ML20236Q869
| ML20236Q869 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 07/16/1998 |
| From: | Wiggins J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Maret G VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236Q872 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-271-98-80, EA-98-333, EA-98-372, NUDOCS 9807210096 | |
| Download: ML20236Q869 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000271/1998080
Text
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July 16, 1998
EA 98-333
EA 98-372
Mr. Gregory A. Maret
Director of Operations
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation
185 Old Ferry Road
Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
SUBJECT:
NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT 50-271/98-80, NOTICE OF VIOLATION
AND EXERCISE OF ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION
Dear Mr. Maret:
On June 5,1998, the NRC completed an engineering inspection at the Vermont Yankee as
part of the core inspection program. The team found your engineering organization
continuing its transition to a site-based organization and that your engineering programs
were also working toward that goal. The team also found that your corrective action
program had improved since the last 40500 inspection in 1996 noted that had
opportunities for further improvement existed in event report trending and deportability
screening.
During this inspection five violations of NRC requirements were identified. The first
concerns an inadequate safety evaluation for the control room HVAC temporary
modification. The second violation concerns inadequate corrective action for a design
deficiency associated with the control room HVAC system. The third violation concerns
failure to report a condition that could have prevented the control room HVAC system from
performing its intended function. The fourth violation concerns inadequate design control
for f ailing to control Design Basis Document changes. The fifth violation concerns
reducing commitments contained in the NRC approved QA Program without prior NRC
approval.
The violations are cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation, 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 instruction.s specified in the
enclosed Notice when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part,
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go determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with
A regulatory requirements.
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This report also discusses a non-cited violation (NCV) associated with an unreviewed
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safety question related to the safety evaluation for the 1974 modification to the HPCl/RCIC
vacuum breakers. This NCV involved an old design issue that apparently resulted from an
inadequate safety evaluation, and was a violation of NRC requirements which could be
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9907210096 980716
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ADOCK 05000271
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Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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considered for escalated enforcement and subject to a civil penalty. However, after
consultation with the Director, Office of Enforcement, and the Regional Administrator, I
have been authorized to not issue a Notice of Violation and not propose a civil penalty in
this case in accordance with the provisions provided in Section Vll.B.3 of the NRC's
Enforcement Policy. This decision was made after consideration that: (1) the violation was
identified by your staff's good questioning attitudes during a voluntary initiative; (2)
. corrective actions,.both taken and planned, were comprehensive and timely; (3) the
condition was subtle in nature and not likely to be disclosed through routine surveillance or
quality assurance activities; and (4) the violation was not reasonably linked to current
performance. The exercise of discretion acknowledges your good effort to identify and
correct subtle violations, that would not be identified by routine efforts, before the
degraded safety systems are called upon.
The response 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.96-511. In accordance with 10 CFR %790
of the NRC's " Rules of Practices," a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be placed in
the NRC Public Document Room.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practices," a copy of this letter
and the enclosed Notice will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Sincerely,
ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:
James T. Wiggins, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-271
Enclosure:
NRC inspection Report 50-271/98-80
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Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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- Power Corporation
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cc w/ encl:
R. McCullough, Operating Experience Coordinator - Vermont Yankee
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. G. Sen, Licensing Manager, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation
D. Rapaport, Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Inc.
D. Tefft, Administrator, Bureau of Radiological Health, State of New Hampshire
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Chief, Safety Unit, Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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D. Lewis, Esquire
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G. Bisbee, Esquire
J. Block, Esquire
T. Papone, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety
D. Katz, Citizens Awareness Network (CAN)
M. Daley, New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution, Inc. (NECNP)
State of New Hampshire, SLO Designee
State of Vermont, SLO Designee
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SLO Designee
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Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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Power Corporation
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Distribution w/encj:
Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)
PUBLIC
Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)
NRC Resident inspector
H. Miller, RA/W. Axelson, DRA
D. Holody, ORA
C. Cowgill, DRP
R. Summers, DRP
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C. O'Daniell, DRP
G. Morris, DRP
W. Ruland, DRS
L. Scholl, DRS
J. Wiggins, DRS
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L. Nicholson, DRS
C. Miskey, DRS
D. Vito, ORA
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Distribution w/enci (VIA E-MAIL):
B. McCabe, OEDO
C. Thomas, NRR (COT)
R. Croteau, NRR
R. Correia, NRR
F. Talbot, NRR
D. Screnci, PAO
Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)
DOCDESK
J. Lieberman (OEMAIL)
B. Boger, ADPR, NRR
A. Nicosia, OE
F. Davis, OE
M. Satorius, OE
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