ML20196E340

Discusses NRC Investigation Rept 4-88-004 on 880129-0415 Re Apparent Falsification of Fire Watch Logs at Plant on Dec 1987 & Jan 1988 & Forwards Notice of Violation

ML20196E340
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	12/05/1988
From:	Martin R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:	Goldberg J HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20196E345	List: ML20196E340 ML20196E365
References
EA-88-216, NUDOCS 8812090320
Download: ML20196E340 (2)

Text

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• UftlTE] STATES yN , NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION k,

f REolON IV

/ Gil RYAN PLAZA DRIVE. SUITE 1@

ARUNGTON, TEXAS 79011

,,,g (EC-512 Docket No. 50-498/499 License No. NPF-71, CPPR-129 EA No.88-216 Houston Lighting & Power Company J. H. Goldberg, Group Vice President, Nuclear P. O. Box 1700 Houston, Texas 77001 Gentlemen:

SUBJECT:

NOTICE OF VIOLATION (NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT N0. 4-88-004)

This refers to the NRC investigation conducted January 29 through April 15, 1988, regarding the apparent fahifice. tion of fire watch logs at the South Texas Project (STP) in December 1987 and January 1988. The conclusions of this investigation that some fire watch logs were falsified were provided to you in a letter dated August 12, 1988, and were discussed with Houston Lighting & Power Company officials during an enforcement conference conducted by telephone on September 30, 1988.

NRC has reviewed all of the circumstances surrounding this matter and has concluded that a willful violation of NRC requirements occurred. This violation, which is described in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice), is of significant concern to the NRC in that any willful failure to follow procedures that are associated with the safety of the plant is significant.

In this case, fire watches employed by Ebasco, Inc., were assigned to make hourly rounds in areas of the STP plant where fire barriers had been l

compromised and to initial fire watch logs to indicate that the hourly rounds had been made. NRC's Office of Investigations (01) concluded that oil at least t l

six different evenings in December 1987 and January 1988 fire watch logs had been initialed to indicate that the required rcunds had been mace when in fact they had not. ,

In determining the severity level of this violation, NRC has taken into consideration the safety significance of these fire watch rounds having not been made, the position of the individunis in the organization and the possibility of involvement by company or contractor management. Because all -

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. DEC -51988 Houston Lighting & Power Company automatic fire detection and suppression systems were operable in the affected areas, because there was little combustible material present in the affected areas and because there is no evidence that either HL&P or Ehasco managers or first-line supervisors were aware of the failures of the fire watches to make all required rounds, we have classified this violation at Severity Level IV.

While NRC's enforcement policy provides that nonetary penalties may be proposed for willful violations at any severity level, we have decided in this case not to propose a monetary penalty because of your prompt and extensive corrective actions once you becane aware of this problem, including your actions to provide additional oversight in ensuring that fire watch r0unds are made, because of the disciplinary actions taken and because you had a progran in place that should have been sufficient to have prevented this problem but failed primarily because of the lack of integrity of the three individuals involved.

We believe that the corrective actions you described during the enforcement conference are appropriate and should minimize future possibilities of fire watch logs being falsified. Nevertheless, we expect that you will reinforce to all HL&P and contractor employees the importance of integrity in conducting all activities that are associated with the safety of the plant.

You are required to respond to this letter and should fo' low the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your respense. In your response, you should document the specific actions taken and any additional actions you plan to prevent recurrence. After reviewing your response to this Notice, including your proposed corrective actions and the results of ,

future inspections, the NRC will determine whether further NRC enforceinent action is necessary to ensure compliance with NRC regulatory requirments.

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 enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document P.oom.

The responses directed by this letter anfi the encl ~ , a ktice are not subject to the clearance procedures cf the Office of Managouent snd Budget as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No.96-511.

Sincerely,

/ d t. ,

Robert D, Martin Regional Administrator

Enclosure:

Notice of Violation ec:

Texas RadC. tion Control Prcgram Director

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