ML20128H372

Forwards SALP 13 Rept for Plant Covering Period 940821 Though 960817

ML20128H372
Person / Time
Site:	Byron
Issue date:	10/01/1996
From:	Beach A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Graesser K COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
Shared Package
ML20128H376	List: IR 05000454/1996001 ML20128H372
References
NUDOCS 9610090322
Download: ML20128H372 (7)

Text

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October 1, 1996 Mr. K. Graesser Site Vice President Byron Station-Commonwealth Edison Company 4450 N. German Church Road Byron, IL 61010

Dear Mr. Graesser:

Enclosed for your review is the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) 13 Report for the Byron Nuclear Plant, covering the period August 21, 1994, through August 17, 1996. This report will be discussed with you at a public meeting to be held at tl <. con Site, on October 8, 1996, at 10 a.m.

(CDT).

During this meeting you are encouraged to candidly discuss any comments you may have regarding our report.

In accordance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) policy, I have reviewed the recommendations resulting from the SALP Board assessment and concur with their ratings. The areas of maintenance and engineering were rated Category 1. The operations and plant support areas were rated Category 2.

The details of our assessment are provided in the enclosed report. It is my view that conduct of nuclear activities at Byron, while excellent overall, declined in operations and plant support when compared to the last SALP period. The decline was due to the continuation of operator errors, examples of a less conservative safety focus and evaluation of risk considerations in planned activities, and significant weaknesses in the chemistry program.

Byron's overall performance was characterized by excellent communications, and by active teamwork to solve plant problems. Self-assessments and site quality verification assessments were generally penetrating and self-critical.

Control room teamwork and use of emergency procedures during plant transients and events was excellent. Material condition was, with few exceptions, excellent; equipment was reliable and available; work clanning was thorough, systematic, and effective. Engineering provided excellent support for extensive steam generator inspections, and aggressive followup on generic issues.

However, examples of operator errors, a concern in the last SALP period, and less conservative safety focus and risk considerations were noted. Operators transferred primary water to incorrect locations; misoperated emergency diesel generators; repeatedly diluted the reactor with inadequate formality and I l controls; and caused inadvertent nitrogen injections into the reactor, during 1 reduced inventory operations, causing level and pressure transients. Risk 1 l

assessment for a station auxiliary transformer repair and for emergency diesel 9610090322 961001 PDR ADOCK 05000454 k

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K. Graesser generator work during an outage, was less rigorous than would be expected from a superior performer. Also, several weaknesses in the chemistry program, some of which were not promptly corrected when discovered by your personnel, were indicative of insufficient management oversight of this program.

In summary, notwithstanding these specific weaknesses, Byron's overall performance was excellent. Although engineering and maintenance performance was superior, declines in operations and plant support performance in this SALP period were observed which were not consistent with superior performance.

Performance in these areas was good overall.

In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and the SALP report will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room.

Should you have any questions concerning the SALP Report, we would be pleased to discuss them with you. While no written response is required, if you wish, you may provide written comments within 30 days of the SALP meeting.

Sincerely,

/s/A. Bill Beach A. Bill Beach Regional Administrator Docket No. 50-454 Docket No. 50-455

Enclosure:

SALP 13 Report No. (50-454/455/96001)

(See attached concurrence)

(See attached continued distribution)

Document: On Disk g g . .. . ..,, .,ini.

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NAME Landsman Miller Capra Grant Grobe/Caldwell DATE 09/ /96 09/ /96 09/ /96 09/ /96 09/ /96 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY

1 K. Graesser l l

l In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and the SALP report will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room.

Should you have any questions concerning the SALP Report, we would be pleased to discuss them with you. While no written response is required, if you wish, you may provide written comments within 30 days of the SALP meeting.

Sincerely, A. Bill Beach Regional Administrator

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Enclosure:

SALP 13 i Report No. (50-454/455/96001) l I

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(See attached continued distribution)

Document: On Disk

. . ..... i. in. n . c - c.,,. n-g g gi.. . ..,,.,ini. . ... f i c - c.,,.iin .it. nf i 0FFICE RIII,, RIII (b NRR k RIII RIII m //

NAME La$Nmfd Mille b Capra4 M Grant N Grghaldwell DATE 09/24/96 09M/96 09/M$ 09/d/k 09M/96 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY l

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K. Graesser Distribution continued cc w/ encl:

D. A. Sager, Vice President, Generation Support H. W. Keiser, Chief Nuclear Operating Officer K. Kofron, Station Manager D. Brindle, Regulatory Assurance Supervisor I. Johnson, Acting Nuclear Regulatory Services Manager Richard Hubbard Nathan Schloss, Economist Office of the Attorney General State Liaison Officer, Wisconsin State Liaison Officer Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission Document Control Desk-Licensing INP0 Chairman Jackson Commissioner Rogers Commissioner Dicus Commissioner Diaz 1 Commissioner McGaffigan I OEDO J. Lieberman, Director, Office of Enforcement W. T. Russell, Director, NRR R. Zimmerman, Associate Director for Projects, NRR A. C. Thadani, Associate Director for Inspection & Technical Assessment, NRR J. W. Roe, Director, Division of Reactor Projects III/IV, NRR R. A. Capra, Director, Project Directorate III-2, NRR G. F. Dick, Byron Project Manager, NRR D. L. Gamberoni, SALP Program Manager, NRR (2 copies)

