ML17251A238

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Responds to NRC 880727 Notice of Violation & Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in Amount of $50,000,per Insp Rept 50-244/88-10.Corrective Actions:Check Valves Have Been Exercised Monthly as Part of Test Procedure.Penalty Paid
ML17251A238
Person / Time
Site: Ginna Constellation icon.png
Issue date: 08/26/1988
From: MECREDY R C
ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP.
To:
NRC OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT (OE)
References
EA-88-154, NUDOCS 8809010097
Download: ML17251A238 (26)


See also: IR 05000244/1988010

Text

ACCESSIONNBR:8809010097DOC.DATE:88/08/26NOTARIZED:NODOCKETFACIL:50-244RobertEmmetGinnaNuclearPlant,Unit1,RochesterG05000244AUTH.NAMEAUTHORAFFILIATION~~~~%ECREDY,R.C.RochesterGas6ElectricCorp.RECIP.NAMERECIPIENTAFFILIATIONOfcofEnforcement(Post870413)SUBJECT:RespondstoNRC880727ltrreviolationsnotedinInspRept50-244/88-10.Correctiveactions:checkvalvesexercised.DISTRIBUTIONCODE:IE14DCOPIESRECEIVED:LTR/ENCLLSIZE:/DLTITLE:EnforcementActionNon-2.790-LicenseeResponseNOTES:LicenseExpdateinaccordancewith10CFR2,2.109(9/19/72).05000244RECIPIENTIDCODE/NAMEPD1-3LASTAHLEiCINTERNAL:AEOD/DOADEDRONRR/DREP/EPB10NUDOCS-ABSTRACTOELIEBERMANgJRGN1FILE03ERNAL:LPDRNSICCOPIESLTTRENCL11111111111111111111RECIPIENTIDCODE/NAMEPD1-3PDAEOD/DSP/TPABNRR/DOEA/EAB11NRR/PMAS/ILRB12OE01GFIL02RGN2/DRSS/EPRPBNRCPDRCOPIESLTTR.ENCL11111111111'1111@gory/FdTOTALNUMBEROFCOPIESREQUIRED:LTTR18ENCL18

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ROCHESTERGASANDELECTRICCORPORATION~89EASTAVENUE,ROCHESTER,N.Y.14649-0001August26,1988JcccDteQHcabacicoclevia5462700Director,OfficeofEnforcementU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissionAttn:DocumentControlDeskWashington,DC20555Subject:InspectionReport50-244/88-10NoticeofViolationandProposedImpositionofCivilPenaltyEnforcementActionEA88-154R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDocketNo.50-244Gentlemen:EnclosedisRochesterGasandElectricCorporation's(RG&E)responsetotheNoticeofViolationandProposedImpositionofCivilPenaltydatedJuly27,1988.ThefirstenclosureisRG&E'sReplytoNoticeofViolationfiledinaccordancewith10CFR2.201.TheReplyadmitstheviolationsand,documentsthecorrectiveactionstaken.Alsoenclosedisacheckfor$50,000,theamountofthecivilpenalty.ThesecondenclosureisRG&E'sAnswertotheProposedImpositionofCivilPenalty,filedinaccordancewith10CFR2.205.AlthoughRG&Ehaschosennottocontesttheproposedcivilpenalty,wehaveincludedinformationfortherecorddescribingreasonswhytheNRCcouldhavemitigatedtheproposedpenalty.ThesereasonsincludeourexcellentenforcementrecordatGinna,priorgoodperformanceinthegeneralareaofconcern,andalternativeoperationandmaintenancepractices.Verytrulyyours,8809010097880826PDRADOCK05000244GPNURobertC.MeedyGeneralManageNuclearProductionEnclosuresxc:Mr.WilliamT.RussellRegionalAdministratorU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissionRegionI475AllendaleRoadKingofPrussia,PA19406GinnaSeniorResidentInspector

