ML20136G682
| ML20136G682 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 03/12/1997 |
| From: | Miller H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Ross M GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP. |
| References | |
| CAL-1-97-11, NUDOCS 9703180145 | |
| Download: ML20136G682 (4) | |
Text
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h March 12, 1997 9'
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License No. DPR-50 l
CAL No.1-97-011 Mr. Michael J. Ross o
Acting Vice President and Director, TMI J
GPU Nuclear Corporation Three Mile Island Nuclear Station 4
i P. O. Box 480 j -
Middletown, PA 17057-0191
SUBJECT:
CONFlRMATORY ACTION LETTER 1-97-011
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Dear Mr. Ross:
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During an inspection of the March 5,1997, full-participation exercise at the Three Mile island Nuclear Station, the NRC inspection team identified four exercise weaknesses, as follows: 1) the emergency response organization (ERO) failed to recognize a General i
Emergency when warranted by plant conditions; 2) the ERO staff incorrectly evaluated steam generator tube leakage: 3) the technical analysis of simulated accident condition's provided to ERO managers by the Technical Support Center staff was inadequate; and 4) the Emergency Operations Facility staff did not initiate protective action recommendations I
to offsite officials for residents outside the 10-mile emergency planning zone when dose i-projections appeared to indicate that protective action guidelines would be exceeded.
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During the post exercise critique, your organization identified several significant problems, but did not identify weaknesses 2 & 4 above. Additionally, it appeared to us that your critique emphasized the impact of simulation and procedural deficiencies rather than the identified problems, i
We acknowledge that simulator malfunctions, exercise controller actions, and scenario
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planning issues adversely affected this exercise and raised questions about the validity of
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the exercise as a performance measure. Those factors also precluded our ability to evaluate your actions to correct a radiation dose assessment weakness from the previous i
full-participation exercise.
- Notwithstanding the above, the NRC views the identified weaknesses and problems as important findings, requiring prompt corrective action. Pursuant to a telephone
. conversation between you and Mr. R. Keimig of my staff, on March 12,1997, it is our understanding that you will take the following actions; t
1.-
Initiate immediate corrective actions to address the aforementioned weaknesses and conduct training for the entire ERO on those actions by April 15,1997.
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2.
Perform a root cause analysis of the issues associated with the poor exercise performance by April 15,1997. The analysis will cover the specific weaknesses along with ERO training, scenario development, simulator problems, controller activities, the exercise critique process and recent staffing changes in emergency preparedness and the ERO.
i 3.
Conduct a remedial onsite exercise, by May 15,1997, to test major portions of your emergency plan that will allow you and the NRC to assess the effectiveness of
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your corrective actions regarding the exercise weaknesses and problems.
i 4.
Discuss your proposed corrective actions and any assessments made to date, in a j
formal exit meeting with NRC staff on March 17,1997. This meeting will be convened at the Three Mile Island Training Center at 10:00 a.m. and will be open for public observation.
5.
Provide, at that meeting, and in writing, within 10 days subsequent to that meeting, your views on the significance of the exercise weaknesses and problems identified 4
during the exercise, and why you believe that the corrective actions you have taken i
or will take to address the weaknesses will be effective.
i Pursuant to Section 182 of the Atomic Energy Act,42 U.S.C. 2232, you are required to:
j 1)
Notify me immediately if your understanding differs from that set forth above; 2)
Notify me if, for any reason, you cannot complete the actions within the specified' schedule and advise me in writing of your modified schedule in advance of the change; and 3)
Notify me in writing when you have completed the actions addressed in this Confirmatory Action Letter.
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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, j
lt also does not preclude the NRC from taking enforcement action for violations of.NRC requirements that 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.
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In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter 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 such information is necessary to provide an acceptable response, then please provide a bracketed copy of your i
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 must specifically 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 1
I Mr. Michael Ross 3
4 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 confiden-tial 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, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:
Hubert J. Miller -
Regional Administrator Docket No. 50-289 Li. : 3nse No. DPR-50 cc:
E. L. Blake, Shaw, Pittmart, Potts and Trowbridge (Legal Counsel for GPUN)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania J. C. Fornicola, Director, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs j
TMI-Afert (TMIA) l J. S. Wetmore, Manager, TMI Regulatory Affairs 1
J. Lamb, FEMA, Region lli
i Mr. Michael Ross 4
Distribution:
Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)
NRC Resident Inspector Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)
PUBLIC J. Lieberman, OE D. Holody, OE T. Kenny, DRS P. Eselgroth, DRP D. Haverkamp, DRP C. O'Daniell, DRP W. Dean, OEDO P. Milano, NRR, PDI-3
R. Correia, NRR R. Frahm, Jr., NRR DRS File DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\EP&SB\\LAUGHLIN\\TMICAL.97 To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C* a Copy without attachmentlencbsure "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N* = No copy IA
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