ML20195H211

Forwards Biweekly Status Rept for 881105-18.Resident & Regional Inspectors Closely Monitoring Licensee Activities & Independently Assessing Plant Readiness for Restart

ML20195H211
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	11/22/1988
From:	Blough A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Wiggins J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
References
NUDOCS 8811300264
Download: ML20195H211 (6)

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NOV 221988 Docket No. 50-293 MEMORANDUM FOR: James T. Wiggins, Chief Reactor Proiects Branch No. 3 FROM: A. Randy Blough, Chief Reactor Projects Section No. 3B

SUBJECT:

PILGRIM STATUS REPORT FOR THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 5 - 18, 1988 Enclosed is the Pilgrim bi-weekly status report from the NRC Resident Office at Pilgrim. Three resident inspector s, two region-based inspectors and two NRC contractors monitored activities at the plant during the report period. The licensee continued to work toward the completion of activities needed to sup-port restart of the facility during this period. The resident and regional inspectors have been closely moi,itoring licensee activities and independently assessing plant readiness for restart.

The Pilgrim bi weekly status report is intended to provide NRC management and the public with an overview of plant activities and NRC inspection activities.

Subsequent inspection reports will address many of these topics in more detail.

0910.' hie sip:t J Bf F.ME5 T. M W A. Randy Blough, Chief Reactor Projects Section No. 3B

Enclosure:

As stated 0011300264 801122 PDR ADOCK 05000293 R PNV

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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY PILGRIM STATUS 11/5-18/88 - 0001.0.0 \

11/21/88

• 0 Memorandum for James T. Wiggins 2

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R. Bird, Senior Vice President - Nuclear, BECo L. Gustin, Vice President - Corporate Relations, BECo K. Highfill, Station Director, BECo J Xeyes, Licensing Division Manager, BECo Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Plymouth Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Carver Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Ouxbury Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Marshfield Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Kingston The Honorable Edward P. Kirby The Honorable Peter V. Forman The Honorable Edward J. Markey M. Ernst, Committee on Energy, Commonwealth of Massachusetts S. ?ollard, Energy Secretary, Commonwealth of Massachusetts B. McIntyre, Chairman, Department of Public Utilities N. Johnson, Chairman, Ouxbury Nuclear Committee Plymouth Civil Defense Director R. Boulay M. Conyngham M. Jeka K. Anderson Public Document Room (POR)

L, cal Public Document Room (LPOR)

N Jclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident inspector Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2) 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY PILGRIM STATUS 11/5-18/88 - 0002.0.0 11/21/88

Hemorandum for James T. Wiggins 3 NOV 2 21988 bec w/ enc 1:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

T. Murley, NRR F. Miraglia, NRR S. Varga, NRR B. Boger, NRR

0. Crutchfield, NRR J. Partlow, NRR C. Rossi, NRR F. Congel, NRR L. Shao, NRR R. Wessman, NRR

0. Mcdonald, NRR J. Roe, NRR F. Akstulewicz, NRR L. Whitney, ILPB, NRR P. Boehnert, ACRS W. Russell, RI W. Kane, RI T. Martin, RI S. Ebneter, RI S. Collins, RI R. Gallo, RI R. Blough, RI L. Doerflein, RI M. Kohl, RI M. J. DiDonato, RI (2)

K. Abraham, RI (2) 1 l

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%r ' RI:DRP CVarren/mjd RBlough ( Wiggins 11/W/85 11/ 4 88 11/7b/88

! 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY PILGRIM STATUS 11/5-18/88 - 0003.0.0 11/21/88

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ENCLOSURE PILGRIM STATUS REPORT FOR THE PERIOD NOVEMBER S -18, 1988 1.0 Plant Status As of 8:00 a.m. on Sovember 18, 1988, the reactor was in the cold shutdown mode with moderator temperature about 87.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.0 Facility Operations Summary The plant has been shutdown for maintenance and to make program improve-ments since April 12, 1986. The reactor core was completely defueled on February 12, 1987 to facilitate extensive maintenance and modification of plant equipment. The licensee completed fuel reload on October 14, 1987.

Re-installation of the reactor vessel internal components and the vessel head was followed by completion of the reactor vessel hydrostatic test.

The primary containment integrated it:ak rate test was completed during the week of December 21, 1987.

The licensee completed a formal management self-assessment of their readi-ness for restart and submitted this to the NRC for review on May 26, 1988, in the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Stetion Self-Assessment of Readiness. for Restart Report and Volume 2, Revision 2 of the Restart Plan. The NRC completed its review of the licensee's Self-Assessment Report and con-ducted an Integrated Assessment Team Inspection (IATI) dJring August 8-24, 1953. The purpose of the IATI was to perform an in-depth assessment of the licensee's readiness for restart. The IATI Inspection Report 50-293/88-21 was issued on September 7,1983. The team concluded with confidence that Boston Edison Company (BECo) management controls, programs and personnel are generally ready and performing at a level to support safe startup and operation of the facility. The licensee has formally requested permission of the NRC for restart of the Pilgrim plant.

