ML20134L301
| ML20134L301 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 11/20/1996 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PR-II-96-097, PR-II-96-97, NUDOCS 9611200238 | |
| Download: ML20134L301 (1) | |
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II 101 Marietta Street. N.W.
Suite 2900 Atlanta, GA 30323 i
No: 11-96-97 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ken Clark (404) 331-5503 (Wednesday, November 20. 1996)
Roger Hannah (404) 331-7878 NRC STAFF PROPOSES $50,000 FINE AGAINST TVA AT SEQUOYAH l
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has pro)osed a $50.000 civil penalty against the Tennessee Valley Authority for allegec noncompliance with federal requirements related to the fire protection program at the Sequoyah nuclear power plant near Chattanooga.
In a letter to TVA dated November 19. Stewart D. Ebneter, Administrator of the NRC's Region II office in Atlanta, said the fine was being proposed because TVA has not completed corrective actions for long-standing fire protection i
program discrepancies.
These deficiencies include quality assurance issues identified by TVA in 1992, 1994 and 1995: a number of fire dampers at the plant that did not comply with design and installation requirements: and the continued I
failure to control combustibles and transient fire loads (such as temporary..
wooden scaffolding or cleaning rags) in the plant in accordance with procedure requirements.
Ebneter said the carbon dioxide (C0 ) fire suppression system for the plant 2
computer room was rendered inoperable in May of 1990 during modifications which -
l added penetrations to the room but failed to ecaip the penetrations with fire dampers designed to close and isolate the room curing C0 activation. He added 2
-that TVA also failed to perform a required 18-month test on Auxiliary Building penetrations in high radiation areas and failed to demonstrate the operability of fire hose stations in the reactor buildings by failing to assure that hoses for those stations had undergone hydrostatic tests.
Ebneter said TVA has stationed fire watch personnel to assure compliance but that the violations "are of significant regulatory concern because they represent a significant lack of attention and priority to the overall fire protection program."
l The company has 30 days to either pay the fine or to protest its imposition.
4 9611200238 961120 i
PDR PRESS R RG-II-96-097 PDR 200126 ch
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