ML20134G037
| ML20134G037 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 02/04/1997 |
| From: | Caldwell J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Kraft E COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20134G040 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-96-530, NUDOCS 9702100253 | |
| Download: ML20134G037 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000254/1996019
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February 4, 1997
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EA 96-530
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Mr. E. Kraft, Site Vice President
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Ouad Cities Station
Commonwealth Edison Company
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22710 206th Averue North
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Cordova, IL 61242
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SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORTS 50-254/96019(DRP) AND 50-265/96019(DRP)
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Dear Mr. Kraft:
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On November 26,1996, the NRC completed a special inspection at your
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station facilities. The enclosed report presents the results of
that inspection.
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Based on the results of this inspection, two apparent violations were identified and are
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being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General
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Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy),
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NUREG-1600. The first apparent violation involves the failure to maintain the reactor
building blow-out panels in accordance with the design basis. This failure resulted in:
(1) a number of damaged blow-out panel bolts existing for an extended period of time, and
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(2) installation of pipe supports without adequate evaluations. Both the damaged bolts
and.the pipe supports would have impeded the blow-out panels from performing the
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design function during certain accidents.
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The second apparent violation involves making changes to the facility without an adequate
evaluation to determine if an unreviewed safety question existed. In one example, the
existence of damaged bolts and attached pipe supports allowed the blow-out panels to
degrade into non-compliance with the design requirements described in the Updated Final
Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR). In the other example, a 10 CFR 50.59 safety evaluation
performed by your staff improperly concluded that the reactor building siding inner panel
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was the only siding component required for secondary containment, and that panel's
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exterior siding was not an integral part of secondary containment.
In accordance with the Enforcement Policy, no Notice of Violation is presently being issued
for these inspection findings. In addition, please be advised that the number and
characterization of the apparent violation described in the enclosed inspection report may
change as a result of further NRC review.
An open pre-decisional enforcement conference to discuss these apparent violations has
been scheduled for February 19,1997, at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) in the Region ill Office in Lisle,
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lllinois. The decision to hold a pre-decisional enforcement conference does
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9702100253 970204
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Mr. E. Kraft
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not mean that the NRC has determined that a violation has occurred or that enforcement
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action will be taken. This conference is being held to obtain information to enable the NRC
to make an enforcement decision. This information includes a common understanding of
the facts, root causes, missed opportunities to identify the apparent violation sooner,
corrective actions, significance of the issues and the need for lasting and effective
corrective action.
in particular, during the enforcement conference we expect you to address:
(1) how changes were made to the facility without determining if an unreviewed safety
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question existed, (2) what your plans are to increase the technical quality of safety
evaluations, (3) the reasons for the missed opportunities to determine if the non-safety
classification of the reactor building blow-out panels was consistent with the design basis,
and (4) your future plans and the corrective actions for maintaining the reactor building
blow-panels in accordance with design requirements. In addition, this is an opportunity for
you to point out any errors in our inspection report and for you to provide any additional
information concerning your perspectives on: (1) the severity of the violations, (2) the
application of the factors that the NRC considers when it determines the amount of a civil
penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section 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 Vil,
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You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this
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matter No response regarding the 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 enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR).
Sincerely,
/s/ J. A. Grote for
James L. Caldwell, Director
Division of Reactor Projects
Docket Nos.: 50-254, 50-265
Enclosures:
Inspection Reports 50-254/96019(DRP), 50-265/96019(DRP)
See Attached Distribution
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Mr. E. Kraft
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Distribution
cc w/ encl:
T. J. Maiman, Senior Vice President
Nuclear Operations Division
D. A. Sager, Vice President,
Generation Support
H. W. Keiser, Chief Nuclear
Operating Officer
L. W. Pearce, Station Manager
N. Chrissotimos, Regulatory Assurance
Supervisor
C. C. Peterson, Regulatory Affairs
Manager
1. Johnson, Acting Nuclear
Regulatory Services Manager
Richard Hubbard
Nathan Schloss, Economist
Office of the Attorney General
State Liaison Officer
Chairman, Illinois Commerce
Commission
J. R. Bull, Vice President, General &
Transmission, MidAmerican Energy Company
Document Control Desk-Licensing
Distribution:
Docket File w/enct
Project Manager, NRR w/enct
PUBLIC IE-01 w/ encl
DRP w/enci
OC/LFDCB w/enct
SRI Quad Cities, Dresden,
RAC1 (E-Mail)
LaSalle w/enci
A. B. Beach, w/enci
Rlli Enf Coordinator, w/ encl
CAA1 (E-Mail)
W. L. Axelson, w/enci
Rlli PRR w/ encl
TSS, w/ enc!
DRS (3) w/ encl
Document: R:\\lnsprpts\\ Powers \\ Quad \\Oua96019 DRP
To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box "C" = Copy without attach /enci
"E" = Copy with attach / encl
"N" = No copy
0FFICE
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NAME
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DATE
1/f 7/97
1/ /7/97/I' L(
1/l7/97
1/f/97
0FFICIAL RECORD COPY