ML20128F475

Requests That Gpc & Southern Nuclear Operating Co Be Notified Re Attached Vogtle Press Release for 940509

ML20128F475
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	05/06/1994
From:	Clark K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Kopeck J NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA)
Shared Package
ML20128F432	List: CLI-94-05, Discusses Commission Order,CLI-94-05,affirming in Part & Reversing in Part LBP-94-06 Re Release of OI Rept ML20128F428 ML20128F447 ML20128F465 ML20128F475 ML20128F489 ML20128F495 ML20128F526 ML20128F542 ML20128F567 ML20128F586 ML20128F609 ML20128F685 ML20128G131 ML20128G152 ML20128G229 ML20128G249 ML20128G267 ML20128G283 ML20128G303 ML20128G317 ML20128G348 ML20128G379 ML20128G431 ML20128G606 ML20128G630 ML20128G716 ML20128G828 ML20128H268 ML20128H290 ML20128H311 ML20128H333 ML20128Q071 ML20128Q076 ML20129F252 ML20129F457 ML20129F532 ML20129F554 ML20129F587 ML20129F716 ML20129G407 ML20129G457 ML20129G551 ML20129G624 ML20129G845 ML20129G901 ML20129H012 ML20129H034 ML20129H037 ML20129H040 ... further results
References
FOIA-95-81 NUDOCS 9610080089
Download: ML20128F475 (5)

Text

-. -. - - . -- . .. _. . . _ _ ..

i

'O o

Sm 'f,, m v From:

To Kenneth M. Clark (KMC2)

JTK _f, #%

Dates Friday, May 6, 94 1:51 pu subject Press Relea on Vogtle Enforcement Pleasdotify)the following at Georgia Power and Southern Nuclear Operating Company, re the Vogtle press reelase for Monday, May 9, 1994:

Georgia Power: David Altman, Public Affairs manager i (404) 526-7475 SNOC: Ed Crosby, Public Affairs Mgr. (205) 868-5752 7

According to our " practice" we should notify them this afternoon-if we are going to issue forth on Monday. If we notify the on our normal " practice" would be to issue the press t/

as Tuesday.

My barometer says Ebneter may get the signal to notify company

$ officials this afternoon, clearing the decks for Monday's press volley.

If you want, I can call the above two after company officials have been informed. 1 CC: WMB,SDE,BXU,CFE,JRJ I

ff' .

gu: m osf @3 i

6 9610080089 960827 PDR FOIA WILMOTH95-81 PDR

t e

I NRC STAFF PROPOSES $200,000 FINE AGAINST GEORGIA POWER COMPANY I The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing to fine 1

Georgia Power Company $200,000 for supplying _ inaccurate and l 1

_ncompaeta i information related to the reliability of diesel generators at the company's Vogtle nuclear power plant in i

Georgia.

l In addition to the proposed fine, the NRC is issuing

/ Imands for / k formation to Georgia Power, regarding individt , i perfcrmance failures of six officials, to enable the NRC to determine whether, additional enforcement. actions are necessary, i

The proposed fine follows an investigation conducted by the NRC's Office of Investigations (OI) as a result of allegations I received in June 1990 that false statements were made to the NRC by senior management of Georgia Power regarding the reliskility of diesel generators at Vogtle. In March of 1990, the cc any declared a Site Area Emergency during a refueling outage at Vogtle 1 when offsite power was lost concurrent with the failure of the only diesel ge',arator that was then available.

Georgia Power agreed not to return Vogtle 1 to power until the NRC's Regional Administrator II in Atlanta, Georgia, was

/.

. - ~ v ~

_ _ . _ ~ _ _ __._____.____.__._._..______-.__.__.__.-._m .

l 1

l '

l satisfied the plant could do so safely. In support of a request  !

to return the unit to operation, the company made an oral I

presentation in Region II offices in April 1990 and sp'.cifically addressed diesel generator reliability at the request of the NRC. The agency granted permission for the unit to return to operation shortly afterward.

1 I

When allegations were received in June 1990, a special team l inspection by the NRC examined the technical and safety significance of the allegations. Based on evidence from the i special team inspection, information gathered in the OI  ;

investigation, letter submittals from Georgia Power on the diesel ,

generators, and discovery responses in a Vogtle operating license ,

amendment proceeding, the NRC has concluded that five violations occurred. The proposed civil penalty citesjrepeated failures of company management to provide complete and accurate information related to successful starts, failures or problems occurring with the diesel generators.

These alleged violations have been categorized as a severity Level II problam on a scale of I to V, with Level I representing a problem or violation of very significant regulatory concern.

I'

.c 0 j j

l i

As the NRC stated in the letter transmitting the Notice Violation to the licensee, " . . . these viol are of

~

e-regulatory significance, not because of e, affect hat the inaccuracies had'on the safety of plant operation, but becat the circumstances surrounding the communications with the N1 demonstrate an inadequate regard individually by a siember o senior licensee officials, and collectively by the licensen's  ;

management, for complete and accurate communications with the NRC."  ;

)

i The base civil penalty for Severity Level II is $80,000. 1 The civil penalty was increased 50 percent for NRC identification Cb and 100 percent for prior opportunity to identify and correct the problem, escalating the proposed fine to'$200,000. I i

Georgia Power has 30 days to submit a written statement to the NRC admitting or denying the violations, explaining the reasons for them if admitted, stating the corrective actions that have or will be taken and the date when full compliance will be achieved.

The company also has 30 days to pay the proposed fine or to protest it, in whole or in part. If the fine-is protested and later imposed, Georgia Power may request a public hearing.

l l

l Mt ^

. ;_ l

._ c gia Pow r also has 30 days to submit its written response to the demands for information. By separato l correspondence, company individuals who are subjects of demand for information are being given an opportunity to submit separate responses.  !

1. l 1

I l

1 at er