ML20235S334

Discusses Insp Rept 50-309/87-08 on 870427-30 & 0508-13 & Forwards Notice of Violation.May Insp Conducted in Response to Discovery by Plant Personnel of Small Cylindrical Highly Radioactive Object in Containment Bldg.Response Required

ML20235S334
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	07/14/1987
From:	Russell W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Randazza J Maine Yankee
Shared Package
ML20235S336	List: ML20235S334 ML20235S362
References
EA-87-103, NUDOCS 8707210627
Download: ML20235S334 (3)

See also: IR 05000309/1987008

Text

ny, -

-- -- , -

-- - = - - - - - - - - - -----. --- - - - -

, h,YY

',

..  :..

og

Des

.

' JUL 141987

L '

L

'

Docketl o. 50-309

License No. DPR-36

EA 87-103

Maine Yankee Atoraic Power Company

'

e , ' ATTN: Mr. J. Ba Randazza

-Executive Vice President

83 Edison Drive

' Augusta, Maine 04336

- Gentlemen:

' SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION

l(NRC Inspection. Report No. 50-309/87-08)

- This refers to the NRC inspection conducted on April 27-30 and May 8-13, 1987

at the Maine Yankee. Atomic Power Station, Wiscasset, Maine. The inspection

report was sent to you on' June 2,1987. While the April -inspection consisted

of a routine review of your radiological controls program, the May inspection

was conducted in response to (1) the discovery by your staff of a small

. cylindrical and highly radioactive object in the containment building with

radiation levels'on contact exceeding 1000 rem / hour, and (2) allegations.that

radiation and chemical hazards existed at the facility that endangered the

- health and safety of the plant workers. The discovery of the loose radio-

active object was promptly reported to the NRC, although such reporting was

.not required. During this inspection, violations of-NRC requirements were

identified. On June 11, 1987, an enforcement conference was conducted with

you and members of your staff to discuss the 'v41ations, their causes, and

your corrective actions.

Although there was no evidence obtained to indicate that any individual received

,

a radiation exposure in excess of regulatory limits, the NRC is nonetheless

concerned that the object was not detected even though /t was probably in the

, area since September 1985. The failure to detect this ooject may be indicative

of poor radiological controls and inattention to radiological safety in high

radiation areas. Further, the violations represent significant deficiencies

in the radiological control program at Maine Yankee. Specifically, the

violations demonstrate that (1) radiological oversight by health physics (HP)

personnel of work activities was deficient, and (2) individuals performing

, activities were not adequately instructed in radiological conditions. These

- deficiencies. may have been caused by a lack of adequate planning of activities

and the lack of adequate staffing during the refueling outage. These concerns

4

regarding the adequacy of your HP training program and staffing levels were

'

'

previously' discussed with you during the last Systematic Assessment of Licensee

Performance.

, ,

.

, ,

>w

._

- ,- _ _ _ . _ _

- _ _ _ _ _ . - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _

' '

/ .

"

,9 ' , . .

'

l Maine Yankee Atomic- -2-

Power Company

.

,

In addition, some'of the violations were identified as a result of allegations

made;to the NRC, thereby indicating that your program for identifying problems,

u including concerns raised by your staff, and taking appropriate action, has

not been effective. -Furthermore, during my visit to your facility on June 10,

-1987, poor housekeeping throughout the plant and poor radiological control

practices were observed.

Therefore', in view of these programmatic deficiencies,'the violations have.been

'

categorized in the aggregate as a Severity Level'III problem in accordance with

the:" General Statement ~of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions," 10

.CFR Part 2, Appendix C (1987). Although a civil penalty is considered for a

Level. III violation or problem, after. consultation with the Director, Office of

Enforcement, and the Deputy Executive Director for Regional Operations, I have

decided that a civil penalty will not be proposed in this case because (1) the

event involving the discovery of the object inside containment was promptly

. reported:to the NRC,'when identified, although such reporting was not required,

and;(2) your immediate corrective actions in response to the event were unusually

prompt and extensive.

.g .You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions

~specified:in the. enclosed Notice when preparing your response. In your

response, you should document the specific actions taken and any additional

' actions you plan to prevent recurrence. 'After reviewing your response to this

Notice, including your proposed corrective actions and the results of future-

inspections, the NRC will determine whether further NRC enforcement action is

necessary to ensure compliance with NRC regulatory requirements.

LIn accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRCi s " Rules of Practice," Part 2,

Title 10, Code.of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its enclosure

will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

The responses directed by this letter and the enclosed Notice are not subject

to-the clearance procedures of the Office of. Management and Budget as required

1by the' Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. No.96-511.

Sincerely,

Originni Signed BF

KILLIM T. RUSSELL

William T. Russell

~ Regional Administrator

Enclosure: Notice of Violation

0FFICIAL RECORD COPY {

e i

4

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ a

._ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

.. . . 2..

Maine Yankee Atomic -3-

Power Company

cc w/ encl:

C. E. Monty, President

C, D. Frizzle, Assistant Vice President / Manager of Operations

J. H. Garrity, Plant Manager

P. L.' Anderson, Project Manager

G. D. Whittier, Licensing Section Head

J. A. Ritsher, Attorney (Ropes and Gray)

Phillip Ahrens, Esquire

Public Document Room (PDR)

Local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

NRC Resident Inspector

State of Maine

bec w/ enc 1:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

Maragement Assistant, DRMA (w/o encl)

DRP Section Chief

Robert J. Bores, DRSS

-SECY

J. Taylor, DED0

J. Lieberman, OE

W. Russell, RT

T. Murley, NRR

D. Holody, RI

J. Goldberg, OGC

T. Martin, DEDR0

Enforcement Directors, RII-III

Enforcement Officers RIV-RV

F. Ingram, PA

J. Gradburne, OGPA

E. Jordan, AEOD

B. Hayes, 01

S. Connelly, OIA

D. Nussbaumer, SLITP

OE Files (3 copies = ltr hd)

EDO Rdg File

DCS

]

RI:ES

m RI:b5

4 ws

ws+R4 hn

JL

Holody/geb/ms Sh ak j

RI:DRSS

B11my

RI:DRSS

KdM p Gu,tfezrez

RIT RC/,

oh:et

c h

4t / RI:RA HQ: HQ: HQ:

Alti gp Russell,[(dHQ: Miraglia Goldberg Lieberman Taylor

i

,

s

f,  !

,

, t,( -

')

0FFICIAL RECORD COPY [.g[+%

1 /10 4H

L________._ . . _ . . _ _ . . _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _