ML20155H250

Ack Receipt of Informing NRC of Steps Taken to Correct Violations Noted in Insp Repts 50-424/98-05 & 50-425/98-05 Issued on 980723.Concluded for Reasons Stated That Example 2 Violation Occurred as Stated in NOV

ML20155H250
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	10/21/1998
From:	Plisco L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Beasley J SOUTHERN NUCLEAR OPERATING CO.
References
50-424-98-05, 50-424-98-5, 50-425-98-05, 50-425-98-5, NUDOCS 9811100036
Download: ML20155H250 (10)

See also: IR 05000424/1998005

Text

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October 21, 1998

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Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

ATTN: Mr. J. B. Beasley l

Vice President j

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant

P.O. Box 1295'

- Birmingham, AL 35201

!

Dear Mr. Beasley:

SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-424, and 50-425/98-05

Thank you for your response of August 18,1998, to our Notice of Violation issued on July 23, l

1998, concerning activities conducted at your facility. We have examined your response and

found that it meets the requirements of 10 CFR 2.201.

1

In your response, you admitted that Example 1 of violation 50-42S/98-05-01 occurred as stated

',

but denied that a violation of Technical Specifications occurred as stated in Example 2 of the

violation. ,

After careful consideration of the basis for your denial of Example 2, we have concluded, for the '

reasons presented in the enclosure to this letter, that the violation occurred as stated in the

Notice'of Violation. Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.201(a), you are required to submit

to this office within 30 days of the date of this letter a written statement describing steps which

have been taken to correct Example 2 of Violation 50-425/98-05-01 and the results achieved,

corrective steps which will be taken to avoid further violations, and the date when full *

compliance will be achieved.

We will examine the implementation of your actions to correct Violation 50-425/98-05-01 during

future inspections.

We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Sincerely,

(Original signed by g

Loren R. Plisco) \

\

Loren R. Plisco, Director,

Division of Reactor Projects

Docket Nos. 50-424,50-425

License Nos. NPF-68, NPF-81

Enclosure: Evaluations and Conclusions

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9811100036 99102144

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cc w/ encl:

J. D. Woodard

Executive Vice President .

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P. O. Box 1295

Birmingham, AL 35201-1295

J. T. Gasser

General Manager, Plant Vogtie

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P. O. Box 1600 -

Waynesboro, GA 30830 I

1

'J. A. Bailey _ i

Manager Licensing

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Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P. O. Box 1295 I

Birmingham, AL 35201-1295

Director, Consumers' Utility Counsel Division

Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs  ;

- 2 M. L. King, Jr. Drive l

Plaza Level East: Suite 356 I

Atlanta, GA 30334-4600 I

Office of Planning and Budget

Room 615B

270 Washington Street, SW

' Atlanta, GA 30334

Office of the County Commissioner 1

Burke County Commission

Waynesboro, GA 30830

Director, Department of Natural Resources l

205 Butler Street, SE, Suite 1252 '

Atlanta, GA 30334 ,

,

Manager, Radioactive Materials Program

Depaitment of Natural Resources

4244 International Parkway

Suite 114 -  !

Atlanta, GA 30354

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i Attomey General'

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L ~ 132 Judicial Building I

l. Atlanta, GA 30334

Program' Manager

Fossil & Nuclear Operations "

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. Oglethorpe Power Corporation

!' 2100 E. Exchange Place

Tucker, GA 30085-1349

Charles A. Patrizia, Esq.:

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' Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker- i

- 10th Floor l

1299 Pennsylvania Avenue

'; Washington, D. C. 20004-9500

Senior Engineer- Power Supply.

. Municipal Electric duthority ,

- of Georgia-

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1470 Riveredge Parkway NW - 1

Atlanta, GA: 30328-4684 I

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Distribution w/ encl:

L. Plisco, Rll

. P. Skinner, Ril

D. Jaffe, NRR

PUBLIC ;

NRC Senior Resident Inspector

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

8805 River Road '

.Waynesboro, GA 30830

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j. DATE IW /98 IW /98 IW /98 1W /98 1W AS 1W /98 1W /98

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Attorney General

Law Department

132 Judicial Building

Atlanta, GA 30334

Program Manager

. Fossil & Nuclear Operations

'

Oglethorpe Power Corporation

2100 E. Exchange Place l

- Tucker, GA 30085-1349 4

,

' Charles A. Patrizia, Esq.

' Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker

10th Floor

l1299 Pennsylvania Avenue-

Washington, D. C. 20004-9500

Senior Engineer - Power Supply

l Municipal Electric Authority

!

of Georgia

1470 Riveredge Parkway NW .

Atlanta, GA 30328-4684

Distribution w/ encl:

L. Plisco, Rll

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P. Skinner, Rll- l

D. Jaffe, NRR

PUBLIC

NRC Senior Resident inspector

l. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

8805 River Road

Waynesboro, GA 30830

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Program Manager

Fossil & Nuclear Operations

Oglethor)e Power Corporation

2100 E. Exchange Place

Tucker. GA 30085-1349

Charles A. Patrizia. Esq.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker

10th Floor

1299 Pennsylvania Avenue-

Washington, D. C. 20004-9500

l

Senior Engineer - Power Supply l

Municipal Electric Authority j

of Georgia l

1470 Riveredge Parkway NW l

Atlanta, GA 30328-4684

Distribution w/ encl:

L. Plisco, RII

P. Skinner. RII  ;

D. Jaffe, NRR

PUBLIC

'NRC Senior Resident Inspector

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

8805 River Road

Waynesboro, GA 30830

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Program Manager

Fossil & Nuclear Operations

Oglethorpe Power Corporation

2100 E. Exchange Place

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Tucker CA 30085-1349 l

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Charles A. Patrizia. Esq.

Paul. Hastings. Janofsky & Walker

10th Floor

1299 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington D. C. 20004-9500 ,

Senior Engineer - Power Supply

Municipal Electric Authority

of Georgia

1470 Riveredge Parkway NW

Atlanta GA 30328-4684

Distribution w/ enc 1:

L. Plisco. RII

P. Skinner. RIl

D. Jaffe. NRR

PUBLIC

NRC Senior Resident Inspector

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission

8805 River Road

Waynesboro. GA 30830

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Program Manager

!. Fossil & Nuclear Operations

Oglethorpe Power Corporation

-2100 E. Exchange Place

' Tucker, GA 30085-1349

Charles A. Patrizia. Esq.

Paul. Hastings, Janofskys& Walker i

10th Floor

1299 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D. C. 20004-9500

'

Senior Engineer - Power Supply

Municipal Electric Authority

of Georgia

1470 Riveredge Parkway NW

Atlanta, GA 30328-4684

Distribution w/ encl:

L. Plisco, RII .

P. Skinner, RII l

D. Jaffe, NRR

PUBLIC

NRC Senior Resident Inspector  ;

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission -

8805 River Road

Waynesboro, GA 30830

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l EVALUATIONS AND CONCLUSION l

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On July 23,1998, a Notice of Violation (Notice) was issued for a violation identified dunng a l

L routine NRC inspection. Southern Nuclear Operating Company responded to the Notice on l

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-August 18,1998. Example 1 was admitted and Example 2 was denied for Violation 50-425/98- l

'05-01. The NRC's evaluation and conclusions regarding the licensee's arguments are as i

follows: l

l. Restatement of Violation 50-425/98-05-01 I

Unit 2 Technical Specification (TS) Limiting Condition Of Operation'(LCO) 3.0.4 states that

.when a limiting condition of operstion is not met, entry into a mode or other specified condition -

in the Applicability shall not be made except when the associated actions to be entered permit I

continued operation In that mode or other specified condition in the applicability for an unlimited l

_ period of time. Exceptions to LCO 3.0.4 are stated in the individual Specifications.  ;

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Contrary to the above:

1. On April 19,1998, Unit 2 entered Mode 2 (from Mode 3) without meeting the LCO of TS )

3.3.2," Engineering Safety Feature Actuation System (ESFAS) instrumentation." Table i

3.3.2-1, Item 5, which requires two trains of the Turbine Trip function to be operable i

_ prior to entering Mode 2. Action Condition H was applicable and has a limited

completion time of six hours. TS 3.3.2 does not contain an LCO 3.0.4 exception

statement.

2. On June 10,1998, Unit 2 entered Mode 4 (from, Mode 3) without meeting the LCO for l

TS 3.4.12, " Cold Overpressure Protection Systems," which required two reactor coolant j

system relief valves to be operable. The licensee entered Mode 4 while in Action  ;

Condition D of TS 3.4.12 for one pressurizer power operated relief valve (PORV) being '

inoperable. This Specification has a limited time of 7 days and does not contain an LCO  !

3.0.4 exception statement. l

Summarv of Licensee's Response to Examole 2 I

1. The licensee contends that the previous Technical Specification version contained an l

LCO 3.0.4 exception. .

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2. The licensee also contends that the TS Bases addresses the situation with the following ,

statement. "In addition, the provisions of LCO 3.0.4 shall not prevent changes in

MODES or other specified conditions in the Applicability that result from a normal

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shutdown."

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3. The licensee's denial referenced a January 1988, letter from Thomas E. Murley, former

Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, to Joe F. Colvin, Executive Vice

l President and Chief Operating Officer NUMARC, entitled "NRC Staff Response to

i- NUMARC Technical Specification Working Group Key Implementation issues for  ;

i- Restructured Technical Specifications," in which the NRC staff wrote the following about

the improved Technical Specifications Bases:

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Enclosure

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"TS Bases will provide information to facilitate proper interpretation and application of

TS requirements. Bases are also used for determining the purpose of existing

requirements when changes to the TS are considered. In short, Bases provide the

technical underpinning for TS requirements. Any change to this technical underpinning

that would influence the way the requirement might be interpreted or applied should be

subject to prior staff approval because it would, in effect, be a TS change. However,

changes that do not erode this technical underpinning should not require staff approval."

The licensee referenced that letter and stated that "SNC views the Bases statement that

LCO 3.0.4 shall not prevent a normal shutdown as a clarification that facilitated proper

interpretation and application of TS requirements."

NRC Evaluation of Licensee's Response

1. The licensee is committed to the current version of Technical Specifications which does

not include an exemption to LCO 3.0.4 not the former version. '

2. NUREG-1431, Rev.1, dated April 7,1995, revised LCO 3.0.4 to read "When an LCO is

not met, eatry into a MODE or other specified condition in the Applicability shall not be

made except when the associated ACTIONS to be entered permit continued operation

in the MODE or other specified condition in the Applicability for an unlimited period of

time. This Specification shall not prevent changes in MODES or other specified

conditions in the Applicability that are required to comply with ACTIONS or that are cart

of a shutdown of the unit." (Emphasis added) .

This revision was made so that changes in MODES or other specified conditions in the

Applicability that are a part of a shutdown of the unit shall not be prevented. The

revision also identified that before the revised version of the LCO could be implemented

on a plant specific basis, the licensee must review the existing technical specifications to

determine where specific restrictions on MODE changes or Required Actions should be

included in individual LCOs to justify this change.

TS 3.4.12 does not contain a statement of exception to TS 3.0.4. In addition, the

statement in the TS Bases would allow the Bases to override the TS requirement which

is not acceptable. The revision to NUREG-1431 discussed above had not yet been

incorporated into the Vogtle TS.

3. - The statement quoted from the January 1988 NRC letter was taken out of context. The

paragraph addresses the influence of Bases on TS application. The paragraph includes l

a caution that Bases changes should not result in an erosion of the TS intent.

. Therefore, the licensee's denial incorrectly implies that the paragraph supported carte

blanc use of the bases for interpretations of the TS rather than caution associated with

revising the Bases.

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The licensee's interpretation of the statement that LCO 3.0.4 shall not prevent a normal

shutdown, to support that they could enter a lower mode does not address the issue that -

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It is in the lower modes where Cold Overpressure Protection Systems (COPS) are )

significant to safety. TS Bases 3.4.12 states, in part, that the COPS controls Reactor

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Coolant System pressure at low temperatures so the integrity of the reactor coolant

pressure boundary is not compromised by violating the pressure and temperature limits -

- of 10 CFR 50, Appendix G. In this case, the unit entered a mode of operation that

allowed lower temperature operation.

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The NRC position is that the licensee applied the bases statement of " normal shutdown"

in the wrong circumstances.

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The NRC staff has carefully reviewed the licensee's response and does not concur with the  !

conclusions. j

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NRC Conclusion

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For the reasons stated above, the NRC staff concludes that the violation occurred as stated.

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