ML20148C193

Insp Repts 50-443/78-12 & 50-444/78-12 on 780726-0811.No Noncompliance Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Alleged Blasting & Other Work Being Done After CPs Suspended

ML20148C193
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	09/12/1978
From:	Devlin J, Folsom S, Rich Smith NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20148C144	List: IR 05000443/1978012 ML20148C140
References
50-443-78-12, 50-444-78-12, NUDOCS 7811010135
Download: ML20148C193 (12)

See also: IR 05000444/1978012

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l

.Q ' 0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT l

50-443/78-12

Report No. 50-444/78-12

50-443 l

Docket No. 50-444 l

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CPPR-135 l

License No. cppR-136 Group 4 Category A-2 l

Licensee: Public Service Company of New Hampshire

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1000 Elm Streeti '

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Manchester. New Hampshire 03105 I

Facility Name: Seabrook Station. Units 1 and 2 l

Investigation at: Seabrook, New Hampshire

Investigation conducte July 26 - August 11, 1978

Investigators: , t hM

'R./H. Smithanvestigation dpecialist '

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da signed

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e i2 xw- 9 /2.72

S. A. 761som, Reactor Inspector / date ' signed

date signed

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date signed

Approved by: O/J' m ,/, , /yf

[J.W. Devlin, Chief,Securityand / /'dat# signed

Investigation Section

Investigation Summary:

Investigation from July 26 to August 11, 1978 (Report Nos. 50-443/78-12 and

50-444/78-12)

Areas Investigated: Unannounced investigation by one regional based investigator

and one regional based inspector, of complaints concerning blasting and other

unauthorized work being performed after the construction permits were suspended

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on July 21, 1978. The investigation involved 114 investigative-hours by an NRC

l regional based investigator and a regional based inspector.

Resul ts: The noise and earth tremor which formed the basis of a complaint about

blasting were observed. No information or evidence was found to indicate that

any of the complaints were related to violations of regulatory requirements or

l violations of the Commission Order. No apparent items of noncompliance were

identified.

Region I Form 143

(Rev. October 1977) E1010/ W

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TABLE OF CONTENTS-

I. BACKGROUND

A. Reason for Investigation

B. Order of the Nuclear: Regulatory Comission

C. Identification of Involved Organizations ,

II. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ,

A. Complaints and Investigation Findings

B.. Conclusions

III'. DETAILS _

A. Introduction

B. Scope of Investigation

C. Persons Directly Interviewed and/or Contacted during the NRC

Investigation-

- D. NRC Coments and Findings Regarding the Complaints

E. Management Meetings

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I BACXGROUND

A. Reason for Investigation

During the period from July 26 to July 31, 1978, the Nuclear Re-

gulatory Commission (NRC, Region I) received several telephone

calls from members of the public who reside in the vicinity of the

Seabrook Station site. In each case, the individuals stated that

blasting was continuing on the site even though the construction

permits for the Seabrook Units i and 2 were suspended effective ,

6:00 p.m.-(EDT) on July 21, 1978.

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An investigation regarding these complaints was initiated by the

NRC, Region ILon July 26, 1978.

B. Order of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ,

By Order of the NRC on June 30, 1978, the construction permits for

the Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2, were suspended effective 6:00

p.m. (EDT) on July 21, 1978.

The Order permitted, "only such actions as are necessary to protect

the environmental integrity of the site or to protect buildings,

material or personnel at the site."

C. Identification of Involved Organizations

Public Service Company of New Hampshire

1000 Elm Street

Manchester, New Hampshire 03105

A utility company, the licensee, which has been issued a Construc-

tion Permit for the construction of two nuclear fueled power stations,

Seabrook Units 1 and 2.

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II SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

A. Complaints and Investigation Findings

The following complaints were obtained by telephone calls to the

Region I office and also during interviews of individuals in and

around Seabrook, New Hampshire. All complainants were aware that

the construction permits for Seabrook Units 1 and 2 were suspended

effective 6:00 p.m. (EDT) on July 21, 1978.

1. Complaint No. 1

That blasting was continuing on the site after July 21, 1978.

The NRC investigation found no information or evidence that

any explosives were used on the site during the period from

6:00 p.m. on July 21, 1978 through August 5,1978, which was

the end of the onsite portion of this investigation.

2. Complaint No. 2

That construction activities at the site had not ceased, for

the following reasons:

-- Large numbers of people entering and leaving the site on

all shifts.

-- Tower cranes in different orientations from one day to

the next.

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Motors roaring throughout the night.

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Sounds of trucks dumping large rocks.

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Dump truck tailgates slamming.

-- Trees being cut down.

-- A truck loaded with crushed rock entering plant.

