ML20198L918

Forwards Insp Rept 50-293/97-05 on 970514-0828.Apparent Violations Being Considered for Escalated Enforcement Action

ML20198L918
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	10/21/1997
From:	Wiggins J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Boulette E BOSTON EDISON CO.
Shared Package
ML20198L921	List: ML20198L918 ML20198L923
References
50-293-97-05, 50-293-97-5, EA-97-482, NUDOCS 9710270228
Download: ML20198L918 (5)

See also: IR 05000293/1997005

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October- 21, 1997

EA 97 482 ,

E. Thomas Boulette, PhD

benior Vice President - Nuclear p

Boston Edison Company

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

600 Rocky Hill Road 3

Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360-5599

SUBJECT: NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT 50 293/97-05

Dear Mr. Boulette:

The NRC conducted a specialinspection between May 14 - August 28,1997, at the

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, examining the corrective cctions associated with the

findings from a January 1995 self assessment of the Pilgrim safety-related cooling water i

systems. Other related issues were also reviewed. Our preliminary conclusions were

discussed with you, Mr. V. Oheim and other representatives of your staff at exit meetings

on July 18 and August 28,1997.

Several findings from this inspection represent apparent violations of NRC requirements,

and are being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General

Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy),

NUREG 1000. These include: (1) an unreviewed safety question and severalinstances

where procedures were changed without appropriate written safety evaluations; (2) design

control issues and inconsistencies between safety analyses and operating procedures; (3)

Inadequate corrective actions regarding significant conditions advesce to quality, and (4)

feiture to report the operation of the Pilgrim Station in unanalyzed conditions outsids the

design bases.

The findings represent a pattern associated with seven related technical concerns derived

from the 1995 self assessment of the Pilgrim cooling water systems. Collectively, the

issues associated with cooling water systems, containment heat removal and the

emergency diesel generators described in this report did not receive appropriate formal

evaluation beyond operability determinations, often relying upon engineering judgements

that were not adequately followed with lasting corrective action. Further, fundamental

misunderstanding of the Pilgrim design basis and what constitutes a change thereto -

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resulted in operating the station outside of the NRC approved licensing bases, and

without the attendant revision of the Pilgrim Updeted Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR).

These findings have significant implications for important engineering processes that

govern configuration control, safety evaluation and corrective action. Further, the

effectiveness of such processes bears significantly upon your commitments relative to the )

NRC's 50.54(f) letter rega. ding the adequacy and availability of design basis information.

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9710270220 971021

POR ADOCK 05000293 .

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No Notice of Violation is presently being issued for these inspection findings. In addition,

be advised that the number and characterization of the apparent violations described in the

enclosed inspection report may change as si result of further NRC review. An open

predecisional enforcement conference to discuss the apparent violations will be scheduled.

The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC

has determined that a violetion has cccurred or that enforcement action will be taken. The

conference is being held to obtain information to enable the NRC to make an enforcement

decision, such as a common understanding of the facts, root causes, missed opportunities

to identify tha apparent violations sooner, corrective actions, significance of the issues,

and the need for lasting and effective corrective acticn. In addition, this is an opportuni' /

for you to point out any errors in our inspection report and for you to provide any

information concerning your perspectives on: (1) the severity of the apparent violations,

(2) the application of the factors that the NRC considers when it detarmines the amount of

a civil penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enforcement

Policy, and (3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the

exercise of discretion in accordance with Section Vll.

You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this

matter. No response regarding tiiese apparent violations is required at this time, in

accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice " a copy of this letter, its

enclosure ((s), and your responce (if you choose to provide one) will be placed in the NRC

Public Document Room (PDR). To the extent possible, your response should not include

any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the

PDR without redaction.

Sincerely,

James T. Wiggins, Director

Division of Reactor Safety

Enclosures: NRC Region i Inspection Report 50-293/97 05

Docket No. 50-293

License No. DPR-35

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E. Thomes Boulette 3

cc w/ encl:

L. Olivier, Vice President Nuclear and Station Director

C. Goddard, Plant Department Manager

N. Desmond, Regulatory Relations -

D. Tarantino, Nuclear information Manager

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

The Honorable Therese Murray

~ The Honorable Joseph Gallitano

B. Abbanat, Department of Public Utilities -

- Chairman, Plymouth Board of Selectmen

Chairman, Duxbury Board of Selectmen

Chairman, Nuclear Matters Committee

- Plymouth Civil Defense Director

P. Gromer, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy Resources

J. Miller, Senior issues Manager

J. Fleming

A. Nogee, MASSPIRG

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

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SLO Designee -

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Qhtribution wlencl:

_ Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)

PUBLIC

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident inspector

- W. Axelson, DRA

J. Wiggins, DRS

L. Nicholson, DRS

E. Kelly, DRS

L. Prividy, DRS -

R. Conte, DRP

M.' Conner, DRP -

. C. O'Daniell, DRP

OE (2)

DRS File

Distribution w/enci(VIA E MAIL):

R. Zimmerman, ADPR, NRR

F. Davis, OGC

A. Nicosia, OGC

J. Lieberman (OEMAIL)

D. Holody, EO

R. Eaton, NRR

A. Wang, NRR

W. Dean, OEDO

R. Correia, NRR

F. Talbot, NRR

DOCDESK

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

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Distribution w/ encl:

Region 1 Docket Room (with concurrances)

PUBLIC

Nuclear Safety information Cemer (NSIC)

NRC Resident inspector

W. Axelson, DRA

J. Wiggins, DRS

L. Nicholson, DRS

E. Kelly, DRS

L. Prividy, DRS

R. Conte, DRP

M. Conner, DRP

C. O'Daniell, DRP

OE (2)

DRS File

Distribution w/enci (VIA E MAIL):

R. Zimmerman, ADPR, NRR

F. Davis, OGC

A. Nicosia, OGC

J. Lieberman (OEMAIL)

D. Holody, EO

R. Eaton, NRR

A. Wang, NRR

W. Dean, OEDO

R. Correia, NRR

F. Talbot, NRR

DOCDESK

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

DOCUMENT NAME: A:\PILG9705.lNS

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Distribution w/ encl:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences).

PUBLIC ;

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident inspector

W.- Axelson, DRA

J. Wiggins, DRS -

L. Nicholson,- DRS

E. Kelly, DRS

L. Prividy, DRS

R. Conte, DRP.

M. Conner, DRP

C. O'Daniell, DRP

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DRS File

- Distribution w/ encl (VIA E MAIL):

R. Zimmerman, ADPR, NRR -

F. Davis, OGC

A. Nicosia, OGC -

J. Lieberman (OEMAIL)

D. Holody, EO

R. Eaton, NRR

A. Wang, NRR

W. Dean, OEDO

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R. Correia, NRR

F. Talbot, NRR

DOCDESK

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

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