ML20197C498
| ML20197C498 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | North Anna  |
| Issue date: | 09/04/1998 |
| From: | Ohanlon J VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| 50-338-98-04, 50-338-98-4, 50-339-98-04, 50-339-98-4, 98-489, NUDOCS 9809140036 | |
| Download: ML20197C498 (4) | |
Text
.
Vinoisir ELECTRIC AND l'OWEH CON 15%NY RacilN10ND, YlRGINI A 23261 September 4, 1998 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Serial No.98-489 Attention: Document Control Desk NAPS /JHL R1 Washington, D. C. 20555 Docket Nos.
50-338 50-339 License Nos.
NPF-4 NPF-7 Gentlemen:
VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY NORTH ANNA POWER STAT:'sN UNITS 1 AND 2 INSPECTION REPORT NOS. 50-338/98-04 AND 50-339/98-04 REPLY TO A NOTICE OF VIOLATION We have reviewed your letter of August 10, 1998, which referred to the inspection conducted at North Anna Power Station from May 30,1998 through July 11,1998,and the associated Notice of Violation that was reported in Inspection Report Nos. 50-338/98-04 and 50-339/98-04. Our reply to the Notice of Violation is attached.
I No new commitments are intended as a result of this letter. If you have any further questions, please contact us.
Very truly yours, i
{uR James P. O'Hanlon
/i Senior Vice President - Nuclear
'/
Attachment cc:
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission b
Region ll Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth St., SW, Suite 23T85 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Mr. M. J. Morgan NRC Senior Resident inspector North Anna Power Station 9809140036 980904 PDR ADOCK 05000338 G
l.
?
E l
REPLY TO NOTICE OF VIOLATION INSPECTION REPORT NOS. 50-338/98-04 AND 50-339/98-04 NRC COMMENT During an NRC inspection conducted on May 31, 1998 through July 11,1998, a violation of NRC requirements was identified.
In accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedures for NRC Enforcement Actions," NUREG 1600, the violation is listed below:
10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, Criterion V, " Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings," as implemented by Operational Quality Assurance Program Topical Report VEP-1-5A (Updated), Section 17.2.5, " Instructions, Procedures and Drawings," require, in part, that activities affecting quality shall be prescribed by documented procedures of a type appropriate to the circumstances and shall be accomplished in accordance with these procedures.
Virginia Power Administrative Procedure (VPAP)-0501,
" Procedure Administrative Control Program," Revision 8, step 6.8.1, states, in part, that technical procedures shall be used and adhered to.
Step 7.1.1 of technical procedure 0-ICP-MM-SR-ZR-2, " Backup Weather Tower Wind Speed and Wind Direction Calibration," Revision 0, required verification that all associated indications were normal after the tower was returned to service.
)
Contrary to the above, on June 23,1998, while returning the backup weather tower to service after calibration, step 7.1.1 of 0-ICP-MM-SR-ZR-2 was not properly performed. As a result of not properly verifying that all tower indications were normal, an error in the wind direction which was approximately 180 degrees from the actual wind direction was not discovered until four days later.
This is a Severity Level IV violation (Supplement 1).
i t
i
l' L.
\\
REPLY TO NOTICE OF VIOLATION 1.
REASON FOR THE VIOLATION The reason for the violation was failure to follow procedure. The circumstances associated with the event are provided below.
I On June 27, 1998, it was identified that the wind direction readings for the primary and backup weather towers were significantly different. An investigation determined that the wind direction sensor for the backup weather tower was indicating 180 degrees out of position. The incorrect alignment of the wind
{
direction sensor occurred during an instrument calibration performed by Air j
Quality Instrumentation and Control (l&C) technicians on June 23,1998.
The reason for the wind direction sensor being aligned 180 degrees out of position was personnel failure to follow procedure. A contributing cause is that the plant's reference for wind direction is from the South instead of from the North like weather tower reference points at other Virginia Power generating plants serviced by these technicians. The calibration procedure includes a note and several steps to orient the wind vane to the South.
However, the technicians did not comply with these procedural requirements.
In addition, Step 7.1.1 of the calibration procedure requires verification with the Operator-at-the-Controls (OATC) that all associated indications are normal for current plant conditions.
The Shift Supervisor was notified following the i
completion of the instrumentation calibration, on June 23,1998. Several hours later, the backboards operator logged that the backup meteorological tower did not appear normal However, the difference between the primary and backup weather tower readings was not specifically identified. Also, operators perform a channel check of the primary and backup weather tower data twice a shift. The difference in the primary and backup weather tower wind direction readings was not detected during the channel check because the channel check is only performed to ensure the wind direction is not upscale, downscale or otherwise not erratic. The channel check is not used to compare the readings from the two weather towers because the instantaneous wind direction is often different by as much as 90 degrees due to the towers the different locations of the towers.
2.
CORRECTIVE STEPS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND THE RESULTS ACHIEVED A station deviation report was initiated to document the event. The primary j
weather tower indications were verified operable to ensure Technical Specification requirements were met.
- f g
The backup tower wind direction instrumentation was promptly repaired.
y The Air Quality 1&C technicians involved in the event were trained on management's expectations on the use of procedures and how to perform l
independent and simultaneous verification of completed actions.
Meteorological tower procedures were revised to include lessons learned from this event.
j As an enhancement, operations personnel will be provided guidance to heighten their awareness of primary and back-up meteorological tower wind direction equipment and equipment positions.
3.
CORRECTIVE STEPS WHICH WILL BE TAKEN TO AVOID FURTHER VIOLATIONS No further corrective actions are required.
4.
THE DATE WHEN FULL COMPLIANCE WILL BE ACHIEVED Full compliance has been achieved.
1
!