ML17264B129

LER 97-006-00:on 971103,NIS Audible Count Rate Function Was Inoperable.Caused by Misinterpretation of Event Sequence Due to Not Verifying Boron Concentration.B Verification Occurred Every 12 H Per ITS LCO Action 3.9.2.C.3.W/971203 Ltr

ML17264B129
Person / Time
Site:	Ginna
Issue date:	12/03/1997
From:	MECREDY R C, ST MARTIN J T ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP.
To:	VISSING G S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned), NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
LER-97-006, LER-97-6, NUDOCS 9712100274
Download: ML17264B129 (13)

Text

CATEGORY1REGUZATOZNFORNATZONDZSTR1BUT1ONISTEN(RZDS)

SUBJECT:

LER97-006;-00:on!'971103,NISaudiblecountratefunctionwasinoperable.Causedbymisinterpretationofeventsecpxenceduetonotverify3ngboronconcentration.Bverification.occurredevery12h-perITSLCOacti.on3.9.2.C.3.W/971203ltr.0DISTRIBUTION:CODE:IE22T'OPIESRECEIVED:LTR"JENCLl"SIZE:TITLE:'50.73/50.9Li.censeeEventReport(LER),IncidentRpt',etc.4~'\I1NOTES:LicenseExpdateinaccordancewi.th10CFR2,2.109(9/19/72).05000244GACCESSIONNBR:9712100274.DOC'.DATE:"97/12'/03NOTARIZED:NODOCKET4FACZZ:50-244Robert2ZnaetGinnaNuclearPlant,Unit1,RochesterG05000244AUTH.NAMEUTHORAFFILIATIONST.MARTIN,J.T.RochesterGas&ElectricCorp.MECREDY,R.C.RochesterGasEcElectricCorp.RECIP.NAMERECIPIENTAFFILIATIONVISSING,G.S'.,"-;RECIPIENTIDCODE/NAMEPD1-1PDINTERNAL:AEOECENTENRRDEELBNRR/DRCH/HHFBNRR/DRCH/HOLBNRR/DRPM/PECBNRR/DSSA/SRXBRGN1FILE01EXTERNAL:LSTLOBBYWARDNOACPOORE,W.NRCPDRCOPIESLTTRENCL112211111111111111111111RECIPIENTID'.CODE/NAMEVISSING,G.AEOD/SPD/RRABNRR/DE/ECGBNRR/DE/EMEBNRR/DRCH/HICBNRR/DRCH/HQMBNRR/DSSA/SPLBRES/DET/EIBLITCOBRYCE,JHNOACQUEENER,DSNUDOCSFULLTXTCOPIESLTTRENCL,11111111111111'11111111RD0UNOTETOALL"RIDS"RECIPIENTS:PLEASEHELPUSTOREDUCEWASTE.TOHAVEYOURNAMEORORGANIZATIONREMOVEDFROMDISTRZBUTIONLISTSORREDUCETHENUMBEROFCOPIESRECEIVEDBYYOUORYOURORGANIZATION,CONTACTTHEDOCUMENTCONTROLDESK(DCD)ONEXTENSION415-2083FULLTEXTCONVERSIONREQUIREDTOTALNUMBEROFCOPIESREQUIRED:LTTR24ENCL24 ANDROCHESTERGASANDElECTRICCORPORATTON~89EASTAVENUE,ROCHESTER,MY.l4649-D001AREACODE7I6546-270DROBERTC.MECREDYVicePresidentNuctearoperationsDecember3,1997SubjectU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissionDocumentControlDeskAttn:GuyS.VissingProjectDirectorateI-1Washington,D.C.20555)LER97-006,VerificationofBoronConcentrationNotPerformedDuetoMisinterpretationofEventSequence,ResultedinConditionProhibitedbyTechnicalSpecificationsR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDocketNo.50-244

DearMr.Vissing:

Inaccordancewith10CFR50.73,LicenseeEventReportSystem,item(a)(2)(i)(B),whichrequiresareportof,"Anyoperationorconditionprohibitedbytheplant'sTechnicalSpecifications",theattachedLicenseeEventReportLER97-006isherebysubmitted.Thiseventhasinnowayaffectedthepublic'shealthandsafety.Verytrulyyours,RobertC.Mecredyxc:Mr.GuyS.Vissing(MailStop14B2)PWRProjectDirectorateI-1Washington,D.C.20555U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissionRegionI475AllendaleRoadKingofPrussia,PA19406GinnaSeniorResidentInspector"(-aI0lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllfllll9'712i00274'st7i20SPDRADOCK050002448PDR

NRCFORM366(4-95)U.S.NRREGULATORYCOMNIISSIOLXCENSEEEVENTREPORT,(LER)n(Seereverseforrequirednumber'fdigits/charactersforeachblock)APEDBYOMBNO.3150%104EXPIRES04/30/98ESTIMATEDBURDENPERRESPONSEToCOMPLYWITHTHISMANDATORYINFORMATIONCOLLECTIONREQUEST:50.0HRS.REPORTEDLESSONSLEARNEDAREINCORPORATEDINTOTHELICENSINGPROCESSANDFEDBACKToINDUSTRY.FORWARDCOMMENTSREGARDINGBURDENESTIMATEToTHEINFORMATIONANDRECORDSMANAGEMENTBRANCHIT.6F33),U.S.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSION,WASHINGTON,DC20555-0001,ANDToTHEPAPERWORKREDUCTIONPROJECTFACIUTYNAMEIllTrrLEfa)R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDOCKETirVMSERf2)05000244PADEI3I1OF6VerificationofBof'onConcentrationNotPerformedDuetoMisinterpretationofEventSequence,ResultedinConditionProhibitedbyTechnicalSpecificationsEVENTDATE(5)LERNUMBER(6)REPORTDATE(7)OTHERFACILITIESINVOLVED(8)MONlHDAYYEARYEARSEQENTIALREVISOMONUMBERNUMBER~IDAYI:YEAR.FACILITYNAMEDOCKETNUMBER039797-006-001'2.03FACIUTYNAME97DOCKETNUMBEROPERATINGMODE(9)THISREPORTISSUBMITTEDPUBSUANTTOTHEREQUIREMENTSOF10CFRE:(Checkoneor50.73(a)(2)(i)20.2203(a)(2)(v)20.2201(b)Illore)(11)50.73(a)(2)(viii)POWERLEVEL(10)00020.2203(a)(1)20.2203(a)(2)(i)20.2203(a)(2)(ii)20.2203(a)(2)(iii)20.2203(a)(2)(lv).20.2203(a)(3)(i)20.2203(a)(3)(ii)20.2203(a)(4)50.36(c)(1)50.36(c)(2)50.73(a)(2)(ii)50.73(a)(2)(iii)50.73(a)(2)(iv)50.73(a)(2)(v)50.73(a)(2)(vii)50.73(a)(2)(x)73.71OTHERSpecifyinAbstractbeloworInNRCForm366ANAMELICENSEECONTACTFORTHISLER(12)TELEPHONEkUMBERBncrudeAreaCode)JohnT.St.Martin-TechnicalAssistant(716)771-3641COMPLETEONELINEFOREACHCOMPONENTFAILUREDESCRIBEDINTHISREPORT(13)CAUSESYSTEMCOMPONENTMANUFACTURERREPORTABLETONPRDSCAUSESYSTEMCOMPONENTMANUFACTURERREPORTABLEToNPRDSSUPPLEMENTALREPORTEXPECTED(14)YES(Ifyes,completeEXPECTEDSUBMISSIONDATE).XNOEXPECTEDSUBMISSIONDATE(15)MONTHDAYYEARABSTRACT(Limitto1400spaces,I.e.,approximately15single-spacedtypewrittenlines)(16)OnNovember3,1997,atapproximately1708EST,theplantwasinMode6,andrefuelingactivitieshadbeencompletedtwodaysearlier.Thereactorcoolantsystembeingmaintainedatatemperatureof75degreesF,andthereactorcavityfilledtogreaterthan23feet.Itwasdiscoveredthatthenuclearinstrumentationsystemaudiblecountratefunctionwasinoperable.ImmediateactionwastoensurefuturecompliancetotheGinnaTechnicalSpecificationsforlossofthisfunction.Thisincludedverifyingthatthemostrecentboronconcentrationwaswithinspecifiedlimitsandformallytrackingthetimeforfutureverificationofboronconcentration.Duetoamisinterpretationoftheeventsequence,thev'erificationofboronconcentrationmaynothavebeenperformedwithinthetimeperiodspecifiedbyGinnaTechnicalSpecificationsRequiredActionsforthemostlimitingeventsequence.CorrectiveactiontopreventrecurrenceisoutlinedinSectionV.B.NRCFORM366(4-95)

