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Forwards Insp Repts 50-266/98-03 & 50-301/98-03 & Notice of Violation.Three Violations Identified.First Violation Involved Use of Inappropriate Work Instruction During Replacement of safety-related Service Water Pump
	ML20217D336
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	03/21/1998
From:	Grant G; NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Patulski S; WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20217D341	List: ML20217D336; ML20217D345; ML20217D353;
References
	50-266-98-03, 50-266-98-3, 50-301-98-03, 50-301-98-3, NUDOCS 9803270394
	Download: ML20217D336 (5)
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

UNITED STATES

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LISLE, ILLINOIS 60532-4351

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March 21, 1998

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Mr. S. A. Patuiski

Site Vice President

Point Beach Nuclear Plant

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6610 Nuclear Road

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Two Rivers, WI 54241

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Dear Mr. Patutski:

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SUBJECT:

NRC NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND INSPECTION REPORT

NO. 50-266/98003(DRP); 50-301/98003(DRP) FOR THE POINT BEACH

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Dear Mr. Patuiski-

On March 2,1998, the NRC completed an inspection at your Point Beach 1 and 2 reactor

facilities. The enclosed inspection report (IR) presents the results of that inspection.

During this period, two-unit operation was achieved while an appropriate safety consciousness

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was maintained during reactor power changes and when making needed repairs to equipment.

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Programmatic improvements were initiated in the work planning and control programs. Plant

staff, including the design engineering group, continued to identify design basis issues. These

issues were entered into the corrective action program in a prompt manner, and plant -

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management evaluated and responded to each in an appropriate fashion.

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The improved quality of communications and the adherence to operating procedures for plant

startups and shutdowns documented in previous irs continued to be observed during this period.

However, a number of relatively minor performance concerns were identified in the area of

operations during this period. Although no negative safety consequences accrued from any of

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the observed concerns, and most of the concerns did not involve safety-related activities, these

observations indicate that continued focus on improvements in the operations area is

appropriate.

Three violations of NRC requirements were identified during this period. The first violation

involved the use of an inappropriate work instruction during the replacement of a safety-related

service water pump. Plant staff responded to this issue by performing an effective assessment

of the program for nuclear grade material control and accountability. Because of the prompt

followup to the specific issues associated with the service water pump work package, your

response to this violation need not address the specific cause and corrective actions. Rather,

you are requested to discuss actions being taken to ensure that appropriate maintenance

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procedures are used for safety-related activities during the current Unit 1 refueling outagc, and

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those immediate and long term corrective actions that are being taken to ensure the proper

control and accountability of materials used for repairs to safety-related systems, structures, and

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components.

The second violation involved inappropriate procedures for controlling reactor thermal power.

These procedures created the potential for operators to be required to increase reactor power to

a levelin excess of the limit specified in the facility licenses. The inappropriate procedures were

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S. Patulski

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promptly revised after the deficiencies were identified by the inspectors; therefore, your response

to this violation need not address the specific cause and corrective actions. You are requested

to discuss what corrective actions, if any, are planned to address the performance of the reactor

engineering group in developing and issuing reactor engineering instructions used for operation

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of the units, and in providing effective support to correct problems which affect operation of the

units. This response is requested because of the observations regarding the reactor engineering

group contained in the attached report.

The third violation involved a failure to comply with the requirements of the procedure governing

operating permits. The inspectors were actively involved in the identification of this issue, but the

corrective actions documented in the attached report appeared adequate to correct the condition.

Because of this, no response is required for this violation.

The violations identified above are cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice), and the

circumstances surrounding the violations are described in detailin 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.

As stated above, the NRC has concluded that information regarding the reason fo.r the third

violation, and the corrective actions taken to correct this violation and prevent recurrence, is

already adequately addressed on the docket in the enclosed report (lR 50-266/98003(DRP);

50-301/98003(DRP)). Therefore, you are not required to respond to this letter for the third

violation unless the description therein does not accurately reflect your corrective actions or your

position. In that case, or if you choose to provide additionalinformation, you should follow the

instructions specified in the enclosed Notice,

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.

Sincerely,

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G ffrey E.1Gra

Direct

Division of Reactor Projects

Docket Nos.: 50-266,50-301

License Nos.: DPR-24, DPR-27

Enclosures:

1.

Notice of Violation

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2.

Inspection Report

No. 50-266/98003(DRP);

50-301/98003(DRP)

See Attached Distribution

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cc w/encis:

R. R. Grigg, President and Chief

Operating Officer, WEPCO

A. J. Cayia, Plant Manager.

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B. D. Burks, P.E., Director

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Bureau of Field Operations

Cheryl L. Parrino, Chairman

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Wisconsin Public Service

Commission

State Liaison Officer

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nromptly revised after the deficiencies were identified by the inspectors; therefore, your response

lo this violation need not address the specific cause and corrective actions. You are requested