ML20133A481
| 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: |
| References | |
| EA-96-495, NUDOCS 9612310135 | |
| Download: ML20133A481 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000213/1996011
Text
4
. .
_ _ . .
_ _ _ _ . _ _
_ _ .__ _ -_- _ _
..
_ .
_ _ _ .
_ .
.
'/
!*
,e
,
,
i
e
i
l
December 24,1996
.
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
+
Waterford, CT 06385
,
i
SUBJECT:
NRC INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT 50-213/96-11 AND NOTICE OF
VIOLATION
<
t
Dear Mr. Feigenbaum:
'
i
!
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
l
Haddam Neck Station facility showed mixed performance to prepare the reactor for fuel
l
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
examples of discrepancies in meeting the design and licensing basis, of deficiencies in
3
,
i
translating the licensing basis into practice, of inadequate reporting of plant events, and
l
ineffective corrective actions.
I
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,
to determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with
,
,'
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
(
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
,
"
I
9612310135 961224
!
ADOCK 05000213
[
G
.
y
/
,;#
.
Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum
2
i
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
'
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).
,
Sincerely,
1
'
Original Signed By:
!
l
Richard W. Cooper, ll, Director
!
Division of Reactor Projects
Docket No. 50-213
License No. DPR-61
l
Enclosures:
!
2. NRC Inspection Report No. 50-213/96-11
-
1
l
3
-.m
-
.
_ . , .
_ . _ . ,
.
. . _ _ -..
7
y
-
.
,
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
,
I
i
1
. . _
_ _ _ _
_
_
. _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ . _ _ . _ . .
_ . . _ _
..
_
.
, j
,
<
!
i
Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum
4
!
Distribution w/encis:
'
Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)
l
l
Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)
PUBLIC
[
NRC Resident inspector
D. Screnci, PAO (2)
J. Rogge, DRP
M. Conner, DRP
1
-
C. O'Daniell, DRP
l
C. Doutt, NRR/HICB
D. Vito, ORA (2)
i
I
Distribution w/encls (VIA E-MAIL):
l
W. Dean, OEDO
"
j_
D. Holody, Region I
,
!
-
J. Lieberman, OE
3
P. McKee, NRR/PD l-4
i
R. Jones, NRR
4
M. Callahan, OCA
-
,
R. Correia, NRR (RPC)
R. Frahm, Jr., NRR (RKF)
,
]
D. Screnci, PAO, ORA
3
Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)
J
i
1
0
'
1
i
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
l
OFFICE
Rl/DRP
Rl/DRP
Rl/OE
l
Rl/DRP // p
/
-
,
j
NAME
RAYMOND
ROGGE
HOLODY
COOPERUCf
!
DATE
12/ /96
12/ /96
12/ /96
12Af/96
i
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
}
i
'
'
i
5
.
._
_ _
-,