Text

Forwards Insp Rept 50-461/96-09 on 970730-1123 & NOV
	ML20147E397
Person / Time
Site:	Clinton
Issue date:	02/11/1997
From:	Caldwell J; NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Connell W; ILLINOIS POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20147E401	List: ML20147E397; ML20147E404; ML20147E407;
References
	EA-97-002, EA-97-2, NUDOCS 9702180388
	Download: ML20147E397 (3)
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February 11,1997

EA 97-002

Mr. Wilfred Connell, Vee President

Clinton Power Station

Illinois Power Company

Mail Code V-275

P. O. Box 678

Clinton, IL - 61727

SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-461/96009 AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION

Dear Mr. Connell:

On December 12,1996, the NRC completed an inspection at your Clinton Facility. The

enclosed report presents the results of that inspot.: tion.

During the period covered by this inspection, activities at the, Clinton facility were focused

on safe shutdown plant operations. Our observations identified a number of concerns

including several violations.

Most of these violations involved the adequacy of procedures and personnel adherence to

procedures. NRC inspectors also identified that your method of maintaining active license

status for the staff assistant shift supervisor position did not meet the requirements o' 10

CFR 55. We understand that you have reviewed the license status of your operators tnd

those considered inactive have completed the necessary time under instruction.

[ You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the

l enclosed Notice when preparing your response, in your response, you should document

j the specific actions taken and any additional actions you plan to prevent recurrence. Your

. response may reference or include previous docketed correspondence if the

! correspondence adequately addresses the required response. After reviewing your

j response to this Notice, including your proposed corrective actions and the results of

future inspections, the NRC will determine whether further NRC enforcement action is

'

i

necessary to ensure compliance with NRC regulatory requirements.

j in addition, two apparent violations were identified and are being considered for escalated

'

enforcement in accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC

Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600. These violations involve the

corrective actions taken for repetitive foodwater check valve test failures and test

. methodology concerns. These problems resulted in an apparent inoperable condition of

containment penetrations during the fuel cycle following RF-5. Accordingly, no Notice of

l-

Violation is presently being issued for these inspection findings. In addition, please be

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advised that the number and characterization of apparant violations described in the

enclosed inspection report t.my change as a result of further NRC review.

A predecisional enforcement conference to discuss these apparent violations has been

scheduled for March 4,1997, at 10 a.m. The decision to hold an open predecisional '

enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has determined that a violation has

occurred or that enforcement action will be taken. This conference is being held to obtain

information to enable the NRC to make an enforcement decision, such as a common

understanding of the facts, root causes, missed opportunities to identify the apparent

violations sooror, corrective actions, significance of the issues and the need for lasting and

effective corrective action, in particular, we expect you to provide assurance that

feedwater check valves will remain operable for one operating cycle. In addition, this is an

opportunity for you to point out any errors in our inspection report and for you to provide

any information concerning your perspectives on 1) the severity of the violations, 2) the

application of the factors that the NRC considers when it determines the amount of a civil l

!

penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement

Policy, and 3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the

exercise of discretion in accordance with Section Vll.

You w'ill be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this

matter. No response regarding these apparent violations is required at this time,

in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commission's regulations, a copy of this letter,

4

the enclosures, and your response to this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document

j Room. To the extent possible your response should not include out personal privacy,

'

proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the PDR without

redaction.

i The responses directed by this letter and the accompanying Notice are not subject to the

i clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No.96-511. i

i

We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this inspection. j

Sincerely,

Original signed by

'

James L. Caldwell, Director i

.

James L. Caldwell, Director

j Division of Reactor Projects l

Docket No.: 50-461

'

i License No: NPF-62

Enclosures: Notice of Violation

j inspection Report

4

(See attached distnbution)

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. . . .

. . i .

1

W,-Connell -3-

.

