ML20149H484

Forwards SALP Rept 50-293/93-99 for Period 930314-941008. SALP Conducted Under Revised Process Implemented by NRC on 930719

ML20149H484
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	11/16/1994
From:	Martin T NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Boulette E BOSTON EDISON CO.
Shared Package
ML20149H487	List: IR 05000293/1993099 ML20149H484
References
NUDOCS 9411220226
Download: ML20149H484 (5)

See also: IR 05000293/1993099

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November 16, 1994

E. Thomas Boulette, PhD

Senior Vice President - Nuclear

Boston Edison Company

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

600 Rocky Hill Road

Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360-5599

SUBJECT: SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF LICENSEE PERFORMANCE (SALP)

REPORT NO. 50-293/93-99

Dear Dr. Boulette:

This letter forwards the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station SALP report for the

period March 14, 1993, to October 8, 1994. This SALP was' conducted under the

revised process that was implemented by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

(NRC) on July 19, 1993. The revised SALP process rates licensee performance

in four functional areas: Operations, Maintenance, Engineering and Plant

Support. The Plant Support functional area includes: radiological controls,

security, emergency preparedness, fire protection, chemistry and housekeeping.

Overall, the NRC observed strong safety performance at your facility during

this assessment period. The use of multi-disciplined analysis teams was very

successful in resolving complex technical issues. Your staff conservatively

shut down the reactor on several occasions to perform maintenance when

critical components, such as the scram solenoid pilot valve diaphragms,

exhibited accelerated degradation. Your organization's self-assessment, root-

cause analysis and quality assurance work was generally excellent. The

ovcrsight and independent assessment provided by both the Nuclear Safety

Review and Audit Committee and the Operations Review Committee contributed to

safe plant operation.

Despite generally strong performance, some areas require continued management

attention to improve the safety performance of the Pilgrim Station. There

were instances in the beginning of the SALP period where senior plant

management failed to provide a vigorous safety focus. For example, senior

management failed to recognize the importance of a significant decrease of

water level in the east bay of the intake structure during a December 1993

storm. The potential effect of the level decrease on the operation of the

salt service water pumps was not fully evaluated until highlighted by the NRC.

In another case, while performing a leak repair on an ASME Code Class 1

boundary valve, senior management did not assure that pre-job planning

included an evaluation of the failure consequences for various repair options

and development of thorough failure mitigation strategies. Maintenance

supervisory oversight is an additional area where continued management

attention is warranted. Late in the SALP period, poor supervisory oversight

and craft performance problems were observed during maintenance performed on

both the emergency and station blackout diesel generators. We are aware that

you hgve formed a task force to review the maintenance performance issues.

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E. Thomas Boulette, PhD 2

Operations was again rated Category 1 and exhibited strong performance during

the latter half of the assessment period, recovering from a performance

dccline in the early part of the assessment period. Operations response to

plant transients and off-normal conditions was generally excellent. Thorough

shift turnovers, formal communications between operators, and a highly '

effective operator training program contributed to safe plant operations.

Maintenance was again rated as Category 2. Management oversight and control

of activities were generally strong and communications with other departments

were excellent. Your programs for inservice inspection, inservice testing,

check valve testing and snubber testing were generally strong. Preventive

maintenance was generally effective; however, a weaknesses was noted in the

management controls used for the preventive maintenance deferral process.

Recent inadequacies in supervisory oversight were evidenced by problems

resulting from maintenance activities on the emergency diesel generators and

the station blackout diesel generator. A relatively high number of component

failures that challenged operators and continuing procedural problems

detracted from otherwise very good performance in this area.

Performance in Engineering has improved and is rated as Category 1. Strong

management support and oversight were exemplified by the successful

implementation of several major plant modifications, including the service

water piping replacement, the fatigue study of reactor primary system

components and the switchyard improvement program. The use of multi-

disciplined analysis teams has been successful in resolving several complex .

plant problems including degraded scram time test results, reactor core

isolation cooling turbine lubricating oil problems, and recirculation pump 1

trips.

Plant Support was rated as Category 1. Overall, the plant support functions

contributed very effectively to support safe plant operations. Performance in

the radiological controls area continued to be good with some areas for

improvement, including the "as low as is reasonably achievable" (ALARA)

program. Excellent performance was noted in the radiological effluent and

environmental monitoring programs. There was continued excellent performance

in the emergency preparedness program; however, two exercise weaknesses were

noted during the full participation exercise. The security program

performance continued to be outstanding. Fire-protection program

implementation and housekeeping were generally effective.

