ML20140G108

Forwards Insp Rept 50-306/97-06 on 970311-17 & Notice of Violation

ML20140G108
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	04/30/1997
From:	Caldwell J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Wadley M NORTHERN STATES POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20140G111	List: IR 05000306/1997006 ML20140G108 ML20140G117
References
50-306-97-06, 50-306-97-6, NUDOCS 9705060388
Download: ML20140G108 (2)

See also: IR 05000306/1997006

Text

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April 30, 1997 ,

l

Mr. M. Wadley, Vice President

} Nuclear Generation

Northern States Power Company

l 414 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, MN 55401

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SUBJECT: NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-306/97006 AND

l NOTICE OF VIOLATION

'

Dear Mr. Wadley:

On March 17,1997, the NRC completed a special inspection at your Prairie Island Nuclear

Generating Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.

l The purpose of this inspection was to review the circumstances of a Unit 2 shutdown

operations event on the night of March 6-7,1997, involving a planned drain of coolant

from the reactor coolant system. Due to a non-licensed operator's valve tagging error, the

l drain was conducted without the system vented. Without an adequate vent path, the

instrumentation that control room operators used to monitor the drain was not

'

representative of the amount of inventory drained from the system. Consequently, more  !

coolant than intended was drained from the system and a gas void developed in the high

points of the reactor coolant system.

Although there was no adverse impact on decay heat removal capability, this event

represents a loss of control of a plant evolution. We identified weaknesses in the 1

, procedures used for the evolution, your evaluation of the impact of a change in plant

configuration to establish a vent path, plant configuration control, and interpretation of

1

available data by control room operators during the evolution.

1

Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC has determined that two violations of NRC

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requirements occurred. The violations are cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice) )

and the circumstances surrounding them are described in detail in the subject inspection

. report.

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

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

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

! regulatory requirements.

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9705060388 970430 , , , h, h, ffllf

PDR ADOCK 05000306 *

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l * M. Wadley -2-

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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 (PDR).

Sincerely,

/s/ J. L. Caldwell

J. L. Caldwell, Director

Division of Reactor Projects

Docket No.: 50 306

License No.: DPR-60

Enclosures: Notice of Violation

inspection Report 50-306/97006

cc w/ encl: Plant Manager, Prairie Island >

l John W. Forman, Ph.D.,

l Nuclear Engineer, MPCA

State Liaison Officer, State

,

of Minnesota

l State Liaison Officer, State

of Wisconsin

Tribal Council

Prairie Island Dakota Community

Distribution:

l Docket File w/ encl DRP w/ encl

l PUBLIC IE-01 w/ encl Rill PRR w/enci

l OC/LFDCB w/enct Prairie Island PM, NRR w/enci

l SRI Prairie Island w/enci CAA1 w/enci(E-mail)

Monticello w/ encl A. B. Beach, w/ encl

Rill Enf. Coordinator, w/ encl DRS (2) w/enci

Deputy RA, w/ encl TSS w/enci

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