ENCLOSURE1Re1toaNoticeofViolationNRCInspectionReport88-10stated:"DuringanNRCinspectionconducted.onMay16-20,1988,viola-tionsofNRCrequirementswereidentified.Inaccordancewiththe"GeneralStatementofPolicyand.ProcedureforNRCEnforce-mentAction,"10CFRPart2,AppendixC(1988),theNuclearRegulatoryCommissionproposestoimposeacivilpenaltypursuanttoSection234oftheAtomicEnergyActof1954,asamended(Act),42U.S.C.2282,and10CFR2.205.Theparticularviolationsandassociatedcivilpenaltyaresetforthbelow:TechnicalSpecification4.2requiresthatinservicetesting(IST)ofpumpsandvalvesbeperformedinaccordancewithSectionZIoftheASMEBoilerandPressureVesselCodeand.applicableAddenda,asrequiredby10CFR50,Section50.55a(g),exceptwherespecificwrittenreliefhasbeengrantedbytheNRCpursuantto10CFRPart50.55a(g)(6)(1).ArticleIWV-1100oftheASMECode,SectionZI,1977edition,whichisapplicableinthissituation,requires,inpart,periodictestingforthosevalveswhicharerequiredtoperformaspecificfunctioninshuttingdownareactortothecoldshutdowncondition,orinmitigatingtheconsequencesofanaccident.Contrarytotheabove,asofMay20,1988,theISTtestprogramforpumpsandvalvesdidnotincludeperiodictestingofthefollowingsafetyrelatedcheckvalvesthatareusedtomitigatetheconsequenceofanaccident:a.CheckvalvesNos.3504Band3505Binthemainsteamsupplylinesfortheauxiliaryfeedwaterpumpturbine;andb.-MainfeedwatercheckvalvesNos.3992and3993.,I,lh2..-'-PuticleIWV-3522ofASMECode,SectionZI,1977-edition,whichisapplicableinthissituation,requires,inpart,thatthetestingrequiredbyArticleIWV-1100beperformedbyexercisingthecheckvalvestothepositionrequiredtofulfilltheirfunctionduringplantoperation.Further,ifonlylimitedoperation.ofacheckvalveispracticalduringplantoperation,thecheckvalveshallbefullstrokeexercisedduring.coldshutdowns.Contrarytotheabove,asofMay20,1988,thefollowingcheckvalveswhichareusedtomitigatetheconsequencesofanaccident,hadnotbeenfull-strokeexercisedtothepositionrequiredtofulfilltheirfunctions:

a.Nos.9627AandBinthe1Cand1Dstandbyauxiliaryfeedwaterpumpservicewatersuctionlines;b.Nos.862AandBinthe1Aand1Bcontainmentspraypumpdischargelines:c.Nos.710AandBinthe1Aand1Bresidualheatremoval(RHR)pumpdischarge;d.Nos.853AandBinthecoredelugecheck;e.No.854intherefuelingwaterstoragetank(RWST)toRHRpumpsuctioncheck;f.Nos.842AandBintheloopAandBaccumulatordumplinecheck;andg.Nos.867AandBintheloopAandBaccumulatordumpandsafetyinjection(SI)tocoldleg."IThefollowingresponsesareprovided.Admissionordenialofthealleedviolation1.RochesterGasandElectricadmitstoViolation1.TheInservice'TestProgramdelineatedinAppendixCoftheGinnaStationQualityAssuranceManualdidnotincludecheckvalves3504B,3505B,3992and3993.(1)CheckValves3504Band3505B(a)lanationandreasonsfortheviolationThesevalveswereinstalledaspartofa1981systemmodification,subsequenttotheestablishmentofthecurrentISTprogram.RG&E'scontrolsforreviewingtheimpactofmodificationsontheISTprogramscopewerelessformalin1981thanourpresentpractice."'The6pointmodificationimprovementestablishedin1985hasresultedinmorethroughreviewofmodifica-tionsrelativetotheimpactontheISTProgram.(b)Correctivestesthathavebeentakenand.theresultsachieved.ThecheckvalveshavebeenexercisedmonthlyaspartofthePT-16,AuxiliaryFeedwaterSystem,testproceduretodemonstrateoperationoftheturbinedrivenAFWpump.EachvalvehasbeensequentiallytestedsinceMay1988toassureproperopening,backseatingandreturntotheposttestnormallyclosedposition.

