ML20198G574
| ML20198G574 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | River Bend  |
| Issue date: | 01/05/1998 |
| From: | Collins E NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Mcgaha J ENTERGY OPERATIONS, INC. |
| References | |
| 50-458-97-14, NUDOCS 9801130066 | |
| Download: ML20198G574 (5) | |
See also: IR 05000458/1997014
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611 RYAN PLAZA DRIVE. SUITE 400
ARLfNGTON 'f EXAS 701011 4064
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JAN - 5 1998
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John R. McGaha, Vice President - Operations
River Bend Station
Entergy Operations, Inc.
P.O. Box 220
St. Francisville, Loulslana 70775
SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-458/97-14
Thank you for your letter of December 15,1997, in response to our letter and Notice of
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Violation dated November 14,1997. We have reviewed your reply and find it responsive to the
concerns raised in our Notice of Violation. We will review the implementation of your corrective
actions during a future in'spection to determine that full compliance has been achieved and witi
be maintained.
Sh cerely,
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Elmo E. Collins, Chief
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Project Branch C
Division of Reactor Projects
Docket No.: 50-458
License No.: NPF-47
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Executive Vice President and
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Chief Operating Officer
Entergy Operations, Inc.
P.O. Box 31995
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Jackson, Mississippi 39286-1995
Vice President
Operations Support ^
Entergy Operations, Inc.
P.O. Box 31995
Jackson, Mississippi 39286-1995
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ADOCK 05000458
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Entergy Operations, Inc.
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General Manager .
Plant Operations:-
River Bend Station
^ Entergy Operations, Inc.
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P.O. Box 220
St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775
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Director - Nuclear Safety
River Bend Station
Entergy Operations, Inc.
- P.O. Box 220
St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775
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Wise, Carter, Child & Caraway
P.O. Box 651
Jackson, Mississippi 39205-
- Mark J. Wetterhahn, Esq.
Winston & Strawn
1401 L Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005-3502
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Manager- Licensing
River Bend Station
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Entergy Operations, Inc.
. P.O. Box 220
St. Francisville, Louisiana . 70775 .
The Honorable Richard P. leyoub
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Attorney General
P.O. Box 94095
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-909'S
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H. Anne Plettinger
3456 Villa Rose Drive -
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806 -
President of West Feliciana
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- Police Jury
- P.O. Rox 1921
~ St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775
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Joint' Ownership Manager .
Cajun Electric Power Coop. Inc.
P.O. Bcx 15540 -
x Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70895
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Louisiana Radiation Protection Division
P.O. Box 82135
- Baton Rotage, Louisiana 70684-2135'
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Entergy operations. Inc.
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December 15,1997
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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Document Control Desk, OPI-17
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Washington, DC 20555
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Subject:
Reply to Notices of Violation in IR 97-014
River Bend Station - Unit I-
License No. NPF-47
Docket No. 50-458
File Nos.:
G9.5, G15.4.1
RBG-44336
RBF1-97-0471
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the provisions of 10CFR2.201, Attachments A and B provide the Entergy
Operations, Inc. responses to the Notices of Violation (NOV) described in NRC
Inspection Report (IR) 50-458/97-014.
He subject violaticns, 50-458/97014-04 and 05, involve failures to adequately control
areas posted as high radiation areas or locked high radiation areas.
Shott'd you have any questions regarding the attached information, please contact
Mr. David Lorfing of my staff at (504) 381-4157.
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rely,
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Reply to Notice of Violation in 50-458/97-014
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December 15,1997
. RBO-44336
RBF197-0471
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Page 2 of 2
cc:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Region IV
611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400
Arlmgton,TX 76011
NRC Sr. Ruident Inspector
P.O. Box 1050
St. Francisville, LA 70775
David Wigginton
NRR Project Manager
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
M/S OWFN 13-H-3
Washington, DC 20555
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ATTACHMENT A
Reply to Notice of Violation 50-458/9714-04
Violation:
Technical Specification 5.7.3 requires, in part, for individual high radiation areas
with radiation levels of 1000 millirem per hour or greater, accessible to personnel,
that are located within large areas such as reactor containment, where no
enclosure ef sts for the purposes oflocking, or that is not continuously guarded,
and where ... .nclosure can be reasonably constructed around the individual area,
that individual area shall be barricaded and conspicuously posted.
Contrary to the above, on September 19,1997, the barricade and posting which
identified the area sunounding valve E12-AOV41 A, as a high radiation area with
radiation levels of 1000 millirem per hour or greater was partially removed and
not controlled.
