ML20217N336

Forwards Insp Rept 50-277/98-03 on 980212-0303 & Nov. Violation Resulted from Failure During Several Months to Maintain 2 a RFP Turbine Water Level Trip Function Operable as Required by TS 3.3.2.2

ML20217N336
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	03/30/1998
From:	Hehl C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Danni Smith PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
Shared Package
ML20217N342	List: ML20217N336 ML20217N365 ML20217N377
References
50-277-98-03, 50-277-98-3, EA-98-108, NUDOCS 9804090081
Download: ML20217N336 (4)

See also: IR 05000277/1998003

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March 30,1998

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EA 98-105

Mr. D M. Smith, President -

PECO Nuclear

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< Nuclear Group Headquarters

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Correspondence Control Desk

P.O. Box 195'

Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087-0195

SUBJECT:

. NRC 2 'A' REACTOR FEED PUMP SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-

277/98-03

Dear Mr' Smith:

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On March 3,1998, the NRC completed a special inspection at the Peach Bottom Atomic

Power Station. The purpose of this inspection was to review the events, significance, and

corrective actions during the past twelve months for the three failures to trip and one slow

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- trip of the 2 'A' . Reactor Feedwater Pump Turbine. At the conclusion of the inspection the

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. inspectors discussed the finding with Mr. T. Mitchell and others of your staff.

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' Based on the results of this inspection, an apparent violation was identified and is being

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considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General Statement of

Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600.

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! This violation resulted from your failure during several months to maintain the 2 'A'

Reactor Feedwater Pump Turbine High Water Level Trip function operable as required by

Technical Specification 3.3.2.2, "Feedwater and Main Turbine High Water Level Trip

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instrumentation." No Notice of Violation is presently being issued for this apparent

violation. ,In addition, please be' advised that the number and characterization of the

apparent violation described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of

further NRC review.

We concluded during this inspection that your corrective actions for th

were not comprehensive. -There were a number of previous opportunities to identify and

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correct the root cause of these events particularly through'at-power verification testing.

Also, we noted that the 2 'A' feedwater system change of status to a maintenance rule (a)

1. system was not timely. Although this change met your administrative requirements, we

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viewed the status change as untimely based on the technical specification significance,

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. As stated at the inspection exit meeting'on March 4,1998, a predecisional enforcement

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conference'.will be arranged to discuss the apparent violation. The decision to hold a

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predecisional enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has determined that a

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violation' has occurred or that enforcement agtion will be taken. This conference is being

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held to obtain information to enable the NRC to nake an enforcement decision, such as a

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L common understanding of the facts, root causes, missed opportunities to identify the -

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_ apparent violation' sooner, corrective actions, sign %cance of the issues and the need for

9904090081.980330'

PDR .ADOCK 05000277

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Mr. D. M. - Smith

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. lasting and effective corrective action. 'Also,' this is an opportunity for you to provide any -

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information concerning the corrective actions activities in response to these events.

In addition, this is an opportunity for.you to provide any information concerning your.

. perspectives oni 1) the severity of the violation,2) the application of the factors that the

NRC considers when it determines the amount of a civil penalty that may be assessed in .

accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement Policy, and 3) any other application of

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the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the exercise of discretion in accordance with

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' Section Vll.

You will be advised by' separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this

matter. No response regarding the apparent violation is required at this time.

LWe also concluded that a violation of 10 CFR 50.73 occurred due to your failure to submit

a Licensee Event Report (LER).' The LER did not document the April 1,1997,

, noncompliance with Technical Specification 3.3.2.2.

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

and its enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

Sincerely,

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Charles W. Hehl, Director

Division of Reactor Projects

Docket / License No. 50-277/DPR-44-

Enclosure:

1. Notice of Violation

2. NRC Inspection Report No. 50-277/98-03

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'Mr. 'D. M Smith

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cc w/ encl:

' G. Edwards, Chairman, Nuclear Review Board and Director, Licensing

T. Mitchell, Vice President, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station

G. Rainey, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Operations

J. B. Cotton,' Vice President, Nuclear Station Support

. T. Niessen, Director, Nuclear Quality Assurance

LA. F. Kirby, lil, External Operations - Delmarva Power & Light Co.

M.~ Warner, Plant Manager, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station

G. J. Lengyel, Manager, Experience Assessment .

J.' W. Durham, Sr., Senior Vice President and General Counsel

T. M. Messick, Manager, Joint Generation, Atlantic Electric

.W. T. Henrick, Manager, External Affairs, Public Service Electric & Gas

R. McLean, Power Plant Siting, Nuclear Evaluations

J. Vannoy, Acting Secretary of Herford County Council

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' R. Ochs, Maryland Safe Energy Coalit:on

J. H. Walter, Chief Engineer, Public Service Commission of Maryland

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Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Hiebert, Peach Bottom Alliance

Mr.~ & Mrs. Kip Adams

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

State of Maryland

TMl- Alert (TMIA)

Distribution w/ encl:

Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)

H. Miller, RA/W. Axelson, DRA (irs)

' C. Anderson, DRP

P.' Bonnett, DRP

A. Linde, DRP

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident inspector

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Mr. D. M. Smith

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Distribution w/ encl: (Via E-Mail) -

B. McCabe, OEDO .

L M. Padovan, PM, NRR

J. Stolz, PDl-2, NRR '

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

R. Correia, NRR

F. Talbot, NRR

-DOCDESK

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DOCUMENT NAME

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TD receive a copy of this docunent, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure

"E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure

"N* = No

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