ML20214E488

Press Release Re Util Plan to Investigate Reasons for NRC Order Suspending Plant Operation

ML20214E488
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	04/06/1987
From:	PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
To:
Shared Package
ML20214E471	List: ML20214E470 ML20214E488
References
FOIA-87-205 PR-870406, NUDOCS 8705220107
Download: ML20214E488 (3)

Text

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g. PHILADELPHIA. ELECTRIC COMPANY

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IMMEDIATE- Monday;, April 6, 1987

Contact:

Neil McDermott.- (215)'941-4122 (215).841-5555 PE ANNOUNCES PEACH BOTTOM PLAll -

At a news conference at Philadelynia Electric company headquarters today. J.L. Everett.- Chairman and Chief Executive

' Officer, announced the company's plan to investigate the reasons for the Nuclear. Regulatory Commission (NRC) order suspending operation:

at the Peach Bottom Atomic Poweristation.

A multiple . team approach . vill:be used to assess the situation.

s, implement corrective actions where necessary, and develop a recovery plan.

1) Theretwill be an in' house organization consisting of corporate otticers and consultants with participation by joint ; owners .of the :ylant.

2) A committee of outside directors from PE's Board was.

formed at' a special meeting of the Board held this l mo r ning .- This committee, with the assistance of outside expertise, will review the findings of the investigation.

3) A nuclear industry peer group will be utilized to evaluate l the investigation and to provide advice for corrective-actions, i

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The in-house organization will consist of John'M. Austin, President and;Chier operating officer John 8. Memperv senior Vies President. Engineering and Production; Joseph W. Gallagher, Vice President, Nucteer Operations;iManagement Analysis Company (MAC) and corbin A. McNeill, Jr.,. represanting the Peach Bottou t joint owners.

i McNeill is senior Vice. President, Nuclest, for Public' Service Electric and Gas Company..

MAC:ot San @iego, California, iwse retained to assist the f

j in-house. investigation and advise management on the development of The Mac organization an action plan that will lead;to restart.

A began its work on Thursday, April 2. MAC'has a team of seven people at the site.' The company has a staff of more than 350 professionals who have provided management and consulting services to the electrie utility industry since 1975. More than ,100 utilities have used MAC their services including 85 percent of the nuclear utilities.

e has. extensive experience:in pattorning assessments, developing and successfully implementing action plans for nuclear plants.

The Board of Directors special committee is comptised of Robert i

F. Gilkeson, Joseph C. Ledd, Edithe J. Levit, M.D. and Robert D.

l Harrison, who will serve as chairman. Admiral Eugene P. Wilkinson has agreed to serve as a consultant to the committee. Wilkinson is past president, institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the initial commanding officer of both the world's first nuclear-powered submarine. the U.S.S. Nautilus, and our country's first nuclear-powered surface ship, the U.S.s. Long Beach. He'will advise the

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special esamittas during the' review and reenvery phases. The-in-house committee will report its findings and recommendations to the special: committee of the board.t The Institute of Nuclear Power. operations (INPO) has agreed to provide an assistance team of professional nuclear industry

' personnel t.n davning an : independent analysis ~92 Feach pottom operations.. INPO. an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Atlanta, was established by the U.S. nuclear utility industry.following the accident at Three Mile Icland. Its' basic mission is to assist its members achieve the highest standards of excellence in the operation of nuclear power plants.

Mr. Everett reported that, "the Companytis fully aware of the extreme seriousness of this matter and is totally committed to take all action necessary to restore the operation of Peach Bottom to the highest possible standards. I WAnt,to assure our customers, shareholders and the public, no request will be made to the NRC to permit the restart of the plant untii the highest safety standarde of the industry are guaranteed."

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i March 31, 1987 t

Docket ' Nos. . 50-277; 50-278 .

License Hos. DPR-44; DPR-56 ~ EA 87-46 f.DD%tKH1 RE: Correspondence and Records Branch Office of the Secretary of the Cocmission H O l:- Mary E. Wagner, Attorney Enforcement Office of the General Counsel SLBJECT: QMR SUSPEtDING IMR CPERATIN NO GER 'IO SIDI CAUSE (EFFECTIVE Iht.EDIATELY)

A signed original of an Order Suspending Power Operation and Order to Show Cause (Effective imuediately) issued to Philadelphia Electric Conpany on March 31, 1987 is enclosed for your transnittal to the Office of the Federal Register for publication. Add .ional conformed copies (5) of the Order are enclosed for your use.

