ML20210H618
| ML20210H618 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 07/27/1999 |
| From: | Brockman K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Rueger G PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20210H622 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-275-99-07, 50-323-99-07, EA-99-178, NUDOCS 9908040059 | |
| Download: ML20210H618 (6) | |
See also: IR 05000275/1999007
Text
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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REGloN IV
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611 RYAN PLAZA DRIVE, sulTE 400
ARLINGTON, texas 76011-8064
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JUL 2 7 !999
EA 99-178
Gregory M. Rueger, Senior Vice President
and General Manager
Nuclear Power Generation Bus. Unit
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Nuclear Power Generation, B32
77 Beale Street,32nd Floor
P.O. Box 770000
San Francisco, California 94177
SUBJECT: NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-275/99-07; 50-323/99-07
Dear Mr. Rueger:
This refers to the special inspection conducted from May 3 through July 14,1999, at the Diablo
Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2. This special inspection focused on your response
to indications of voiding in emergency core cooling system piping. This condition had the
potential to gas bind your centrifugal charging pumps and safety injection pumps, thereby
rendering them inoperable. The enclosed report presents the results of this inspection.
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Based on the results of this inspection, two apparent violations of NRC regulations were
identified. They are being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with
" General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions"(Enforcement
Policy), NUREG-1600.
'
The first apparent violation includes two examples of failing to implement timely and effective
corrective actions for instances of voiding in the emergency core cooling system, in the first
example, corrective actions to monitor and preclude additional growth of voids identified during
Refueling Outage 1R9 were not appropriately implemented. Specifically, operators did not
recognize that a void exceeded the size allowed in a surveillance test procedure. As a result,
they did not enter the applicable Technical Specifications action statement, vent the piping to
remove the void, or initiate an Action Request to document th e_.idition (Section 04.1). The
second example was a significant failure to implement effective corrective actions for an issue
that was identified in 1991. During resolution of a nonconformance report related to volume
control tank depressurization limits, engineering personnel calculated an acceptance limit for
voiding in the emergency core cooling system. They did not, however, incorporate this limit into
operating and surveillance instructions or refer to this calculation when they reviewed
subsequent voiding issues. As a result, your staff missed several opportunities to identify the
root cause and implement corrective action to prevent the repetition of significant emergency
core cooling system voiding from 1994 through 1999 (Section E1.1.b.2).
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9908040059 990727
ADOCK 05000275
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company
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The second apparent violation involves failing to implement a Technical Specifications limiting
condition for operation action statement. Technical Specification 3.5.2 requires two trains of the
emergency core cooling system to be operable. If both trains are inoperable, Technical Specification 3.0.3 requires action be taken within 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> to shut down the unit. However,
because of an excessive void on the suction of the safety injection and charging pumps, both
trains of the emergency core cooling system on Unit 2 were inoperable. This condition, which
established the potential to gas bind the pumps, existed for 6 days in March 1998. During this
time, your staff did not take action within 1 hour1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> to shut down Unit 2, a significant failure to meet -
a limiting condition for operation (Section E1.1.b.5).
_
The circumstances surrounding these apparent violations, the significance of the issues, and
the need for lasting and effective corrective action were discussed during the inspection and
with members of your staff at the inspection exit meeting on July 14,1999. As a result, it may
not be necessary for the NRC to conduct a predecisional enforcement conference to make its
enforcement decision. Therefore, we are providing you an opportunity to either (1) respond to
the apparent violations addressed in this inspection report within 30 days of the date of this
letter, or (2) request a predecisional enforcement conference. if a conference is held, it will be
open for public observation. The NRC will also issue a press release to announce the
conference. Please contact Ms. Linda Smith at (817) 860-8137, within 7 days of the date of this
letter to notify the NRC of your intended response.