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(c)Correctivestesthatwillbetakentoavoidfurtherviolationsandwhenfullcomliancewillbeachieved.Stepstoprecludefurtherviolationsincludeformaliza-tionofthetestingofthesevalvesinaccordancewithISTcommitmentsbytheendofthisyear.Further,RG&Emodificationcontrolprocedureshavebeenmodifiedtospecificallyrequirethattheeffectofallmodifica-tionswillbereviewedtoidentifyanyrequiredISTProgramchanges.AdditionalactionsbeingtakentoensureadequacyoftheISTProgramaredescribedlaterinthisreply.(2)CheckValves3992and3993(a)ExlanationandreasonsfortheviolationLackofcomprehensiveselectioncriteriaatthetime-ofRG&E'sISTProgramestablishmentcontributedtofeedwatercheckvalves3992and3993notbeingincludedintheprogram.Originalprogramselectionsconsideredsafeguardssystemsactuatedtomitigatetheconse-quencesofanaccidentortoprovidesafeshutdown,butdidnotspecificallyincludevalvesformingtheboundarytointerfacingsystems.RG&Eiscompletingitsreviewofsystemsandhasfoundveryfewpotentialomissions.Thesepotentialomissionsarebeingevaluatedforinclusionandforsignificanceatthistime.AnadditionalcontributingcausewasthatanindependentassessmentoftheISTprogramforscopeandadequacywasnotconductedatthetimeofitsdevelop-ment.(b)Correctivestesthathavebeentakenandtheresultsachieved.AsaresultofRG&E'sreviewofSOER86-03,thesevalvesweredisassembledin1986and1987.Itwasdeterminedthatthevalveswerecapableofperformingtheirintendedfunctions.Asfurtherassuranceofthecapabilityofthesevalvestoperformthisisolationfunction,duringeachplantstartupwhentheAFWpumpsareinoperationalargepressuredifferentialexistsacrossthesevalvesmaintainingthemclosed.(c)Correctivestesthatwillbetakentoavoidfurtherviolationsandwhenfullcomliancewillbeachieved.Actionstakentoprecludefurtherviolationsincludeformalizationofthetestingofthesevalvesduringcoldshutdown,beginningwiththe1989refuelingoutage,inaccordancewithISTcommitments,andplanstoincludethesevalvesinthenextISTProgramsubmittalscheduledfor1989.AdditionalactionsbeingtakentoensureadequacyoftheISTprogramaredescribedlaterinthisresponse.

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Admissionordenialofthealleedviolation2.InresponsetoViolation2,RochesterGasandElectricadmits,withoneexception,thatthegoverningtestproceduresdidnotprovideforfullstrokeexercisingwithoutacorrespondingreliefrequestfromArticleIWV-3522ofASMEcode,SectionXI,1977edition.Consistentwithpage9paragraph4oftheinspectionreport,SIAccumulatorDischargecheckvalves842AandBaretested.inaccordancewithapartialstrokingreliefrequestsubmittedtotheNRCwithprogramrevision3AonJune20,1983.(a)Exlanationand.reasonsfortheviolation.Tenyearsago,when.theexistingprogramwasestablished,comprehensivedetailedtestspecificationswerenotdeveloped,whichcouldhavebeenusedasinputtotheproceduresusedtoperformtesting.AdditionallythecheckvalvetestproceduresthatwereestablishedtocomplywithIVV-3521used"observationofsubstantiallyfreeflow"asanindicatorthatthevalvediskmovedpromptlyawayfromtheseatInternalauditsoftheprogramdidnotidentifypart-stroketestingofthevalvesasdeficientduetoourinter-pretationof"substantiallyfreeflow"asbeing"demons-tratedpartialflow".(b)Correctivestesthathavebeentakenandtheresultsachieved.Engineeringdispositionshavebeenprovidedforeachvalve,forwhichfullflowtestinghasnotbeenperformedandreliefhasnotbeenrequested.ThesemeasureswillensurefuturevalvetestingmeetsourcurrentcommitmentsValves9627A&BDisitionQuarterlyPartialstroketestingwillbeaugmented,hydisassemblyofonevalveeachrefuelingshutdown.Ifthatvalveisinoperable,theothervalvewillhedisassembled.Note:Reliefrequestisbeingprepared..862A&BTestProcedurePT-3,'ontainmentSpraySystem,isheingrevisedtorequireamechanicalexercisertomovethedisc.Theforcerequiredtoinitiatemovementwillhemeasured,andsubsequentmovementwillbedemonstratedtothepositionrequiredtofulfillitsfunction.Note:Thereferencevaluewillbees-tablishedandsubsequenttestingwilldemonstrateabreakawayforcewithin50%fromtheestablishedreferencevalue.

