ML20151G638

Responds to Re 880211 Unusual Event at Plant & Forwards Insp Rept 50-293/88-09.Insp Concluded That Licensee Conservatively Classified Event and Provided Notification to Commonwealth of Ma State Police as Required

ML20151G638
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	04/07/1988
From:	Collins S NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Vogler D DUXBURY, MA
Shared Package
ML20151G640	List: ML20151G638 ML20151G655
References
NUDOCS 8804200078
Download: ML20151G638 (2)

See also: IR 05000293/1988009

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APR 071988

Office of Selectmen

Town of Duxbury

ATTN: Mr. David J. Vogler

Chairman

878.Tremont Street

Duxbury, Massachusetts- 02332

Dear Mr. Vogler:

This responds to-your letter of March 11, 1988, regarding the February 11, 1988

Unusual Event at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. We have reviewed this

event and a copy of our inspection is enclosed. Our inspection concluded that

the licensee conservatively classified this event and provided notification to

the Massachusetts State Police as required. It is our understanding, based on

review of correspondence among the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Town of

Duxbury, and the Boston Edison Company, that issues involving off-site notifi-

cation procedures, as well as your recommendations for direct telefax and

ring-down notification ' systems, are being resolved by the appropriate parties.

We have also enclosed, for your information, a copy of our letter to

Dr. Muirhead and Ms. Ott, regarding the February 11, 1988 event. If we can be

of further assistance, please call Dr. Ronald Bellamy at (215) 337-5200.

Sincerely,

,dr'igigi Guntd 3/.t

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Samuel J. Collins, Deputy Director

Division of Reactor Projects

Enclosures:

As stated

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0FFICIAL RECORD COPY BLOUGH 179 4/6/88 - 0001.0.0

04/06/88 [

8804200078 880407

PDR ADOCK 05000293

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David J. Vogler 2

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APR 071988

cc w/encis:

-R. Bird, Senior Vice President - Nucir.ar

K. Highfill, Station Director

R. Barrett, Nuclear Operations Manager

B. McIntyre, Chairman, Department of.Public Utilities

Chairman, Plymouth Board of Selectmen

Plymouth Civil Defense Director

J. Keyes,' Boston Edison Regulatory Affairs and Programs

E. Robinson, Nuclear Information Manager

R. Swanson, Nuclear Engineering Department Manager

The Honorable Edward J. Markey

The Honorable Edward P. Kirby

The Honorable Peter V. Forman

S. Pollard, Secretary of Energy Resources

P. Agnes, Assistant' Secretary of Public Safety, Commonwealth of

Massachusetts

R. Shimshak, MASSPIRG

Public Document Room (PDR)

Local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident Inspector

Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2)

bec w/encls:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

S. Collins, DRP

J. Wiggins,'ORP

R. Blough, DRP

L. Doerflein, DRP

M. Kohl, DRP

F. Congle, DRSS

R. Bellamy, DRSS

'R. Bores, DRSS

R. Wessman, NRR

D. Mcdonald, NRR

D. Matthews, NRR

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0FFICIAL RECORD COPY BLOUGH 179 4/6/88 - 0002.0.0

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'[ UNITED STATES EiiCLOSURE

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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af KING OF PRUS$1A. PENNSYLVANIA 19406

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Docket No. 50 293 License No. DPR-35

Boston Edison Company

ATIN: Mr. Ralph G. Bird

Senior Vice President - Nuclear

800 Boylston Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02199

Gentlemen:

Subject: Inspection No. 50-293/88-09

This refers to the special safety inspection conducted by Mr. C. Conklin of

this office on February 24-25, 1988 at your Pilgrim Generating Station,

Plymouth, Massachusetts. Discussions ~of our findings were presented by Mr.

Conklin to Mr. K. Highfill and other members of your staff at the conclusion

of the inspection.

The area examined during this inspection was limited to follow-up of the

events associated with the implementation of your emergency plan on February

11, 1988 as described in the NRC Region I Inspection Report which is enclosed

with this letter. Within this area, the inspection consisted of selective

examination of procedures and representative records, interviews with

personnel, and observations by the inspector.