The NRC investigation found that the Order of the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission which suspended the construction permits

was being complied with and that only those actions permitted

by the Order were being performed.

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8. Conclusions 1

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1. No items of noncompliance were identified during the in- I

vestigation. l

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2. There were no violations of the NRC Order identified.

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III DETAILS

A. Introduction-

Pursuant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Order on June 30,

1978, the Seabrook Station Units 1 and 2 construction permits were

suspended effective 6:00 p.m. (EDT) on July 21, 1978.

An inspection lwas conducted by a NRC Region I representative on

July 21-27, 1978. The purpose of this inspection was to insure, by

observation, interviews, and examination of applicable records,

that the NRC Order to halt construction had been fully and correctly

implemented.

This investigation was initiated as a result of the NRC receiving

telephone complaints that blasting and construction activities had

not ceased as of July 21, 1978.

B. Scope of Investigation

This investigation included an examination of pertinent documents

and records, interviews and contacts with individuals having signi-

ficant information, and observations by the investigators while at

the Seabrook Station Unit 1 and 2 sites. It also included interviews

and contacts with the complainants, individual members of the

public, Pease Air Force Base and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The scope of this investigation was limited to those complaints

relating to the suspension of the construction permits.

C. ' Persons Directly Interviewed and/or Contacted during the NRC

Investigation

Yankee Atomic Electric Company

R. S. Faulkner, Jr., Section Leader, Field Monitoring

i J. H. Herrin, Site Manager

F. R. Kotowski, Manager, Educational Center

P. A. Nason, Staff Engineer

R. P. Pizzuti, Construction Manager

J. W. Singleton, Field Quality Assurance Manager

R. B. Staples, Civil Supervisor

A. J. Stewart, Site Geologist

I 0ffice of Inspection and Enforcement Inspection Report Numbers

50-443/78-11 and 50-444/78-11.

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United Engineers and Constructors

R. N. Moyer, Field Superintendent Quality Assurance / Quality l

Control

Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory

H. Ruffner, Site Manager / Test Laboratory Supervisor

Morrison - Knudsen Company, Inc. -

J. N. Allan, Project Manager

D. Downs, Engineer

J. Hendrix, Engineer

J. P. Nossereau, Assistant Project Manager

R. Obradovic, Project Engineer

Pease Air Force Base

E. L. Byrd, Disaster Preparedness Officer

Federal Aviation Administration

C. Hudnall, Planning and Appraisal Staff

Others

The complainants and other individual members of the public.

D. NRC Comments and Findings Regarding the Complaints

1. Complaint No. 1

(a) Complaint

That blasting was continuing on the site after July 21,

1978.

(b) NRC Comments

The investigators interviewed several individuals re-

garding the blasting noise and/or ground tremors which

they believed to be related to blasting at the Seabrook

site subsequent to 6:00 p.m. on July 21, 1978. The '

following information was compiled from records maintained

by the individuals and shows the approximate time of day

for the reported sounds and/or ground tremors.

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6:30 AM - 1 reported sound on 8-1-78

7:10 AM - 1 reported sound on 7-29-78

8:00 AM - 2 reported sounds on 7-22-78

- 1 reported sound on 7-23-78

8:10 AM -

1 reported sound on 7-24-78

8:20 AM -

3 reported sounds on 7-20-78

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3 reported sounds on 7-21- /8

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3 reported sounds on 7-22-78

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2 reported sounds on 7-23-78

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3 reported sounds on 7-24-78

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2 reported sounds on 7-25-78

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3 reported sounds on 7-26-78

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5 reported sounds on 7-27-78

- 5 reported sounds on 7-28-78

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3 reported sounds on 7-29-78

- 3 reported sounds on 7-30-78

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6 reported sounds on 7-31-78

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1 reported sound each day during

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the period of 8-1 thru 8-10-78

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8:30 AM -

2 reported sounds on 7-22-78

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3 reported sounds on 7-25-78

l - 3 reported sounds on 7-26-78

l 9:30 AM - 1 reported sound on 7-22-78

9:50 AM -

2 reported sounds on 7-23-78

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1 reported sound on 7-24-78

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2 reported sounds on 7-26-78

l - 2 reported sounds on 7-27-78

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3 reported sounds on 7-29-78

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1 reported sound on 7-30-78

- 1 reported sound on 7- 31-78

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4 reported sounds on 8-4-78

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1 reported sound on 8-5-78

10:45 AM -

1 reported sound on 7- 31-78

11:20 AM -

1 reported sound on 8-1-78

12:40 AM -

1 reported sound on 7-29-78

2:15 PM -

1 reported sound on 7-29-78

2:45 PM -

1 reported sound on 7-22-78

3:00 PM -

2 reported sounds on 7-22-78

- 1 reported sound on 7-23-78

- 1 reported sound on 7-25-78

3:30 PM - 3 reported sounds on 7-29-78

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3:55 PM -

1 reported sound on 7-27-78

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1 reported sound on 7-28-78

4:30 PM -

1 reported sound on 7-22-78

5:50 PM - 1 reported sound on 8-2-78

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1 reported sound on 8-4-78

There was general agreement that the reports from 8:20 to 8:30 AM; at

9:50 AM; and, from 3:00 to 3:30 PM were louder than others and created

more vibration.

