ML20150B900

Forwards Insp Rept 50-518/87-01 on 871216-18 & Notice of Violation.Allegation Partially Substantiated.Problem Re Practice of Allowing Nuclear safety-related Equipment to Be Downgraded & Moved Out of Storage to Weather Revealed

ML20150B900
Person / Time
Site:	Hartsville
Issue date:	03/01/1988
From:	Barr K NRC OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS
To:	White S TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Shared Package
ML20150B904	List: IR 05000518/1987001 ML20150B900 ML20150B908
References
NUDOCS 8803170180
Download: ML20150B900 (3)

See also: IR 05000518/1987001

Text

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MAR 0119BB

Docket No. 50-518

License No. CPPR-150

Tennessee Valley Authority

ATTN: Mr. S. A. White

Manager of Nuclear Power

6N 38A Lookout Place

1101 Market Street

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

Gentlemen:

SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION

(NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-518/87-01)

This refers to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) team inspection lead by

Mr. G. A. Walton on December 16-18, 1987. The inspection included a review of

storage activities at your Hartsville facility. At the conclusion of the

inspection, the findings were discussed with those members identified in the

enclosed inspection report.

The team inspection was performed to assess the storage and maintenance of

equipment, housekeeping, and followup on NRC-received allegations at the ,

Hartsville facility. The facilities were toured, storage warehouses were '

inspected, record storage was inspected and preventive maintenance records were  ;

reviewed. The items inspected included pumps, valves, snubbers, fasteners, i

electric cables and other items associated with the storage of equipment that  !

may be used at other nuclear facilities. Within these areas, the inspection l

consisted of selective examinations of procedures and representative records, I

interviews with personnel, and observations of activities in progress. j

The team inspection found the storage facilities at Hartsville to be generally

excellent. Except for the violation identified in this report, and the

allegation which was partially substantiated, the equipment sampled was being I

maintained in accordance with your commitments.

The allegation revealed a problem regarding your practice of allowing l

nuclear-safety-related equipment to be downgraded and moved out of storage to

the weather, then subsequently returned to nuclear reserved status. Although

no apparent damage to equipment was found by our inspectors, our position is

that if equipment was purchased as nuclear-safety-related and if you

subsequently allow the equipment to be used in a nuclear-safety-related

installation, then the equipment must be continuously maintained, including

storage, as safety-related equipment. The practice of downgrading ' storage

requirements, even with subsequent Quality Control inspections and then

upgrading for nuclear application is not an acceptable practice.

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MAR 01 1983

Tennessee Valley Authority 2

The inspectiun findings indicate that certain activities appeared to violate

NRC requirements. This violation involved failure to implement manufacturers'

storage maintenance requirements and to follow storage procedures. The

Violation, references to pertinent requirements and elements to be included in

your response are described in the enclosed Notice of Violation. In addition,

we request you respond with your plans to assure safety-related equipment will

be continuously maintained to meet nuclear storage requirements.

Unresolved Items identified in the inspection report involve the adequacy of

the preventive maintenance program implementation for items in storage and the

tracking and implementation of modifications, NRC Bulletins and Information

Notices, etc. for items in storage. These Unresolved Items affect material

that could be used at any of your nuclear plants. Your assistance in resolving

these items is requested in conjunction with the resolution of the problem

discussed above involving multiple changes of storage class and storage condi-

tions. We request you address these items within 90 days of the date of this

letter.

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 its enclosure are not subject to the

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

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, PL 96-511.

Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact us.

Sincerely,

pc , W

Kenneth P. Barr. Acting Assistant

h[TVAProjectsDivision

Director for Inspection Programs

Office of Special Projects l

Enclosures:

1. Notice of Violation

2. NRC Inspection Report

cc w/encis:

A. T. Mullins, Director Operations j

Support l

R. L. Cook, Site Manager

R. L. Gridley, Director Nuclear

Safety and Licensing l

TVA Representative, Bethesda Office '

bec w/encis: (See page 3)

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Tennessee Valley Authority 3 0

f pg,

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bec w/encis:

S. D. Ebneter, OSP

S. D. Richardson, OSP

G. G. Zech, OSP

B. D. Liaw, OSP

W. S. Little, OSP/RII

S. A. Elrod, OSP/RII

J. Rutberg, OGC

NRC Resident Inspector

DRS Technical Assistant

NRC Document Control Desk

State of Tennessee

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