ML20206C488

Discusses Insp Rept 50-348/86-29 on 861211-870110 Re Circumstances Surrounding Procedural Violations That Resulted in Disabling of RHR Automatic Isolation Circuitry & Forwards Notice of Violation

ML20206C488
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	03/27/1987
From:	Grace J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Mcdonald R ALABAMA POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20206C490	List: ML20206C488 ML20206C560
References
NUDOCS 8704130068
Download: ML20206C488 (2)

See also: IR 05000348/1986029

Text

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MAR 271987

Docket No. 50-348

License No. NPF-2

Alabama Power Company

/ ATTN: Mr. R. P. Mcdonald

'

Senior Vice President

P. O. Box 2641

Birmingham, AL 35291-0400

Gentlemen:

SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION

(NRC INSPECTION REPORT N0. 50-348/86-29)

This refers to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection conducted by

Mr. W. H. Bradford at the Farley nuclear plant on December 11, 1986 - January 10,

1987. The report documenting this inspection was sent to you with a letter

dated February 2, 1987. The inspection included a review of the circumstances

surrounding procedural violations that resulted in the disabling of the Residual

Heat Removal (RHR) System automatic isolation circuitry and also Technical

Specification (TS) violations. These violations were identified by you and

members of your staff and reported to the NRC. NRC concerns relative to the

inspection findings were discussed by Mr. L. A. Reyes, Director, Division of

Reactor Projects, NRC, Region II, with you and members of your staff in an

Enforcement Conference held on February 10, 1987. This Enforcement Conference

was summarized in an Inspection Report (Nos. 50-348/87-02 and 50-364/87-02)

which was sent to you on March 13, 1987.

The violations described in the enclosed Notice of Violation involved failure

to follow procedures and failure to meet TS requirements. The failure to

follow procedures resulted when Instrument and Control personnel installed

electrical jumpers on the RHR automatic isolation circuitry outside of the

scope of the Maintenance Work Requests (MWR). TS action statements and require-

ments were violated when the unit made operational mode changes while the

automatic isolation capability of the RHR system was inoperable. The violations,

references to pertinent requirements, and elements to be included in your

response are described in the enclosed Notice of Violation. While the' Emergency

Core Cooling System (ECCS) was technically inoperable due to surveillance

requirements, the ECCS would have been able to perform its intended safety

function. It was fortuitous that this event did not result in a more signifi-

cant consequence. This event demonstrated a weakness in the control of and

sequencing of MWRs, and showed the importance of management insisting on

procedural adherence and attention to details.

In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2,

Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its enclosure

will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

8704130068 870327

PDR ADOCK 05000348

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Alabama Power Company 2 MAR 271987

The responses directed by this letter and its enclosure are not subject to the

clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, PL 96-511.

Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact us.

Sincerely,

c;;;c;;ia SGiiED BY:

j,M153 CJACE

J. Nelson Grace

Regional Administrator

Enclosure:

Notice of Violation

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A. O. Whitt, Executive Vice President

/J. D. Woodard, General Manager -

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G. Hairston, III, General Manager -

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/J. W. McGowan, Manager-Safety Audit

and Engineering Review

/J. K. Osterholtz, Supervisor-Safety

Audit and Engineering Review

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