ML20138B171

Affidavit of SD Mckay Re Likelihood of Reactor Coolant Pump Restart Due to Operator Error W/No Occurrence of Inadequate Cooling Event.Prof Qualifications & Certificate of Svc Encl

ML20138B171
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	03/13/1986
From:	Mackay S NRC
To:
Shared Package
ML20138B082	List: ML20138B075 ML20138B107 ML20138B143 ML20138B171
References
OL, NUDOCS 8603200293
Download: ML20138B171 (7)

Text

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1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE TPE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD _

In the Matter of )

)

TEXAS UTILITIES ELECTRIC ) Docket Nos. 50-445 I COMPANY, et _al.

) 50-446

)

(Comanche Peak Steam Electric )

Station, Units 1 and 2) )

AFFIDAVIT OF SAMUEL D. MACKAY I, Samuel D. MacKay, do depose and state as follows

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Q1. What is your name and the purpose of your affidavit?

I r A 1. My name is Samuel D. MacKay. The purpose of my affidavit is to i

i provide further explanation of the likelihood of reactor coolant pump (RCP) restart due to operator error when there has not been an inadequate core cooling (ICC) event, as requested by the Licensing

[ Board in its Memorandum of September 18, 1985.

I Q2. By whom arn you employed and what are your duties?

) I am a Prinicipal Nuclear Engineer on the staff of the Nuclear l Regulatory Commission. I am responsible for reviewing and evaluating the radiological safety considerations associated with the operation of nuclear powered generating stations. I presently review Emergency Response Guidelines for the operation of Westing-  !

house Nuclear Power Plants.

r B603200293 860317 5 l' PDR ADOCK 050 G

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i Q3. IInve you prepared a statement of professional qualifications?

A3. Yes, a copy of my professional qualifications is attached to my affidavit.

Q4. What in the probability of a RCP restart due to operator error?

A4. Ilased on the Comanche Peak design, an inadvertent start would not be expected to occur as a result of simply operating the pump start switch. The pump start switch is interlocked with a lube oil t

pressure switch such that a lube oil pump must operate to supply j oil at a pressure greater than 600 psig in order to enable the RCP start switch to run an RCP. We have also considered the l

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possibility of an operator error that results in the lube oil pump 4

running when it should have been turned off, and the possibility that the lube oil pressure switch fails in the enabled position.

, Such an inadvertent start of an RCP would involve either two operator errors (1. not turning off the lube oil pump and f 2. operating the RCP start switch), or one operator error

simultaneous with a failed oil pressure switch. Since the probability of occurre

1ce of these combinations of events is very small, we consider the inadvertent start of an .RCP to be unlikely.

We also considered a deliberate attempt to start an RCP in violation of the energency operating procedures.

4 The Applicants have added the following raecaution to the

procedure for starting an RCP:

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"An RCP shall not be started if containn ?nt spray has been actuated and transfer to 'old Leg recirculation has been performed. (Not included in FRC-0.1)."

FR-0.1 is the procedure for inadequate Core Cooling, and the prohibi-

. tion of RCP start under these conditions is not recommended. Contain-I ment spray is necessary to flush paint chips into the containment sump.

Recirculation is necessary to deliver some _ of those chips from the sumr to the reactor coolant systen. Therefore, we have concluded that the Applicants' proposal is adequate to caution that an RCP not be started i when the pdential exists for flushing paint chips into the reactor coolant system.

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However, even if an operator deliberately initiated the RCP start procedure at the wrong time, it is unlikely that the procedure would be completed and result in an RCP start. This is because (in addition to the precautfor discussed above) the RCP start procedure contains the foliwing steps prior to starting the RCP:

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! a. Verify oil reservoir alarms clear for RCP to be ctarted.

b. Fnsure seal injection flow is between 6 and 10 gpm.

c. Verify seal leakoff flow between 0.2 and 5 gpm.

d. Verify RCP CCW return flows within normal range.  ;

c. Ensure c:ater than 200 psid across number 1 seal. ,

f. Verify seal water standpipe low level alarm clear.

g. Start Oil Lift Pump. Verify presaure permssive interlock satisfied

) (blue light on).

$ l I.

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h. After Oil Lift Pump running for at least two minutes, start the asso-ciated RCP.

Because of the number of steps involved and the tim'e required to perform them, it is unlikely that such a violation of procedures would occur. To provide additional assurance that an operator error would not occur, a verification process exists at CPSES for the proper use of the Emergency Response Guidelines. This verification is provided by the Assistant Shift Supervisor and the reactor operator while performing the Energency Response Guidelines. The Assistant Shift Supervisor directs the reactor operators step-by-step with response from these two i

individuals on completion of each step. This coordinated use of the Emergency Response Guidelines provides a means of continuously nonitoring the plant critical safety functions, permits optimal plant recovery and directs systematic operator response to emergency conditions.

W .  %

Samuel D. 61acKay [ /"

Subscribed and sworn to before me this L9NI day of M .1986 YaA yk J W./)Y3 h ; A Notary Public My Commission expires: 7/f/f6

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4 SAMUEL D. MACKAY t 1

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS J

PROCEDURES AND SYSTEMS REVIEW DRANCH f

I an a Principal Nuclear Engineer on the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I am responsible for reviewing and evaluating the radiolo-gical safety considerations associated with the operation of nuclear powered generating stations. I presently review Emergency Response i Guidelines for the operation of Westinghouse Nuclear Power Plants.