Within the scope of this inspection, no violations were identified. No reply

to this letter is required. Your cooperation with us in this matter is ap-

preciated.

Sin rely,

/

ank Con 1, Dir ctor

Division o Radiation Safety

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and Safeguards

Enclosures:

1. NRC Region I Inspection Report No. 50-293/88-09

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Boston Edison Company 2 MARJ7 1993

cc w/ encl:

K. Highfill, Station Director

R. Barrett, Nuclear Operations Director

6. McIntyre, Chairman, Department of Public Utilities

Chainnan, Plymouth Board of Selectmen

Plymouth Civil Defense Director

J. Keyes, Boston Edison Regulatory Affairs and Programs

E. Robinson, Nuclear Infonnation Manager

R. Swanson, Nuclear Engineering Department Manager

~

The Honorable Edward J. Markey

The Honorable Edward P. Kirby

The Honorable Peter V. Forman

S. Pollard, Secretary of Energy Resources

P. Agnes, Assistant Secretary of Public Safety, Connonwealth

of Massachusetts

R. Shimshak, MASSPIRG

Public Document Roorn (PDR)

Local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident Inspector

Cormer. wealth of Massachusetts (2)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION I

Repor+, No. 50-293/88 09

Docket No. 50-293

License No. DPR-35 Priority Category C

Licensee: Boston Edison Company

800 Boylston Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02199

Facility Name: Pilgrim Generating Station

Inspection At: Plymouth, Massachusetts

Inspection Conducted: February 24-25, 1988

Inspectors: n

C. Conk 1~n,~5Hnior Emergency

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date

Prepa ness Specialist, DRSS

Approved By:

W. 6VI.a z atits , C h i e f, L P5,

J/[o[77

date

EP&RPB, DRSS

Inspection Summary: Inspection on February 24-25, 1988, (Report No.

50-293/88-09

Areas Inspected: Special announced inspection by a region based inspector of

conditions surrounding the classification and reporting of a Notification of

Unusual Event identified on February 11, 1988.

! Res'6ts: One weakness was identified regarding off-site notifications. The

l licensee failed to follow the requirements of emergency procedure 5.7.2.8,

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"Control Room Emergency Communications", Attachment A, which requires, in

part, the notification of the Plymouth Police Department of conditions ,

, surrounding an emergency classification of an Unusual Event or above. This

l weakness has been classified as a licensee identified violation.

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DETAILS

1.0 Persons Contacted

• K. Station Director

• B. Highfill,ior

Lunn, Sen Compliance Engineer

• P. Hamilton, Compliance Group Leader

• S. Hook, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

• R. Yarley, Emergency Preparedness Manager

• S. Hudson, Assistant to the Plant Manger

• R. Barrett, Plant Manager

• N. Desmond, Acting QC Division Manager

• P. Mastrangelo, Chief Operating Engineer

B. Van Fleet, Nuclear Operations Supervisor

• Indicates the licensee representatives who attended the exit meeting

held on February 25, 1988.

2.0 Background

This special inspection was conducted to determine the facts behind a

Notification of Unusual Event which was declared by the licensee on

February 11, 1988, and to determine if the event was correctly

classified and reported and whether emergency response actions were

implemented in accordance with NRC regulations and conditions of the

Pilgrim Generating Station operating license.

In performing this inspection, those persons directly involved were

interviewed, and appropriate supporting documentation was reviewed in

order to determine the sequence of events which occurred on February 11,

1988. The times noted in Detail 3 below, are reconstructed from the

best available information from all these sources.

3.0 Sequence of Events

DATE TIME EVENT ,

2/11 1935 A fire was discovered in the Old Machine Shop and

was reported to the Watch Engineer (WE) in the

Control Room.

1935 The WE went to the fire scene to investigate the

fire. The Nuclear Operations Supervisor (N05)

activated the Fire Brigade

1936 The NOS notified the Plymouth Fire Department in

accordance with the agreement described in the Night

Order Book.

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2/11/88 1938 NOS received a telephone call from the Plymouth

Police Department regarding the fire at which time

they were briefed on the incident.

1945 Plymouth Fire Department arrived onsite.

1950 The WE declared an Unusual Event from the fire

scene. The NOS in the control room directed the

Administrative Assistant to make notifications.