ValvesDissition710A&B853A&B854PT-2.10.2willberevisedtoverifytheminimumsafeguardsflowof1560ineachflowpathduringrefuelingcavityfill.Note:Areliefrequestforthedeferralofquarterlytotherefuelingfrequencytobeprepared.842A&B867A&BForthe1989outage,eitherofthefollowingtwooptionsfor842A&Band867A&Bwillbeimplementedtosupplementtheexistingpartialstroketesting.~tionA-Dischargeeachaccumulatcrandmeasurethepressureandleveldropvs.time.Evaluatetheseparametersagainsttherequiredsystemperformancetodemonstratecheckvalveoperability.~ticeB-Disassembleandinspecteither867Aor867Bandeither842Aor842Bforoperabilityverification,usingamaintenanceprocedure.Shouldtheinspected.valverequirecorrectivemaintenance,theothercheckvalveofsimilarnumberwillalsobeinspected.Note:Reliefrequestsarebeingprepared.(c)Correctivestesthatwillhetakentoavoidfurtherviolationsandwhenfullcomliancewillheachieved,.TheshorttermandlongtermactionsheingtakenforbothviolationswillensureadequacyoftheISTProgramandavoidsimilarviolationsare:ShortTermActions:Theseshort,.termactionswillensurethatASMESectionXIrequirements..areheingmetbytheISTProgramand.areheingproperly.implementedbyprocedures.a0Comprehensiveselectioncriteriahavebeendevelopedandareheingusedtoguideanin-depthreviewofthecurrentprogram.ThisreviewwillidentifyprogrampumpandvalveadditionsordeletionsandtestcategorychangesforboththecurrentISTprogramandforthethird10-yearintervalprogram,scheduledtobesubmittednextyear.Theseselectioncriteriawillidentifyallvalvesrequiredtobetested,inaccordancewiththeRG&ESectionXIISTprogram,includinginterfacingsystemboundaryvalves.

b.AnindepthreviewhasbeencompletedoftheISTimplementingprocedurestoidentifyanyotherpotentialdiscrepanciesfromcurrentprogramcommitments.Correctiveactionsarebeingtakentoresolveanydeficienciesastheyareidentifiedinaccordancewithapplicableprocedures.Theseactionsincludeprocedurechanges,additionaltesting,generationofreliefrequestsandcoldshutdownjustifications.Justifica-tionsforcontinuedoperationarebeingformulatedasappropriate.cExistingvalvesarealsobeingevaluatedtotherecentlyestablishedtestcategoryguidelinestoascertainneedforrevisedtestingrequirementsrelativetothe19S6editionofASMESectionXI.Theseevaluationsarebeingperformed,concurrentlywiththereviewsdescribedinitem(a)foridentifyingvalveadditionsordeletions.Theattachedmilestonescheduleidentifiesthedatesforevaluationcompletionandissuanceofinterimprogramchanges.Engineeringwillbeinvolvedinthiseffortandwillbedefiningthesafetyfunctionparametersrelativetoeachvalve(forexamplefullflowrates).Thisinformationwillbeprovidedtothepersonnelperformingand,reviewingtestresults.d.e.giPlansforanindependentassessmentoftheprogramrevisionshavebeenformulatedandwillbeimplementedinearlySeptember.'estproceduresarebeingrevisedtoimplementtheinterimprogramchanges.TheDecembercompletionisidentifiedontheattached-schedule.irSelectedpersonnelinvolvedinourprogramassessmenthavevisitedthreeotherutilitiestodiscusstheirprogramsandhavereviewedcurrentISTprogramsmade.=availablefromothernuclearplants.AuditsoftheISTprogramactivitiesarebeingenhanced6oincludetechnicalexpertiseinpumpandvalvetestingandotherSectionXIrequirements.LonTermActions:TheselongtermactionswillensurethattheISTProgramwillreceivethenecessaryengineeringsupporttobemaintainedandmonitoredadequatelytoprovecontinuedoperabilityofGinnapumpsandvalves.

