ML20199B573

EN-97-095:on 971009,staff Intends to Issue Notice of Violation for Two Severity Level III Violations of App B, Criterion Xvi, Corrective Actions. Violations Involved Discovery of Old Plant Design Discrepancy in SWS

ML20199B573
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	10/02/1997
From:	NRC OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT (OE)
To:
References
EA-97-366, EN-97-095, EN-97-95, SECY-97-066-C, SECY-97-66-C, NUDOCS 9711190031
Download: ML20199B573 (2)

Text

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j October 2,1997 EN 97-095 OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT ACTION Licensee:

_ Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co. (EA 97-366)

_(Haddam Neck)

- Docket No. 50-213 License No. DPR-61 Sublect:

ISSUANCE OF NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND EXERCISE OF ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION This is to inform the Commission that on or about October 9,1997 the staff intends to issue a Notice of

-Violation for two Severity Level ill violations of Appendix B, Criterion XVI, " Corrective Actions," but cxercise discretion in accordance with section Vll.B.6 of the Enforcement Policy and not propose a civil penalty for these two violations. The staff also intends to exercise discretion in accordance with section Vll.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy and not issue a Notice of Violation or propose a civil penalty for a 10 -

CFR 50.59 violation.

The Haddam Neck facility has been shutdown since July 22,1996 for performance concems and the licensee on December 4,1996 announced that the facility was to be permanently shutdown and decommissioned. in SECY 97-066, the staff laformed the Commission that it would refrain from issuing-cdditional Notices of Violation and proposing civil penalties for violations not associated with shutdown operations or decommissioning consistent with Section Vll.B.2 of the Enforcement Pokcy.

The violations associated with corrective actions concemed the discovery of an old plant design discrepancy in the smice water system which created the potential for waterhammer in the supply to the spent fuel pcol cooling system and a maintenance error that led to minor emergency diesel generator damage. In the first issue the licensee failed to take timely corrective actions when they

- became aware of the vulnerability in August 1996. The cor'.dition adverse to quality remained uncorrected until a design change in March 1997. In the second issue, the licensee failed to take Edequate corrective action to prevent recurrence of a maintenance error that occurred in November 1996. The error was repeated in May 1997 and resulted in damage to an emergency diesel generator.

These violations were reflective.of performance during shutdown operations and involved equipment important to shutdown operations. Accordingly, they do not meet the conditions for discretion per Section Vll.B.2 consistent with SECY 97-066. However, the staff in this case has decided to cite the violations at Severity Level 111 but not to propose a monetary sanction. This decision, which is pe$ormed pursuant to Section \\!11.B.6 of the Enforcement Policy, was based on the NRC having already t; ken a significant enforcement action ($650,000) in May of 1997, for the corrective Mtion program inadequacies that led to these violations.

Discretion not to issue a Notice of Violation or propose e civil penalty for a Severity Level ill violation, consistent with Section Vll.B.2 and SECY 97-066, is also being exercised in this action. This third

' violation involved the existence of an unreviewed safety question in which the licensee substituted manual operator actions for designed automatic actions of feedwater regulating valves in June 1996.

The staff determined, in this case, that the change involved a potential malfunction of, different type, end staff review and approval was required prior to implementation. This violation is not associated with shutdown operations nor reflective of current licensee performance.

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EM-97-095 PDR

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it should be poted that the licensee has not been specifically informed of the enforcement action. The schedble of issuance and notification is:

Mailing of Notice October 9,1997 Telephone Notification of Licensee October 9,1997 The State of Connecticut will be notified.

The licensee has thirty days from the dato of the Notice in which to respond. Following NRC evaluation cf the response, the NRC will determine if additional enforcement action is necessary 'o ensure compliance.

Contactt:

74(Ulribution

. OWFN -

OWFN TWFN Regional Offices Chairman Jackson EDO OC RI RIV Ccmm. Dieus DEDE AEOD Rll

'eCFO Comm. Diaz OE OP CTR Rlli Comm. McGaffigan OGC NMSS SECY NRR 1RM Melk OCA 01 OlG NUDOCS PA SP RES PUBLIC IP ACRS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE UNTIL VERIFICATION THAT LICENSEE HAS RECEIVED ACTION i

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