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Mary E. Wagner, Attorney Enforcement Office of the General Counsel cc: A. E. Deach, IE DISTRIBUTION:

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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of ) Docket Nos. 50-277;50-278

) License Nos. DPR-44; DPR-56 PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY ) EA 87-46 Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, )

Units 2 and 3 )

ORDER SUSPENDING P0kTR OPERATION AND ORDERTOSHOWCAUSE(EFFECTIVEIMMEDIATELY)

I Philadelphia Electric Company (Licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56, authorizing the Licensee to operate the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 (facility), in Delta, Pennsylvania.

The ifcenses were issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) on October 25, 1973 and July 2, 1974, respectively.

II On March 24, 1987, the NRC, Region I, received information that control room operators at Peach Bottom had been observed sleeping while on duty in the control room and were otherwise inattentive to their license obligations. The information also indicated that this conduct on the part of operators was pervasive and has been occurring for some time, and that shift supervision had knowledge of this situation. On March 24, 1987, in response to this information NRC initiated: (1) 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> inspection coverage of the Peach Bottom control room and (2) a special safety investigation of licensed ss- sua, _ n e, ,

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activities. The NRC investigation. which is still ongoing, to date has established:

1. At times during various shifts, in particular the 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shift, one or more of the Peach Bottom operations control room staff (including licensed operators, senior licensed operators and shift supervision) have for at least the past five months periodically slept or have been otherwise inattentive to licensed duties.

2. Management at the Shift Supervisor and Shift Superintendent level have either known and condoned the facts set forth in Paragraph one, or should have known of these facts.

3. Plant management above the shift superintendent position either knew or should have known the facts set forth in Paragraph one and either took no action or inadequate action to correct this situation.

III Prior NRC inspections have identified other instances of inattention to duty or failure to adhere to procedures on the part of Ifcensed operators in the control -

room at Peach Bottom.

On June 10, 1985, during the 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shift, an NRC inspector was present in the Unit 3 control room and observed an on-duty Unit 3 reactor

3 operator sitting in a chair at the Unit-3 reactor control panel with his eyes closed and his head tilted back, apparently asleep or otherwise inattentive to his duties. In response to this charge the. licensed operator denied being asleep and indicated he was enticing the NRC inspector.to believe he was asleep, demonstrating poor judgment and a negative attitude toward safety. An enforcement conference was held with the licensee concerning this matter on

. June 21, 1985.

On June 6,1986, the NRC issued its Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) report for the period April 1,1985 through January 31, 1986. This report concluded that management involvement and effectiveness toward improving operating activities was not evident. Indications of the lack of adequate management involvement included: poor dissemination of management goals and policies; poor comunications between different departments and divisions; and a focus on compliance rather than acknowledgement and correction of the root causes of problems. Further, the report concluded there was a complacent attitude toward procedural compliance in plant operations.

On June 9,1986, the NRC issued a Notice of Violation and Proposed $200,000 civil Penalty for several violations that resulted from numerous personnel errors by several licensed operators, including the Shift Supervisor and Shift Superintendent, both of whom are licensed senior reactor operators, and two licensed reactor operators. These personnel errors by four licensed individuals and associated violations indicated a pattern of inattention to detail, failure to adhere to procedural requirements, and a generally complacent attitude by the operations staff toward performance of their duttei

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4 at Peach Bottom.- This NRC assessment was emphasized to the licensee in a June 12, 1986, letter from Victor Stello, Jr., Executive Director for Operations, to J.'C. Everett, III, PEco Chaiman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

In addition, three previous civil penalties were issued for violations of technical specifications involving violations that resulted from personnel errors. March 29,1983 (EA 83-7); June 13,1983 (EA 83-46); June 18,1984 (EA 84-39). In general, the enforcement history at Peach Bottom regarding adherence to procedures and attention to duty has been poor.

IV The NRC expects licensees to maintain high standards of control room professionalism. NRC licensed operators in the control rooms at nuclear power plants are responsible for assuring that the facility is operated safely and within the requirements of the facility's license, technical specifications, regulations and orders of the NRC. To be able to carry out these highly important responsibilities, reactor operators must give their full attention to the condition of the plant at all times. Operators must be alert to ensure that the plant is operating safely and must be capable of taking timely action in response to plant conditions. All control room business must be conducted in such a way that neither control room operator attentiveness nor the professional atmosphere will be compromised. Sleeping while on duty in the control room demonstrates a total disregard for performing licensed duties and a lack of appreciation for what those duties entail.