Distribution

.

cc w/ encl: P. Yocum, Plant Manager

Clinton Power Station

R. Phares, Manager-Nuclear Assessment

P. J. Telthorst, Director - Licensing i

Nathan Schloss, Economist

Office of the Attorney General ,

K. K. Berry, Licensing Services Manager

General Electric Company

'

Chairman, DeWitt County Board

State Liaison Officer

Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission

Docket File w/ encl DRP w/ encl f

OC/LFDCB w/ encl PUBLIC IE-01 w/ encl

SRI Clinton, Dresden, Rlli PRR w/enci

LaSalle, Quad Cities CAA1 w/enci (E-mail)

Project Manager, NRR w/ encl A. B. Beach, w/ encl

Rill Enf. Coordinator, w/enci W. L. Axelson, w/ encl

TSS w/ encl DRS (3) w/enci

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Document: R:\insprpts\ powers \ clin \cli96009.drp

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

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

, OFFICE Rlli , Rlli [ 4 Rlil f, _ l

NAME

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Wrightfb h" 0

Grhpifhldwell

DATE Oh/b7 (///1/97 [/\Y9Y

70FFICIAL RECORD COPY

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

h) E REGION ill

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N oruary 11, 1997

EA 97-002

Mr. Wilfred Connell, Vice Presi' lent

Clinton Power Station -

Illinois Power Company ,,

Mail Code V-275

P. O. Box 678

Clinton, IL 61727

SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-461/96009 AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION

Dear Mr. .Connell:

On Decerrber 12,1996, the NRC completed an inspection at your Clinton Facility. The

enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.

During the period covered by this inspection, activities at the Clinton facility were focused

on safe shutdown plant operations. Our observations identified a number of concerns

including several violations. j

l

Most of these violations involved the adequacy of procedures and personnel adherence to j

procedures. NRC inspectors also identified that your method of maintaining active license

status for the staff assistant shift supervisor position did not meet the requirements of 10

CFR 55. We understand that you have reviewed the license status of your operators and

those considered inactive have completed the necessary time under instruction.

1

You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the

enclosed Notice when preparing your response. In your response, you should document

the specific actions taken and any additional actions you plan to prevent recurrence. Your

response may reference or include previous docketed correspondence if the :

correspondence adequately addresses the required response. After reviewing your !

response to this Notice, including your proposed corrective actions and the results of

future inspections, the NRC will determine whether further NRC enforcement action is ;

necessary to ensure compliance with NRC regulatory requirements.

i

in addition, two apparent violations were identified and are being considered for escalated ,

enforcement in accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC I

Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600. These violations involve the

corrective actions taken for repetitive feedwater check valve test failures and test

methodology concerns. These prob! ems resulted in an apparent inoperable condition of

containment penetrations during the fuel cycle following RF-5. Accordingly, no Notice of

Violation is presently being issued for these inspection findings. In addition, please be

, . , , a rn

_ _ _ _

. .

W. Contu II -2-

advised that the number and characterization of appare'nt violations descr bed in the

enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review.

A predecisional enforcement conference to discuss these apparent violations has been

scheduled for March 4,1997, at 10 a.m. The decision to hold an open predecisional

enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has determined that a violation has

occurred or that enforcement action will be taken. This conference i.c being held to obtain

information to enable the NRC to make an enforcement decision,.such as a common

understanding of the facts, root causes, missed opportunities to identify the apparent

violations sooner, corrective actions, significance of the issues and the need for lasting and

offective corrective action. In particular, we expect you to provide assurance that

feedwater check valves will remain operable for one operating cycle. In addition, this is an

opportunity for you to point out any errors in our inspection report and for you to provide

any information concerning your perspectives on 1) the severity of the violations, 2) the

application of the factors that the NRC considers when it determines the amount of a-civil

penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement

Policy, and 3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the

exercise of discretion in accordance with Section Vll.

You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this

matter. No response regarding these apparent violations is required at this time.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commission's regulations, a copy of this letter,

the enclosures, and your response to this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document

Room. To the extent possible your response should not include out personal privacy,

proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the PDR without

redaction.

The responses directed by this letter and the accompanying Notice are not subject to the

clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No.96-511.

We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this inspection.

Sincerely,

-

.

a les L. al well, Director

Division of Reactor Projects

Docket No.: 50-461

License No: NPF-62

Enclosures: Notice of Vic!ation

inspection Report

(See attached distribution)

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W. Connell -3- l

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,

Distribution

cc w/ encl: P. Yocum, Plant Managar

Clinton Power Station

R. Phares, Manager-Nuclear Assessment ,

P. J. Telthorst, Director - Licensing !

Nathan Schloss, Economist l

Office of the Attorney General l

K. K. Berry, Licensing Services Manager ;

General Electric Company i

Chairman, DeWitt County Board

State Liaison Officer ,

Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission i

,

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ML20147E397

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