ML20134L326

Discusses in Response to 961126 NOV & Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty & Forwards Order Imposing Civil Monetary Penalty - $100,000

ML20134L326
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	02/14/1997
From:	Lieberman J NRC OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT (OE)
To:	Parrish J WASHINGTON PUBLIC POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM
Shared Package
ML20134L329	List: ML20134L326 ML20134L335
References
EA-96-327, NUDOCS 9702190026
Download: ML20134L326 (3)

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[% k UNITED STATES g j NUCLEAR RE2ULATORY COMMISSION g & WASHINGTON D.C. 20666-0001 4 k . . . . . ,d February 14, 1997 EA 96-327 J. V. Parrish, Chief Executive Officer Washington Public Power Supply System 3000 George Washington Way Post Office Box 968, MD 1023 Richland, Washington 99352 l

SUBJECT:

ORDER IMPOSING CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY - $100,000 i (Washington Nuclear Project 2) '

Dear Mr. Parrish:

This refers to your letter dated December 23, 1996, in response to the Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty (Notice) sent to you by our letter dated November 26, 1996. Our letter and Notice described several /  !

violations of Technical Specification requirements at Washington Nuclear l Project 2 (WNP-2).

To emphasize the significance of taking corrective actions that are effective in precluding similar violations and the fundamental importance of having an effective program for assuring that surveillance requirements are performed as required, a civil penalty of $100,000 was proposed. In proposing this penalty, the NRC recognized that the Washington Public Power Supply System  ;

(Supply System) identified most of the current violations and took prompt and  !

comprehensive corrective action for the :urrent violations. However, the NRC utilized its enforcement discretion to propose the penalty to emphasize the Supply System's failure to adequately correct previous similar violations and to emphasize the fundamental importance of surveillance requirements.

In its response, the Supply System admitted that the violations had occurred but requested reconsideration of the proposed civil penalty, citing the following reasons: 1) a penalty of $50,000 would be more consistent with the purposes of the NRC's enforcement policy; 2) there was no systemic breakdown in operational activities at WNP-2; 3) additional credit should be given for corrective actions; and 4) the enforcement action placed too much emphasis on a previous surveillance-related violation.

After consideration of the response, we have concluded for the reasons provided in the Appendix to the enclosed Order Imposing Civil Monetary Penalty (Order) that the civil penalty as originally proposed should be imposed by order. Accordingly, the enclosed Order requires the Washington PJblic Power Supply System to pay a civil monetary penalty in the amount of $100,000, as provided in Section IV of the enclosed Order. We will review the effectiveness of your corrective actions during subsequent inspections.

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9702190026 970214 PDR ADOCK 05000397 G PDR

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Washington Public Power l Supply System In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice", a copy of this letter and enclosure will be placed in the NRC's Public Document Room.

Sincerely, '

f $4 % NW-gjOfficeofEnforcementJames Lieberman, Director Docket No. 50-397  !'

License No. NPF-21

Enclosure:

As Stated cc w/ Encl:

Frederick S. Adair, Chairman Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council  :

P.O. Box 43172 Olympia, Washington 98504-3172 Mr. Paul R. Bemis (Mail Drop PE20)

Vice President, Nuclear Operations Washington Public Power Supply System i P.O. Box 968-  !

Richland, Washington 99352-0968 Mr. Rodney L. Webring (Mail Drop PE08)

Vice President, Operations Support /PIO Washington Public Power Supply System P.O. Box 968 Richland, Washington 99352-0968 Mr. Greg O. Smith (Mail Drop 927M)

WNP-2 Plant General Manager Washington Public Power Supply System P.O. Box 968 Richland, Washington 99352-0968 Mr. David A. Swank (Mail Drop PE20)

Manager, Regulatory Affairs Washington Public Power Supply System P.O. Box 968 Richland, Washington 99352-0968 cc w/ Enc 1: (See Next Page) l

Washington Public Power Supply System

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cc w/ Encl: (Con't) I

Mr. Al E. Mouncer (Mail Drop 396)

Chief Counsel Washington Public Power Supply System

. P.O. Box 968 Richland, Washington 99352-0968 Ms. Lourdes C. Fernandez (Mail Drop PE20)

Manager, Licensing Washington Public Power Supply System P.O. Box 968 l i

i Richland, Washington 99352-0968 l Mr. Malcolm H. Phillips, Jr., Esq.

Winstor, J Strawn

' 1400 L Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20005-3502 l

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