ML20195D195

EN-98-057B:on 980911,notice of Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in Amount of $88,000 Issued to Licensee.Action Based on One Severity Level II Problem Involving Very Significant Inadequacies in Comm Ed Capability to Shut Down

ML20195D195
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities
Issue date:	09/08/1998
From:	Beverly Clayton, David Nelson NRC OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT (OE), NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
EA-98-175, EA-98-231, EN-98-057B, EN-98-57B, NUDOCS 9811170315
Download: ML20195D195 (1)

Text

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. S:ptembsr 8,1998 EN 98-057B OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT ACTION Licensee: Commonwealth Edison Company (Comed) (EAs98-175 and 98-231)

Du'ad Dities Station Docket Nos. 50-254; 50-265.

Subiect: PROPOSED IMPOSITION OF CIVIL PENALTIES - $88,000

'In EN 98-57, dated August 11,1998, the staff notified the Commission of the intent to issue proposed imposition of civil penalties in the amount of $143,000 to Comed. On August 13,1998, the staff informed the Commission that issuance of the action was being postponed, based on additional staff questions. This is to inform the Commission that the staff has reevaluated the action and intends to issue a Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalties for $88,000 to Comed on or about September 11,1998. This action is based on  ;

ona Saverity Level 11 problem involving very significant inadequacies in Comed's capability to shut down the '

Quid Cities facility and maintain the units in a safe shutdown condition following a postulated design basis fire.

Bscause this was not the first escalated enforcement action within 2 years, the staff considered whether credit ,

wts warranted for identification and corrective action. Identification credit was warranted because the Quad l Cities engineering staff identified all of the technical concerns regarding the inadequacies in the Quad Cities altzmative shutdown capabilities. However, corrective action credit was not warranted due to the extensive NRC involvement required to focus Comed resources to obtain comprehensive corrective actions, resulting in a civil psnalty of $88,000.

The Saverity Level lli violation that was previously assessed separately, and was the subject of the further staff cvaluttions, has now been combined into the violation discussed above. This violation involved Comed's failure to paform a written safety evaluation to determine if an unreviewed safety question (USQ) would exist if a changa were made to the safe shutdown procedures permitting the use of the station blackout diesel generator instnad of the emergency diesel generators. The licensee made this change and the NRC staff concluded that a USQ had been created.

The State of Illinois will be notified. It should be noted that the licensee has not been specifically informed of thn enforcement action. The schedule of issuance and notification is:

l Mailing of Notice September 11,1998 Telephone Notification of Licensee September 11,1998 l

The licensee has thirty days from the date of the Notice in which to respond. Following NRC evaluaf.on of the rssponse, the civil penalty may be remitted, mitigated, or imposed by Order.

i Contacts: Brent Clayton, Rlli - EICS, 630-810-4373 Dave Nelson, OE, 415-3280 Distribution

'OWFN OWFN TWFN Regional Offices

!. Chairman Jackson EDO OC RI RIV Comm. Diaz DEDR AEOD Ril WCFO Comm. McGaffigan DEDS OP CTR Rlli OE NMSS o SECY OGC IRM MAIL OCA NRR OlG NUDOCS

, PA O! RES PDR l'

IP. SP ACRS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE UNTIL VERIFICATION THAT LICENSEE HAS RECEIVED ACTION P b,A \

. 2'" ""9811170315 14 E 990908 " D

! PDR

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