IR 05000269/2022012

Safety Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Followup Report 05000269/2022012 and 05000270/2022012 and 05000287/2022012

ML22054A294
Person / Time
Site:	Oconee
Issue date:	02/24/2022
From:	Eric Stamm NRC/RGN-II/DRP/RPB1
To:	Snider S Duke Energy Carolinas
References
IR 2022012
Download: ML22054A294 (7)

Text

February 24, 2022

SUBJECT:

OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION - SAFETY-CONSCIOUS WORK ENVIRONMENT ISSUE OF CONCERN FOLLOWUP REPORT 05000269/2022012 AND 05000270/2022012 AND 05000287/2022012

Dear Mr. Snider:

On January 28, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an inspection at Oconee Nuclear Station. On January 31, 2022, the NRC inspectors discussed the results of this inspection with you and other members of your staff. The results of this inspection are documented in the enclosed report.

No findings or violations of more than minor significance were identified during this inspection.

This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html, and at the NRC Public Document Room, in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Eric J. Stamm, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 1 Division of Reactor Projects

Docket Nos. 05000269 and 05000270 and 05000287 License Nos. DPR-38 and DPR-47 and DPR-55

Enclosure:

As stated

Inspection Report

Docket Numbers: 05000269, 05000270, and 05000287

License Numbers: DPR-38, DPR-47, and DPR-55

Report Numbers: 05000269/2022012, 05000270/2022012, and 05000287/2022012

Licensee: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

Facility: Oconee Nuclear Station

Location: Seneca, South Carolina

Inspection Dates: January 24, 2022 to January 28, 2022

Inspectors: D. Jackson, Senior Project Engineer M. Keefe-Forsyth, Safety Culture Program Manager M. Toth, Senior Project Engineer D. Willis, Safety Culture Assessor

Approved By: Eric J. Stamm, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 1 Division of Reactor Projects

Enclosure

SUMMARY

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the licensees performance by conducting a Safety-Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Followup Inspection at Oconee Nuclear Station, in accordance with the Reactor Oversight Process. The Reactor Oversight Process is the NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors. Refer to https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/oversight.html for more information.

List of Findings and Violations

No findings or violations of more than minor significance were identified.

Additional Tracking Items

None.

INSPECTION SCOPES

Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs) in effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with their attached revision histories are located on the public website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. Samples were declared complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met, consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2515, Light-Water Reactor Inspection Program - Operations Phase. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards.

OTHER ACTIVITIES - BASELINE

===71152A - Annual Follow-up Problem Identification and Resolution

Annual Follow-up of Selected Issues (Section 03.03) (1 Partial)

The inspectors reviewed the licensees implementation of its corrective action program related to the following issue:

(1) (Partial)

Action Request (AR)

OTHER ACTIVITIES

- TEMPORARY INSTRUCTIONS, INFREQUENT AND ABNORMAL

93100 - Safety-Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Followup

Safety-Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Followup===

(1) NRC inspectors and qualified safety culture assessors performed a limited assessment of the safety-conscious work environment (SCWE) of the Oconee Nuclear Station Operations department. The objectives of the assessment were to:

(1) determine whether corrective actions (via AR 02351953) taken by Duke Energy have improved the work environment in the Operations department, and assess the current SCWE within the Operations department;

(2) determine if employees are currently reluctant to raise safety or regulatory issues; and

(3) determine if employees are currently being discouraged from raising safety or regulatory issues.

Individual interviews were conducted with approximately 39 percent of personnel in the Operations department, including licensed operators, non-licensed operators, and management, across all shifts. Individuals were randomly selected for the interviews.

The inspectors also reviewed case files of the Employee Concerns Program, Operations Performance Trending reports, and condition reports and corrective actions associated with safety culture and SCWE.

INSPECTION RESULTS

Assessment 93100 Corrective actions associated with Action Request 02351953:

The team determined that, generally, the corrective actions implemented for AR 02351953, initiated in response to NRC SCWE inspection for the Operations department, documented in integrated inspection report 05000269, 270, 287/2020003 (ADAMS Accession Number ML20309A672), were adequate, with one observation. Specifically, assignment 75 addressed the perception amongst some personnel that raising concerns may be viewed negatively, and adversely impact selection for licensed operator class, identified during the last inspection. Based on the results of the interviews conducted during the current inspection, there is still a perception that there may be hesitancy in some personnel to raise non-safety and non-regulatory concerns (e.g., resources, overtime, work-life balance, corporate business processes and policy) because they may not be selected for licensed operator class.

Willingness to raise safety or regulatory issues:

Based on individual interviews conducted with approximately 39 percent of personnel in the Operations department, the team determined that, generally, employees felt free to raise nuclear safety concerns without fear of retaliation.

Encouragement of raising safety or regulatory issues:

The team determined that, overall, licensee management fostered a safety-conscious work environment.

Overall assessment of SCWE:

The team did not note any current indications of a chilled work environment within the Operations department. However, the team noted some general (non-safety) work environment issues that may represent challenges to the free flow of information, which could eventually produce a reluctance to raise nuclear safety concerns if not proactively addressed. These issues include the license class selection process, as described above, along with negative perceptions of management feedback and communications regarding resource and business process concerns raised.

EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS

The inspectors verified no proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.

On January 31, 2022, the inspectors presented the Safety-Conscious Work Environment Issue of Concern Followup Inspection results to Steven Snider and other members of the licensee staff.

DOCUMENTS REVIEWED

Inspection Type Designation Description or Title Revision or

Procedure Date

93100 Corrective Action AR 02351953

Documents

Miscellaneous Operations ONS Performance Trending Report - 1st Triannual

Period 2021

Operations ONS Performance Trending Report - 2nd Triannual

Period 2021

Procedures AD-OP-ALL-0300 Operator Progression and Pipeline 3

Self-Assessments 02396459-05

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