I NRCFORM366A(4-95)LICENSEEEVENTREPORT(LER)TEXTCONTINUATION.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONFACILITYNAME(1)R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDOCKET05000244LERNUMBER(6)YEARSEQUENTIALREVISIONNUMBERNUMBER97-006-00PAGE(3)2OF6TEXT(Ifmorespaceisrequired,useadditionalcopiesofNRCForm366A/(17)PRE-EVENTPLANTCONDITIONS:<~~.~'C~il~lil~OnNovember3,1997,theplantwasinMode6withthereactorcoolantsystem(RCS)beingmaintainedatatemperatureofapproximately.75degreesF,andthereactor,cavityfilledtogreaterthan23feet.Theplantwasshutdownfor'refueling,andrefuelingactivities(corealterations)hadalreadybeencompletedtwodaysearlier,Atapproximately0753EST,thenuclearinstrumentationsystem(NIS)ComparatorandRatedrawerwasremovedfromserviceforcalibrationperprocedureCPI-COMP/RATE-N46/37(CalibrationofComparatorandRateDrawerN46/37).Atthistime,theaudiblecountratefunctionwasoperable.DESCRIPTIONOFEVENT:DATESANDAPPROXIMATETIMESOFMAJOROCCURRENCES:November3,1997,0025EST:RCSboronconcentrationverifiedat2463PPM.November3,1997,0753EST:NISComparatorandRatedrawerisremovedfromservice.November3,1997,1300EST:RCSboronconcentrationverifiedat2453PPM.November3,1997:Eventdate.November3,1997,1708EST:Discoverydateandtime.November4,1997,0100EST:RCSboronconcentrationverifiedat2470PPM.November4,1997:NISaudiblecountrateisrestoredtooperablestatus.B.EVENT:AtthebeginningoftheafternoonshiftonNovember3,theoperabilityoftheNISaudiblecountratefunctionwasquestioned,sincethenormalaudiblebeepingdidnotseemtobeoccurring.Atthistime,itwasassumedthattheaudiblecountratefunctionhadbeenmadeinoperableatthetimeprocedureCPI-COMP/RATE-N46/37wasinitiated.Forconvenience,thistimewasdocumentedasthetimeadministrativetrackinghadbeeninitiatedfortheComparatorandRateDrawer,atapproximately0753ESTonNovember3.Therefore,usingthiseventsequenceandtheassumedtimeofinoperability,theinitialadministrativetracking(whichdidnotaddressthelossofaudiblecountratefunction)wassupplementedbyadministrativeprocedureA-52.4(ControlofLimitingConditionsforOperatingEquipment)atapproximately1708EST.TheA-52.4trackingwasinitiatedeffectiveat0753ESTasa"lateentry".NRCFORM366A(4-95) t NRCFORM36BA(4-95)LICENSEEEVENTREPORT(LER)TEXTCONTINUATION.NUCLEAR'REGULATORYCOMMISSIONFACILITYNAME(1)R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDOCKET05000244LERNUMBER(6)YEARSEQUENTIALREVISIONNUMBERNUMBER97-006-00PAGE(3)3OF6TEXTilfmorespeceisrequired,useedditionelcopiesofNRCForm368AJ(17)Basedontheeventsequencethatinoperabilityoccurredat0753EST,theControlRoomoperatorsconcludedthattheplantcontinuedtobeincompliancewith'GinnaImprovedTechnicalSpecifications(ITS)LimitingConditionforOperation(LCO)REQUIREDACTIONS3.9.2.C.1and3.9.2.C.2,since,therehadbeennocorealterationsorpositivereactivityadditionsduringthis.time.However,REQUIREDACTION-3.9.2.C.3,for'RCSboronconcentrationverifiedtobewithinthelimitsspecifiedintheCoreOperatingLimitsReport(COLR),hadonlybeenaccomplishedatapproximately0025ESTand1300ESTonNovember3.~i.XlThus,atapproximately1708ESTonNovember3,itwasdiscoveredthattheNISaudiblecountratewasinoperable.'Duetotheassumedeventsequence,itwasconcludedthatinoperabilityoccurredat0753EST,andtheControlRoomoperatorsimmediatelyenteredITSLCO3.9.2at,1708EST.TheRCSboronconcentrationhadbeenverifiedatapproximately1300EST.SincetheoperatorsconcludedthatRCSboronconcentrationhadnotbeenverifiedwithin4hoursoftheassumedtimeofinoperability,the1300ESTboronconcentrationwasusedtoinitiatethe12hourtimerequirementofITSLCOREQUIREDACTION,3.9.2.C.3.SubsequentRCSboronconcentrationverificationwouldberequiredevery12hours.ThenextRCSboronconcentrationverificationwasperformedatapproximately0100EST,onNovember4,andtheNISaudiblecountratefunctionwasrestoredtooperablestatuslaterthatmorning.Uponfurtherreview,activitiesperformedperprocedureCPI-COMP/RATE-N46/37didnotrendertheNISaudiblecountrateinoperable.Therefore,theeventsequenceconcludingthatinoperabilityoccurredat0753ESTisincorrect.TheprecisetimethattheNISaudiblecountratefunctionbecameinoperableonNovember3isnotknown,butthemostlimitingeventsequenceisifitoccurredafter1300EST,orbetween0753and0900EST.Ineitherofthesescenarios,ITSLCOREQUIREDACTION3.9.2.C.3wasnotperformedwithin4hoursoftheevent.C.INOPERABLESTRUCTURES,COMPONENTS,ORSYSTEMSTHATCONTRIBUTEDTOTHEEVENT:NoneD.OTHERSYSTEMSORSECONDARYFUNCTIONSAFFECTED:NoneE.METHODOFDISCOVERY:Thiseventwasindicatedduringroutineoperationsreviewofplantstatusduringashiftturnovermeeting,andwasformallydiscoveredshortlyaftershiftturnover.However,theactualeventsequence,includingthefactthattheprecisetimeofinoperabilityisnotknown,wasnotdiscovereduntilseveraldayslater.NRCFORM366A(4-95)

