ML20247F076
| ML20247F076 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000000, Fort Saint Vrain |
| Issue date: | 10/15/1986 |
| From: | Connelly S NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTOR & AUDITOR (OIA) |
| To: | Asselstine, Roberts, Zech NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247F051 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-87-535 NUDOCS 8907270079 | |
| Download: ML20247F076 (4) | |
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October 15, 1986 MEMORANDUM FOR:
Chairman Zech Commissioner Roberts Commissioner Asselstine
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Commissioner Bernthal Commissioner Carr FROM:
Sharon R. Connelly, Director Office of Inspector and Auditor
SUBJECT:
Al. LEGATION CONCERNING NEED FOR A JUSTIFICATION FOR CONTINUED OPERATION AT FORT ST. VRAIN NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION T;ehurposeofthismemorandumistoadvisetheCommissionofanallegation that the NRC staff allowed the Fort St. Vrainf uclear Power Plant (50-267) to N
operate without requiring the licensee, Public Service Company of Colorado, to submit a justification for continued operation'(JCO) when such submission was required.
This allegation was received by the Office of Inspector and Auditor (01A) on
. September 26,1986,- from a former NRC reactor inspector. The source reported that he~had received information which indicated that Fort St. Vrain was not
.able to achieve safe shutdown because of the inability of the steam generators to' adequately handle the flow of water needed to cool down the reactor from 100 percent power. He further claimed that the NRC staff was aware of the
. problem,'yet it allowed the reactor to operate for two months (April and May 1986).
Subsequent discussions with the source determined that the technical issue raised concerning Fort St. Vrain, the only High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor licensed by the Commission, was thte availability of.one train of systems to achieve and maintain a hot shutdown condition. The designation of such a train involves, amung other things, considerations of (a) the equipment qualification (EQ) rule (10 CFR 50.49) and (b) the power level from which the shutdown is initiated.
The NRC's Safety Evaluation Report relating to the EQ rule, dated July 19, 1985, informed the licensee that it had not yet demonstrated conformance to
'the EQ rule. The licensee subsequently requested an extension of the November 30, 1985, deadline and included a JC0 as part of the extension request. On November 26, 1985, by Memorandum and Order (M&O), the Commission (3
authorized, subject to three conditions, the licensee to operate Fort St.
t,W Vrain at a maxioum power level of 35 percent until May 31, 1986. On tS February 7,1986, in accordance with the M&O, the Director, Office of Nuclear
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Reactor Regulation authorized operation of Fort St. Vrain at 35 percent power
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af ter tincing the lice nsee's confirgiatory analyse s acceptable.
Ihe analyses
"' C' >......inc.lude d,..bu.t..we ra..no t.. l.i m i.ted.. to,. a n. e ng ine e r.i ng.evaluat. ion-ni..the..us e.c f...t le......}.......
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liner cooling system (LCS) to achieve a shutdown condition. This evaluation demonstrated that a hot shutdown condition could he achieved by the use of the LCS with water supplied from the fire main if a high energy line break (!!ELB) 4 occurred at a 35 percent power level. The HELB is considered by the staff to be the most limiting accident. Since the source of water for the LCS is the fire main, there woula be no reliance placed on electric equipment that would be required to operate in a " harsh" environment subsequent to an accident.
The staff concluded that the licensee's confirmatory analyses we : acceptable for operation up to 35 percent of full power.
Consequently, For' St. Vrain operated at 35 percent power from February to May 31, 1986, when it shutdown in compliance with the M&0.
Fort St. Vrain is currently shutdown while the licensee continues efforts to achieve conformance with the requirements of the EQ rule.
Based on the information we reviewed during our inquiry, we did not.
substantiate the allegation that the NRC staff allowed Fort St. Vrain to operate for two months without the ability to achieve safe shutdown.
grigimi signo3 'J s'x;ren E. A
'^!U Sharon R. Connelly, Director Office of Inspector and Auditor cc:
M. Callahan, OCM V. Stello, EDO l
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OIA File 186-63 OIA rdr WECampbell MEMO COMM/Mulley
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.e CASE
SUMMARY
' TITLE: COMANCllE PEAK - Alleged Misconduct by File,No.:.Inq 85-35 NRC Dnployees Date Opg.ned:
4/38/85 Investigator:
. lack Kindt NRC REGION:
IV SITE:
Comanche Peak Inspection:
Investigation:
(crimine.1-integr2 ty-EED-other)
LICENSEE:
In!Crm !ica in thiS ICc0rd was deleled in accoidance with the Fictdom of Information CONTRACTOR:
Act, er.,raplices M F01A..T2./3 '?
ALLEGATION:
A11eger stated that 2 NRC employees ( 01 6 Reg IV Inspector) propor.ed deal with another A11eger.
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DATES:
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS I
3/28/85 Memo Connelly/Noerian, subject aheve 4/18/85 Inquiry assigned to Jack Kindt.
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