DRP Division Directors, All Regions R. J. Caniano, RIII L. Cox, RIII*

Docket File w/ encl DRP w/ encl OC/LFDCB w/ encl RIII PRR w/ encl SRI Byron, Braidwood, Zion w/ encl PUBLIC IE-01 w/ encl Project Manager, NRR w/ encl IPAS (E-Mail) w/ encl RMB/ FEES w/o encl A. B. Beach, w/ encl RAC1 (E-Mail) w/ encl B. L. Burgess, w/ encl W. L. Axelson, w/ encl

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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION s i N E REGION lit E

801 WARRENVILLE ROAD k, 8 LISLE, ILLINOIS 6o532-4351

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J October 1, 1996 Mr. K. Graesser Site Vice President Byron Station  :

Commonwealth Edison Company I 4450 N. German Church Road Byron, IL 61010 i i

Dear Mr. Graesser:

l Enclosed for your review is the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) 13 Report for the Byron Nuclear Plant, covering the period August 21, 1994, through August 17, 1996. This report will be di'scussed with you at a public meeting to be held at the Byron Site, on October 8,1996, at 10 a.m.

(CDT).

l During this meeting you are encouraged to candidly discuss any comments you may have regarding our report.

In accordance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) policy, I have reviewed  !

the recommendations resulting from the SALP Board assessment and concur with their ratings. The areas of maintenance and engineering were rated Category 1. The operations and plant support areas were rated Category 2.

The details of our assessment are provided in the enclosed report. It is my {

view that conduct of nuclear activities at Byron, while excellent overall, declined in operations and plant support when compared to the last SALP period. The decline was due to the continuation of operator errors, examples of a less conservative safety focus and evaluation of risk considerations in planned activities, and significant weaknesses in the chemistry program.

Byron's overall performance was characterized by excellent communications, and by active teamwork to solve plant problems. Self-assessments and site quality verification assessments were generally penetrating and self-critical.

Control room teamwork and use of emergency procedures during plant transients and events was excellent. Material condition was, with few exceptions, excellent; equipment was reliable and available; work planning was thorough, systematic, and effective. Engineering provided excellent support for extensive steam generator inspections, and aggressive followup on generic issues.

However, examples of operator errors, a concern in the last SALP period, and less conservative safety focus and risk considerations were noted. Operators transferred primary water to incorrect locations; misoperated emergency diesel generators; repeatedly diluted the reactor with inadequate formality and controls; and caused inadvertent nitrogen injections into the reactor, during l reduced inventory operations, causing level and pressure transients. Risk j assessment for a station auxiliary transformer repair and for emergency diesel l

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1 K. Graesser )

generator work during an Lutage, was less rigorous than would be expected from a superior performer. Also, several weaknesses in the chemistry program, some

+ of which were not promptly corrected when discovered by your personnel, were indicative of insufficient management oversight of this program.

In summary, notwithstanding these specific weaknesses, Byron's overall performance was excellent. Although engineering and maintenance performance was superior, declines in operations and plant support performance in this t SALP period were observed which were not consistent with superior performance.

Performance in these areas was good overall.

In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and the SALP report will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room.

Should you have any questions concerning the SALP Report, we would be pleased to discuss them with you. While no written response is required, if you wish,

~

you may provide written comments within 30 days of the SALP meeting.

Sincerely, I ('

u41 acJ d(.BillBeach Regional Administrator Docket No. 50-454 Docket No. 50-455

Enclosure:

SALP 13 Report No. (50-454/455/96001) l i

l l

i (See attached distribution)

. . . . . -. . . . - . .- - .-. . . . . - . = .. - - - . - - . .

i Multiple Addressees (Distribution Continued) cc w/ encl:

D. A. Sager, Vice President, Generation Support H. W. Keiser, Chief Nuclear Operating Officer K. Kofron, Station Manager D. Brindle, Regulatory Assurance Supervisor I. Johnson, Acting Nuclear Regulatory Services Manager Richard Hubbard Nathan Schloss, Economist Office of the Attorney General State Liaison Officer, Wisconsin State Liaison Officer Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission Document Control Desk-Licensing INP0 Chairman Jackson Commissioner Rogers Commissioner Dicus Commissioner Diaz Commissioner McGaffigan OED0 J. Lieberman, Director, Office of Enforcement F. J. Miraglia Jr., Acting Director, NRR R. Zime rman, Associate Director for Projects, NRR A. C. Thudani, Acting Deputy Director, NRR J. W. Roe, Director, Division of Reactor Projects III/IV, NRR R. A. Capra, Director, Project Directorate III-2, NRR G. F. Dick, Byron Senior Project Manager, D. L. Gamb9roni, SALP Program Manager, NRR (2 copies)

DRP Division Directors, All Regions R. J. Caniano, RIII L. Cox, RIII I

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