During a discussion at one residence, at about 9:55 a.m.

on August 3,1978, the investigators and all present

heard a sound and felt a tremor similar to others that

those present had previously reported. An immediate

telephone call to neighbors confirmed that they had heard

and felt it also. No other similar sounds were heard by

the investigators while in the Seabrook, New Hampshire

area during the period from August 2 through August 5,

1978.

During an inspection conducted at the Seabrook, construc-

tion site, the investigators examined blasting areas,

explosives magazines (all found to,be empty), photographed

dump area for blasted rock from ground level and also

aerial to provide a method of comparing change, inter-

viewed blasting personnel, and examined blasting records

and explosive material accounting records. The documenta-

tion provided to the investigators indicated that the

final explosive charge which was detonated prior to the

suspension orders occurred on July 21,1978 at 11:48 a.m.

in the Unit 1 foundation. Documentation also confirmed

that all explosive materials were removed from the site

on July 25, 1978. This information was also confirmed by

discussions with the involved individuals.

The investigators contacted the Pease Air Force Base,

Portsmouth, New Hamphsire, and were informed that no

similar complaints of sounds had been received at that

location.

The investigators contacted the Federal Aviation Admin-

istration (FAA), Burlington, Massachusetts and were in-

formed that they had received reports from citizens in

the Boston North Shore Area and southern New Hampshire of

sounds similar to those reported to the NRC.

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The FAA has installed a sound monitoring device in l

Cambridge and is continuing an evaluation to determine l

the cause of the sound. i

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(c) NRC Findings

The NRC investigation found no information or evidence  ;

that any explosives were used on the site during the j

period from 6:00 p.m. on July 21, 1973, through August 5, !

1978, which was the end of the onsite portion of this j

investigation.

2. Complaint No. 2

(a) Complaint

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That construction activities at the site had not ceased,

for-the following reasons:

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Large numbers of people entering and leaving the

site on all shifts.

-- Tower cranes in different orientations from one day

to the next.

-- Motors roaring throughout the night.

-- Sounds of trucks dumping large rocks.

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-- Dump truck tailgates slamming.

-- Trees being cut down.

-- A truck loaded with crushed rock entering plant.

(b) NRC Comments l

An inspection l was conducted prior to initiation of this l

investigation to insure that, the NRC Order to halt con-

struction had been fully and correctly implemented.

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10ffice-of Inspection and Enforcement Inspection Report Numbers

50-443/78-11.and 50-444/78-11..

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During this investigation, all plant areas were examined

for evidence of unauthorized work being performed. Areas

examined included the offshore jackup barge, onshore

tunnel shaft area, reactor building excavations, cooling

water pumphouse excavation, concrete and ironwork, con-

crete batch plant, settling basins, storage buildings,

rock dumps, maintenance and testing shops, laydown areas,

office areas, and the Educational Center area.

The investigators observed authorized activities of an

environmental nature in progress, which included ditching

and seeding work on the borders of the new plant access

road, planting and seeding adjacent to the Educational

Center, watering-down of dusty roads and parking areas,

and removal of water from some low elevations by pumping.

Equipment was also observed being loaded onto trucks for

removal from the site.

The investigators determined that the total work force at

the site on July 21, 1978 had been reduced by 62 percent

as of August 2,1978. There were individuals assigned on

all shifts with the majority being on day shift. On

August 2, 1978, supervision and office workers accounted

i for 75 percent of the total work force.

l The investigators found that tower cranes did change in

orientation which was a normal condition since they are

free to turn in the wind when not in use. The other

reported complaints were correlated with activities on

site and none were found related to site activities which

were not permissible.

In addition to direct observation of the site, the in-

vestigators took ground and aerial photographs to provide

a method of comparing change.

(c) NRC Findings

The NRC investigation found that the Order of the Nuclear

Regulatory Comission which suspended the construction

permits was being complied with and that only those

actions permitted by the Order were being performed.

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E. Management Meetings

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On July 26, 1978, the investigator discussed the reason for the

t investigation with Mr. J. H. Herrin, Site Manager.

On August 8, 1978, during a telephone discussion with Mr. Herrin,

the investigator discussed the investigation findings and informed

the licensee that no items of noncompliance had been identified.

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