ML20138K128

Requests That Addl Info Be Provided Re Plant Response to NOV from Insp Repts 50-454/96-05 & 50-455/96-05 on 960830 & Reactivity Event That Occurred on 960612.Info Requested within 60 Days of Receipt of Ltr

ML20138K128
Person / Time
Site:	Byron
Issue date:	05/05/1997
From:	Caldwell J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Graesser K COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
References
50-454-96-05, 50-454-96-5, 50-455-96-05, 50-455-96-5, NUDOCS 9705120165
Download: ML20138K128 (3)

See also: IR 05000454/1996005

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May 5,1997 I

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Mr. K. Graesser

Site Vice President

Byron Station  !

Commonwealth Edison Company

4450 N. German Church Road

Byron, IL 61010

SUBJECT: BYRON RESPONSE TO INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-454/455/96-05

NOTICE OF VIOLATION DATED AUGUST 30,1996, AND RECENT

ZION REACTIVITY EVENT

Dear Mr. Graesser:

References:

(a) L. F. Miller, Jr. letter to K. L. Graesser dated July 31,1996, transmitting NRC I

Inspection Report No. 50-454/455/96-05

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(b) K. L. Graesser letter to Document Control Desk, USNRC dated August 30,1996,

responding to the Notice of Violation transmitted in Reference (a)

Your response (Reference (b)) to the Notice of Violation transmitted as part of Inspection

Report 96-05 (Reference (a)) provided your evaluation of the reactivity event that occurred

on June 12,1996, involving an unexpected dilution of reactor coolant boron

concentration. As we indicated to you in Reference (a) we were concerned because

operations and chemistry personnel did not display a strong questioning attitude in the

control of reactivity, and the dilution procedure used to change reactivity was inadequate.

It was our view that operations and chemistry personnel were aware of weaknesses in the

procedures they were using but chose to go ahead and use them in lieu of stopping and

having the procedures changed.

Your response provided a number of commitments for actions you intended to take in

response to this event, including a number of reviews and enhancements you planned.

However, no specifics on what enhancements, or discussion of when these actions would

be completed was provided. Additionally, you indicated that alllicensed operators would

be informed of management expectations on what actions to take with respect to

reactivity parameters and of maintaining a questioning attitude and r.iaking conservative

decisions in regards to all activities involving reactivity managemer.t concerns.

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9705120165 970505

PDR ADOCK 05000454

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, K. Gra::ss r -2-

• While there is no direct correlation between the recent Zion reactivity event and the earlier *

Byron reactivity event, in both cases operators made judgement errors that resulted in

inadequate control of reactivity. In light of this, we are interested in the status of your

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corrective actions for your earlier reactivity event and what specific actions you have

taken. We are also interested in what specific actions have been taken to ensure that the

expectations you described in your response will be met and how you will monitor

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personnel to ensure that they will continue to be met. Additionally, in li0ht of the

numerous assessments at Zion, including the Independent Safoty Assessment, we are

interested in additional actions, including dates for implementation, that you feel are

warranted to ensure that similar problems do not exist at Byron.

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Please provide the above requested information within 60 days of receipt of this letter, in l

accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will l

be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

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Sincerely, i

l /s/ J. A. Grobe for

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I James L. Caldwell, Director  !

Division of Reactor Projects

Docket No. 50-454

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Docket No. 50-455

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cc: T. J. Maiman, Senior Vice President

Nuclear Operations Division

D. A. Sager, Vice President,

Generation Support

H. W. Keiser, Chief Nuclear

Operating Officer

K. Kofron, Station Manager

D. Brindle, Regulatory Assurance

Supervisor

I. Johnson, Acting Nuclear

Regulatory Services Manager

Richard Hubbard

Nathan Schloss, Economist

Office of the Attorney General

State Liaison Officer, Wisconsin

State Liaison Officer

Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission

Document Control Desk-Licensing

DOCUMENT NAME: A:\REACTY.BYR

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box "C" = Copy without attach / encl

"E" = Copy with attach /enci "N" = No copy

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OFFICE Rlli , d Rlli A d

NAME Lankkhco Ca

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DATE M 6/97 d/f97

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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SRI Byron, Braidwood, Zion PUBLIC IE-01 I

, Project Manager, NRR CAA1 (E-mail) j

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A. B. Beach RAC1 (E-'Mail) i

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