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	CONTACT:	Breck Henderson (817) 860-8128/e-mail: bwh@nrc.gov

RIV: 97-54

September 18, 1997

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold a predecisional enforcement conference next week with officials of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to discuss two apparent violations of NRC requirements at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.

The conference will begin at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22, at the NRC Region IV office in Arlington, Texas. PG&E operates the Diablo Canyon plant near Avila Beach, California. The meeting will be open to the public for observation; NRC officials will be available afterwards for questions.

The apparent violations to be discussed were discovered during an NRC inspection of Diablo Canyon conducted from Aug. 4 to 22. The first apparent violation concerns PG&E's failure to properly address numerous instances in which certain valves became clogged with debris contrary to NRC's maintenance rules.

The valves in question are part of a floor drain system for the auxiliary saltwater system pumps located in the intake structure common to Units 1 and 2. They are designed to help prevent flooding of the intake structure and the pumps, which are important to the plant's safe operation and shutdown capability. Flooding could occur following a pipe break or as a result of a tidal wave. The second apparent violation involves PG&E's failure to properly document the valve clogging problems.

The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not mean that NRC has made a final determination that violations did occur or that enforcement action, such as a monetary fine, will be taken. The purpose is to discuss the apparent violations, the cause and safety significance; to provide PG&E an opportunity to challenge or correct portions of the NRC inspection report; and for the licensee to outline its corrective actions.

No decision on the apparent violations or any enforcement action will be made at the conference. Those decisions will be made later by senior NRC officials.