Clarification:
River Bend plant procedures differentiate between high radiation areas based on radiation
levels. Those areas greater than 100 millirem per hour general area up to 999 millirem
per hour are high radiation areas (HRA). Those areas at or above 1000 mi!!irem ner hour
general area are locked high radiation areas (LHRA). If an LHRA cannot be physically
locked, flashing red lights are used as additional waming for plant personnel. The area at
valve E12-AOV41 A was posted as a Locked High Radiation Area with flashing 1:ghts in
use.
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Reasons for the Violation;
The root cause of this event was a conscious decision by a contract employee trained
radiation worker to disregard instructions from his supervisors and Radiation Protection
(RP) personnel while working in the Drywell near E12 AOV41 A. His actions directly
resulted in a violation of LHRA entry and posting requirements. A contributing cause
was identified as miscommunication between the workers regarding the need to have an
RP technician present before proceeding with the work activity.
Corrective Actions That Have Been Taken:
In response to the incident, the following actions were taken:
. On the night shift when the event occurred, the RP supervisor stopped work and
held a briefing with the affected crew concerning the importance of radiological
postings,'the requirements for working in a LHRA and the need to follow
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airections from an RP technician.
- RP personnel and the affected crew on both shifts were not permitted to return
to work on the shift subsequent to Se incident until both RP and SRV personnel
reviewed this event with upper RP management to emphasize the importance of
radiological boundaries,
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e The Drywell was walked down to verify the accuracy and visibility of LHRA
postings.
- The contract individual involved was released from employment at River Bend.
- The importance of radiological boundaries was re-emphasized to plant -
employees through site communications,
e Site supervisors were provided a summary of the HRA/LHRA requirements for
discussion with their personnel.
Corrective Actions That Will Be Taken To Avoid Further Violations:
To preclude repetition of the event, the following actions will be taken:
. This event will be added to RP technician pre-outage training.
- Radiation worker training will be amended to include this event as a case study,
- The effectiveness of" read and sign" radiation worker training for contractors is
being evaluated to determine if other measures, such as testing, should be
implemented.
Date When Full Compliance Will Be Achieved:
Full compliance was achieved on the shift the event occurred when the LHRA posting
around valve E12 AOV41 A was restored by Radiation Protection personnel.
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ATTACHMENT B
Reply To Notice of Violation 50-458/9714-05
Violation:
Technical Specification 5.7.2 requires, in part, that areas with radiation levels of
1000 millirem per hour or greater, shall be provided with locked or continuously
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guarded doors to prevent unauthorized entry.
Contrary to the above, on October 8,1997, the gate to Radwaste 136-foot
elevation drum storage area, an area with radiation levels of 1000 millirem or
greater, was found unlocked and unguarded.
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Reason For The Violation:
Although the identity of the person who leR the gate unlocked was not determined, the
root cause of this event is the failure on the part of a Radiation Protection technician to
self check that the gate was cl:ued and locked when exiting the Radwaste 136 foot
elevation drum storage area. This resulted in the gate access being left unlocked and
unattended. A contributing cause is inadequate manage. ment follow-up on previous
corrective action to ensure that non-selflocking LHRA doors were modified to provide
self locking capability. An engineering request had been submitted due to a similar event
in 1906 and was scheduled for completion in March,1998, but the requested
modifications had not been designed or installed at the time of this event.
Corrective Actions That Have Been Taken:
De following actions were taken in response to the event:
- The gate was closed and locked when it was first discovered to be imlocked.
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. The Radiation Protection crews were notified on the subsequeat shin tumover
of the event and reminded of the importance of ensuring that high and locked high
radiation doors are securely closed and locked after each use.
. Chains and padlocks have been installed on non-self-locking LHRA gates in the
plant. The keys are controlled and issued by RP supervision. This temporary
measure is to remain in place until self-locking and self-closing mechanisms are
installed on the gates.
- An engineering work request was work released to permit installing self-locking
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mechanisms.
Corrective Action That Will Be Taken To Avoid Further Vlointions:
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The following actions are planned to ensure no further violations occur:
- A review of other LilRA doors will be perfanned to identify other doors which
may have similar problems.
. LilRA doors and gates without self locking mechanisms will be moditied
to install self locking capability.
Date When Full Compliance Will Be Achieved:
River Bend was in full compliance upon locking of the Radwaste building 136 foot
elevation gate immediately after it was discovered unlocked on October 8,1997,
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