ML20127P445

Responds to Requesting Info Re Operation of Plant

ML20127P445
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	01/24/1972
From:	Muntzing L US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
To:	Bauser E CONGRESS, JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY
Shared Package
ML20127P449	List: ML20127P445 ML20127P463
References
NUDOCS 9212020221
Download: ML20127P445 (2)

Text

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JAN gi W2 i

l Docket No. 50-263 i

l b - l-J Mr. Edward J. Beuser 3

i Executive Director

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Joint Committee on Atomic Energy l

Congress of the United States

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x Dear Mr. Beuser

1. . ' O L eW l

l In your January 7 letter you requested _ information en operettaa of i

the Northern States Power Company's Montieelle Flaat._ A summary of a number of their ootstanding problems uma disonesed. is our l

1etter to the applicant dated October 18, 1971. A copy of this l

1etter is enclosed. Our purpose for writing _the letter was to j

indicate that asnagement attenties was secessary to improve the i

management and control system, and overall technical serveillance of plant operations by the company. The items mentissed were cited as examples where we could not conclude that. the~ aafety.easusittee -

functioned properly; the fact that the everres occurred and the reporting thereof was not at is' sue.

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Your letter also requested information sa dhe emplestaa ubick occurred on November 14, 1971.

The applicant's repwit ubich was timely and properly submitted is enclosed for your taferusties...We are also enclosing a copy.of the results of an inspectica comoorming a radio-active release which was made from the Monticelle Plant sa November 20, 1971 and which received widespread publicity.

As indicated above, there have been events at the MonAicallo Plant g

F which have had safety implications. Northern states Power hea,-to.

our knowledge, not been in violation of its license'end has properly reported these events in confeposace with the reporting.regairements l_

'of the Monticello Technical' specifications. spesifiselly, it sa per-l-

missible to operate the facility with an_tmergency_ Csee Coo 11ag sub E syetan est of operaties for a. limited ported of-~ time ute teorensed

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f Mr. Edward J. Bauser 2

surveillance testing of the redundant subsystem. The Nooticello Technical Specifications (p.103) would perunit tbs EPCI to be in-operable for a period of up to seven days psweided,thet the cere spray and low pressure coolant injection systeme"are. tested to assure operability when the RPCI is disoevered to be inoperable.

%e automatic pressure relief embeystem and reacter esee toelatten -.

cooling system are also tested them and daily thereafter matti the HPCI is restored to service.

This assures that the emergadey core cooling function will be performed even during the short periods when the HPCI is out of service.

We have been concerned with the managensat attention 'given to the Monticello operations as indicated in our October 18, 1971 letter.

Subsequent to this letter, the Northern States Power Company smede revisions to its management organization. Our preliminary evalua-tion is that management involvement has improved on Monticello, however, we will continue to review this area.

Sincerely, (signed) L. Manning Muntzing L. Manning Huntaing Director of Regulation

Enclosures:

1.

Ltr from P. A. Morris to Distribution:

Northern States Power Co.,

Docket 4 dtd 10-1$-71 2..

DRReadingf Ltr from NSP to P. A. Morris, DRL Reading ='

dtd 11-24-71 BWR-l' File' 3.

Rpt of Inspection Monticello Control No. 4080 Nuclear Power Station, Nov. 21-24, 1971 LMMuntzinc, DR CLHenderson

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