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w 10C.F.R.50.54(k)andPeachBottomTechnicalSpecification6.2.2 prohibit sleeping or otherwise inattentive operators in the control room. Under 10 C.F.R Part 50, App. 8, the licensee must have and implement procedures to ensure that activities affecting quality, including operations of the facility, are satisfactorily' accomplished. The Peach Bottom quality assurance program has failed to identify this condition adverse to safety. These conditions ccnstitute a hazard to the safe operation of the facility.

In light of the above, it is apparent that the licensee, through its enforcement history and from what has been developed by the ongoing investigation, knew or should have known of the unwillingness or inability of its operations staff to comply with Comission requirements, and has been unable to implement effective corrective action. Consequently, the NRC lacks reasonable assurance that the facility will be operated in a manner to assure that the health and safety of the public will be protected. Pending the development of other relevant information, I am unable to detemine that there is reasonable assurance that the facility will be operated in a manner to assure that the health and safety of the public will be protected.

Accordingly, I have detemined that continued operations of the facility is an imediate threat to the public health and safety. Therefore, I have determined that the public health, safety and interest requires that the Licensee should proceed to place or maintain its units in a cold condition.

I have further determined for the reasons set forth above, that pursuant to 10 C.F.R. 2.201(c), no prior notice is required and, pursuant to 10 C.F.R.

6 2.202(f), the actions required by Section V of this Order are innediately effective pending further Order.

V Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 103,161(1) and (o),182'and 186 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Commission's regulations in 10 C.F.R. 2.202, and 10 C.F.R. Part 50. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY THAT:

A. The licensee shall within 36 hours4.166667e-4 days <br />0.01 hours <br />5.952381e-5 weeks <br />1.3698e-5 months <br /> from receipt of this Order, shutdownUnit3andplacetheunitinthecoldcondition(reactor coolant temperature equal to or less than 212*F) and maintain both units in the cold condition with the reactor mode switch in either the refueling or shutdown mode pending further Order.

B. The licensee shall provide to the Administrator of Region I within seven days of this Order a description of the actions the licensee plans to take to provide assurance that the facility will comply with all requirements including station procedures while in a cold condition.

C. Before the Itcensee proposes to operate either Unit 2 or Unit 3 above a cold condition the licensee shall provide to the Administrator of Region I, for his approval, a detailed and comprehensive plan and the

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schedule to accomplish the plan to assure that the fact 11ty will safely operate and comply with all requirements including station procedures; D.

Licensee may show cause, in the manner hereinafter provided, why this order should not have been issued; and E. The Regional Administrator, Region I, may relax any of the above provisions, in writing, upon demonstration of good cause by the Itcensee.

VI The licensee may show cause, within 20 days after issuance of this Order by filing a written answer under oath or affimation setting forth the matters of fact and law on which the licensee relies. The Itcensee may answer as provided in 10 C.F.R. 2.202(d) by consenting to the entry of an Order in substantially the fom proposed in this Order.

VII The licensee or any other person adversely affected by this Order may request a hearing within 20 days after issuance of this Order. Any answer to this Order or any reouest for hearing shall be submitted to the Executive Director for Operations, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, D.C. 20555.

Copies shall also be sent to the Assistant General Counsel for Enforcement,

8 Office of the General Counsel, at the same address and to the Regional Administrator, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Region I, 631 Park Avenue, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406. If a person other than the licensee requests a hearing, that person shall set forth with particularity the manner in which the petitioner's interest is adversely affected by this Order and should address the criteria set forth in 10 C.F.R. 2.714(d). Upon the failure of the licensee to answer or request a hearing within the specified time, this Order shall be final without further proceedings. An answer to this Order or a request for hearing shall not stay the imediate effectiveness of Section V of this Order.

, If a hearing is requested by the licensee or other person adversely affected by this Order, the Comission will issue an Order designating the time and place of any hearing. If a hearing is held, the issue to be considered at such hearing shall be whether this Order should be sustained.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ictor St o, Executive Director for Operations Dated at Bethesda Maryland

) this J L day of March, 1987 l

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s. PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY 2301 MARKET STREET P.O. BOX 8699 PHILADELPHIA. PA.19101 x 12 518414500 JOHN S. KEMPER April 6, 1987 ll."d.."..U'E.RIiL""

Docket Nos. 50-277 50-278 License Nos. DPR-44 DPR'56 Dr. Thomas E. Murley, Administrator Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555

SUBJECT:

Order Suspending Power Operation Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Units 2 and 3 j

Dear Dr. Murley:

In accordance with Section V.A of the Order, dated March 31, 1987 suspending power operation of Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Units 2 and 3, a Unit 3 shutdown was initiated at 1147 hours0.0133 days <br />0.319 hours <br />0.0019 weeks <br />4.364335e-4 months <br /> on March 31, 1987 and cold condition was achieved at 0010 hours1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> on April 1, 1987. Unit 2 has been in a refueling outage and is being maintained in cold condition.

