ML20198P507
| ML20198P507 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/23/1997 |
| From: | Miller H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Reid D VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20198P509 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-271-97-11, EA-97-532, NUDOCS 9801220139 | |
| Download: ML20198P507 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000271/1997011
Text
December 23,1997
EA No: 97 532
Mr, Donald Reid
Senior Vice President, Operations
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation
RD 5, Box 169
Ferry Road
Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
SUBJECT:
NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50 271/9711 AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION
Dear Mr. Reid:
On December 6,1997, the NRC completed an inspection at your Vermont Yankee reactor
facility. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspcction.
During the 5 week period covered by this inspection period, your conduct of activities at
the Vermont Yankee f acility was generally characterited by safety-conscious operations,
sound engineering and maintenance practices, and careful radiological work controls.
Based upon the inspectors' observations this period, one violation of regulatory
requirernents was cited. This violation was the consequence of Vermont Yankee (VY)
having not provided effective direct oversight of switching orders initiated by Vermont
Electric Power Company and performed by VY auxiliary operators in the owner controlled
345 KV switchyard. We understand that the automatic reactor scram on November 25,
1997 was precipitated by auxiliary operators manipulating 345 KV disconnects, while
unisolated frcem their power source. Fortuitously, no personnel injuries occurred.
However, the event could have been avoided had the switchyard activities been better
controlled.
This violation is cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation, and the circumstancer
surrounding the violation are describcd in detailin the enclosed report. Please note that
you are required to respond to this letter and should folicw the instructions specified in the
enclosed Notice wher, preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part,
to determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with
regulatory requirements.
included in this report is the closeout of two Unresolved items. Unresolved Itern 96-08 02
involves the event documented in VY LER 96 015, where the VY staff used industry
operating experience to identify the abser'ce of thermal overpressure protection in certain
piping systems penetrating primary containment. VY identified and corrected this "old
design issue" by a combination of pipe modifications to preclude the conditions creating
the containment vulnerability,
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Mr. Donald A. Reid
2
This design issue is an apparent violation of NRC requirements which could be considered
for escalated enforcement and subject to a civil penalty. However, after consultation with
the Director, Office of Enforcement, I have been authorized to not issue a Notice of
Violation and not propose a civil penalty in this case in accordance with the provisions
provided in Section Vll.0.3 of the NRC's Enforcement Policy. This decision was made after
consideration that: (1) the violation was identified by your staff's good questioning
attitudes during voluntary initiatives; (2) corrective actions were comprehensive and timely;
(3) the condition war subtle in nature and not likely to be disclosed through routine
surveillance or quality assurance activities; and (4) the violation is not reasonably linked to
current performance. The exercise of discretion acknowledges your good e' fort to identify
and correct subtle violations that would not be identified by routine efforts before the
degraded safety systems are called upon.
The second unresolved item involved the potential violation of 10 CFR 70.24, Criticality
Accident Requirements. We have determined that your facility was in violation of this
regulation, in that VY did not have, in place, either a criticality monitoring systern for
storage and handling of new (non Irradiated) fuel or an NRC approved exernption to the
regulation. Numerous ether facilities have similar circumstances. The NRC has
reconsidered this violation and concluded based on the information discussed in the report
that, although a violation did exist, it is appropriate to exercise enforcement discretion for
Violations involving Special Circumstances in accordance with Section Vil B.6 of the
Enforcement Policy. The bases for exercising this alscretion are: the lack of safety
significance of the failure to meet 10 CFR 70.24;the failure of the NRC staff to recognize
the need for an exemption during the licensing process; the prior NRC position concerning
the lack of a need for an exemption; and finally, the NRC's intention to amend 10 CFR 70.24 through rulemaking to provide for administrative controls in lieu of criticality
monitors. Therefore, VY's noncompliaace with 10 CFR 70.'24 was not cited. Pending the
amendment to 10 CFR 70.24, furthur enforcement action will not be taken for failure to
meet 10 CFR 70.24 provided you obtain an exemption to this regulation before the next
receipt of fresh fuel or before the next planned movement of fresh fuel,
in accordance with 10 CFR 2.700 of the NRC's " Rules of Practices," a copy of this letter
and the enclosed Notice will be placed in the NRC Public Docuraent Room.
Sincerely,
Original Signed By:
Hubert J. Miller
Regional Administrator
Enclosures:
1.
2.
NRC Inspection Report 50 271/97 11
Docket No. 50-271
_-.
Mr. Donald A. Reid
3
1
cc w/ encl:
R. McCullough, Operating Experience Coordinator Vermont Yankee
G. Sen, Licensing Manager, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation
J. Gilroy, Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Inc.
r) Teff t, Administrator, Bureau of Radiologleal Health, State of New Hampshire
Clief, Safety Unit, Office of the Attorney GenJral, Commonw".'Ith of Mascachusetts
'
D. Lewis, Esquire
G. Bisbee, Esquire
J. Block, Esquire
T. Rapone, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety
State of New Hampshire, SLO Des.gnee
State of Vermont, SLO Designee
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SLO Designee
D. Rstz, Citizens Awareness Network (CAN)
i
_
_
Mr. Donald A. Reid
4
Distribution w/ encl:
Region 1 Docket Room (with concu::ences)
l
PUBLIC
Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)
NRC Resident inspector
H. Miller, RA/W. Axelson, DRA
G. Morris, DRS
C. Cowgill, DRP
R. Summers, DRP
C. O'Daniell, DRP
D. Holody, EO, RI
QigitibMM9D w/enci (VIA E MAIL..
M. Leach, OEDO
K. Jabbour, NRR
R. Eaton, NRR
R. Zimmerman, ADPR, NRR
J. Liebermon, OE (OEMAIL)
J. Goldberg, OGC
R. Correia, NRR
F. Talbot, NRR
inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)
DOCDESK
DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\ BRANCH 5\\M7? Pa WAC
Ta receive a copy of this document, Indicate in tA E..: "C' O Copy wthout attachment / enclosure
'E" = Copy with attachmenUenclosure T = No
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DATE
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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY