10 CFR 50.54(q)(2) states, in part, that the licensee shall follow and maintain the effectiveness of an
emergency plan that meets the requirements in Appendix E to this part. Appendix E. IV.C.2, states, in part, that licensees shall establish and maintain the capability to assess, classify, and declare an emergency condition within 15 minutes after the availability of indications to plant operators that an emergency action level (
EAL) has been exceeded and shall promptly declare the emergency condition as soon as possible following identification of the appropriate emergency classification level. Contrary to the above, on April 20, 2017, at 8:27 p.m., when the
SM was informed of the presence of toxic gas (hydrazine) causing work stoppage and evacuation in the Salem Unit 2 containment, he did not promptly declare an emergency in accordance with the Salem
EALs. The
SM declared an Unusual Event, based on
EAL HU.3.1, toxic gas that has adversely affected normal plant operations, at 9:10 p.m. (43 minutes after he had indications that the
EAL was exceeded).
PSEG identified that the emergency was not declared within the 15 minute requirement during a post -event review. This performance deficiency was more than minor because it was associated with the
ERO performance attribute of the Mitigating System cornerstone, and adversely affected the cornerstone objective of ensuring that the licensee is capable of implementing adequate measures to protect the health and safety of the public in the event of a radiological emergency. The inspectors determined that the finding was of very low safety significance (Green) in accordance with
IMC 0609, Appendix B, Figure 5.4 -1, because the Unusual Event was declared in a degraded or untimely manner.
PSEG entered this issue into the
CAP as NOTF 20763130. Because the finding was of very low safety significance (Green) and was entered into
PSEGs CAP, this issue is being treated as an
NCV consistent with Section 2.3.2.a of the NRCs
Enforcement Policy 