1950 Hassachusetts State Police notified of the Unusual

Event by the Administrative Assistant.

1952 The Fire Brigade reported the fire out.

1953 NRC notifind of Ur. usual Event. -

1955 Fire extinguished.

2005 Unusual Event terminated. NRC notified of event

termination.

Unknown After 2005, but prior to 2112, the licensee

contacted the Plymouth Police Department to verify

the initial notification contact name and discovered

that although they had been briefed on the fire,

they had not been notified that it had been

classified as an Unusual Event.

2112 Massachusetts State Police notified of event

termination.

2113 Plymouth Police Department notified of event

termination.

4.0 Findings

Although the existence of the fire was reported to che Plymouth Fire '

Department, the licensee recognized that the Plymouth Police Department

had not been notified as required by their procedures. They also

identified additional problem areas including: the Computer Automated

Notification System (CANS) was not activated; too much time elapsed

! between event termination and off-site notification of the termination;

i and there was considerable operator distraction in the control room due

to the volume of incoming and outgoing communications. They held a

detailed critique of the event on February 12, 1988 that identified all

pertinent facts, identified problems associated with the event and came

to appropriate conclusions. Station management initiated immediate

I short term corrective actions to preclude a recurrence of these

l problems, as well as initating actions to ensure long term corrective

i actions are implemented. Additionally, the inspector noted that several

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programatic improvements are in progress including: a Duty Officer

System to provide off hours management, as well as a point of contact

for information and other comunications; an Emergency Response

Organization Concept of Operations revision, with resultant emergency

plan and implementing 3rocedure revisions; and a complete restructuring

and revision to their Emergency Action Level classification system.

Based upon a review of the licensee's ongoing programatic improvements,

prompt and effective recognition of the problems encountered with the

Notification of Unusual Event ar.d prompt short-term corrective actions,

the inspector concluded that this event meets the criteria of a licensee

self-identified violation.

The inspector identified areas in the licensee's response to the

Notification of Unusual Event that indicate weaknesses in licensee's

procedures and training, particularly in the areas of classification and

notification. These areas will require review and corrective action by

the licensee.

- Failure to report the declaration of a Notification of Unusual

Event to the Plymouth Police Department (PPD) is contrary to the

requirements of emergency procedure 5.7.2.8, "Control Room

Emergency Comunicator". This failure occurred because the

Administrative

overheard the NOSAssistant (the person

comunicating with themaking thewrongly

PPD and notifications)

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the NOS informed them of the Unusual Event. This is contrary to

the procedure. The licensee has upgraded the training of the

Administrative Assistant to include the performance of

comunication duties in the simulator control room. This is a

licensee self-identified violation (50-293/88-09 01).

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The NOS did not activate the CANS in accordance with their

procedure. The licensee has made a temporary change to their

notification procedures to ensure all actions are accomplished as

required.

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The inspector noted that the licensee's EAL upgrade is essentially

complete and ready for internal review. The licensee should ,

attempt to expedite this review process, train personnel and

implement the new EAL scheme prior to implementation of the new

emergency plan and procedures.

- A mechanism should be established to ensure that policy, as

included in the Standing Night Orders, is promptly proceduralized.

Additionally, the current Standing Night Orders should be reviewed

to ensure that all such policies are properly identified.

- The licensee should evaluate the practice of allowing the WE to

classify and become the Emergency Director when not present in the

Control Room.

- The licensee should consider the use of the plant simulator in

conducting drills and exercises. The use of the simulator would

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give the control room staff a more realistic atmosphere to perform

in during events, and would more clea;-ly identify areas of

strengths and concerns, particularly in the area of handling

emergency communications, in addition to operation of the plant in

response to emergencies. Additionally, the simulator shuld be

used, as appropriate, to validate the EAL's.

5.0 Exit Meeting

The inspector met with the licensee representatives listed in Section 1

of this report at the end of the inspection to discuss the scope and

findings of this inspection as detailed in this report.

Licensee management acknowledged the findings and indicated that appro-

priate action would be taken regarding the identified open item.

At no time during this inspection did the inspectors provide any written

information to the licensee.

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