ML20151V407
| ML20151V407 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Peach Bottom, 05507560  |
| Issue date: | 08/09/1988 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Yost N PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20151V410 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-88-031, EA-88-31, NUDOCS 8808220276 | |
| Download: ML20151V407 (4) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3
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.e wAsHiNoTON, D. c. 20655 D CN C D 03IGINAL cortuua Docket No. 55-7560 09 M 1988 License No. 50P-10609 EA 88-31 Mr. Nonnan D. Yost, Jr.
HOME ADDRESS DELETED UNDER 10 CFR 2.790
SUBJECT:
NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND PP0 POSED IMPOSITION OF CIVIL PENALTY In March 1987, the NRC received infonnation that control room operators at Philadelphia Electric Company's Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station had been observed sleeping while on duty in the control room, reading materials not directly job related, and being ctherwise inattentive to the obligations of their licenses. The NRC promptly confirmed this information during the initial phase of an investigation of this matter. As a result, the NRC rn longer had reasonable assurance that the facility would be operated in a :nanner to assure that the health and safety of the public would be protected, and therefore, issued an Order to Philadelphia Electric Campany (PECo) on March 31, 1907 suspending operations of the Peach Bottom reactors, effective imediately.
Subsequently, the NRC found that the inattentiveness described in the Order had occurred over an extended pr-fod of time and was pervasive. Other examples of inattentive behavior i.ot km o at the time of the Order were also identified, such as: control room personnel being routinely reclined in a rest'ng position with their heads back and eyes closed for incetenninate periods of time; playing hand held computer games or video games on one of the computer display screens in the control room; and engaging in horseplay. Operators were aware of these conditions and failed to initiate action to correct them. As a result of these findings, the NRC conducted an enforcement conference with you on February 17, 1988 for the purpose of discussing your understanding of (1) these inattentiveness issues. (2) their safety significance, W) their cautos, and (4) corrective actions taken by both you and the utility to prevent recurrence. During tlat conference, you specifically admitted to your personal involvement in at least 4
some of this inattentive behavior.
Your actions constituted a violation of your individual senior reactor operator license. The violation is describad in the enclosed Notice and is classified at Severity Level III in accorda ce with the "General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Aesions,"
10 CFR 2. Appendix C (Enforcement Policy) (1988).
The NRC recognizes that you have participated in a comprehensive rehabilitation program within PECo for the purpose M better understanding your individual responsibilities under your NRC license and to assure such conduct does not-recur. Nonetheless, the activities described in the Notice were ingaged in by you for an extended period prior to the shutdown and were indicative of a i
complacent and unprofessional attitude by y6u toward the privileges and responsibilities of your license, contrary to safety, and constituted serious dereifetion of duties in carrying out those responsibilities. Further, as a previous reactor operator for an extended period responsible for manipulating the controls of the reactor, and a shift supervisor for n ' hart period respon-sible for manipulating, or directing manipulation of, the centrols by reactor s
Y 8808220276 880009 PDR ADOCK 05000277 O
PNU N
'N, D. Yost, Jr. operators, you set a poor exarrple for these individuals and failed to exercise t
the control and comand responsibilities expected of a prson in your position.
You are reminded that you hold a license from the United States government f
which confers upon you the special trust and confidence of the American people in the safe operation of nuclear facilities and ) laces you in a position where your perfonnance is expected to be above reproac1. Consequently, I have determined that additional action should be taken to emphasize your individual accountability to the NRC as a ifcense holder, and as a supervisor of other licensed personnel, and your responsibility to remain alert and attentive at all times so as to ensure protection of the public health and safety.
During the NRC delibcrations concerning appropriate enforcement action, the NRC considered the entire spectrum of possible enforcement actions, including Letter of Reprimand, Notice of Violation, Civil Penalty, and Orders to Modify.
Suspend or Revoke your license.
In light of your completion of the rehabil-itation program and the fact that pervasive and extended management failures 3
contributed significantly to the unacceptable conditions at Peach Bottom. I have detennined that an Order against your license is inappropricte. However.
in light of your involvement in this conduct and your failure to take corrective actions and after consultation with the Comission. I have decided to issue to ycu the enclosed Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in the amount of $500 to emphasize that you, 08 :a license holder, are individually
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accountable to the NRC. Since you had only been a shift supervisor for a short period of the time prior to the shutdown, the violation is classified at Severity i
Level III rather than a Severity Level II as has been done for those shift supervisors who had been in that position for more than a short period. Although the enforcement policy does not provide a schedule for civil penalties against individuals, the penalty is based on the schedule provided for in Table IA for small materials licenses. You should be aware that any recurrence of this behavior could result in retocation of your license.
3 i
You are required to respond to the enclosed Notice and should follow the instructions specified therein when preparing your response.
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 enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Docurent Room.
The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed *tice are not subject to the clearence procedures of the Office of Management
,d Budget as required
)
3 by the Paperwork Reductinn Act of 1980 Pub. L. No. 96-Su.
Sincerely,
/
~
"sM77aylor, puty Executive Director for Regional Operations
Enclosure:
Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty c:'s w/ enc 1: See next page l
N. D. Yost, Jr.
-3c cc w/ encl:
Corbin McNeill, Executive Vice President, Nuclear PublicDocumentRoom(PDR) local Public Document Room (LPDR)
NRC Resident Inspector Comonwealth of Pennsylvania Killian & Gephart ATTN: Smith B. Gephart, Esq 218 Pine Street Post Office Box 886
. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108 4
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4-DISTRIBUTION:
bec w/ encl:
RegionIDocketRoom(w/ concurrences)
SECY congressional Affairs J. Taylor, DEDO W. Russell, RI D. Holody, RI J. Lieberman, OE Enforcement Directors, RII-RIII Enforcenent Officers, RIV-Y F. Ingram, PA E. Jordan, AE0D B. Hayes, OI S. Connelly, OIA F. Miraglia, NRR D. Nussbaumer, 0GPA OE/ES File OE/EA File EDO Rdg File DCS L. Chandler, OGC g
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