a~ResponsibilityforprogramcontrolwillbeshiftedfromtheQualityAssurancegrouptoanothergrouppriortotheendof1988.Thischangewillfacilitatethecommunicationofindustrypumpandvalveissuestoagroupmoredirectlyinvolvedwithtechnicalissues.Thischangewillalsoprovideseparationbetweenthegroupswithprogramrespon-sibilityandauditresponsibility.b.Actionsarebeingtakentoensurethatnotificationsofindustryexperience,vendorbulletinsandNRCissuancesinvolvingtheprogramarereviewedbycognizantISTtestandprogrampersonnel.Insummary,theeffortswhichbeganaftertheNRCinspectionto~.establishdefinitiveISTselectionguidelinesandtestrequire-mentguidelinesareprovidingadocumented.basisfornotonlyidentifyingthechangesand.additionstothecurrentprogramandimplementingtestproceduresbutarealsoprovidingabasisuponwhichresponsestoregulatoryreviewinquiriescanbefacilitatedand.forwhichfuturechangescanbeadequatelyconsidered.Attachedisamilestonescheduleofthe.actionsbeingtakenwhich,whencompleted,willprovidefullcompliancetotestingcommitments.

MILESTONESCHEDULEActionTCDReviewISTimplementingprocedurestoidentifypotentialdiscrepanciesfromcurrentprogramcommitmentsCompletedInitiateproposedinterimactionsandproposedresolutiontodifferencesnotedin1CompletedFinalizeselectioncriteriaforwhichvalvesandpumpswillbeaddedtotheprogramEvaluaterelevantPGIDstonewcriteriaforpotentialadditiontoprogramFinalizetestcategoryselectionguidancerequirementsReviseModcontrolprocedurestoensuremodifi-cationimpactonISTprogramisconsideredEvaluatenewandexistingprogramvalvestonewselectioncriteriadelineatedin5aboveandestablishrelatedtestrecpxirementsandcorrespondingtestacceptancecriteriaforeachvalveCompleted10/07/88CompletedCompleted10/15/88Beginindependentassessment.ofprogramdevelopmentAugmentandreviseproceduresconsistentwithproposed.programrevisions09/01/8812/15/88

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ENCLOSURE2ANSWERTOPROPOSEDIMPOSITIONOFCIVILPENALTYAlthoughRochesterGasandElectrichaschosennottocontesttheproposedcivilpenalty,RG&Ebelievesthatmitigationcouldhavebeengranted.Thereasonsforourpositionare(1)thesuperiorenforcementhistoryoftheGinnafacilityandpriorgoodperformanceintheareaofconcern,(2)thelevelofsafetysignificanceoftheviolations,(3)thepromptandextensivecorrectiveactionstaken,and(4)ourresponsetopriornoticeofrelatedevents.TheStaffstatedintheNoticeofViolation(at2):"Abasisexistsfor50%mitigationofthebasepenaltyinviewofyourpriorgoodenforcementhistoryintheareaofsurveillancetesting,asevidencedbyaCategoryISALPratinginthisareaduring.thelastthreeratingperiods.Full100'%itigationbasedonthisfactorisinappropriatesincetherootcauseoftheviolationwasinadequateengineeringsupport,whichreceivedaCategoryIISALPratingduringthelastratingperiod,whichwasthefirstperiodthatengineeringsupportwasevaluatedasaseparatearea.Furthermore,,abasisexistsfor50%escalationofthecivilpenaltyinlightofyourpriornotice,viaNRCInformationNotice86-01andINPOSOER86-03,oftheneedtoadequatelytestoperationofcheckvalves.Therefore,onbalance,noadjustmenttothecivilpenaltyamountis,"appropriate."Forthefollowingreasons,RG&EbelievesthattheStaffshouldhaveconsideredgrantingmitigation.1.PastPerformanceDuringthe18yearsofoperatingtheGinnafacility,RG&Ehasanexcellentrecordrelativetoenforcementaction.,Asthisrecordshows,RG&EplacesthehighestpriorityoncompliancewithNRCrequirementsandmaintainingacooperativeworkingrelationshipwiththeNRCStaff.RG&E'scommitmentintheareaofconcernisreflectedin

