PNO-I-99-022, on 990509,Millstone Unit 2 Established Reactor Criticality.Nrc Staff Providing Augmented Insp Coverage of Restart Activities,Including round-the-clock Observations of Licensee Activities During Key Operational Evolutions

PNO-I-99-022:on 990509,Millstone Unit 2 Established Reactor Criticality.Nrc Staff Providing Augmented Insp Coverage of Restart Activities,Including round-the-clock Observations of Licensee Activities During Key Operational Evolutions

ML20206J144
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	05/11/1999
From:	David Beaulieu, Linville J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
References
PNO-I-99-022, PNO-I-99-22, NUDOCS 9905120129
Download: ML20206J144 (1)

May 11, 1999 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-I-99-022 This pnliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or- public interest significance. The information is as initially received known without,I by Rbgion staff in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania on this date. verifica Facility Licensee Emeroency C1assif1 cation Northea A Utilities Notification of Unusual Event Millstone 2 Alert Waterford. Connecticut Site Area Emergency Dockets: 50-336 General Emergency X Not Applicable

Subject:

MILLSTONE UNIT 2 CRITICALITY Millstene Unit 2 established reactor criticality at 1:48 p.m. on May 9,1999, and entered Operational Mode 1 at 3:21 a.m. on May 10, 1999.

This was the first entry into Mode 1 since the unit was shut down on February 20, 1996, for operational and engineering problems.

4 Subsequently, all three illistone units were constrained from critical operations by NRC Order, and required a Commission vote for restart. On ,

A3ril 28,1999, the Commission authorized the restart of Unit 2, once the i NRC staff agreed that appropriate pre-operational steps had been taken.

At that time, the Commission transferred responsibility to the NRC Executive Director for Operations (E00) for verification that all renaining restart-related actions had been completed, including authorization to restart Unit 2. The NRC Restart Assessment Panel (RAP) verified that the licensee completed all remaining restart-related actions, including closure of relevant items of Ins)ection Manual Chapter 0350. On April 29, 1999, after conferring with the RAP, the ED0 approved the authorization to restart Millstone Unit 2.

The NRC Staff is providing augmented inspection coverage of restart activities, including round-the-clock observations of licensee activities 4

during key operational evolutions. The licensee's power ascensions program includes a planned self-assessment of performance at four intermediate hold points (at approximately 30 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent and 90 percent power). The NRC confirmed that the licensee will discuss the results of these assessments with the staff, along with the disposition of any NRC concerns, prior to increasing power to the next holdpoint. The NRC will also review the company's-100 percent power level assessment before concurring that the restart and power ascension process was successfully completed.

The NRC issued a 3ress release on April 29,1999, in conjunction with the decision by the E)0 to authorize Unit 2 restart. Various congressional, state, and local authorities and interested organizations were notified of. the NRC restart decision.

The'$tates of Connecticut and New York have been notified of restart and current plant. status.

f ofl Cortact: David Beaulieu James Linville (860)447-3170 (610)337-5129 9905120129 990511 I 99-022 PDR ,

wica