ML20248J497

Notice of Violation from Investigation Rept 3-97-034, Completed on 980211.Violation Noted:Suppl 2,dtd 970212,to License Amend Request,Dtd 970129, Amend of Cooling Water Sys Emergency Intake Design Basis, Was Not Complete

ML20248J497
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	06/04/1998
From:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
Shared Package
ML20248J494	List: ML20248J491 ML20248J497
References
NUDOCS 9806090159
Download: ML20248J497 (4)

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NOTICE OF VIOLATION Northern States Power Company Docket Nos. 50-282; 50-306 Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant License Noc. DPR-42; DPR-60

- During an NRC investigation that was completed on February 11,1998,~ a violation of NRC requirements was identified. In accordance with the NUREG-1600," General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions," the violation is listed below:

10 CFR 50.9 (a), " Completeness and Accuracy of Information" requires, in part, that information provided to the Commission by a licensee be complete and accurate in all material respects.

Contrary to the above, Supplement 2, dated February 12,1997, to License Amendment Request dated January 29,1997," Amendment of Cooling Water System Emergency intake Design Basis," was not complete and accurate in all material respects.

Specifically, the supplemental response stated, "During the fut trial usage of the procedure, the operators accomplished management of the cooling water demand, but not in the original 15 minute time frame." This statement was not accurate in that the operators never recognized that they were in an earthquake scenario and never entered the procedure being validated before the scenario was terminated. The submittal also inaccurately stated, "The procedure was then discussed with the crew to determine how the procedure should be changed to improve performance. The changes were made and another trial usage was run. The 15 minute time frame was achieved the second time." in actuality, the operators were specifically briefed on the event, the procedure to be used and the required actions. Despite this, the required valve closures were not begun until 16 minutes into the event. The statements were material because the basis for License Amendment 126/120, issued March 20,1997, was the operator's ability to successfully recognize and respond to an earthquake prior to the cooling water pumps losing suction. Fortunately, NRC recognized the inaccuracy of the above statements and required extensive validation of the actual operator response time prior to approving the amendment.

This is a Severity Level IV violation (Supplement Vll.D.1).

Pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 2.201, Northem States Power Company is hereby required to submit a written statement or explanation to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory l

Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington, DC 20555-0001, with a copy to the l

Regional Administrator, Region Ill, and a copy to the NRC Resident inspector at the facility that is the subject of this Notice, within 30 days of the date of the letter transmitting this Notice of Violation (Notice). This reply should be clearly marked as a " Reply to a Notice of Violation" and should include for each violation: (1) the reason for the violation, or, if contested, the basis for disputing the violation or severity level, (2) the corrective steps that have been taken and the results achieved, (3) the corrective steps that will be taken to avoid further violations, and b

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(4) the date when full compliance will be achieved. Your response may reference or include -

j previous docketed correspondence, if the corre=nondence adequately addresses the required.

response. If an adequate reply is not received witi,la he time specified in this Notice, an order or a Demand for Information may be issued as to why the license should not be modifed, suspended, or revoked, or why such other action as may be proper should not be taken.

Where good cause is shown, consideration will be given to extending the response time, if you contest this enforcement action, ycu should also provide a copy of your response to the

, Director, Office of Enforcement, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

Because your response will be placed in the NRC Pubic Document Room (PDR), to the extent

- possible, it should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so

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that it can be placed in the PDR without redaction. If personal privacy or proprietary information

is necessary to provide an acceptable response, then please provide a bracketed copy of your

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response that identifies the information that should be protected and a redacted copy of your response that deletes such information. If you request withholding of such material, you mutt specifically identify the portions of your response that you seek to have withheld and provide in detail the bases for your claim of withholding (e.g., explain why the disclosure of information will create an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or provide the information required by 10 CFR 2.790(b) to support a request for withholding confidential commercial or financial information). If safeguards information is necessary to provide an acceptable response, please

- provide the level of protection described in 10 CFR 73.21.

Dated at Lisle, Illinois

' this 4 th day of June 1998 l

SYNOPSIS OF Ol INVESTIGATION 3-97-034 On October 6,1997, the Office of Investigations (01), Region lil, initiated an investigation to determine if the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant (PINGP) deliberately submitted material false statements in a License Amendment Request.

Based on the evidence developed during the investigation, Ol did not substantiate that PINGP deliberately submitted material false statements in a License Amendment Request.

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Participants in May 28,1998 Telephone Exit Northern State Power K. Albrecht, General Superintendent Engineering, Electrical / instrumentation & Controls R. Anderson, Director, Nuclear Energy Engineering i

G. Eckholt, Licensing Project Manager J. Silberg, Attorney, Winston & Strawn J. Sorensen, F! ant Manager D. Vincent, Licensing Engineer Nuclear Regulatorv Commission J. Jacobson, Chief, Lead Engineers Branch, Division of Reactor Safety P. Krohn, Resident inspector P. Lougheed, Reactor Inspector, DRS

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