theCategoryISALPratingforsurveillancetestingduringthelastthreeratingperiods.Fromapolicystandpoint,suchexemplarypastperformanceshouldberewarded.TheNRC'sEnforcementPolicy,10CFRPart2,AppendixC,allowsforupto100%mitigationforpriorgoodperformance.TheStaff,however,concludedthat100%mitigationwasnotappropriategiventheCategoryIISALPratingforengineeringsupportduringthelastratingperiod.RG&ErespectfullysubmitsthataCategoryIISALPrating(whichbasicallymeans"satisfactoryperformance")shouldnotbecitedinthismannerasessentiallyanescalationfactor.Suchasatisfactoryratingshouldnotadverselyaffectothermitigationorescalationconclusions.LevelofSafetSiificanceAlthoughRG&EadmitsthatthevalvesinquestionwerenottestedinaccordancewithASMESectionXIcriteria,wehavealsodeterminedbyanalysisthatthelackoftestingdidnotresultintheviolationofanyGinnasafetylimits.RG&Erecognizesthatallthesevalves,shouldhavebeenincludedintheISTprogram,andthatreliefrequestsshouldhavebeensubmittedtopermitlessthanfullflowtestingofthevalvesasnecessary.However,RG&Edoesbelievethatthepartialtesting,operation,andmaintenancepracticesonthevalvesprovidedreasonableassuranceoftheircapabilitytoperformtherequiredfunctions.Mostofthesevalveswillbeaddressedinreliefrequests,currentlybeingpreparedforsubmittaltotheStaff,topermitalternativestofullflowtesting(theSIaccumulatordischargecheckvalveswerethesubjectofareliefrequestfiledin1983butnotyetactedonbytheStaff).ThesereliefrequestshavealreadybeendiscussedwiththeNRCStaffasthebasisforcontinuedoperation.Prt.andExtensiveCorrectiveActionsRG&E'.s-promptandextensivecorrectiveactionsaredetailedintheReplyprovidedinEnclosure1tothislettei.Inbriefterms,RG&Ehasnotonlyaggressivelypursuedresolutionofthespecificviolations,ithasalsoadoptedcomprehensiveshort-termandlong-termmeasureswhichwillresultinasubstantiallyimprovedISTprogram.RG&Ehasnotnarrowlyfocuseditsactionsontheciteddeficiencies,butratherhastakenbroadinitiativestoresolveanyprogrammaticweaknesses.TheseunusuallyextensivecorrectiveactionswarrantmitigationundertheNRC'sEnforcementPolicy(See10CFRPart2,AppendixC,V.B.2).

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4.ResnsetoPriorNoticeTheNOVconcludedthatabasisexistsfor50%escalationasaresultofpriornotificationinInformationNotice86-01andINPOSOER86-03.ItshouldbenotedthatRG&Edidperformextensivemaintenanceinresponsetotheseissuances,andperformedmaintenanceofvalves3992and3993asadirectresultofourreviewofSOER86-03.SinceRG&Edidconsidertheseissuances,andperformedanumberofactionsasaresultofthesedocuments,wedonotbelievethatweshouldbecitedforescalationofenforcementaction.