We have scheduled a management meeting for November 30, 1994, at the Pilgrim

Nuclear Power Station site, open to the public, to present our assessment. At '

the meeting, you and your staff should be prepared to discuss our assessment

and any initiatives you plan to take to address the concerns noted in our

i evaluation.

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E. Thomas Boulette, PhD 3

We appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Original Signed By:

WILLIAM F. KANE for

Thomas T. Martin

Regional Administrator i

Docket No. 50-293

Enclosure: Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance Report No.

50-293/93-99

cc w/ enc 1:

L. Olivier, Vice President - Nuclear and Station Director

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T. Sullivan, Plant Department Manager -

R. Fairbank, Manager, Regulatory Affairs and Emergency Planning Department

D. Tarantino, Nuclear Information Manager

E. 31 son, Compliance Division Manager

R. Hallisey, Department of Public Health, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

R. Adams, Department of Labor and Industries, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Honorable Terese Murray

The Honorable Peter V. Forman

B. Abbanat, Department of Public Utilities

Chairman, Plymouth Board of Selectmen

Chairman, Duxbury Board of Selectmen

Chairman, Nuclear Matters Committee

Plymouth Civil Defense Director

Paul W. Gromer, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy Resources

, Bonnie Cronin, Legislative Assistant

A. Nogee, MASSPIRG

Regional Administrator, FEMA

Office of the Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality

Engineering

Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts ,

T. Rapone, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety

Chairman, citizens Urging Responsible Energy

The Chairman

Commissioner Rogers

Commissioner de Planque

Public Document Room (PDR)

Local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

K. Abraham, PA0 (32 copies)

NRC Resident Inspector

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SLO Designee

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E. Thomas Boulette, PhD 4

bec w/ enc 1:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

J. Taylor, EDO

J. Milhoan, DED0

SALP Program Manager, NRR/ILPB (2)

R. Conte, DRP

J. Shediosky, DRP

M. Oprendek, DRP

bec w/ enc 1 (VIA E-MAIL):

W. Butler, NRR

R. Eaton, NRR

W. Dean, OEDO

M. Shannon, ILPB

W. Russell, NRR ,

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R. Zimmerman, NRR

J. Lieberman, OE

C. Holden, NRR/RPEB

A. Thadani, NRR

bec via E-Mail: ,

Region I Staff (Refer to SALP Drive)

DOCUMENT NAME: A:PIL9399.SLP

To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure *E' = Copy with attachment! enclosure

"N" = No copy

0FFICE RI/DRP l RI/DRP l RI/DRP RI/DRP i

NAME Shedlosky/meo* Trapp* Linville* Shankman*

DATE 11/7/94

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0FFICE NRR/PDI-3 RI/DRP RI/DRS RI/DRA

NAME Butler * Cooper * Wiggins* Kane*

DATE ,

OFFICE RI/RA(1/ u l / / /

NAME Martin?.',

DATE u !it y@

0FFICIAL RECORD COPY

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• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PAGE

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E. Thomas Boulette, PhD 5

bcc w/ enc 1:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

J. Taylor, EDO

J. Milhoan, DED0

SALP Program Manager, NRR/ILPB (2)

R. Conte, DRP

J. Shedlosky, DRP

M. Oprendek, DRP

bec w/ encl (VIA E-MAIL):

W. Butler, NRR

R. Eaton, NRR

W. Dean, OED0

M. Shannon, ILPB

W. Russell, NRR

R. Zimmerman, NRR

J. Lieberman, OE

C. Holden, NRR/RPEB

A. Thadani, NRR l

bec via E-Mail:

Region I Staff (Refer to SALP Drive)

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DOCUMENT NAME: A:PIL9399.SLP l

To receive a copy of this document. Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachrnent/ enclosure  ;

• N* = No copy ,

OFFICE RI/DRP lt> RI/DRP lt/ RI/DRP l, RI/DRP $l

NAME Shedlosky/meo S ) Trapp Qw d Linvil,1ef (y/f' Shankman /iv

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DATE 11/7/94 n/- M4 g/7 /M # //._/9_M y./

OFFICE NRR/PDI-3 l RI/DRP Ll RI/DRS' , lE RI/QRNp/ l

NAME Butler )6ib3A Cooper M Wiggiti% D) Ka6d>V "i ,

DATE Il-1-9H (if7{44 ti lt'll'14 s i llW"

0FFICE RI/RA l / l / l / l

NAME Martin

DATE

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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