In accordance with Section V.B of the Order, a description of the actions licensee has taken and plans to take to provide assurance that the facility will comply with all requirements including station procedures while in a cold condition follows.

1. Licensee is establishing 24-hour coverage of operations by at least one independent, nuclear experienced engineer or physicist per shift who will be posted within the control room complex to observe licensed duties and report directly to the Superintendent of Nuclear Operations Quality Assurance Division at the Corporate Headquarters. If it becomes necessary for this individual to leave the control room complex for a brief period, his functions will be assumed by the Shift Technical Advisor during his absence. The function of these individuals will be to verify that licensed

) personnel are alert and professional in the manner they

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.,, Dr.; Thomas E.-MurlGy .

April 6, 1987 Page 2:

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.' E conduct licensed duties in accordance with Commission requirements and station procedures. This 24-hour-coverage will be in place by' April 11, 1987.

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2. :Immediately after receiptfof_the Order, Senior Plant Management began making unannounced visits to the  !

control room during each night. shift (2300 hours0.0266 days <br />0.639 hours <br />0.0038 weeks <br />8.7515e-4 months <br /> to.0700 1 hours1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br />).- This activity'will continue until the . '

, -additional 24-hour coverage:of operations by the.special-monitoring team is' established, at-which time the frequency of_these. visits:will be. reduced.

-3. An administrative block which ensures the shutdown

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conditions are maintained was applied on March 31, 1987 at 1730 hours0.02 days <br />0.481 hours <br />0.00286 weeks <br />6.58265e-4 months <br />. This block requires the mode switch.of each unit to be_in-the SHUTDOWN or REFUEL position to-ensure compliance with the Order. F.emoval of the block

~t requires the approval of the Plant Manager or the Superintendent-Operations.

, 4. Meetings chaired by the Plant Manager have been held

with control. room operating' shift' personnel, beginning-on March 31,-1987,.to discuss the Order and' events 1, leading to the Order. During these meetings, it was forcefully restated that sleeping or the appearance of '

t g -sleeping at their posts is' unacceptable and will result'

.in immediate suspension from duty with~ recommendation for termination of employment.- Personnel-were urged to be open, frank, and candid during interviews with the NRC on this subject.

!~ 5. Special meetings, in addition to the above meetings,

[ have been held with Shift. Superintendents'and Shift i- Supervisors (senior licensed operators). In these

meetings Shift Supervision was forcefully reminded by l' the Plant Manager that it was their responsibility to ensure that personnel on their shift remain attentive I- and alert and to take appropriate action if this is not i the case. Furthermore,-they were informed that if they l received reports of such situations concerning other shifts or individuals that those reports should be t

forwarded to Senior Plant Management for disposition.

6. Upon receipt, the Order was posted at the station and a summary was issued via a station newsletter.

Subsequently, a copy of the Order was distributed to all

, control room personnel.

7. The Peach Bottom Operations Engineer has been reassigned i

to Corporate Headquarters effective April 6, 1987 and has been replaced with another nuclear experienced, quallfled engineer holding a senior operator license at

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' the Peach Bottom station.

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!- . iDr. Thoma3 E. Murley

-April 6, 1987

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6. t 8.. The following human factor related changes have been

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made to the control. room to make the operators more observable by the Shift Supervisor. .The Shift' Supervisor's post in the control room has been elevated to give him a better view of the room and the operators.

Additionally, the high-back chairs in the control room have been replaced with low-back chairs.

9. Control room operators are being required to record certain key plant parameters and the decay heat removal, equipment status hourly with' review and sign-off by shift supervision to ensure that-the cold condition is safely maintained. The recorded data will be: mode switch position,. reactor water level and temperature, reactor pressure, reactor head vent valves position (not applicable if reactor head is removed), decay heat removal equipment status (in service or standby), and fuel pool temperature.

10. An additional status report to Senior Plant Management is now required of-the afternoon and night shifts.

Shortly prior:to the end of these shifts, Shift Supervision is being required to report to Senior Plant Management the plant status and a brief synopsis of his shift's activities.

11. All. licensed control room operators are being required to re-review Administrative Procedure A-7, " Shift Operations", and I.E. Circular'81-02, " Performance of NRC-Licensed Individuals While~on Duty", and sign a statement documenting that-they have read and understand the material.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please-do not hesitate to contact us.

Very truly yours, cc Addressee V. Stello, Jr., Executive Director for Operations, USNRC T. P. Johnson, PBAPS Resident Site Inspector '

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