ML20134M738
| ML20134M738 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Maine Yankee |
| Issue date: | 11/20/1996 |
| From: | Cooper R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Frizzle C Maine Yankee |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20134M741 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-96-320, NUDOCS 9611260026 | |
| Download: ML20134M738 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000309/1996011
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EA 96-320
November 20,1996
Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
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President
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Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company
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329 Bath Road
Brunswick, Maine 04011
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SUBJECT: . NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT 50-309/96-11
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Dear Mr. Frizzle:
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This letter refers to the specialinspection conducted from August 11 through
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September 13,1996, at the Maine Yankee facility. The purpose of this inspection was to
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review, observe and verify the actions taken by your staff to ensure that your engineered
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safety features (ESF) systems will function as desigi.3d and in accordance with your license
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and technical specifications. Those a:tions involved logic testing of safety related systems,
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and were taken in response to a NRC Independent Safety Assessment Team finding,
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- regarding inadequate safety system logic testing and the subsequent identification of a
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missing wire in a high pressure safety injection pump control circuit.
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The inspection consisted of selected examinations of design documentation, procedures and
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representative records, personnel interviews, observations of test activities, and review of
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the actions taken by your staff to address these issues.- The findings were discussed with
Messrs G. Leitch, D. Whittier, J. Frothingham and others of your staff at an exit meeting on
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September 17,1996.
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Based on the results of this inspection, four apparent violations were identified and are
Leing 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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(60 FR 34381; June 30,1995). The apparent violations are several. First, the "A" High
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Pressure Safety inspection (HPSI) pump was inoperable for a number of years dating back
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- to the early 1990'S with respect to the ability to automatically start on a safety injection
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signal. This constitutes an apparent violation of Technical Specification 3.9 2 No.1 which
requires two HPSI pumps be operable during operation. Second, there were nine instances
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in which ' surveillance tests required by Technical Specification 4.1, did not demonstrate the
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functionality of safety.related systems. These inadequacies, together, constitute an
' apparent violation of Technical Specification 4.1, instrumentation and Controls, which
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requires the periodic calibration, testing and checking of instrument channels, reactor
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protection system and engineered safeguard system logic channels. Third, there were three
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instances in which the surveillance test required by the Technical Specification 4.5, did not
demonstrate the functionality of the emergency power actuation system. This constitutes
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an apparent violation of Technical Specification 4.5, Emergency Power System Periodic
.9611260026 961120
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ADOCK 05000309
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Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
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Testing, which requires the periodic testing of the station electrical power system. Fourth,
there was an instance in which the surveillance test required by Technical Specification 4.6,
did not demonstrate the functionality of the Feedwater Trip System. This constitutes an
apparent violation of Technical Specification 4.6, Periodic Testing, which requires the
periodic testing of the feedwater trip system.
Accordingly, no Notice of Violation is presently being issued for these inspection findings.
In addition, be advised that the number and the characterization of apparent violations
described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review.
A predecisional enforcement conference to discuss the apparent violations will be scheduled
at a later date. The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not mean
that the NRC has determined that a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will
be taken. The conference will be held to obtain information to enable the NRC to make an
enforcement decision, such as a common understanding of the facts, root causes, missed
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opportunities to identify the apparent violations sooner, corrective actions, significance of
the issues, and the need for lasting and effective corrective action.
While we noted that your Quality Assurance Program Department personnel pro /ided good
independent review and oversight of your recent test activities, we are concerned about the
inoperability of the "A" HPSI pump over a number of years and this problem was not
identified due to inadequate surveillance testing. We are also concerned that your
technical, quality, and safety oversight review programs did not previously identify the
inadequacies with your surveillance test procedures. In light of the number of examples of
surveillance tests not adequately covering TS surveillance requirements, we question the
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adequacy of your surveillance testing program, in general. Accordingly, at the enforcement
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conference, you should be prepared to address these concerns or questions including any
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improvements taken and planned. in addition, this conference is an opportunity for you to
point out any errors in our inspection report and for you to provide any information
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concerning your perspectives on: (1) the severity of the apparent violations, (2) the
application of the factors that the NRC considers when it determines the amount of a civil
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penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy,
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and (3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the exercise
of discretion in accordance with Section Vll.
These apparent violations are being considered with those identified in the area of
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environmental qualification for equipment (NRC Inspection Report No. 50-309/96-10) which
was forwarded to you in a letter dated September 26,1996. You will be advised by
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separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on these matters which will
include the date of the enforcement conference that will collectively address these
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violations. No response regarding these apparent violations is required at this time.
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Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
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in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and
its enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
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ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:
Richard W. Cooper ll, Director
Division of Reactor Projects
Docket No. 50-309
Enclosure: NRC Inspection Report No. 50-309/96-11
cc w/ encl:
G. Leitch, Vice President, Operations
J. Block, Attorney at Law
P. Anderson, Project Manager (Yankee Atomic Electric Company)
C. Shaw, Plant Manager
L. Diehl, Manager of Public and Governmental Affairs
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J. Ritsher, Attorney (Ropes and Gray)
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P. Dostie, State Nuclear Safety inspector
P. Brann, Assistant Attorney General
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U. Vanags, State Nuclear Safety Advisor
C. Brinkman, Combustion Engineering, Inc.
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First Selectmen of Wiscasset
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Friends of the Coast
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Mr. Charles D. Frizzle
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- Distribution w/ encl:
Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)
Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)
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PUBLIC
NRC Resident inspector
D. Screnci, PAO
OE (2)
R. Conte, DRP
H. Eichenholz, DRP
J Shannon, DRS
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D. Bearde, DRP
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B. Cook, VY
Distribution w/enci (VIA E MAIL):
W. Dean, OEDO
S. Varga, Director,1/11, DRPE, NRR
J. Zwolinski, Asst. Director,1/11, DRPE, NRR
D. Dorman, LPM, NRR
Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)
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DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\ BRANCH 5\\MY9611. INS
To receive a copy of this doct ment, Indicate In the boa: "C" = Copy without attachrnent/ enclosure
"E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure
- N" = No copy
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