ML20129D892
| ML20129D892 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Maine Yankee |
| Issue date: | 09/20/1996 |
| From: | Wiggins J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Frizzle C Maine Yankee |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20129D895 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-96-299, NUDOCS 9609300220 | |
| Download: ML20129D892 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000309/1996010
Text
.
O
D'O
'
September 20, 1996
EA 96-299
Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
President
Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company
329 Bath Road
Brunswick, Maine 04011
SUBJECT: MAINE YANKEE SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT 50-309/96-10
Dear Mr. Frizzle:
This letter refers to the special inspection conducted from August 6 through
August 9,1996, at the Maine Yankee facility. The purpose of the inspection was to
determine whether activities authorized by the license were conducted safely, and in
accordance with NRC requirements. At the August 22,1996, telephone exit meeting, the
findings were discussed with Messrs. Leitch and Whittier and other members of your staff.
The inspection was directed toward areas important to public health and safety. The areas
examined during this inspection included: (1) your corrective actions after you identified
electric equipment that could be submerged following a loss-of-coolant accident, and (2)
your qualification documents and justification for continued operation for the primary
component cooling water pump motors and the secondary component cooling water pump
motors following certain postulated high energy line break in the turbine building. The
inspection consisted of selected examinations of design documentation, procedures and
representative records, personnel interviews, and review of the actions taken by your staff
to address these issues.
Based on the results of this inspection, one apparent violation was identified and is being
considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General Statement of
Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy) (60 FR 34381;
June 30,1995). Maine Yankee had been operating with multiple unqualified electric
equipment important to safety for many years. This constitutes an apparent violation of
10 CFR 50.49, which requires certain post-accident monitoring equipment be qualified to
the environment with which they are expected to function, including submergence.
Accordingly, no Notice of Violation is presently being issued for these inspection findings,
in addition, be advised that the number and characterization of apparent violations
described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review.
A predecisional enforcement conference to discuss the apparent violation will be scheduled
at a later date. The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not
mean that the NRC has determined that a violation has occurred or that enfdrcement action
will be taken. The conference is being held to obtain information to enable the NRC to
make an enforcement decision, such as a common understanding of the facts, root causes,
missed opportunities to identify the apparent violations sooner, corrective actions,
significance of the issues, and the need for lasting and effective corrective action. Inp'
f
9609300220 960920
I
ADOCK 05000309
G
_
.
.
Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
2
1
addition, this is an opportunity for you to point out any errors in our inspection report and
for you to provide any information concerning your perspectives on: (1) the severity of the
apparent violation, (2) the application of the factors that the NRC considers when it
i
determines the amount of a civil penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section
i
VI.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy, and (3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy
)
to this case, including the exercise of discretion in accordance with Section Vll. We
request that you also address the environmental qualification of the primary component
cooling water pump motors and the secondary component cooling water pump motors
during the conference, when scheduled.
You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this
matter. No response regarding these apparent violations is required at this time.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter
and its enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
W
&
.mamet
L Sheses
.
James T. Wiggins, Director
j
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-309
Enclosure: NRC Inspection Report No. 50-309/96-10
cc w/ encl:
G. Leitch, Vice President, Operations
J. M. Block, Attorney at Law
P. L. Anderson, Project Manager (Yankee Atomic Electric Company)
C. Shaw, Plant Manager
L. Diehl, Manager of Public and Governmental Affairs
J. A. Ritsher, Attorney (Ropes and Gray)
P. Dostie, State Nuclear Safety inspector
P. Brann, Assistant Attorney General
U. Vanags, State Nuclear Safety Advisor
C. Brinkman, Combustion Engineering, Inc.
W. D. Meinert, Nuclear Engineer
First Selectmen of Wiscasset
Maine State Planning Officer - Nuclear Safety Advisor
State Planning Officer - Executive Department
Friends of the Coast
.
.
Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
3
Distribution w/ encl:
Region l Docket Room (with concurrences)
Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)
PUBLIC
NRC Resident inspector
D. Screnci, PAO
R. Conte, DRP
H. Eichenholz, DRP
C. Beardslee, DRS
C. O'Daniell, DRP
DRS File
Distribution w/enci (VIA E-MAIL):
W. Dean, OEDO
S. Varga, Director,1/11, DRPE, NRR
E. Trottier, LPM, NRR
inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)
i
fg>
r
g
gg
s
DOCUMENT NAME: A:\\MY9610. INS
n ,.c.i
...,vorini...com.ni.inoic.. inia.no.: c - dony .,tnout .it.cnm.ntioncio.u,.
c. . copy .itn .11. cam.ni,.ncio.u,.
u . nocopy
0FFICE
RI/DRS /,f(,
X Rl/DRS
l
Rl/DRP
l
RI/D85
l
l
NAME
LCheung/dmg
WRuland"
RConte N E -,0 / WiWoS V
DATE
09/17/96
09/
/96
09/n /96
09/it(/96
V
09/
/96
0FFICIAL RECORD COPY