ML20135E775

Discusses 961102 Findings & Observations Involving Plant Radiation Protection Program Which Indicated Weakness in Managing & Controlling Radiological Work at Facility.List of Actions to Be Completed,Submitted

ML20135E775
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	03/04/1997
From:	Miller H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Feigenbaum T NORTHEAST UTILITIES SERVICE CO.
References
CAL-1-97-07, CAL-1-97-7, NUDOCS 9703100177
Download: ML20135E775 (4)

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March 4,1997 CAL No.1-97-007 Mr. Ted C. Feigenbaum Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Northeast Utilities Service Company c/o Mr. Terry L. Harpster P.O. Box 128 Waterford, CT 06385

SUBJECT:

CONFlRMATORY ACTION LETTER

Dear Mr. Feigenbaum:

Since November 2,'1996, our findings and observations involving Haddam Neck Plant's radiation protection program have indicated continuing weakness in managing and controlling radiological work at that facility. NRC Inspection Report No. 50-213/96-12, dated December 19,1996, described significant deficiencies and problems relative to the implernentation of the radiation protection program, which resulted in unplanned exposure of two individuals. On February 5,1997, a management meeting was held at our regional office in which you discussed plans and actions to correct the programmatic problems that were causal to weaknesses in the radiation protection program. Additionally, a recent NRC inspection activity, initiated on February 3,1997, revealed long-standing discrepancies in the calibration of several radiation monitors that are used to monitor and control radiological effluent releases to the environment. On February 27,1997, we became aware of apparent inadequacies in your control of radioactive material that resulted in the undetected release of contaminated equipment to a non-licensed vendor. We understand from your staff that this material may have been surveyed and determined non-contaminated as recently as January 1997. While no personnel or facility contamination occurred, the continuing occurrence of radiological control related problems suggest that your corrective actions have not been fully effective in resolving deficiencies and weaknesses in the radiation protection program.

Pursuant to a telephone discussion on March 4,1997, between Messrs. Jere LaPlatney and Gary Bouchard of your organization (Haddam Neck Plant-Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company), and Messrs. James Wiggins, John White, and John Rogge of my staff, we understand that you will undertake and complete the following actions:

1. By March 7,1997, you willidentify, in writing, specific compensatory measures that you will put in place to assure sufficient management, control, and oversight of ongoing or planned activities that require radiological controls.

2. By March 31,1997, you will engage the services of an iridependent assessor to  ;

assess the quality and performance of your radiological control programs and their implementation. -%  !

9703100177 970304 PDR ADOCK 05000213 j-P PDR 4 MERE!IlBEp,1ES i

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Mr. Ted. C. Feigenbaum - 2  !

3. By May 30,1997, based on input from the independent assessment, you will: l l (1) identify problems, determine root causes, and develop broad-based and specific l

_ corrective actions; (2) identify performance measures that may be used to  ;

3 determine the effectiveness of radiological control programs; and (3) submit a plan  !

and schedule to the Regional Administrator, NRC Region I, for the implementation of i

improvements in the radiological control programs. ,

'4. _ Prior to eliminating any interim compensatory measures (as committed in response l to item 1, above), you will meet with the Regional Administrator, NRC Region I for

the purpose of describing program implementation and performance improvements i achieved or planned.  ;

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None of these commitments shall preclude you from taking actions as necessary to ensure

! the health and safety of workers and the public, protect the environment, and comply with applicable regulatory requirements.

{ l Pursuant to Section 182 of the Atomic Energy Act,42 U.S.C. 2232, you are required to:

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1) Notify me immediately if your understanding differs from that set forth j above; '

k i 2) Notify me if for any reason you cannot complete the actions within the i specified schedule and advise me in writing of your modified schedule in )

advance of the change; and I 1

3) Notify me in writing when you have completed the actions addressed in this j Confirmatory Action Letter.

Issuance of this Confirmatory Action Letter does not preclude issuance of an order formalizing the above commitments or requiring other actions on the part of the licensee, ,

nor does it preclude the NRC from taking enforcement action for violations of NRC l requirements that may have prompted the issuance of this letter. In addition, failure to take the actions addressed in this Confirmatory Action Letter may result in enforcement action.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosure (s), and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR). To the extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the PDR without redaction. If personal privacy or proprietary information is necessary to provide an accept-able response, then please provide a bracketed copy of your response that identifies the

~information that should be protected and a redacted copy of your response that deletes such information. If you request withholding of such material, you mugl specifically

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i Mr. Ted. C.' Feigenbaum 3 i identify the portions of your response that you seek to have withheld and provide in detail the bases for your claim of withholding [e.g., explain why the disclosure of information will .

create an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or provide the information required by 10 CFR 2.790(b) to support a request for withholding confidential commercial or financial information), if safeguards information is necessary to provide an acceptable response, .

please provide the level of protection described in 10 CFR 73.21.  !

Sincerely, i

W, i Hubert J. Miller I Regional Administrator l NRC Region I i

Docket No. 50-213 License No. DPR-61 cc:

B. D. Kenyon, President - Nuclear Group j D. M. Goebel Vice President - Nuclear Oversight 1 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 I G. P. van Noordennen, Manager, Nuclear Licensing H. F. Haynes, Director - Nuclear Training J. F. Smith, Manager, Operator Training W. D. Meinert. Nuclear Engineer R. Bassilakis, Citizens Awareness Network l J. M. Block, Attorney for CAN J. P. Brooks, CT Attorney General Office State of Connecticut SLO

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Mr. Ted. C. Feigenbaum 4 .

I Distribution:

Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)

J. Lieberman, OE D. Holody, OE D. Screnci, PAO J. Rogge, DRP NRC Resident inspector M. Conner, DRP C. O'Daniell, DRP Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)

PUBLIC OE (2)

W. Dean, OEDO S. Weiss, NRR M. Fairtile, NRR W. Travers, NRR R. Jones, NRR M. Callahan, OCA R. Correia, NRR D. Taylor, NRR D. Screnci, PAO, ORA Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\RSB\ WHITE \HNCAL Tm rece6ve e copy of this document, indicate in the box: 'C" = Copy without attachrr.ent/ enclosure "E' = Copy with attachment / enclosure *N" = No copy 0FFICE RI'/DRS(.N l RI/E0 F t fRl/DRS Rl/DSP1 l J/D)RA NAME JW!&R ) DHOLOD' l JWIGGINS 0 1 51 WHEHLPN (dMRLER DATE 03/03/97" 03/ e { .

/ 03/3 /97 ' 03/s /97 03/f /97

'FFICIAL RECORD COPY OFFICE Rl/0RC l NAME BFEWELL

l DATE 03/04/97 I o > o' ede