ML20198J329
| ML20198J329 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Cooper  |
| Issue date: | 12/17/1998 |
| From: | Howell A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Horn G NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20198J332 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-298-98-15, EA-98-335, EA-98-408, EA-98-428, NUDOCS 9812300143 | |
| Download: ML20198J329 (6) | |
See also: IR 05000298/1998015
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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611 RYAN PLAZA DRlVE. SUITE 400
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December 17, 1998
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EA 98-335
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EA 98-408
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EA 98-428
G. R. Horn, Senior Vice Posident
of Energy Supply
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Nebraska Public Power District
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141415th Street
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Columbus, Nebraska 68601
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SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-298/98-15, NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND
EXERCISE OF ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION
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Dear Mr. Horn:
During the period of May 4-22 and June 8-26,1998, an engineering team inspection and open
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item inspection were conducted at your Cooper Nuclear Station reactor facility. Additional
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inoffice inspection was conducted through August 26,1998. Since this inspection report
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combines two planned inspection activities, inspection Report 50-298/98-19 is canceled.
Following the exit meeting, the results of this inspection were discussed with Mr. B. Houston of
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your staff on December 17,1998. The enclosed report presents the scope and results of that
inspection.
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This safety system engineering inspection included an assessment of the capability of the
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emergency diesel generators, vital ac electrical distribution system, and the control room
emergency filtration system. On the basis of the results of our review, we considered that the
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emergency diesel generator, vital ac electrical distribution system, and the control room
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emergency filtration system were capable of performing their safety functions. We also
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concluded that your engineering program was functioning at an adequate level. While we are
aware of your efforts to improve engineering through your performance improvement plan, we
are concerned with the violations that were ldentified that continue to involve longstanding
design basis weaknesses. The NRC has determined that five violations of NRC requirements
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occurred. These violations are cited in tne enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice) and the
circumstances surrounding them are described in detail in the subject inspection report.
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The first violation involved six examples of failure to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50,
Appendix B, Criterion V," Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings." These examples involved
three surveillance procedures with inadequate acceptance criteria, one example of a failure to
have a procedure as described in the Updated Safety Analysis Report and two examples of
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inadequate procedures. The second violation involved five examples of failure to meet the
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requirements to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, Criterion 111," Design Control." These examples
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included one example of a failure to control the application of loads on welding receptacles tied
to the Class 1E ac electrical buses and four examples of a failure to correctly translate design
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9812300143 981217
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ADOCK 05000298
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Nebraska Public Power District
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inputs into calculations. The third violation involved a failure to test a relief valve in the
emergency diesel generator system when the valve set point was changed. The fourth violation
involved the failure to report a condition that was outside of the plant's design basis. The fifth
violation involved a failure to conduct an adequate 50.59 safety evaluation (EA98-408).
Based on the results of this inspection, we considered that some of these violations and
violation examples do not require a formal response. With respect to violation Examples A.1,
A.2, A.5, B.1, and B.5 and Violations D and E, the NRC has concluded that information
regarding the reason for these violations and the corrective actions taken and planned to
correct the violations and to prevent recurrence is already adequately addressed on the docket
in the enclosed inspection report. Therefore, you are not required to respond to this letter,
unless the description therein does not accurately reflect your corrective actions or your
position. In that case, or if you choose to provide additional information, you should follow the
instrucilons specified in the enclosed Notice.
Please note that you are required to respond to this letter for the remaining cited violations.
You should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your
response for these violations. The NRC will use your response, in part, to determine whether
further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
In addition, after consultation with the Director, Office of Enforcement and the Regional
Administrator, the NRC is exercising enforcement discretion in accordance with Section Vll.B.3
of the Enforcement Policy and is not issuing Notices of Violation for two violations. The first
violation (EA98-428), identified during an extended plant shutdown, involved an old design
deficiency associated with the residual heat removal pump mini-flow line valves, and the second
violation (EA98-335), involved an old design issue wherein the automatic operation, of the high
pressure coolant injection pump steam admission valves and the augmented off gas steam
supply valves, was defeated during testing activitier. Both violations satisfied the appropriate
criteria in Section Vll.B.3 for enforcement discretion. The NRC found that: (1) the violations
were licensee-identified as a result of voluntary initiatives, (2) they were corrected with
comprehensive corrective action to prevent recurrence, (3) neither violation would be
categorized at Severity Level I, and (4) the violations were not likely to be identified by routine
licensee efforts such as normal surveillance activities.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its
enclosure (s), and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR).
Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, we will be pleased to discuss them
with you.
Sincerely,
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/p Arthur T. HowellIll, Director
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Division of Reactor Safety
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. Nebraska Public Power District
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Docket No.:
50-298
License No.: DPR-46
Enclosures:
2. NRC Inspection Report
50-298/98-15
cc w/ enclosures:
- John R. McPhail, General Counsel
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' Nebraska Public Power District
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P.O. Box 499
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Columbus, Nebraska 68602-0499
J. H. Swailes, Vice President of
Nuclear Energy
Nebraska Public Power District
P.O. Box 98
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Brownville, Nebraska 68321
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B. L. Houston, Nuclear Licensing
and Safety Manager
Nebraska Public Power District
P.O. Box 98
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Brownville, Nebraska 68321
Dr. William D. Leech
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MidAmerican Energy
907 Walnut Street
P.O. Box 657
Des Moines, Iowa 50303-0657
Mr. Ron Stoddard
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Lincoln Electric System
1040 O Street
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P.O. Box 80869
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Lincoln, Nebraska 68501-0869
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Randolph Wood. Director
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Nebraska Department of Environmental
Quality
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P.O. Box 98922
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. Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-8922
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Nebraska Public Power District
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Chairman
Nemaha County Board of Commissioners
Nemaha County Courthouse
1824 N Street
' Auburn, Nebraska 68305
Cheryl Rogers, LLRW Program Manager
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Environmental Protection Section
Nebraska Department of Health
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301 Centennial Mall, South
. P.O. Box 95007
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-5007
R. A. Kucera, Department Director
of Intergovernmental Cooperation
Department of Natural Resources
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P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Jerry Uhlmann, Director-
State Emergency Management Agency
P.O. Box 116
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Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
Kansas Radiation Control Program Director
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E-Mail report to T. Frye (TJF)
E-mail report to D. Lange (DJL)
E-Mail report to NRR Event Tracking System (IPAS)
E-Mail report to Document Control Desk (DOCDESK)
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Regional Administrator
Resident inspector
DRS Director
DRS Deputy Director
DRP Director
DRS-PSB
Branch Chief (DRP/C)
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Branch Chief (DRP/TSS)
RIV File
Project Engineer (DRP/C)
G. F. Sanborn, EO
W. L. Brown, RC
J. Lieberman, OE (MS: 7-HS)
OE:EA File (MS: 7-H5)
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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E-Mail report to T. Frye (TJF)
E-mail report to D. Lange (DJL)
E-Mail report to NRR Event Tracking System (IPAS)
E-Mail report to Document Control Desk (DOCDESK)
,
bec to DCD (IE01) '
bec distrib. by RIV:
Regional Administrator
Resident inspector
DRS Director
DRS Deputy Director
DRP Director
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Branch Chief (DRP/C)
MIS System
Branch Chief (DRP/TSS)
RIV File
Project Engineer (DRP/C)
G. F. Sanborn, EO
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OE:EA File (MS: 7-H5)
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DOCUMENT NAME: R:(CNS\\CN815RP1. LMB
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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