ML20059F449

Forwards Insp Rept 50-306/93-21 on 931206-22 & Notice of Violation

ML20059F449
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	01/05/1994
From:	Martin J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Antony D NORTHERN STATES POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20059F451	List: IR 05000306/1993021 ML20059F449 ML20059F460
References
NUDOCS 9401140032
Download: ML20059F449 (5)

See also: IR 05000306/1993021

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Docket No. 50-306

License No. DPR-60

Northern States Power Company

ATTN: Mr. D. D. Antony

Vice President, Nuclear

Generation ,

414 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, MN 55401

Dear Mr. Antony:

SUBJECT: NRC INSPECTION REPORT 50-306/93021

Dear Mr. Antony: I

This refers to the special safety inspection conducted by Messrs. M. L. Dapas

and R. L. Bywater of this office on December 6 through 22, 1993. The

inspection included a review of activities at your Prairie Island Nuclear

Generating Plant related to work planning, configuration management, and

control of outage activities. The inspection focused on four events that ,

occurred over a two week period from November 16 to December 1, 1993, during ,

your Unit 2 refueling outage. Specifically, events involving the '

overpressurization of safety injection system piping, core alterations while

the required condition of refueling integrity did not exist, the lockout of a

4160 Volt, non-safeguards bus, and the inoperability of a Technical i

Specification-related, fire protection system pump, were reviewed. The

findings of our inspection were discussed with Mr. M. D. Wadley and other  :

members of your staff on December 22, 1993.

Areas examined during the inspection are identified in the report. Within

these areas, the inspection consisted of selective examinations of procedures

and representative records, interviews with personnel, and observation of

activities in progress. ,

Based on the results of this inspection, certain of your activities appeared ,

to be in violation of NRC requirements, as specified in the enclosed Notice of

Violation (Notice). The identified violations are of particular concern

because, collectively, they reflect inadequate planning and control of outage

activities. Several concerns were identified during the review of the four I

events referenced above. These included the failure of operations shift I

management to maintain an awareness of overall plant conditions before I

performing critical evolutions, weaknesses in communications between work

groups, the lack of a questioning attitude by operations personnel, poor

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attention to detail, inadequate procedural review, and in one case, a

non-conservative operating decision. Staff training on the work planning and

control process, and operator training on the equipment isolation and

verification process, appeared weak.

The violations described in the enclosed Notice were considered for escalated

enforcement. We evaluated how they were related and whether, when considered

collectively, they represented a breakdown in the control of licensed

activities reflecting a potentially significant lack of attention toward

licensed responsibilities. While we determined that the violations did not  !

warrant escalated enforcement, the numerous concerns that were identified '

during our inspection are viewed as potential precursors to more significant i

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events. Prompt management attention is required to adequately address each of

these concerns.

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 actions taken and any additional actions you

plan to prevent recurrence. Be specific in addressing the several concerns

identified above. After reviewing your response to this Notice, including

your proposed corrective actions and the results of future inspections, the

i

NRC will determine whether further NRC enforcement action is necessary to

l ensure compliance with NRC regulatory requirements. l

l i

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

l this letter and its enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

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

to the clearance procedures of the Office of Management and Budget as required i

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

l

l We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this inspection.

Sincer ly,

\

l John B. Martin

Regional Administrator

Enclosures: Notice of Violation

1 Inspection Report

No. 50-306/93021(DRP)

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attention to detail, inadequate procedural review, and in one case, a  !

non-conservative operating decision. Staff training on the work planning and

control process, and operator training on the equipment isolation and

verification process, appeared weak.

.

The violations described in the enclosed Notice were considered for escalated

enforcement. We evaluated how they were related and whether, when considered

collectively, they represented a breakdown in the control of licensed .,

activities reflecting a potentially significant lack of attention toward

licensed responsibilities. While we determined that the violations did not

warrant escalated enforcement, the numerous concerns that were identified  :

during our inspection are viewed as potential precursors to more significant

events. Prompt management attention is required to adequately address each of

these concerns.

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 actions taken and any additional actions you

plan to prevent recurrence. B0 specific in addressing the several concerns

identified above. 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.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of i

this letter and its enclosures 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

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

We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this inspection.

Sincerely, ,

htOpYWA P

John B. Martin

Regional Administrator

Enclosures: Notice of Violation

Inspection Report

No. 50-306/93021(DRP)

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