ML20133A481

Forwards Insp Rept 50-213/96-11 on 960921-1115 & Notice of Violation

ML20133A481
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	12/24/1996
From:	Cooper R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Feigenbaum T, Harpster T NORTHEAST UTILITIES SERVICE CO.
Shared Package
ML20133A483	List: ML20133A481 ML20133A491 ML20133A503
References
EA-96-495, NUDOCS 9612310135
Download: ML20133A481 (3)

See also: IR 05000213/1996011

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l December 24,1996

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EA 96-495

Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum

Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer

Northeast Utilities Service Company l

c/o Mr. Terry L. Harpster  !

P.O. Box 128 +

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Waterford, CT 06385

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SUBJECT: NRC INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT 50-213/96-11 AND NOTICE OF

VIOLATION <

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Dear Mr. Feigenbaum: '

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j On November'15,1996, the NRC completed an inspection at Connecticut Yankee Atomic

Power Company. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection, j

During the seven-week period covered by this inspection, the conduct of activities at the  !

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Haddam Neck Station facility showed mixed performance to prepare the reactor for fuel l

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offload. Significant plant resources and management attention were devoted to recovering i

from a significant loss of safety margin during shutdown operations events, and to address '

material deficiencies in the spent fuel cooling system prior to defueling the reactor.

Although several corrective actions were taken to address personnel performance issues,

these measures were not fully effective, as evidenced by events in which an unintended i

primary water diversion diluted the reactor coolant system boron concentration, and plant i

personnel demonstrated poor sensitivity to work delays while the plant was in a condition

of relatively high shutdown risk. Several events reported during this period provided

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examples of discrepancies in meeting the design and licensing basis, of deficiencies in 3

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translating the licensing basis into practice, of inadequate reporting of plant events, and l

ineffective corrective actions.

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l Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC has determined that violations of NRC ,

l requirements occurred. One violation is cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation, and the l

circumstances surrounding the violation are described in detailin the enclosed report. The  !

violation involved inadequate reporting of inoperable safety equipment. Please note that  !

you are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the

enclosed Notice when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part,

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to determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with ,

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regulatory requirements.

In addition to the violation cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation, eight other apparent

violations of NRC requirements were identified, as described in the enclosed inspection

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, report. These issues are further examples of concerns identified by recent NRC inspections

that were the subject of the Predecisional Enforcement Conference held with you and I

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I 9612310135 961224

! PDR ADOCK 05000213

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Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum 2

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members of your staff on December 4,1996. The apparent violations involved the lack of

procedures for design basis events (fuel handling accident), ineffective corrective actions ,

for reactor coolant system inventory diversions, deficiencies in surveillance procedures that '

resulted in an inoperable spent fuel building ventilation system during past operations to

move fuel, inadequate design control and corrective actions for instrumentation setpoint  !

and calibration controls, inadequate design control measures to address postulated flood

events in the auxiliary building, inadequate calibration of instruments relied upon to assure  !

boric acid flow paths remain operable, and the failure to test a containment penetration in  :

accordance.with 10 CFR 50 Appendix J. As discussed in a telephone conversation on  !

December 16,1996, between you and Mr. Rogge of this office, the circumstances

surrounding these apparent violations are well understcod by our staff. We believe that  :

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the root causes of these latest deficiencies are similar in nature to the weaknesses in

conduct of operations, corrective action effectiveness, and management oversight and

control that led to.the previously identified apparent violations that were discussed in the

Predecisional Enforcement Conference on December 4,1996. Accordingly, we believe

that we have sufficient understanding and information to enable our staff to make an

enforcement decision. Based on the telephone discussion with Mr. Rogge, we understand

that you do not require a predecisional enforcement conference for these matters.

Enforcement for these apparent violations will be handled by separate correspondence at a

later date. We do plan to meet with your organization in early February to discuss planned

staffing and activities relative to the future decommissioning of the Haddam Neck Plant, as

well as your progress on corrective actions for prior violations. If our understanding is

incorrect, please notify Mr. John Rogge, of this office, within 7 days of your receipt of this

letter, at (610) 337-5146. .

l The security program was reviewed during this period. The inspection consisted of

l selective reviews of procedures and records, inspector observations, and interviews with

licensee and contractor security personnel. No safety concerns or violations were

l identified. The inspector determined that you are implementing a security program that

l effectively protects public health and safety.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter

and its enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR).

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Sincerely,

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Original Signed By:

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Richard W. Cooper, ll, Director

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Division of Reactor Projects

Docket No. 50-213

License No. DPR-61

l Enclosures:

! 1. Notice of Violation

2. NRC Inspection Report No. 50-213/96-11

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Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum 3

cc w/encis:

B. D. Kenyon, President - Nuclear Group

D. M. Goebel Vice President - Nuclear Oversight

J. K. Thayer, Vice President - Recovery Officer, Nuclear Engineering and Support

F. C. Rothen, Vice President - Work Services

J. J. LaPlatney, Haddam Neck Unit Director

L. M. Cuoco, Senior Nuclear Counsel

G. P. Van Noordennen, Manager, Nuclear Licensing

H. F. Haynes, Director - Nuclear Training

J. F. Smith, Manager, Operator Training

W. D. Meinert, Nuclear Engineer

State of Connecticut SLO

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i Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum 4  !

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Distribution w/encis:

Region i Docket Room (with concurrences) l

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Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)

PUBLIC

[ NRC Resident inspector

D. Screnci, PAO (2)

J. Rogge, DRP l

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M. Conner, DRP 1

C. O'Daniell, DRP l

C. Doutt, NRR/HICB  ;

D. Vito, ORA (2) l

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Distribution w/encls (VIA E-MAIL): l

W. Dean, OEDO

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j_ D. Holody, Region I  !

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J. Lieberman, OE ,

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P. McKee, NRR/PD l-4 I

i S. Dembek, PM, NRR

M. Fairtile, PM, NRR

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R. Jones, NRR

- M. Callahan, OCA

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R. Correia, NRR (RPC)

R. Frahm, Jr., NRR (RKF) ,

] D. Screnci, PAO, ORA

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Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS) l

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DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ BRANCH 8\HN\96-11.RPT

{ To receive a copy of this document. Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with )

attachment / enclosure "N" = No copy i

OFFICE Rl/DRP Rl/DRP Rl/OE l Rl/DRP/ // p -

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j NAME RAYMOND ROGGE HOLODY COOPERUCf  !

DATE 12/ /96 12/ /96 12/ /96 12Af/96 i

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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