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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Public Affairs, Region I

475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19401

Phone: 610/337-5330 Fax: 610/337-5241

Internet: dps@nrc.gov or nas@nrc.gov

I-97-24 March 11, 1997

Contact: Diane Screnci FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Neil A. Sheehan

NRC STAFF PROPOSES $160,000 FINE FOR DUQUESNE LIGHT COMPANY

FOR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS AT BEAVER VALLEY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed a $160,000

civil penalty against Duquesne Light Company for alleged

violations of NRC requirements at its Beaver Valley nuclear power

plant, in Shippingport, Pa.

Four of the alleged violations stem from inadequate control

over repairs to the Unit 2 reactor head vent system last

December. The fifth pertains to a failure to identify and

correct ˇ for roughly 13 years ˇ the improper positioning of two

isolation valves for power operated relief valves on Unit 1.

In the case of the head vent system repair violations, the

violations were found after the NRC staff asked questions about

system leak testing adequacy in December. While trying to halt a

small leak from a blind flange, or piping collar, downstream of a

normally shut 1-inch isolation valve, a vendor hired by the

company had injected sealant into the Unit 2 head vent system.

The head vent system is located at the top of the reactor vessel

and is used to vent gases and relieve pressure, when needed.

However, in preparing for the injection, plant engineering staff

erred in specifying the temperature constraints for the sealant's

application.

Consequently, the sealant failed to harden properly,

migrated to unintended portions of the head vent system and

degraded the proper operation of the system's flow control

valves, due to sealant accumulating on valve seats. In addition,

the procedural controls used during the work were not

commensurate with its safety importance, and the vendor

procedures used to perform the repairs had not been properly

reviewed and approved.

Although the head vent system relief flow paths were not

completely blocked at the time of the plant staff's investigation

of the problem, the sealant would have hardened over a long

period of time and may have caused the flow control valves to

remain stuck in the closed position, thereby blocking the flow

paths and rendering the system inoperable.
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The proposed fine for these violations is $110,000.

The fifth alleged violation, dealing with the positioning of

Unit 1 relief valves, was discovered during an NRC inspection

conducted at the plant from September 29 to November 16, 1996.

It was determined that two of three pressurizer power-operated

relief valve block valves had been left in the shut position, a

situation contrary to plant design and a change performed without

a required safety evaluation. Further, plant employees missed

several chances between 1981 and 1996 to identify the problem,

assess the associated risk significance and correct the

situation.

Plant officials said the valves were originally closed as a

temporary measure to address leakage and seismic concerns. But

piping modifications were completed in 1981 to alleviate the

seismic concerns and the leakage was resolved in 1982-83. NRC

thus considers it a significant condition adverse to safe

operation for these valves to be left closed. This finding takes

on additional regulatory significance in light of the recent

discovery of other incorrectly positioned equipment.

The proposed fine for that alleged violation is $50,000.

Duquense Light Company has 30 days either to pay the

proposed fine or to request in writing that part or all of it be

withdrawn.

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