ML20155F840

Forwards Insp Rept 50-213/98-04 on 980720-0911.Four Apparent Violations Involving Failure to Provide Adequate Procedures for RCS Decontamination & Related Activities Being Considered for Escalated Enforcement Action

ML20155F840
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	10/29/1998
From:	Blough A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Mellor R CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20155F843	List: ML20155F840 ML20155F851
References
50-213-98-04, 50-213-98-4, EA-98-472, NUDOCS 9811060130
Download: ML20155F840 (4)

See also: IR 05000213/1998004

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-k UNITED STATES

[E S NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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iE REGloN 1

% 475 ALLENDALE ROAD

t, * * * * * ,o[* KING oF PRUSSIA. PENNSYLVANIA 19406-1415

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October 29, 1998

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EA 98-472

Mr. R.'A.' Mellor

Vice President - Operations and Decommissioning

Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company

g 362 Injun Hollow Road

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East Hampton, CT 06424-3099

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SUBJECT: NRC SPECIAl. INSPECTION REPORT 50-213/98-04

Dear Mr. Mellor:

,

'

This refers to the inspection conducted on ' July 20 - September 11,1998, at the Haddam

Neck Plant in Haddam, Connecticut. This purpose of this specialinspection was to review

the reactor coolant system (RCS) chemical decontamination that was completed to support

plant decommissioning. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.

L During the inspection period, your control of radiological work at Haddam Neck was generally

L

characterized as careful rnd thorough, and the RCS chemical decontamination accomplished

substantial dose reduction in reactor piping. However, the process was hampered and

. Interrupted by several operational events that challenged plant personnel and the safe control

of the radiological source term. These events included: two major leaks of decontamination

fluid, the loss of control of demineralizer resins resulting in elevated radiation doses in plant

- piping, and the loss of control of a five-ton floor block due to improper rigging. None of the

events resulted in personnel injury or overexposure to radiation, all leakage was contained,

- and there were no releases of radioactive; water to the environment. However, the events

were significant precursors that had the potential for worker injury, equipment damage, or

radiological impacts. The events revealed weaknesses in the preparations and engineering

support for the RCS decontamination, weaknesses in the corrective actions to address  ;

adverse conditions, and the failure to adequately assess and compensate for poor material [

conditions.

'

Based on the results of this inspection, four apparent violations of regulatory requirements

[

L were identified which involved the failure to provide adequate procedures for the RCS

l decontamination and related activities. The violations are identified in the enclosed

L inspection report and are being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance

with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Action"

l: 9811060130 981029 "

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Mr. R. A. Mellor 2

(Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600. Although your staff took appropriate actions to

improve decontamination process controls and procedures following each event, the NRC

determined that the corrective actic,ns were not broadly-based to prevent subsequent

events or problems. Also, credit for identification of the issues is not warranted, since

they were primarily identified through unplanned events. The circumstances surrounding

. these apparent violations, the significance of the issues, and the need for effective

!

corrective actions were discussed with you during a public meeting on August 3,1998,

and at the inspe~ction exit meeting on September 11,1998. As a result, it may not be

necessary to conduct a predecisional enforcement conference in order to enable the NRC

to make an enforcement decision.

Before the NRC makes its enforcement decision, we are providing you an opportunity to

l either (1) respond to the apparent violations addressed in this inspection report within 30

!

days of the date of this letter or (2) request a predecisional enforcement conference. If a

conference is held, it will be open for public observation. The NRC will also issue a press

release to announce the conference. Please contact Dr. Ronald Bellamy at 610-337-5200

within seven days of the date of this letter to notify the NRC of your intended response.

Your response should be clearly marked as a " Response to Apparent Violations in

l

Inspection Report No. 50-213/98-04"and should include for each apparent violation: (1)

l the reason for the apparent violation, or if contested, the basis for disputing the apparent I

! violation, (2) the corrective steps that have been taken and the results achieved, (3) the  ;

l corrective steps that will be taken to avoid further violations, and (4) the date when full '

compliance will be achieved. Additionally, NRC reviews noted several weaknesses in the

control of plant activities (such as inadequate communications, coordination, the

integration of technical support, and the failure to make conservative decisions) that must

be addressed to assure the safe conduct of work. In response to the apparent violations,

in addition to the actions needed to ccrrect the violations, you are requested to address

I

these matters and to describe thu actions that will be taken to improve the integration of

support during critical evolutions, so that undue focus on time constraints is eliminated,

and conservative decision-making is consistently maintained for site decommissioning. We

would expect that these actions would be incorporated into your long-term corrective

action plan.

Your response should be submitted under oath or affirmation and may reference or include

! previous docketed correspondence,if the correspondence adequately addressed the

required response. If an adequate response is not received within the time specified or an

extension of time had not been granted by the NRC, the NRC will proceed with its

enforcement decision or schedule a predecisional enforcement conference. In addition,

please be advised that the number and characterization of apparent violations described in

l- the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review. You will be

advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations in this matter.

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Mr. R. A. Mellor -3

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's * Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, ,

its enclosure, and your response 0.5 you choose to provide one) will be placed in the NRC

Public Document Room (PDR). To the extent possible, your response should not include

any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the

PDR without redaction.

Sincerely,

'

A. Randolph Blough Director

Division of Nuclear Material Safety

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Docket No. 50-213

License No. DPR-61

Enclosure:

NRC Inspection Report No. 50-213/98 04

cc w/ encl:

D. Davis, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

T. Bennet, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

K. Heider, Decommissioning Director

G. Bouchard, Unit Director

J. Haseltine, Strategic Planning Director

G. van Noordennen, Regulatory Affairs Manager

J. Ritsher, CYAPCO Counsel

R. Bassilakis, Citizens Awareness Network

-J. Block, Attorney for CAN l

J. Brooks, CT Attorney General Office

K. AinsworthiTown of Haddam

State of Connecticut SLO i

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-. . .. . . .. .

l Mi. R. A. Mellor 4

Distribution w/ encl:

Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)

PUBLIC

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident inspector

D. Screnci, PAO

J. Wiggins, DRS

J. White, DRS

J. Nick, DNMS

M. Miller, DNMS -

R. Bellamy, DNMS l

H. Miller, RA / W. Axelson, DRA

OE (2).

Qlstribution w/enci (VIA E-MAIL):

K. Kennedy, OEDO

,

S. Weiss, NRR, DRPM, PDND '

T.' Fredrichs, PM, NRR

M. Callahan, OCA.

B. McCabe, EDO l

R. Correia, NRR

F. Talbot, NRR

D. Screnci, PAO, ORA

DOCDESK

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\D&LB\HN\98-04.RPT

Te receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without atted.n.n;/ enclosure "E" = C with attachment / enclosure N" = No

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copy ,

.l0FFICE RI\DNMS l RI/DNMS l RI/DNMS n l Rl/DfMif l OFg?*,Z',7 l l

lNAME Raymond FA- t,, Bellamy e f e Blough N Axelyohi Liebaona^ I

lDATE 10/19/98 10/ l'i /98M1W\ 10/2 3 /98 10/LD/98 10/ M /98 l

OFFICIAL RECORD C0P . // '

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