ML20211C299
| ML20211C299 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 09/23/1997 |
| From: | Beach A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Gipson D DETROIT EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20211C306 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-341-97-02, 50-341-97-03, 50-341-97-2, 50-341-97-3, EA-97-201, NUDOCS 9709260158 | |
| Download: ML20211C299 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000341/1997002
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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LISLE, ILLINOIS 60N12-4351
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September 23, 1997
EA 97-201
Mr. D. R. Gipson
Senior Vice President
Nuclear Generation
The Detroit Edison Company
6400 North Dixie Highway
Newport, MI 48166
SUBJECT:
NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND PROPOSED IMPOSITION OF civil
PEl!ALTY - $50,000 (NRC Inspection Reports 50-341/97002 and
50-341/97003)
Dear Mr. Gipsoi..
The NRC conducted two inspections at the Enrico Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant from
February 1,1997 through June 26,1997. Those inspections reviewed several matters,
including 480 volt motor control centers fused disconnect switch maintenance, corrective
actions associated with motor operated valve shaft set screws, and primary containment
oxygen monitor calibrations. Exit meetings for these inspections were conducted on
March 19, March 27, May 9, and June 26,1997. The reports of these inspections were sent
to you by letters dated June 2 and July 1,1997. A predecisional enforcement conference
was held in the Region lli office on August 6,1997. Subsequent to the predecisional
enforcement conference, the NRC elected to address the issues relating to the primary
containment oxygen monitor calibration by subsequent correspondence.
Based on the information developed during the inspections and the information your staff
provided during the predecisional enforcement conference, the NRC has determined that
significant violations of NRC requirements occurred. These violations are cited in the
enclosed Notice of Violation and Proposed imposition of Civil Penalty (Notico) and the
circumstances surrounding the violations are described in the subject inspection report.
The violation in Section I of the Notice involves inadequate lubrication of motor control center
(MCC) switches. The site engineering and maintenance staffs did not specify the preventive
maintenance lubrication frequency or address the vendor's recommendation for twice-a-year
visualinspection and operation of MCC components. This led to unexpected operation
(opening) of four safety related fused disconnect switches and seven non safety related
fused disconnect switches since 1993. These failures are related to previous NRC violations
cited in NRC Inspection Reports 50-341/94012 and 50-341/95003 for use of unapproved
lubricants on these switches by Fermi maintenance personnel. Maintenance personnel
immediately discontinued the use of unapproved lubricants. However, since there
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was no approved lubricant, no lubrication was being performed on these switches for about
18 months. Several additional MCC switch lubrication problems concerning drying of the
iubricant and lack of periodic switch movement occurred in early 1997. The potential safety
consequence and the regulatory significance of the MCC switch issue are high because of a
potential common mode failure under seismic event conditions. Both industry in.ormation
and previous NRC violations should have triggered broad corrective actions to identify,
correct, and prevent potential MCC switch failures. The failure of your staff to implement
corrective actions for these longstanding equipment problems resulted in a violation of 10 CFR 50, Appendix B, Criterion XVI, " Corrective Actions. This violation is classified in
accordance with NUREG-1600 as a Severity Level 111 violation.
,
In accordance with the Enforcement Policy, a base civil penalty in the amount of $50,000 is
considered for Severity Level lil violations occurring before November 12,1996. Since most
of the noncompliance period occurred before November 12,1996, a base civil penalty of
$50,000 was considered for this case. Because Fermi has been the subject of escalated
enforcement actions within the last two years', the NRC considered whether credit was
warranted for Identification and Corrective Action in accordance with the civil penalty
assessment process in Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy. Identification credit was
not warranted. Although a specific failure was identified during a surveillance activity, the
subsequent analysis did not identify the root cause and missed the opportunity to identify the
potential for common mode failures. In addition, extensive NRC involvement was required to
ensure that your staff understood the safety significance of this issue and the need to
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implement effective corrective action. Correcllve Action credit was warranted based on the
corrective actions (imr:emented and proposed) that were discussed at the enforcement
conference. The corrective actions included (1) a substantial effort in cleaning, lubricating,
and cycling of approximately 1000 fused disconnect switches connec'ed to safety-related
and balance of plant loads prior to start-up from the forced outage; (2) documenting MCC
fused disconnect problems; (3) training personnel on proper latching indications prior to
start-up from the forced outage; (4) evaluating replacement of MCC equipment; (5)
evaluating the mixing of lubricants found compatible with each other and MCC components;
and (6) enhancing the preventive maintenance program.
Therefore, trs emphasize the need to identify the root cause of afety significant problems, I
have been authorized, after consultation with the Director, Office of Enforcement, to issue
the enclosed Notice of Violation and proposed imposition of Civil Penalty (Notice) in the base
amount of $50,000 for the Severity Level lil violation.
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EA 96-095 was issued on May 21, 1996, for inadequate corrective actions for issues related to
Diesel Generator Service Water Purnp ,cing.
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D. Gipson
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The violation described in Section ll of the Notice discussed one Severity Level IV violation
that was not assessed a civil penalty. This violation addresses a High Pressure Coolant
injection valve motor pinion gear set screw failure that occurred during a routine surveillance.
Similar to the disconnect switch failures described above, this failure occurred due to the
lack of a systematic program for correcting known generic deficiencies. Although Fermi had
implemented some corrective actions on this valve, these corrective actions were not
effective in preventing the set screw failure. This violation is classified in accordance with the
Enforcement Policy as a Severity Level IV violation.
You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the
enclosed Notice when 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.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's ' Rules of Practice," a copy of t:iis letter, its
enclosure, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
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A. Bill Beach
Regional Administrator
Docket No,50-341
License No. NPF-43
Enclosure: Notice of Violation and Proposed
Imposition of Civil Penalty
ec w/ encl:
N. Peterson,
Supervisor of Compliance
P. A. Marquardt, Corporate
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Legal Department
James R. Padgett, Michigan Puistic
Service Commission
Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality
Monroe County, Emergency
Management Division
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DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC6
SECY
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LCallan, EDO
AThadani, DEDE
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LChandler, OGC
JGoldberg, OGC
SCollins, NRR
RZimmerman, NRR -
Enforcement Coordinators
Rl, Ril and RIV
Resident inspector, Fermi
JHannon, NRR
AKugler, NRR
JGilliland, OPA
HBell, OlG
GCaputo,01
Dross, AEOD
OE:ES
OE:EA (2)
GJohnson, OC/DAF
RAO: Rill
SLO: Rill
PAO: Rill
OCILFDCB
Docket File