ML20198E973

Forwards Insp Rept 50-498/97-06 & 50-499/97-06 on 970810-1004 & Nov.Violation Re 2 Examples of Inappropriate Use of Equipment Clearance Orders to Perform Work Requiring Use of Written Proccedures

ML20198E973
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	12/08/1997
From:	Gwynn T NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:	Cottle W HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20198E979	List: IR 05000498/1997006 ML20198E973 ML20198F016
References
50-498-97-06, 50-498-97-6, 50-499-97-06, 50-499-97-6, EA-97-572, NUDOCS 9801090272
Download: ML20198E973 (5)

See also: IR 05000498/1997006

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LEA 97 57? December 8,1997

William T/Cottle, Group Vice

President,~ Nuclear :

Houston Lighting & Power Company

P.O. Box 289

Wadsworth, Texas 77483 -

. SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-498/97-06; 50 499/97-06 AND NOTICE OF

VIOLATION

Dear Mri Cottle:

On October _4,1997, the NRC completed an inspection at your South Texas Projects

Units 1 and 2, facility. The enclosed report presents the scope and results of that

inspection.

During the 8 week period covered by this inspection, your conduct of activities at South

Texas Project was generally characterized by safety conscious operations with strong

maintenance and engineering practices, and careful radiological work controls. During the

course of the inspection, three violations of NRC requirements were identified. The first

violation involved two examples of an inappropriate use of equipment clearance orcers to

perform work requiring the use of written procedures.- The NRC has concluded that

corrective actions discussed in your response to Violetion 498;499/97005 03, should be

sufficient to correct the causes of this violation. Therefore, while this vio;ation is cited as

Violation A in the enclosed Notice of Violation, we have determined that your docketed

corrective actions satisfy the intent of 10 CFR 2.201 and, therefore, no further response is

required. The second violation occurred when NRC inspectors identified that test, vent,

and drain line isolation valves associated with 10 containment penetrations were not

verified to be closed as required by Techrical Specifications. The final violation involved a

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determination by NRC inspectors that a writte.n safety evaluation had not been prepared i

prior-to the installation of the advance liquid processing system in September 1992.

While reviewing your administrative controls for backup pressurizer heaters with the cold

overpressure mitigation system out of service, NRC inspectors identified that the required

, adminictrative controls over systems or components that could result in a reactor coolant

system mass or temperature increase were not readily identifiable as procedural steps in

one procedure intended to assure this. We are concerned that not having these

administrative controls specifically delineated in one procedure may lead to a repeat of the

January 12,1994, water solid condition wherein the power-operated relief valves were

inoperable while the pressurizer heaters were not inoperable. In discussions with your i

Operations Support Manager on November 18,1997, you committed to revise your plant I

startup procedure to specifically delineate the required administrative controls which will

. provide assurance that low temperature-overpressure conditions are not encountered. .

Please provide us, within 30 days of the receipt of this letter, confirr,ation of this

commitment along with the details of the changes you plan to make.

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9001090272 971208

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PDR ADOCK 05000498

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

its enclosure, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room. To.the

extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or

safeguards information so that it can be placed in the Public Document Room without

redaction.

Should you have any cuestions concerning this inspection, we will be pleased to discuss

them with you.

, Sincerely,

/s/

Thomas P. Gwynn, Director

Division of Reactor Projects

.

Docket Nos.: 50-498

50 499

License Nos.: NPF 76

NPF-80

Enclosures:

1. Notice of Violation

2. NRC Inspection Report

50 498/97-06; 50-499/97-06

cc w/ enclosures:

Lawrence E. Martin, General Manager

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Nuclear Assurance & Licensing

Houston Lighting & Power Company

P.O. Box 289

Wadsworth, Texas 77483

Mr. J. C. Lanier/Mr. M. B. Lee

City of Austin

Electric Utility Department

721 Barton Springs hoad

Austin, Texas 78704

Mr. K. J. Fiedler/Mr. M. T. Hardt

-City Public Service Board

P.O. Box 1771

San Antonio, Texas 78296

Jack R. Newman, Esq.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

1800 M. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036 5869

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Mr. G. E. Vaughn/Mr. C. A. Johnson

' Central Power & Light Company

P.O. Box 289

Mail Code: N5012

Wadsworth, Texas 77483

INPO

Records Center

700 Galleria Parkway .

Atlanta Georgia 30335-5957

.

Dr. Bertram Wolfe

15453 Via Vaquero

Monte Sereno, California 95030

Bureau of Radiation Control

State of Texas

1100 West 49th Street

Austin, Texas 78756

Mr. Glenn W. Dishong

Texas Public Utliity Commission

7800 Shoal Creek Blvd.

Suite 400N

Austin, Texas 73757-1024

John Howard, Director

Environmental and Natural Resources Policy

Office of the Governor

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711

Judge, Matagorda County

Matagorda County Courthouse

1700 Seventh Street

Bay City, Texas 77414

Licensing Representative

Houston Lighting & Powei Compary

Suite 610

Three Metro Center

Bothesda, Maryland 20814

Rufus S.' Scott, Associate

General Counsel

Houston Lighting & Power Company

P.O. Box 61867

Houston, Texas 7/208

Joseph R. Egan, Esq.

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Egan & Associates, P.C.

2300 N Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20037

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E-Mail report to T. Frye (TJF)'

E Mail report to T. Hiltz (TGH).

E-Mail report to NRR Event Tracking System (IPAS)

E Mail report to Document Control Desk (DOCDESK)

E Mail report to Richard Correia (RPC)

E-Mail report to Frank Talbot (FXT)

bec'to DCD (IE01)

bec distrib. by RIV:

Regional Administrator - Resident inspector

DRP Director DRS-PSB

Branch Chief (DRP/A)- MIS System

Project Engineer (DRP/A) RIV File

Branch C'11ef (DRP/TSS) R. Bachmann, OGC (MS: 15 B 18)

DOCUMENT NAME: R:\_STP\ST706RP.DPL

lo receive copy of document. Indicate in box: "C" = Copy without enclosures "E" = Copy wth enclosures "N" = No copy

RIV: SRI DRP/A RI:DRP/A RI:DRP/D PE:DRP/A

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11/19/97 NA 11/8/97 11/7/97 "%K) 11/7/97

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12/5/97 12/5/97

/previously concurred

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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