
JPartlow SVarga -;-
JCalvo JStolz SNorris-VRooney OGC-DHagan-GHill (2)
Wanda Jones-
-CGrimes
-- TChan ACRS.(10)
OPA OC/LFDCB JLieberman, OE MBoylei.
LTDoerflein, R1 A
L u
,, ~.
e ee-
n.
Mr. John F. Opeka Millstone Nuclear Power Station Northeast Nuclear Energy Company Unit 3-cc:
Gerald Garfield, Esquire R. M. Kacich, Director Day, Berry and Howard Nuclear Licensing Counselors at Law Northeast Utilities-Service Company City Place Post Office Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06103-3499 Hartford, Connecticut 06141-0270 W. D. Romberg, Vice President D. O. Nordquist Nuclear, Operations Services Director of Quality Services 4
Northeast Utilities Service Company Northeast Utilities. Service Company-Post Office Box 270 Post Office Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06141-0270 Hartford, Connecticut-06141-0270 Kevin McCarthy, Director Regional Administrator Radiation Control Unit Region I Department of Environmental Protection U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission State Office Building 47S Allendale Road Hartford, Connecticut 06106 King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Allan Johanson, Assistant Director First Selectmen Office of Policy and Management Town of Waterford Policy Development & Planning Division Hall of Records 80 Washington Street 200 Boston Post Road Hartford,. Connecticut 06106 Waterford, Connecticut 06385 S. E. Scace, Nuclear Station Director P. D. Swetland, Resident In.tpector Millstone Nuclear Power Station Millstone Nuclear Power Station Northeast Nuclear Energy Company c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Post Office Box 128 Post Office Box 513 Waterford,-Connecticut 06385 Niantic, Connecticut 06357 C. H. Clement, Nuclear' Unit Director M. R. Scully, Executive Director Millstone Unit No. 3 Connecticut Municipal Electric Northeast Nuclear Energy Company Energy Cooperative e
Post Office Box 128 30 Stott Avenue Waterford, Connecticut 06385 Norwich, Connecticut 06360 Burlington Electric Department David W. Graham c/o Robert E. Fletcher, Esq.
Fuel Supply Planning Manager.
271 South Union Street Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Burlington, Vermont 05402 Electric Company i
Post Office Box 426 Nicholas S. Reynolds Ludlow, Massachusetts 01056 Winston & Strawn 1400 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20005-3502
%s.