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Discusses Insp Rept 50-333/97-03 on 970304-13 & Forwards Notice of Violation.Violation Re Inadvertent Control Rod Withdrawal Event Which Resulted from Human Error
	ML20141E369
Person / Time
Site:	FitzPatrick
Issue date:	06/23/1997
From:	Hehl C; NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Michael Colomb; POWER AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (NEW YORK
Shared Package
ML20141E372	List: ML20141E369; ML20141E411;
References
	50-333-97-03, 50-333-97-3, EA-97-118, NUDOCS 9707010042
	Download: ML20141E369 (5)
	v • d • e

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June 23, 1997

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EA No.97-118

Mr. Michael J. Colomb

Site Executive Officer

New York ower Authority I

James A. F tzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant

Post Office Box 41

Lycoming. aY 13093

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SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION REGARDING SPECIAL INSPECTION 50-333/97-03

Dear Mr. Colomb: I

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On March 14,1996, the NRC completed a specialinspection of Ln inadvertent control rod l

withdrawal avent which was the result of human error at your FitzPatrick Power Plant.

In this event, a licensed reactor operator, as part of impromtu training of a reactor operator

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candidate, inadvertently withdrew a control rod without following established station

procedures for this evolution. The reactor operator, in order to demonstrate a control

recoupling check for the trainee, noted that he intended to select a rod that was full out. I

H( wever, the rod selected was not full out. In addition, the control room supervisor, a

licensed senior reactor operator, granted permisFion for this activity while procedures

require the shift manager to grant permission for this evolution. The causes for this event

included inattention to detail and failing to control the activity per established station

procedures. A predecisional enforcement conference to discuss this apparent violation

was conducted on May 8,1997. A copy of your presentation is attached.

- This evolution reflects an informality in the conduct of control room activities. As

discussed at the enforcement conference, this event is also similar to several past events

in that personnel involved failed to cc,.. sider the consequences of their actions prior to

conducting an evolution, and indicated an operating environment where a questioning

attitude is not consistertly a part of station practices. For example, three incorrect control

rod drives were removed during the last refueling outage. In September 1996, an

automatic reactor scram was initiated during improper relay chlibration. Operator errors

and performance weaknesses were evident during this event as reflected by operators

transferring the reactor protection system (RPS) buses to alternate power supplies that

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were de-energized, in spite of clear indication that the buses were energized and the

alternate power supply was not powered. In each of these events, personnel failed to

exercise sound decision making and a questioning attitude.

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Michael J. Colomb 2

The NRC recognizes that the automatic systems functioned to limit the rod withdrawal,

and the reactor operator reicted appropriately when a rod block monitor alarm alerted the

operator to the error. Nc.ietheless, this event demonstrates the importance of formality

i and oversight during the conduct of control room operations. Based on this event, a

' violation is being cited. The violation is described in the endorsed Notice of Violation and

is classified at Severity Level IV in accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and

Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600.

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You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the

! enclosed Notice when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part,

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to deteimine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with

regulatory requirements,

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

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

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. Sincerely,

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Original Signed by

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Charles W. Hehl, Director,

, Division of Reactor Projects

i Docket No.: 50-333

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License No.: DPR-59

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Enclosures:

, 1. Notice of Violation

2. NYPA Handout at the May 8,1997, Enforcement Conference

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Michael J. Colomb 3

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cc w/encls:

C. D. Rappleyea, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

i R. Schoenberger, President and Chief Operating Officer

j J. Knubel, Chief Nuclear Officer and Senior Vice President

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H. P. Salmon, Jr., Vice President of Nuclear Operations

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W. Josiger, Vice President - Engineering and Project Management

J. Kelly, Director - Regulatory Affairs and Special Projects

T. Dougherty, Vice President - Nuclear Engineering

R. Deasy, Vice President - Appraisal and Compliance Services

R. Patch, Director - Quality Assurance

l G. C. Goldste.n, Assistant General Counsel

C. D. Faison, Director, Nuclear Licensing, NYPA

K. Peters, Licensing Manager

T. Morra, Executive Chair, Four County Nuclear Safety Committee

l Supervisor, Town of Scriba

C. Donaldson, Esquire, Assistant Attorney General, New York Department of Law

. P. Eddy, Director, Electric Division, Department of Public Service. State

of New York

i G. T. Goering, Consultant, New York Power Authority

i J. E. Gagliardo, Consultant, New York Power Authority

E. S. Beckjord, Consultant, New York Fower Authority

F. WiPiam Valentino, President, New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority

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J. Spath, Program Director, New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority

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Michael J. Colomb 3

Distribution w/encls:

W. Axelson, DRA

D. Screnci, PAO

! R. Zimmerman, ADPR, NRR

l J. Goldberg, OGC

l J. Lieberman, OE (OEMAIL)

l D. Holody, EO, RI

I Nuclear Safety Information Conter (NSIC)

PUBLIC

NRC Resident inspector

Region i Docket Room (with concurrences) 1

J.Rogge,DRP <

R. Barkley, DRP !

R. Junod, DRP

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Distribution w/encls: (VIA E-MAIL)

W. Dean, OEDO (WMD)

S. Bajwa, NRR

K. Cotton, NRR

D. Hood, NRR

M. Campion, RI

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS) j

R. Correia, NRR j

F. Talbot, NRR I

DOCDESK

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ BRANCH 2\lR97-03.VIO

To receive a copy of this document, indicate irt the box: "C" = Copy without

attachment / enclosure ,"f" = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" = No copy

OFFICE Rl/DRP [ [ Rl/DRP Rl/EO hQ Rl/DRP

JRoggq9 7 CHe M

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NAME RBarkley [y 1V DHolody

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DATE 06/$/97 06/f/j/97 06/g/97 06fd/97 ' j

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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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Michael J. Colomb 4

Distribution w/encis:

'

W. Axelson, DRA

D. Screnci, PAO

4

R. Zimmerman, ADPR, NRii

- J. Goldberg, OGC !

J. Lieberman, OE (OEMAIL)

D. Holody, EO, RI

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

4

PUBLIC

NRC Resident inspector

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

J. Rogge, DRP

R. Barkley. DRP

R. Junod, DRP

!

Distribution w/encis: (VIA E-MAIL)

W. Dean, OEDO (WMD)

'.

S. Bajwa, NRR

K. Cotton, NRR

D. Hood, NRR

'

M. Campicn, RI

Inspection Program Branch, NRR (IPAS)

R. Correia, NRR

F. Talbot, NRR

DOCDESK

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ BRANCH 2\lR97-03.VIO

'See previous concurrences

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without l

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attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" = No copy

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OFFICE * Rl/DRP * Rl/DRP * J/EO

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Rl/DRP l

NAME RBarkley/RSB JRogge/JR DHolody/DH CHehl/CH

DATE 06/19/97 06/19/97 06/20/97 06/23/97

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY j

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ML20141E369

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