ML20207B286

Discusses Insp Rept 50-267/86-16 on 860506-09 & Forwards Notice of Violation & Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in Amount of $75,000.Util Exceeded Power Limit of 35% Established by Commission 851126 Memorandum & Order

ML20207B286
Person / Time
Site:	Fort Saint Vrain
Issue date:	07/07/1986
From:	Martin R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:	Walker R PUBLIC SERVICE CO. OF COLORADO
Shared Package
ML20207B289	List: ML20207B286 ML20207B293
References
EA-86-098, EA-86-98, NUDOCS 8607170480
Download: ML20207B286 (3)

See also: IR 05000267/1986016

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Docket No. 50-267

License No. NPF-47

EA 86-98

Public Service Company of Colorado

A.TTN: Richard Walker, President

P. O. Box 840

Denver, Colorado 80201

SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND PROPOSED IMPOSITION OF CIVIL PENALTY

(NRC INSPECTION REPORT N0. 50-267/86-16)

This refers to the inspection conducted from May 6-9, 1986, at the Fort St.

Vrain Generating Station, Platteville, Colorado. During this inspection, our

Senior Resident Inspector reviewed and evaluated a May 6, 1986 overpower event ,

including your corrective actions and concluded that you had exceeded your l

authorized power limit of 35% for a period of approximately 45 minutes. An  ;

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enforcement conference on this violation was conducted May 9, 1986, at the

Region IV offices in Arlington, Texas.

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The violation described in the enclosed Notice of Violation and Proposed

Imposition of Civil Penalty resulted from the fact that you exceeded a power

l limit of 35% which was established by the Consnission's Memorandum and Order

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dated November 26, 1985. This limit was exceeded because of a failure by

l operating personnel to anticipate the consequences of certain maintenance

activities which they chose to perform knowing that the reactor was already close

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to the power limit of 35%. While this event had no actual impact on public

health and safety, the duration of the power excursion was extended because

operating personnel did not choose to reduce power quickly by placing the reactor j

in the local automatic mode or scramming the reactor. We are concerned that 1

plant personnel attached so little importance to a requirement significant enough

to be imposed by Commission Order.

To emphasize the importance of maintaining the plant within NRC-ordered

l operational limits, I have been authorized, after consultation with the Director,

Office of Inspection and Enforcement, to issue the enclosed Notice of Violation

and Proposed Imposition of~ Civil Penalty in the amount of Seventy-five Thousand

Dollars ($75,000). In accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and

Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions," 10 CFR Part 2, Appendix C (1986)

(Enforcement Policy), the violation has been categorized at a Severity Level III.

The base value of a civil penalty for a Severity Level III violation is $50,000.

Plant personnel could have promptly terminated the overpower event and met NRC

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CERTIFIED MAIL

RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

8607170480 860707

PDR ADOCK 05000267

O PDR L.

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Public Service Company of Colorado -2- l

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requirements by scramming the reactor or placing it in the local automatic mode, I

but instead increased the violation's duration by leaving the reactor in the

remote automatic control mode which limited the operator's options for achieving

a rapid power reduction. Because of management's failure to adequately emphasize

the importance of adhering to NRC requirements, the base civil penalty has been

increased by 50 percent.

You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions

specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your response. In your response, i

you should document the specific actions taken and any additional actions you  ;

plan to prevent recurrence. After reviewing your response to this Notice, i

including your proposed corrective actions, the NRC will determine whether  :

further NRC enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with NRC l

regulatory requirements.

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.

The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed Notice are not subject i

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

by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, PL 96-511.

Sincerely,

ORIGINM N ..

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oOBERi 9

Robert D. Martin

Regional Administrator

Enclosure:

Notice of Violation and

Proposed Imposition of

Civil Penalty

cc:

Colorado Radiation Control Program Director

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