3.0 Items of special Interest Plant physical Readiness for Restart As of November 18, 1983, all previous NRC restart open items were re:olved. Plant physical readiness is pending review of the containment penetration p?pe support issue. On October 14, 1988, an NRC inspector idantified two loose bese plate anchor bolte on a containment penetration pipe support. Subsequently, the licensee performed extensive inspections and analyses to determine whether a significant problem exists. The licensee conducted walkdowns of containment penetration pipe supports similar to that in which the loose ancnor bolts were initially found and has been analy-ing any noted discrepancies between the "as-built" configuration of the supports and the design drawings. The licensee expanded the walkdowns to additional piping supports, component supports and structural supports considered important-to-safety and has been re performing stress analyses where necessary.

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY PILGRIM STATUS 11/5-18/S8 - 0004.0.0 11/22/88

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On November 17, 1983, a management meeting was held at the NRC Region I office between the NRC and BECo to discuss their actions with regard to  :

this issue. The presentation by the licensee indicated that they have  ;

conducted a thorough analysis of this problem. The licenree stated at the meeting that they expect all the noteJ discrepancies relative to these  !

supports to be resolved and repairs completed by November 22,19SS. The '

NRC staff has been closely monitoring the licensee's actions in this area.

NRC review of this issue will be documented in Inspecticn Report No.

50-293/88-30.

Licenses Management Realignment The licensee announced on November 10, 1988, that Mr. Edwin J. Wagner has been named Directer of Nuclear Engineering. He will assume his new responsibilities on December 1, 1938. Mr. Wagner will replace Mr. J. Edward Howard (currently Vice President, Nuclear Engineering) who plans to retire. Mr. Wagner joined BECo earlier this year and has over 30 years experience in nuclear power.

NRC Assessment Panel Meeting An NRC Assessment Panel meeting for Pilgrim was Feld on November 9,1988.

NRC management from Region I, NRR and the NRC resident staff participated via teleconference. The NRC Assessment Panel meets periodically to coor-dinate pre planning and execution of NRC inspection and licensing activ-ities related to Pilgrim. The panel is chaired by Mr. Samuel J. Collins, Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Projects, NRC Region I.

4.0 Emergency Notification System (ENS) Reports Radiological Spill On the morning of November 16, 1983, the licensee discovered that radioactively contaminated water was spilled inside the radwaste trucklock and that some of the water had leaked outside the building. The licensee's investigation into the incident determined that, at about 8:20 a.m.,

contract personnel had commenced filling a radioactWe waste high integrity container (HIC) liner, located in the radwaste building trucklock with demineralized water. The HIC was approximately one third filled with contaminated filter media. The contractor'a intention was to form a slurry with the medi' and pump it out of the HIC into a filter system for dewatering At about 8:40 a.m., the contractor technicians inolved, believing that they had secured the demineralized water supply, left the area unattended. At about 9:45 a.m., a licensed operator performing a reatine outside tour identified that water was leaking under the trucklock and escaping to the surrounding arra. The control room was notified and th: source of the leak was isolated.

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY PILGRIM STATiJS 11/5-18/88 - 0005.0.0 11/22/88

Enclosure 3 The licensee estimated that approximately 2300 gallons of water were spilled of which abeut 100 gallons exited the process building. Standing water in the immediate area of the spill showed activity levels of up to 7E-03 microcuries per cubic centineter (uc/cc). Samples from inside the protected area fence showed maxirum activities of 6E-04 uc/cc. Samples from the arei outside the protected area fence showed no activity above minimum detectable levels.

The licensee issued a press release describing the incident and mace an ENS notification to the NRC at 3:29 p.m. on November 16, 1933. The NRC resident office close'.y tollowed the incident and reviewed BECo's radio-activity analyses of the spill area. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts also dispatched a team of inspectors to the site to investigate the spill; they also surveyed the area and teok water and soil samples. Signific:1t local media attention was focused on the event.

5.0 NRC Staff Status _During the Period The inspecticn staff at Pilgrim during the report ptriou consisted of the following:

Clay Warren ---

Senior Resident Inspector Tae Kim ---

Resident Inspector Cynthia Carpenter ---

Resident Inspector One region-based specialist inspector was onsite November 5-7, 1933, to review the licensee's actions with respect to the contairrent penetration pipe support hanger discrepancies. The results of this inspection will be documented in inspection report 50-293/83-30. On November 9,19S8, the Chief, Reactor Projects Section No. 3B, responsible for Pilgrim and the Chief. Emergency Preparedness & Radiological Protection Branch were onsite to parti 'cate in the Pilgrim Restart Panel Meeting held by teleconference.

Also en Nov . aer 9,1983, i Regional specialist inspector in the security section and a representative f rom NRR were onsitt to review a licensing issue in the security area. During the week of November 13, 1983, two reactor engineers from Region I and two NRC contractors who will be observing the Power Ascension Test Program were onsite for training and to assist the Resident Inspectors with their inspection activities.

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY PILGRIM STATUS 11/5-lS/S3 - 0006.0.0 11/22/S3

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