ML021370684

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Reactor Vessel Head Degradation - Lessons-Learned Task Force and Charter - Memo to Arthur T. Howell, III, Region IV, from William Travers, EDO
ML021370684
Person / Time
Site: Davis Besse Cleveland Electric icon.png
Issue date: 05/15/2002
From: Travers W
NRC/EDO
To: Howell A
Division of Reactor Safety IV
References
Download: ML021370684 (4)


Text

May 15, 2002 MEMORANDUM TO: Arthur T. Howell, III, Director Division of Reactor Safety Region IV FROM: William D. Travers /RA/

Executive Director for Operations

SUBJECT:

DAVIS-BESSE REACTOR VESSEL HEAD DEGRADATION -

LESSONS-LEARNED TASK FORCE AND CHARTER The purpose of this memorandum is to assign you to lead an inter-office task force to assess the lessons-learned related to the degradation of the reactor vessel head at Davis-Besse. The objective of this Lessons-Learned Task Force is to conduct an independent evaluation of the NRC staffs regulatory processes related to assuring reactor vessel head integrity in order to identify and recommend areas of improvement applicable to the NRC and/or the industry.

As a result of the findings at Davis-Besse, a lessons-learned effort focusing on the NRCs processes is of high importance. The attached charter has been developed to define the objective, scope, expected product, schedule, staffing, and senior management interface. The scope of the task force effort will include the following five areas: reactor oversight process issues, regulatory process issues, research activities, applicable practices used in the international community, and the NRCs generic issue process.

As an independent task force, you will report to the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs. Should you identify concerns or issues that may need to be addressed by Davis-Besse prior to restart, you should coordinate with the Inspection Manual Chapter 0350 Panel Chairman.

Personnel selected as team members are identified in the attachment. The task force will periodically brief the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs and other senior managers regarding the progress of the task force. The task force will provide its observations, conclusions, and recommendations in the form of a written report consistent with the guidance provided in the attached charter.

Attachment:

As stated

CHARTER FOR THE DAVIS-BESSE REACTOR VESSEL HEAD DEGRADATION LESSONS-LEARNED TASK FORCE Objective The objective of this Lessons-Learned Task Force is to conduct an independent evaluation of the NRCs regulatory processes related to assuring reactor vessel head integrity in order to identify and recommend areas for improvement applicable to the NRC and/or the industry.

Scope The task force should address the following areas:

a. Reactor Oversight Process Issues - evaluate the underlying causes of the Davis-Besse reactor vessel head degradation, and assess whether enhancements to the NRCs reactor oversight process are warranted.
b. Regulatory Process Issues - evaluate regulations, the licensing review process, and other NRC regulatory processes such as generic communications to determine whether enhancements are warranted in light of the recent discovery of reactor vessel head degradation at Davis-Besse.
c. Research Activities - determine whether there are any issues associated with the NRC process of utilizing reactor operating experience and the results of various research programs, including research performed by NRC, to appropriately inform the regulatory process in light of the recent discovery of reactor vessel head degradation at Davis-Besse.
d. International Practices - identify and evaluate, to the extent practical, foreign regulatory practices relevant to the issues raised by the recent discovery of reactor vessel head degradation at Davis-Besse that may enhance NRC programs and practices.
e. Generic Issue Process - evaluate the NRC process for identifying and responding to emerging technical issues in light of the recent discovery of reactor vessel head degradation at Davis-Besse, including the implementation of short-term and long-term follow-on efforts by the licensee and NRC.

The scope of subjects considered by the task force should not necessarily be limited to those noted above. Should the task force decide to expand or otherwise revise the scope of the charter, the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs should be informed of any

2 significant changes to the charter or the topics of review. The task force may decide to recommend certain issues for consideration by the staff in the longer term.

The task force should also consider the results of a number of other on-going review activities.