NRCFORM366A(4-95)LICENSEEEVENTREPORT(LER)TEXTCONTINUATION.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONFACILITYNAME(1)DOCKETLERNUMBER(6)PAGE(3)R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlant.05000244YEARSEQUENTIALREVISIONNUMBERNUMBER4OF697-006-00TEXTIifmorespeceisrequired,useeddirionalcopiesofNRCForm366AJ(17)F.OPERATORACTION:VTheControlRoombperators'identifiedthattherewasnoadministrativetrackingoftheaudiblecount.ratefunction,andsubmittedadministrativeprocedureA-52.4forformaltrackingofthe~audible'count.ratefunction.Basedontheirassumedeventsequence,ITSLCOREQUIREDACTION~3.9.2.C.3hadnotbeenperformedwithin4hoursofinoperability,butasubsequent(1300EST)boronconcentrationverificationwasusedtoinitiatethe12hourtimerequirement.FutureRCSboronconcentrationverificationwouldbeperformedevery12hours,perthisREQUIREDACTION.TheControlRoomoperatorsnotifiedhighersupervision.a~">,'}1<AControlRoomoperatormanuallyrestoredtheNISaudiblecountratefunctionduringthemidnightshiftonNovember4,1997.G.SAFETYSYSTEMRESPONSES:NoneIII.CAUSE'OFEVENT:A.IMMEDIATECAUSE;TheimmediatecauseoftheconditionprohibitedbyTechnicalSpecificationswasnotverifyingRCSboronconcentrationwithin4hoursafterdiscoveringthattheaudiblecountratefunctionwasinoperable,usingthemostlimitingeventsequenceforlossofthisfunction.B.INTERMEDIATECAUSE:Theintermediatecauseofnotverifyingboronconcentrationwasamisinterpretationoftheeventsequence.ROOTCAUSE:Themisinterpretationoftheeventsequenceledtoadecisionthatwasincorrect.NotethattheprecisetimethattheNISaudiblecountratefunctionbecameinoperableisnotknown.Thismisinterpretationwasmadepossiblebecausethereisnopositiveindicationofwhentheaudiblecountratefunctionbecameinoperable.ProceduresweredeficientinthattheapplicabilityofITSLCO3,9.2atalltimeswhileinMode6wasnotaddressedinplantoperatingprocedures.ProcedureswerealsodeficientinthatactionsneededtoverifytheoperabilityoftheNISaudiblecountratewerenotspecifiedincalibrationandtestprocedures.NACFOAM366A(4-95)

