ML20134F092

Discusses Status of Review of Corrective Actions Re App R Issues at Vynpc for Noncompliances W/Fire Protection Requirements,Per 10CFR50

ML20134F092
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	10/30/1996
From:	Varga S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Reid D VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP.
References
NUDOCS 9611040279
Download: ML20134F092 (5)

Text

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& E NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION  !

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%. October 30, 1996 Mr. Donald A. Reid Vice President, Operations  ;

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05301 I

SUBJECT:

STATUS OF REVIEW 0F CORRECTIVE ACTIONS RELATED TO APPENDIX R ISSUES AT VERMONT YANKEE

Dear Mr. Reid:

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By letter dated February 13, 1996, the NRC issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) I to Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (VYNPC) for noncompliances with the fire protection requirements of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee). By letter dated March 12, 1996, in its response to this NOV, VYNPC committed to achieve compliance with Appendix R at Vermont Yankee by startup from the fall 1996 refueling outage. An element of meeting this commitment included obtaining i NRC approval of several requests for exemption from Appendix R. Vermont Yankee continued to operate until the fall 1996 refueling outage based on the compensatory measures VYNPC had implemented for identified noncompliances. In a meeting with VYNPC representatives on August 1, 1996, to review the status of VYNPC's actions to restore compliance with Appendix R, the NRC staff requested additional information regarding the proposed exemptions in order to complete its review. (This information was formally requested by the NRC in a letter dated September 20,1996.) At the August 1, 1996, meeting, the NRC staff informed the licensee that it did not anticipate completing its review of the proposed exemptions by startup from the fall 1996 refueling outage.

The refueling outage began on September 6, 1996.

On October 21, 1996, representatives of VYNPC met with the NRC staff to discuss the status of VYNPC's actions regarding its commitment and the I compensatory measures it planned to implement at the time of restart from the fall 1996 refueling outage until the proposed exemptions are processed by the NRC. By letters dated October 22, 26, and 28, 1996, VYNPC submitted detailed information regarding the compensatory measures to be implemented at the time of restart. The letters also discussed interim safe shutdown strategies that could be implemented. In addition, as described in VYNPC's letter dated October 26, 1996, VYNPC's corrective actions related to the above NOV that are unrelated to the exemption requests, such as design modifications and procedure changes, were completed before the end of the fall 1996 refueling outage.

The compensatory measures to be implemented in the plant areas proposed for exemption include administrative controls governing hot work and the introduction of combustible materials, continuous and roving fire watches, and additional staffing to accommodate timely use of the "A" emergency diesel generator as the alternative safe shutdown ac electrical power source. To compensate for areas with no approved emergency lighting, the control room (

9611040279 961030 PDR ADOCK 05000271 Y PDR

D. Reid October 30, 1996 will be equipped with portable lanterns for use by operators. In addition, senior plant management will regularly verify implementation of these compensatory measures by direct observation. In its letters, VYNPC committed to maintain the compensatory measures until the proposed exemptions are processed by the NRC.

Based on the information provided by VYNPC in the correspondence noted above, the NRC staff has reviewed and verified the compensatory measures that VYNPC has implemented at Vermont Yankee. The NRC staff finds that the combination of Vermont Yankee's compensatory measures, and defense-in-depth fire protection features, recently enhanced by design modific.ations and ptocedure changes, provides reasonable assurance that an adequate level of fire safety will be maintained. Overall, the time to complete those corrective actions l related to the issues identified in the February 13, 1996, NOV is reasonable.

The NRC staff expects VYNPC to respond to the request for additional information dated September 20, 1996, by the requested date of November 4, 1996. VYNPC, in its letter dated October 28, 1996, committed to answer any subsequent technical questions from the NRC staff by December 15, 1996.

Therefore, VYNPC's responses to any additional information requests concerning the proposed exemptions up to this date must be sufficiently thorough and indepth to allow completion of the NRC staff's review. At the completion of this review, the NRC staff will take appropriate action regarding VYNPC's proposed exemptions relative to operation of the Vermont Yankee facility. .

Sincerely,

[ original signed by S. Varga] ,

Steven A. Varga, Director Division of Reactor Projects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271 1

cc: See next page DOCUMENT NAME: g:\VT.LTR *See previous concurrence To rrceive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" - Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment i / enclosure "N" = No copy 0FFICE PM:P01-1 lE LA:P01-1 l D$6ht l DM V l ADP h rf""? - I NAME CMarbuck:nw* Slittle* 'SBM M Sydir)( ) RZinsnerman M'L-DATE 10/29/96 10/29/ % 1W/9Q 1@ 10/2,D96 k _

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Pa. oncew.A Official Record Copy

D. Reid October 30, 1996 will be equipped with portable lanterns for use by operators. In addition, senior plant management will regularly verify implementation of these compensatory measures by direct observation. In its letters, VYNPC committed to maintain the compensatory measures until the proposed exemptions are processed by the NRC.

Based on the information provided by VYNPC in the correspondence noted above, the NRC staff has reviewed and verified the compensatory measures that VYNPC has implemented at Vermont Yankee. The NRC staff finds that the combination of Vermont Yankee's compensatory measures, and defense-in-depth fire protection features, recently enhanced by design modifications and procedure changes, provides reasonable assurance that an adequate level of fire safety will be maintained. Overall, the time to complete those corrective actions related to the issues identified in the February 13, 1996, NOV is reasonable.

The NRC staff expects VYNPC to respond to the request for additional information dated September 20, 1996, by the requested date of November 4, 1996. VYNPC, in its letter dated October 28, 1996, committed to answer any l subsequent technical questions from the NRC staff by December 15, 1996. l Therefore, VYNPC's responses to any additional information requests concerning the proposed exemptions up to this date must be sufficiently thorough and i indepth to allow completion of the NRC staff's review. At the completion of l this review, the NRC staff will take appropriate action regarding VYNPC's proposed exemptions relative to operation of the Vermont Yankee facility.

Si cerely, f mL even A. Varga, D <ector Division of Reactor rojects - I/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271 cc: See next page l

D. Reid Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station

, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation cc:

Regional Administrator, Region I G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Deputy Attorney General 475 Allendale Roaa 33 Capitol Street i King of Prussia, PA 19406 Concord, NH 03301-6937 1

i R. K. Gad, III Resident Inspector Ropes & Gray Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station One International Place U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Boston, MA 02110-2624 P.O. Box 176 Mr. Richard P. Sedano, Commissioner Vermont Department of Public Service Chief, Safety Unit 120 State Street, 3rd Floor Office of the Attorney General Montpelier, VT 05602 One Ashburton Place, 19th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Public Service Board State of Vermont Mr. David Rodham, Director 120 State Street ATTN: James Muckerheide Montpelier, VT 05602 Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency

. 400 Worcester Rd.

i Chairman, Board of Selectmen P.O. Box 1496 1 Town of Vernon Framingham, MA 01701-0317 P.O. Box 116 Vernon, VT 05354-0116 Mr. Raymond N. McCandless Vermont Division of Occupational Mr. Jay Thayer, Vice President and Radiological Health Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Administration Building Corporation Montpelier, VT 05602 Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05301 Mr. J. J. Duffy Licensing Engineer Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation 580 Main Street Bolton, MA 01740-1398 Mr. Robert J. Wanczyk, Plant Manager Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station P.O. Box 157, Governor Hunt Road Vernon, VT 05354 Mr. Ross B. Barkhurst, President Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05301

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OGC-ACRS l LDoerflein, RGN-1 RCooper, RGN-I  !

MVirgilio JWiggins, RGN-I.

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