ML20199C631

Forwards Insp Repts 50-336/98-05 & 50-423/98-05 on 981006- 1123 & Notice of Violation.Violations Involved Failure to Demonstrate That Repairs to Fire Penetration Seals Satisfied Testing & Configuration Requirements of Plant Fire Program

ML20199C631
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	01/07/1999
From:	Durr J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Bowling M, Loftus P NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY CO.
Shared Package
ML20199C636	List: IR 05000336/1998005 ML20199C631 ML20199C638
References
50-336-98-05, 50-336-98-5, 50-423-98-05, 50-423-98-5, NUDOCS 9901190032
Download: ML20199C631 (4)

See also: IR 05000336/1998005

Text

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January 7,1999

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Mr. M. L. Bowling, Recovery Officer, Technical Services

C/o Patricia Loftus, Director - Regulatory

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Affairs for Millstone Station

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Northeast Nuclear Energy Company

P.O. Box 128

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Waterford, Connecticut 06385

SUBJECT: NRC COMBINED INSPECTION 50-336/98-05;50-423/98-05and NOTICE OF

VIOLATION

Dear Mr. Bowling:

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On November 23,1998, the NRC completed an inspection period at Millstone Units 2 & 3

reactor facilities. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspection.

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- During the 7-week period covered by this inspection, your conduct of activities at the

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Millstone facilities was generally characterized by safety-conscious and conservative

management decisions relating to plant safety, sound engineering and maintenance

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practices, and careful radiological work controls. Nevertheless, a series of operational

challenges continues to impact Unit 3 performance, which are discussed below. Also, we

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are concerned about a violation of NRC requirements that was identified at Unit 2.

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' The NRC identified a violation at Unit 2 which involved the failure to demonstrate, either

by documentation or field walkdowns, that repairs to 18 fire barrier penetration seals and

the installation of one seal satisfied the testing and configuration requirements of the

Millstone 2 fire protection program. This is a concern, because at the time of the

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inspection, you were unable to demonstrate the adequacy of the fire barrier installations.

Please note that 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, to determine whether further enforcement action is necessary

to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Also at Unit 2, we noted that your self-assessment of the Material, Equipment, and Parts

Lbt (MEPL) Program was of high quality and very self-critical, particularly regarding the

disposition of MEPL-related non-conformance reports (NCRs). Your previous self-

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assessment, as well as several NRC inspection reports over the past two years, have

. discussed the inadequate justification in NCRs for the "use as is" disposition for MEPL

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- upgrades. We are concerned that at this point in the recovery process, your efforts have

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not been effective in addressing this concern. Increased management attention to address

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this restart issue is warranted.

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100033

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9901190032 990107

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PDR

ADOCK 05000336

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PDR

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Mr. M. L. Bowling

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During this inspection period, the Unit 3 operators initiated two manual trips of the reactor

in accordance with plant procedures. One trip resulted from an equipment problem; and

the other trip was weather related, but with some causal relationship to other equipment

performance issues. Our review of your response to these events confirmed proper

operator response to the plant and equipment challenges. Similarly, our review of your

corrective actions to the enforcement items issued as a result of our operational safety

team inspection (OSTI) of Unit 3 found acceptable responses on the part of your staff,

particularly in the operations area. While we recognize this overall operational performance

represents an improvement, we believe that continued management attention must be

directed to not only sustained operational performance at the observed higher threshold,

but also a reduction in the backlogged list of equipment problems and other issues that

have the potential to create future operational challenges to your Unit 3 operations staff.

In this vein, your Unit 3 theme for a renewed " operational focus" is well served, but must

be directed toward all areas and departments affecting plant operations, in order to be fully

effective,

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

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

Sincerely,

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

Jacque P. Durr, Chief

Millstone Inspection Branch

Docket Nos.

50-336

50-423

Enclosures:

1.

Notice of Violation

2.

NRC Combined Inspection Report 50-336/98-05:50-423/98-05

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Mr. M. L. Bowling

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cc w/ench

B. Kenyon, President and Chief Executive Officer - Nuclear Group

L. Olivier, Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer

M. H. Brothers, Vice President - Operations

R. Necci, Vice President - Nuclear Oversight and Regulatory Affairs

C. J. Schwarz, Director - Unit 3

J. A. Price, Director - Unit 2

D. Amerine, Vice President - Human Services

E. Harkness, Director, Unit 1 Operations

J. Althouse, Manager - Nuclear Training Assessment Group

F. C. Rothen, Vice President, Work Services

J. Cantrell, Director - Nuclear Training (CT)

S. J. Sherman, Audits and Evaluation

L. M. Cuoco, Esquire

J. R. Egan, Esquire

V. Juliano, Waterford Library

J. Buckingham, Department of Public Utility Control

S. B. Comley, We The People

State of Connecticut SLO Designee

D. Katz, Citizens Awareness Network (CAN)

R. Bassilakis, CAN

J. M. Block, Attorney, CAN

S. P. Luxton, Citizens Regulatory Commission (CRC)

Representative T. Concannon

E. Woollacott, Co-Chairman, NEAC

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Mr. M. L. Bowling

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Distribution w/ encl:

Region I Docket Room (with sony of concurrences)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

PUBLIC

FILE CENTER, NRR (with Oriainsi concurrences)

Millstone inspection Directorate Secretarial File, Region i

NRC Resident inspector

H. Miller, Regional Administrator, R1

W. Axelson, Deputy Regional Administrator, R1(Inspection Reports)

8. Jones, PIMB/ DISP

W. Lanning, Director, Millstone inspection Directorate, R1

D. Screnci, PAO

Distribution w/enci (VIA E-MAIL):

J. Andersen, PM, NRR

M. Callahan, OCA

R. Correia, NRR

B. McCabe, OEDO

S. Dembak, PM, NRR

E. Imbro, Director, Millstone ICAVP inspections, NRR

W. Dean, Director, Millstone Project Directorate, NRR

H. Pastis, NRR (Employee Concerns Only)

P. Kottay, Chief, ICAVP Oversight, NRR

inspection Program Branch

DOCDESK (Inspection Reports Only)

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DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\TEMPFILE\\lR9805.u23

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

attachment / enclosure

"E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure

"N" = No copy

OFFICE

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NAME

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DATE

1/7/99

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01/ /99

01/ /99

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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