ML20128P881

Discusses Licensee Assessment Results & Action Plan in Response to NRC CAL-RIII-96-13.Mgt Meeting Scheduled for 960923 to Discuss Assessment & Planned Actions

ML20128P881
Person / Time
Site:	Clinton
Issue date:	09/20/1996
From:	Beach A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Jackie Cook ILLINOIS POWER CO.
References
CAL-RIII-96-13, NUDOCS 9610180146
Download: ML20128P881 (3)

Text

. _ . . . __ _ . _ _ _ _ _ . - .. _ - . _ _ __ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ . _ . . . . _

e s L h -d /

September 20, 1996 ^

M -- ~

Mr. John Cook Senior Vice President Energy Supply Illinois Power Company

' 500 South 27th Street Decatur, IL 62525

SUBJECT:

ILLIN0IS POWER COMPANY ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO NRC CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER

Dear Mr. Cook:

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' -0n September 5, 1996, Clinton Power Station experienced a failu k o $ *B" reactor recirculation pump seal while attempting to place the plant in ng$$,j loop operation by isolating the "B" that leakage from the "B" reactor recirculation reactor recirculationpump seal waslo6$agYg%g the 6ftq believed unidentified leakage into the drywell. Thatunidentifiedleakageratewas[00k approaching the technical specification limit requiring corrective action or plant shutdown. On September 11, 1996, we issued Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) No. RIII-96-013 to your Clinton Power Station based on our concerns with the decisions and actions that were taken in response to plant conditions during this event.

In accordance with your commitments documented in the CAL, you provided your assessment of this event in a letter dated September 16, 1996. On September 17, 1996, you documented your proposed action plan to address the issues ide".cified in your assessment.

We have initiated our review of your assessment and proposed action plan.

While your conclusions refer to procedural compliance problems, your detailed assessment did not describe your staff's failure to comply with procedures during the event of September 5, 1996.

Based on our concerns with the adequacy of your assessment, a management meeting has been scheduled for September 23, 1996, at 9:00 a.m. CDT. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss with you and your staff your assessment.and planned actions in response to the September 5, 1996, reactor-recirculation seal failure event which led to the eventual shutdown of Clinton Power Station on September 6, 1996. This meeting will be open to the public.

Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Roger Lanksbury at (630) 829-9631.

Sincerely, Original signed by W..L. Axelson A. Bill Beach l

D b DO N 05000061 [ Regional Administrator g

b SEE ATTACHED CONCURRENCES DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ COOK.LTR .

I To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box 'C' = Copy w/o attach /enci *E' = Copy w/ attach / enc! *N" = No copy 0FFICE DRP l DRP M lC ORA 4-h l EIC n Cr NAME Roton/Lanksbury/sn Caldw(l Wr obe Bert0frh L ,1 , Burgesi)Wif DATE 4 kb' '/ Fl7'# hh T '

0FFICE PA0 01 m ORA ,,. /A l NAME Strasma PauTF AxelsMiM4(agh DATE ,/r#/f4 "'V 4 lid

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September 20, 1996 l

Mr. John Cook, Senior Vice President Energy Supply l Illinois Power Company l 500 South 27th Street l Decatur, IL 62525 '

SUBJECT:

ILLIN0IS POWER COMPANY ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO NRC CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER l

Dear Mr. Cook,

On September 5,1996, Clinton Power Station i <perienced a failure of the "B" q reactor recirculation pump seal while attemptug to place the plant in single i loop operation by isolating the "B" reactor recirculation loop. You believed l' that leakage from the "B" reactor recirculation pump seal was the source of unidentified leakage into the drywell. That unidentified leakage rate was approaching the technical specification limit requiring corrective action or plant shutdown. On September 11, 1996, we issued Confirmatory Action Letter j (CAL) No. RIII-96-013 to your Clinton Power Station based on our concerr.s with  ;

the decisions and actions that were taken in response to plant conditions during  :

this event.

l In accordance with your commitments documented in the CAL, you provided your assessment of this event in a letter dated September 16, 1996. On September 17,  !

1996, you documented y; . proposed action plan to address the issues identified ,

in your assessment. '

We have initiated our review of your assessment and proposed action plan. While your conclusions refer to procedural compliance problems, your detailed assessment did not describe your staff's failure to comply with procedures during the event of September 5, 1996.

Based on our concerns with the adequacy of your assessment, a management meeting has been scheduled for September 23,1996, at 9:00 a.m. CDT. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss with you and your staff your assessment and planned actions in response to the September 5,1996, reactor recirculation seal failure event which led to the eventual shutdown of Clinton Power Station on September 6, 1996. This meeting will be open to the public. Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Roger Lanksbury at (630) 829-9631.

Sincerely, A. Bill Beach Regional Administrator To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box U - Copy w/o attach / encl "E" = Copy w/ attach / encl."N" - No copy OFFICE vG0 1 D&D / r r$ I (> ORA I E!C I mg A Cald=e 8erson 6urgess OA1E / R\MI S as ui A 1 son / Beach L OFFICIAL RECORD .OPY

f J. Cook  !

cc: W. Connell, Vice President R. Morgenstern, Plant Manager

Clinton Power Station j M. W. Lyon, Director - Licensing l Nathan Schloss, Economist i

Office of the Attorney General i K. K. Berry, licensing Services Manager

] General Electric Company 1 Chairman, DeWitt County Board i State Liaison Officer Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission b Distribution:

j Docket File DRP 4 OC/LFDCB PUBLIC IE-01 SRI Clinton, Dresden, RIII PRR

} LaSalle, Quad Cities CAAl (E-mail) i Project Manager, NRR A. B. Beach, RIII j B. L. Burgess, RIII W. L. Axelson, RIII i

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