These include: (1) the staffs reviews related to the technical root causes of the degradation of the Davis-Besse reactor vessel head; (2) the findings from the NRCs Augmented Inspection Team (AIT); (3) any findings associated with planned AIT followup inspections; and (4) IMC 0350 process review activities.

Expected Product and Schedule The task force will provide its observations, conclusions, and recommendations in the form of a written report to the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs. The task force review activities should be completed by September 3, 2002. The final issuance of the report should be coordinated with the completion of the review activities, noted above, as appropriate.

Staffing The task force will consist of the following members:

Team Leader: Arthur T. HowelI III, RIV Assistant Team Leader: Edwin M. Hackett, RES Administrative Assistant: To Be Determined Team Members: Russell L. Bywater, Jr., RIV Patrick I. Castleman, NMSS Joseph E. Donoghue, NRR Robert C. Haag, RII Thomas Koshy, NRR Ronald L. Lloyd, RES Other staff members may be consulted on a part-time basis.

Senior Management Interface The task force will report to the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs and will periodically brief senior management (Executive Director for Operations, Office Directors, Regional Administrators, or their designees) on the status of the effort and provide early identification of significant findings. In addition, the task force will regularly interface with the cognizant OEDO staff to keep them abreast of progress.

May 15, 2002 MEMORANDUM TO: Arthur T. Howell, III, Director Division of Reactor Safety Region IV FROM: William D. Travers /RA/

Executive Director for Operations

SUBJECT:

DAVIS-BESSE REACTOR VESSEL HEAD DEGRADATION -

LESSONS-LEARNED TASK FORCE AND CHARTER The purpose of this memorandum is to assign you to lead an inter-office task force to assess the lessons-learned related to the degradation of the reactor vessel head at Davis-Besse. The objective of this Lessons-Learned Task Force is to conduct an independent evaluation of the NRC staffs regulatory processes related to assuring reactor vessel head integrity in order to identify and recommend areas of improvement applicable to the NRC and/or the industry.

As a result of the findings at Davis-Besse, a lessons-learned effort focusing on the NRCs processes is of high importance. The attached charter has been developed to define the objective, scope, expected product, schedule, staffing, and senior management interface. The scope of the task force effort will include the following five areas: reactor oversight process issues, regulatory process issues, research activities, applicable practices used in the international community, and the NRCs generic issue process.

As an independent task force, you will report to the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs. Should you identify concerns or issues that may need to be addressed by Davis-Besse prior to restart, you should coordinate with the Inspection Manual Chapter 0350 Panel Chairman.

Personnel selected as team members are identified in the attachment. The task force will periodically brief the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs and other senior managers regarding the progress of the task force. The task force will provide its observations, conclusions, and recommendations in the form of a written report consistent with the guidance provided in the attached charter.

Attachment:

As stated DISTRIBUTION:

HMiller, RI LReyes, RII JDyer, RIII RBorchardt, NRR SCollins, NRR AThadani, RES JDunnLee, OIP DMatthews, NRR HBell, OIG WBeecher, OPA KCyr, OGC ADAMS MVirglio, NMSS JFunches, OCFO PLohaus, OSP PUBLIC GCaputo, OI DRathbun, OCA PBird, HR WDean, NRR JGrobe, RIII EHackett, RES RLloyd, RES TKoshy, NRR RHaag, RII CThomas, RIII RBywater, RIV PCastleman, NMSS EMerschoff, RIV BSheron, NRR JZwolinski, NRR LMarsh, NRR CCasto, RII RBarrett, NRR DOCUMENT NAME: G:\Davis Besse\davisbessecharterRev6.wpd ADAMS Accession Number: ML021370684 *Please see previous concurrence.

INDICATE IN BOX: C=COPY W/O ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE, E=COPY W/ATT/ENCL, N=NO COPY OFFICE RIV:DRS:D E DEDO EDO NAME AHowell:ath* WFKane:wfk* WDTravers:wdt*

DATE 05/14/02 05/14/02 05/15/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY