ML20216D790

EN-98-009:on 980306,notice of Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in Amount of $55,000 Issued to Licensee.Action Based on Severity Level III Violation Re Failure to Take Adequate CAs Re Potential to Be Swept Into Suction During LOCA

ML20216D790
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	03/03/1998
From:	Lieberman J, David Nelson NRC OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT (OE)
To:
References
EA-97-562, EN-98-009, EN-98-9, NUDOCS 9803170276
Download: ML20216D790 (2)

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l March 3,1998 EN 98-009 OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT ACTION Licensee:

Northeast Utilities (EA 97-562)

Millstone Unit 3 Docket Nos. 50-423

Subject:

PROPOSED IMPOSITION OF CIVIL PENALTIES - $55,000 This is to inform the Commission that a Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalties (Notice) in the amount of $55,000 will be issued on or about March 6,1998 to Northeast Utilities. The cetion is based on one Severity Level ll1 violation regarding failure to take adequate corrective actions with respect to the potential for air in certain portions of tho tecirculation spray system to be swept into tha suction of the charging and safety injection pumps during the recirculation phase of a loss of-coolant accident. The licensee missed opportunities to identify this issue earlier through a 1985 Design Deficiency Report which was resolved with a limited scope and more recently through the Configuration Management Program review which failed to consider NRC Information Notices (IN) as a source of industry experience information. IN 88-23, Potential for Gas Binding of High Pressure Safety injection Pumps, and its supplements discussed the potential for gas / air Leing trapped in saiety systems and subsequently entrained. In addition, the action contains one Severity Level lli violation for which the staff intends to exercise Enforcement Discretion in accordance with Section Vll.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy and not issue a civil penalty or a violation involving an old design issue that precedes the j

shutdown. This issue involved the potential for valve leakage from systems containing highly radioactive water to leak outside containment to the refueling water storage tank following a postulated accident.

B:cause this was not the first escalated enforcement action within 2 years, the staff considered whether credit was warranted for identification and corrective action. Credit was not warranted for identification because the NRC identified the problem. The promptness and comprehensiveness of corrective cctions to be completed before entry into Mode 2 warrants credit for corrective action. Consideration of th;se factors resulted in the civil penalty being proposed at the base amount of $55,000.

It should be noted that the licensee has not been specifically informed of the enforcement action. The schedule of issuance and notification is:

Mailing of Notice March 6,1998 Telephone Notification of Licensee March 6,1998 The State of Connecticut will be notified.

The licensee has thirty days from the date of the Notice in which to respond. Following NRC evaluation of the response, the civil penalty may be remitted, mitigated, or imposed by Order.

Contacts: D. Nelson, OE, 415-3280 J. Lieberman, OE, 415-2741 9803170276 980303 fh PDR IfE EN-98-009 PDR g 6/

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