ML20235B472
| ML20235B472 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 09/18/1987 |
| From: | Davis A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Larson C NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20235B474 | List: |
| References | |
| EA-87-138, IEIN-84-46, NUDOCS 8709240117 | |
| Download: ML20235B472 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000282/1987011
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SEP 1 8 1987
Docket No. 50-282
License No. DPR-42
EA 87-138
Northern hatn Power Company
ATTN:
Mr. C. E. Larson
Vice President, Nuclear
Generation
International Centre Building
920 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Gentlemen:
SUBJECT:
NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND PROPOSED IMPOSITION OF CIVIL PENALTY
(NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-282/87011(DRP))
I
This refers to the inspection conducted during the period June 18 through
July 2,1987, at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit 1.
The
inspection was conducted to review the circumstances that resulted in Unit 1
Safety Injection Pump (SI) No.11 being inoperable for approximately 25 days.
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The problem was identified by your staff and was immediately reported to the
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NRC Senior Resident Inspector. The details of the events that led to the
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violation are presented in the subject inspection report that was sent to
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you on July 10, 1987.
This matter was discussed on July 15, 1987, during
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an Enforcement Conference held in the NRC Region III office between
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Mr. James T. Howard, President and Chief Executive Officer, and others of your
staff and Mr. A. B. Davis and others of the NRC staff. During the conference,
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we discussed the violation, the root causes, and your corrective actions.
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The violation described in the Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of
Civil Penalty resulted because of a failure to verify that a 4160 volt breaker
that supplied power to the No. 11 SI pump was not in the " Connect" position.
Personnel relied on an indicator light in the control room to verify
that the breaker was closed. When plant personnel discovered the problem, an
operator turned the racking screw and was able to correctly position the breaker.
During the enforcement conference, it was noted that your staff had previously
identified 5 to 8 additional instances where breakers were improperly positioned
in other than the " Connect" position. These involved both safety and nonsafety-
related systems.
The NRC is concerned that you did not aggressively pursue a
more comprehensive and lasting corrective action after identifying these
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improperly positioned breakers and after reviewing NRC IE Information Notice
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No. 84-46, " Circuit Breaker Position Verification," dated June 13, 1984.
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Northern States Power Company
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SEP 1 8 1987
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To emphasize the importance of properly returning equipment to service and
properly verifying that systems and components are operational, I have been
authorized, after consultation with the Director, Office of Enforcement, and
the Deputy Executive Director for Regional Operations, to issue the enclosed
Notice of Violation and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in the amount of
Twenty-five Thousand Dollars (525,000) for the violation described in the
enclosed Notice.
In accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and
Procedures for NRC Enforcement Actions," 10 CFR Part 2, Appendix C (1987)
(Enforcement Policy), the violation described in the enclosed Notice has been
categorized at Severity Level III.
The base value of a civil penalty for a
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Severity Level III violation is $50,000.
The NRC Enforcement Policy allows for
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reduction of a civil penalty under certain circumstances.
In this case, the
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base civil penalty has been reduced by 50 percent because of your prompt identi-
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fication and reporting and because of unusually prompt and extensive corrective
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actions.
Further mitigation was not applied because prior notice of similar
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events was available based on the previous incidents at Prairie Island and the
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information given in I&E Information Notice 84-46.
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You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions
specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your response.
In your
response, you should document the specific actions taken and any additional
actions you plan to prevent recurrence. After reviewing your response to this
Notice, including your proposed corrective actions and the results of future
inspections, the NRC will determine whether further NRC enforcement action is
necessary to ensure compliance with NRC regulatory requirements.
In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2,
Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its
enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed Notice are not subject
to the clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No.95-511.
Si cerely,
Oricinalv1gnedby,
.L hert Davis
"
A. Bert Davis
Regional Administrator
Enclosures:
1.
Proposed Imposition of
Civil Penalty
2.
Inspection Report
No. 50-282/87011(DRP)
See Attached Distribution
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Northern States Power Company
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SEP 181987
Distribution
cc w/ enclosures:
E. L. Watzl, Plant Manager
DCS/RSB (RIDS)
Licensing Fee Management Branch
Resident Inspector, RIII Prairie
Island
Resident Inspector, RIII Monticello
John W. Ferman, Ph.D.,
Nuclear Engineer, MPCA
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State Liaison Officer, State
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of Minnesota
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Northern' States-Power Company _
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DISTRIBUTION'
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SECY
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' J.. Taylor, DEDO
T. Martin, DEDRO
S. Schinki, OGC
J. Lieberman, OE
P..Milano, OE
A. B. Davis, RIII
Enforcement Coordinators
RI, RII, RIII, RIV, RV.
T. Murley, NRR
B. Hayes, 01
S. Conne11ey, OIA
E. Jordan, AE00
F. Ingram, PA
DE Files
EDO Rdg File
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