I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from Siena College in IE50 and I studied for a Master's Degree in Nucicar Physics at Union University.

I am in my 17th year with the Regulatory staff and have functioned as a Profect Manager in an operating reactors branch and a branch that revictis construction permit applications. I have also served as an engineering systems analyst.

Prior to joining the Regulatory staff, I worked for General Electric i Company at the Nuclear Energy Division in San Jose, California, from 1965 to 1968 as a field engineer for the startup of nuclear power picnts.

From 1959 to 1965 I was associated with Allis Chalmers Company's Elk Piver Reactor Project. I prepared the startup program for that reactor, supervised many of the operational and startup tests and served as a licensed reactor operation and then shift supervisor. I was subsequently the Operations Supervisor and then the Project Manager.

Prior to Elk River, I was employed by Alco Products Company from 1956 to 1959. I performed critical facility tests for the Army Packaged Power Reactor and later was responsible for evaluating the reactor core performance by cenducting tests on the operating reactor.

From 195? to 1956 I worked at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory on varicus critical assemblics measuring reactivity coefficients and neutron cross sections and performing neutron activation analyses.

This is a total of 33 years experience in nuclear engineering and I an a professional nuclear engineer certified by the state of California.

, l DOCKETED UNITED STATLS OF AMERICA' USNRC NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSINShOlN119 P3 :09 0FFICE & x , ,n, In the Matter of ) 00CKETiw $ d! N rJ.

) -BRANCH TEXAS UTILITIES ELECTRIC ) Docket Nos. 50-445 COMPANY, et _al.

) 50-446

)

J (Comanche Peak Steam Electric )

Station, Units I and 2) )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of "NRC STAFF CONCLUDING RESPONSE TO LICENSING BOARD'S SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 MEMORANDUM CONCERNING CONTAINMENT COATINGS" in the above-captioned proceeding have been served on the following by deposit in the United Statec mail, first class, or, as indicated by an asterisk, through deposit in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's internal mail system, this 17th day of March,198G:

Peter B. Bloch, Esq. , Chairman

• Mrs. Juanita Ellis Administrative Judge President, CASE Atomic Safety and Licensing Board 1426 South Polk Street U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Dallas, TX 75224 Washington, DC 20555 Renea Hicks, Esq.

Dr. Kenneth A. McCollom Assistant Attorney General Administrative Judge Environmental Protection Division Dean, Division of Engineering P.O. Box 12548, Capital Station Architecture and Technology Austin, TX 78711 Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK, 74078 Nicholas S. Reynolds, Esq.

William A. Horin, Esq.

Elizabeth D. Johnson Bishop, Liberman, Cook, Administrative Judge Purcell & Reynolds Oak Ridge National Laboratory 1200 17th Street, N.W.

P.O. Box X, Building 3500 Washington, DC 20036 Oak Ridge, TN 37830 Joseph Gallo, Esq. l Dr. Walter H. Jordan Isham, Lincoln & Beale Administrative Judge Suite 840 881 W. Outer Drive 1120 Connecticut Avenue Oak Ridge, TN 37830 Washington, DC 20036 l

e Billie Pirner Garde Mr. W. G. Counsil Citizens Clinic Director Executive Vice President Government Accountability Project Texas Utilities Generating Company 1901 Que Street, N.W. 400 North Olive Street, L.B. 81 Washington, DC 20009 Dallas, TX 75201 Ellen Ginsberg, Esq.* William L. Brown, Esq.

Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20555 Arlington, TX 76011 Robert A. Wooldridge, Esq. Lanny Alan Sinkin J

Worsham, Forsythe, Samples Christic Institute

& Wooldridge 1324 North Capitol Street 2001 Bryan Tower, Suite 2500 Washington, DC 20002 Dallas, TX 75201 James T. McGaughy Southern Engineering Co. of Georgia -

Mr. James E. Cummins 1800 Peachtree Street, N.W.

Resident Inspector / Comanche Peak Atlanta, GA 30367-8301 Steam Electric Station c/o U.S. Nucicet' Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board P.O. Box 38 Panel

• Glen Rose, TX 76043 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 3

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William H. Burchette, Esq.

Mark D. Nozette, Esq. Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal IIeron, Burchette, Ruckert Board Panel

• a Rothwell U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Suite 700 Washington, DC 20555 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20007 Docketing and Service Section*

Office of the Secretary Robert D. Martin U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Gil Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 Arlington, TX 76011 Roy P. Lessy, Jr. , Esq.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockfus Robert A. Jablon, Esq. 1800 M Street, N.W.

Spiegel & McDiarnid Suite 700, North Tower 1350 New York Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Fashington, DC 20005-4708 Thomas G. Dignan, Esq.

Anthony Z. Roisman, Esq. Ropes & Gray Trial Lawyers for Public Justice 225 Franklin Street 2000 P Street, N.W., Suite 611 Boston, MA 02110 Washington, DC 20036 i

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Richard G. BachriiKhn

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Counsel for NRC Staff I 1

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