ML20216E721

Forwards Insp Repts 50-498/97-05 & 50-499/97-05 on 970629-0809 & NOV

ML20216E721
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	09/09/1997
From:	Gwynn T NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:	Cottle W HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20216E725	List: ML20216E721 ML20216E766 ML20216E780
References
50-498-97-05, 50-498-97-5, 50-499-97-05, 50-499-97-5, NUDOCS 9709110057
Download: ML20216E721 (6)

See also: IR 05000498/1997005

Text

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SEP 9 1997

William T. Cottle, Group Vice

President. Nuclear

Houston Lighting & Power Company

P.O. Box 289

Wadsworth, Texas 77483

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SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-498/97-05;50 499/97 05 AND NOTICE OF

VIOLATION

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Dear Mr. Cottle:

On August 9,1997, the NRC completed an inspection at your South Texas Project, Units 1

and 2 reactor facility. The enclosed report presents the scope and results of that

inspection.

During the 6 week pnriod covered by this inspection, your conduct of activities at the

South Texas Project was generally characterized by safety conscious operations with

strong engineering support. We determined however, that a violation of NRC

requirements related to inadequate equipment clearance order boundaries occurred. in the

two examples noted, this shortcoming did not directly impact personnel safety. However,

the potential for personnel injuries that can evolve from inadequate clearanco orders makes

this a condition about which we are concerned. The violation is cited in the enclossa

Notice of Violation (Notice) and the circumstances surrounding the violation are described

in detail in the enclosed report. Please note that 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 addition, the report discusses two additional events that deserve highlighting. Although

the specific safety significance of each event was low, we have noted that previous

corrective actions taken for similar events were not effective to prevent these occurrences.

The first event was a partial siphon draining of the spent fuel pool. In the second, plant

workers lef t plastic bags inside the Unit 1 containment upon completion of a containment

entry,

in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter,

its enclosures, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room. To

the extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or

safeguards information so that it can be placed in the Public Document Room without

redaction.

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Houston Lighting & Power Company 2-

Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, we will be pleased to discuss

them with you.

Sincerely,

f r / c7 Y /

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/mTh / nasdP.y/ Gvg 'rc

itector

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/ D' ision ot' act Projects -

Docket Nos.: 50 498

50 499

License Nos.: NPF 76

NPF-80

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Enclosures:

1. Notice of Violation

2. NRC Inspection Report

50-498/97-05; 50-499/97-05

cc w/ enclosures:

Lawrence E. Martin, General Manager

Nuclear Assurance & Licensing

Houston Lighting & Power Company

P.O. Box 289

Wadsworth, Texas 77483

Mr. J. C. Lanier/Mr. M. B. Lee

City of Austin

Electric Utility Department

721 Barton Springs Road

Austin, Texas 78704

Mr. K. J. Fiedler/Mr. M. T. Hardt

City Public Service Board

P.O. Box 1771

San Antonio, Texas 78296

Jack R. Newman, Esq.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

1800 M. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036 5869

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Houston Lighting & Power Company 3-

Mr. G E. Vaughn/Mr. C. A. Johnson

Central Power & Light Company

P.O. Box 289

Mail Code: N5012

Wadsworth, Texas 77483

INPO

Records Center l

700 Galleria Parkway

Atlanta, Georgia 30339 5957

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Dr Bertram Wolfe

l 15453 Via Vaquero

l Monte Sereno, California 95030

Bureau of Radiation Control

State of Texas

1100 West 49th Street

j Austin, Texas 78756

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Mr. Glenn W. Dishong

Texas Public Utility Commission

7800 Shoal Creek Blvd.

Suite 400N

Austin, Texas 78757-1024

Andy Barrett, Director

Environmental Policy

Office of the Governor

P,0, Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711

Judge, Matagorda County

Matagorda County Courthouse

1700 Seventh Street

Bay City, Texas 77414

Licensing Representative

Houston Lighting & Power Company

Suite 610-

Three Metro Center

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

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, .

.

Houston Lighting & Power Company +4

Rufus S. Scott, Associate

General Counsel

Houston Lighting & Power Company

P.O. Box 61867

Houston, Texas 77208

Joseph R. Egan, Esq.

Egan & Associates, P.C.

2300 N Street, N.$N.

Washington, D.C. 20037

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Houston Lighting & Power Company -5

SEP '. 91997

E-Mail report to T. Frye (TJF)

E-Mail report to T. Hiltz (TGH)

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)

bec to DCD (IE01)

l bec distrib. by RIV:

Regional Administrator Resident inspector

DRP Director DRS-PSB

Branch Chief (DRP/A) MIS System

Preject Engineer (DRP/A) RIV File

Branch Chief (DRP/TSS) R. Bachmann, OGC (MS: 15-B-18)

DOCUMENT NAME: R:\_STP\ST705RP.DPL

To receive copy of document. Indicate in box: "C" = Copy without enclosures asa Copy with enclosures "N" = No copy

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OFFICIAL RECdF'D COPY "

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SEP , 9 1997 -

Houston Lighting & Power Company -5-

E-Mail report to T. Frye (TJF)

E Mail report to T. Hiltz (TGH)=

E Mail' report to NRR Event Tracking System (IPAS)

E Mail report to Document Control Desk (D9CDESK)

E Mail report to Richard Correia (RPC)

E-Mail report to Frank Talbot (FXT)

bec to DCD (IE01) .

bec distrib. by RIV:

Regional Administrator Resident inspector

DRP Director DRS-PSB

Branch Chief (DRP/A) MIS System

Project Eng;neer (DRP/A) RIV File

Branch Chief (DRP/TSS) R. Bachmann, OGC (MS: 15 R 18)

DOCUMENT NAME: R:\.,STP\ST705RP.DPL

To receive copy of document, indicate in box: "C" = Copy without enclosures "E" = Copy we enclosures "N" = No copy

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OFFICIAL RECOFD CO 3Y

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