NRCFORM366A(4-95)LXCENSEEEVENTREPORT(LER)TEXTCONTINUATION.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONFACILITYNAME(1)R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDOCKET05000244LERNUMBER(6)YEARSEQUENTIALREVISIONNUMBERNUMBER97-006-00PAGE(3)5OF6TEXTllfmorespaceisrequired,useadditionalcopiesofNRCForm366A/(17)IV.ANALYSISOFEVENTThiseventis"reportableinaccordancewith10CFR50.73,LicenseeEventReportSystem,item(a)(2)(i)(B),,which.requiresareportof,"Anyoperationorconditionprohibitedbytheplant'sTechnical'pecifications":WiththeNISaudiblecountrateinoperable,notverifyingRCSboronconcentrationwithin4hoursafterdiscovery.isnotpermittedbyITSLCOREQUIREDACTION3.9.2.C.3.Anassessment'wasperformedconsideringboththesafetyconsequencesandimplicationsofthiseventwiththefollowingresultsandconclusions:II'1"~Ili+~I'herewerenooperationalorsafetyconsequencesorimplications.attributedtothedelayedverificationofboronconcengrationbecause:\~Nocorealterationsandnopositivereactivityadditionsoccurredduringthistimeperiod.~RCSboronconcentrationverificationwasbeingperformedevery12hours.PreviousRCSboronsampleshadconfirmedconsistentboronconcentrationsthatwerewellwithinthelimitspecifiedintheCOLR.Basedontheabove,itcanbeconcludedthatthepublic'shealthandsafetywasassuredatalltimes.CORRECTIVEACTION:A.ACTIONTAKENTORETURNAFFECTEDSYSTEMSTOPRE-EVENTNORMALSTATUS:~ThemostrecentRCSboronconcentrationwasverifiedtobewithinthelimitspecifiedinthe,COLR.~Subsequentboronverificationoccurredevery12hours,asperITSLCORequiredAction3.9.2.C.3.~Afterinvestigationofthecauseforlossofthisfunction,theaudiblecountratefunctionwasrestoredtooperablestatus.B.ACTIONTAKENORPLANNEDTOPREVENTRECURRENCE:~TherequirementtohaveaudiblecountrateoperableatalltimeswhileinMode6appearstobeconservative.TheHighFluxatShutdownalarmmayprovideadequateassuranceofnoadversechangesincorereactivitywhileinMode6(andnocorealterationsorpositivereactivityadditionsareoccurring).NuclearSafetyandLicensingwillberequestedtoevaluateaLicenseAmendmenttochangethisrequirementinITS.NRCFORM366A(4-95)

NRCFORM366A(4.95)LXCENSEEEVENTREPORT(LER)TEXTCONTINUATION.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONFACILITYNAME(1)DOCKETLERNUMBER(6)PAGE(3)R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlant05000244YEARSEQUENTIALREVISIONNUMBERNUMBER6OF6TEXTiifmorespaceisrequired,useadditionalcopiesofNRCForm366Aj(17)Vl~Appropriatecalibrationandtestprocedureswillbereviewed,andchangedasnecessary,toensureaudiblecountrateoperabilityaftercompletionofcalibrationsortests.Operatingprocedureswillbereviewed,andchangedasnecessary,toensureaudiblecountrateoperabilityisverifi6dwhen..inMode6.',d(~~ADDITIONALINFORMATION:~~IIA.FAILEDCOMPONENTS:NoneB.PREVIOUSLERsONSIMILAREVENTS:AsimilarLEReventhistoricalsearchwasconductedwiththefollowingresults:NodocumentationofsimilarLEReventswiththesamerootcauseatGinnaStationcouldbeidentified.C.SPECIALCOMMENTS:NoneNRCFORM366A(4-95) 0I