Your response should be clearly marked as a " Response to Apparent Violations in Inspection
Report No. 50-275/99-07; 50-323/99-07" and should include for each apparent violation: (1) the
reason for the apparent violation or, if contested, the basis for disputing the apparent violation,
(2) the corrective steps that have been taken and the results achieved, (3) the corrective steps
that will be taken to avoid further violations including your plans to address the need for high
point vents, and (4) the date when full compliance will be achieved. Your response should be
submitted under oath or affirmation and may reference or include previous docketed
correspondence, if the correspondence adequately addresses the required response. If an
adequate response is not received within the time specified or an extension of time has not
been granted by the NRC, the NRC will proceed with its enforcement decision or schedule a
predecisional enforcement conference.
In addition, please be advised that the number and characterization of apparent violations
described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review. You
will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this matter.
Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC has determined that one additional violation of
. NRC requirements occurred. This violation is being treated as a noncited violation, consistent
with Appendix C of the Enforcement Policy. This noncited violation is described in the subject
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inspection report. If you contest the violation or severity level of the noncited violation, you
should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this inspection report, with the basis for
your denial, to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, with copies to the Regional Administrator, Region IV, and the
Director, Office of Enforcement, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commissioa, Washington,
DC 20555-0001.
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company .
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' in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its
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. enclosure 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.
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Sincerely,
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yb
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K
E. B
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ector
vision of Reactodrojects
Docket Nos.: 50-275
50-323
License Nos.: DPR-80
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Enclosure:
NRC inspection Report No.
50-275/99-07; 50-323/99-07
'cc w/ enclosure:
Dr. Richard Ferguson
,
Energy Chair
'
Sierra Club Califomia
1100 lith Street, Suite 311
Sacramento, California 95814
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Ms. Nancy Culver
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' San Luis_Obispo Mothers for Peace
P.O. Box 164
Pismo Beach, California 93448
Chairman
San Luis Obispo County Board of
Supervisors
Room 370
County Government Center
San Luis Obispo, Califomia 93408
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Mr. Truman Burns \\Mr. Robert Kinosian
California Public Utilities Commission -
505 Van Ness, Rm. 4102
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San Francisco, California 94102
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company
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Robert R. Wellington, Esq.
' Legal Counsel
Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee
857 Cass Street, Suite D
Monterey, California 93940
Mr. Steve Hsu
Radiologic Health Branch
State Department of Health Services
P.O. Box 942732
Sacramento, California 94234
Christopher J. Warner, Esq.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
P.O. Box 7442
San Francisco, California 94120
David H. Oatley, Vice President
Diablo Canyon Operations and Plant Manager
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
P.O. Box 3
Avila Beach, California 93424
Managing Editor
Telegram-Tribune
1321 Johnson Avenue
P.O. Box 112
San Luis Obispo, California 93406
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JUL 27 1999
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company
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E-Mail report to T. Frye (TJF)
E-Mail report to D. Lange (DJL)
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E-Mail report to NRR Event Tracking System (IPAS)
E-Mail report to Document Control Desk (DOCDESK)
E-Mail report to Richard Correia (RPC)
E-Mail report to Frank Talbot (FXT)
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Regional Administrator
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Senior Project inspector (DRP/E)
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G. F. Sanborn, D: ACES
W. L. Brown, RC
J. Lieberman, OE, MS: 014E1
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DOCUMENT NAME: R:\\_DC\\DC907RP-DLP.wpd
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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)
E-Mail report to Richard Correia (RPC)
E-Mail report to Frank Talbot (FXT)
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Regional Administrator
Resident inspector
DRP Director
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RIV File
Senior Project inspector (DRP/E)
Branch Chief (DRP/TSS)
G. F. Sanborn, D: ACES
W. L. Brown, RC
J. Lieberman, OE, MS: 014E1
OE:EA File, MS: 014E1
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DOCUMENT NAME: R:\\._DC\\DC907RP-DLP.wpd
To receive copy of document. Indicate in box: "C" = Copy without enciqsures "E" = Copy with enclosures *N" = No copy
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