ML20147J160
| ML20147J160 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | River Bend  |
| Issue date: | 03/04/1988 |
| From: | Martin R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Deddens J GULF STATES UTILITIES CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20147J163 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-87-229, NUDOCS 8803090194 | |
| Download: ML20147J160 (2) | |
See also: IR 05000458/1987028
Text
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR RE2ULATORY COMMISSION
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REGION IV
611 RYAN PLAZA DRIVE. SUITE 1000
ARLINGTON, TEXAS 70011
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Docket No.
50-458
License No. NPF-47
EA 87-229
Gulf States Utilities
ATTN: Mr. James C. Deddens
SeniorVicePresident,(RBNG)
Nuclear Licensing
Post Office Box 220
St. Francisville, LA 70775
Gentlemen:
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION (NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-458/87-28)
This refers to the inspection conducted during the period November 1-21, 1987,
of activities at the River Ben 6 Station by personnel of the NRC Region IV
office. During this inspection, NRC personnel reviewed the circumstances
associated with a violation of NRC requirements involving a misaligned instrument
root valve which was identified by the licensee. This violation was discussed
in detail at an enforcement conference December 14, 1987, at the NRC Region IV
office in Arlington, Texas in which you and your staff provided further details
regarding the systems and components 3ffected by the misaligned instrument root
valve, the sequence of events leading up to your identification of the problem,
analysis of the safety significance, and corrective actions you have implemented
or plan to implement.
Violation A in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice) involves the failure
to maintain the minimum number of channels operable as required by Technical
Specifications for reactor trip system initiation, high pressure core spray (HPCS)
system initiation, and various system isolation initiation. This was caused when
personnel failed to open an instrument root valve for a drywell pressure sensing
line which served three pressure transmitters. This valve remained closed from
August 1985 to November 17, 1987. With this valve closed, various automatic
safety functions initiated by a high drywell pressure signal (i.e., reactt,r
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scram, HPCS initiative, and system isolation) were unavailable for short periods
of time while required periodic testing was performed and at other times channel
redundancy was lost for these various safety functions. The NRC recognizes that
other system initiation signals were unaffected and that alarms and indications
existed in the control room which could have alerted personnel to a high drywell
pressure condition. We also note that this violation and Violation B of the
enclosed Notice, while separated by a period of two years, both involved the
failure of operations management to ensure that procedures were followed in the
performance of valve lineups.
In accordance with the "General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC
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Enforcement Actions," 10 CFR Part 2, Appendix C (1987), Violation A described
in the enclosed Notice has 5een classified at a Severity Level III. A civil
penalty is considered for a Severity Level 111 violation. However, after
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CERTIFIED MAIL
8803090194 0003M
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RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
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Gulf States Utilities
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consultation with the Director, Office of Enforcement, and the Deputy Executive
Director for Regional Operations, I have decided that a civil penalty will not
be proposed in this case because of your prompt identification and reporting
of the violation and the unusually prompt and extensive corrective actions,
including a detailed evaluation. However, further similar incidents may result
in civil penalty action.
While we view this Severity Level III violation as a serious problem requiring
strong management action, we also recognize that this problem was identified
because of your self-initiated action to verify safety-related valve lineups
during this refueling outage. Without this self-initiated action, this problem
may have gone undetected for another refueling cycle or longer. Also, we note
that this problem was identified by plant personnel and immediately brought to
management and NRC attention and you have encouraged this climate by formally
comending the operators who discovered the problem, a practice which the NRC
encourages from all licensees.
Two violations (B and C) are also described in the enclosed Notice and have
been categorized as Severity Level IV violations. These violations involved
the failure to follow procedures while doing an inservice reactor pressure
vessel leakage test and for processing an extension for a modification request.
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. 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.
In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," Part 2,
Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its enclosure
will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed 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.
Sincer
y,
}
AN
obert D. Martin
Regional Administrator
Enclosure:
cc:
Louisiana Radiation Control Program Director
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