ML20154E181

Discusses Restart of Plant,Per NRC 870427 Confirmation of Action Ltr Ordering Continued Shutdown Until Problems Identified in SALP Reviews Resolved.Edo Scheduled to Address Commission in Aug 1988 on Licensee Readiness for Restart

ML20154E181
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	03/23/1988
From:	Boehnert P Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards
To:	Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards
Shared Package
ML20154D739	List: ML20154D737 ML20154D749 ML20154D775 ML20154D786 ML20154D799 ML20154D811 ML20154E181 ML20154E200 ML20154E235 ML20154E256 ML20195F929
References
FOIA-88-198 CAL, NUDOCS 8809160248
Download: ML20154E181 (1)

Text

,f UNITED STATES

!"' [g .. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS 1

$ ,E o c WASHINGTON, D. C. 20655

\ ...* / March 23, 1988 MEMORANDUM FOR: ACRS Members FROM: Paul Boehnert, Senior Staff Engineer -

SUBJECT:

PILGRIM PLANT RESTART Pilgria is a 690 MW(e) GE BWR/3, housed in a Mark I Containment. The plant is located in Plymouth Massachusetts and began operation in September 1972.

In April 1966, the plant shutdcan dut to hardware problems. Because of an increatingly bad operating history, NRC issued a Confirmatory Action Letter on August 27, 1986, ordering a continued shutdown until problems identified by the NRC in two preceding SALP reviews were resolved.

These problems included: ranagement effectiveness, personnel shortages (e.g., plant operators), operations (e.g., extensive maintenance tacklog), administration (e.g., poer adherence to procedures) and weaknesses in radiological and emergency planning (EP) programs (see below).

Since the shutdown, the EP issue has taken on heightened significance due to the involvement of the State and FEMA; the Mark I containment concern, via severe accident considerations, is also now an issue, again partly because c f State involvement and partly duc to the Licensee's ettempt to upgrade the Mark I containment to better resist severe accident loadings.

Prior to restart. NRC will require a "self assessment" report from the Licensee which addresses resolution of all significant outstanding issues. INP0 will also perfom an evaluation of the Utility's readiness to restart, prior to an evaluation by a restart Panel composed of personnel from the Region ! Office. Finally, NRR will, of course, review the results of the above evaluations.

NRC's current restart schedule for Pilgrim calls for the E00 to L.ief the Comission on the Licensee's readiness for restart around the first of August 1988. This could slip, as one of the action items to be satisfied is an EP exercise to be supervised by FEMA.

At this tire, neither the Comission nor the Staff has requested ACP.S review of the restart effort. I believe the Comittee needs to decide if it wishes to get involved here, and et what level. Given the above I Staff schedule, this decision now appears timely.

[ Note: Pilgrim was not "adopted" by any Comittee Member.]

\ cc:. M. W. Libarkin G. R. Quittschreiber R. Savio g71g8080823 pe ,

JOHNSON 88-198 PDR (l [# 4 '

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