ML031250433

Summary of Public Meeting with American Electric Power Co., to Discuss D.C. Cook End of Cycle Plant Performance Assessment

ML031250433
Person / Time
Site:	Cook
Issue date:	04/21/2003
From:	Eric Duncan NRC/RGN-III/DRP/RPB6
To:
References
Download: ML031250433 (4)

Text

April 21, 2003 LICENSEE: American Electric Power Company FACILITY: D.C. Cook Nuclear Power Station

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 10, 2003, REGULATORY PERFORMANCE MEETING WITH AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER On April 10, 2003, a public meeting was held at the Park Inn, Stevensville, Michigan, between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and American Electric Power Company staff. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the NRCs assessment of D.C. Cooks performance for the period of January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2002, and to discuss the status of corrective actions associated with two White findings which resulted in D.C. Cook being placed in the Degraded Cornerstone column of the Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, Operating Assessment Program, Action Matrix. The slides presented that evening by the NRC and the licensee are available in ADAMS (accession numbers ML030920499 and ML031070320).

Attached to this letter is a list of participants in the meeting.

During the NRC presentation, an overall assessment of D.C. Cook performance was provided.

As explained in the Annual Assessment letter from the NRC to Mr. A. C. Bakken III, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Generating Group, American Electric Power, dated March 4, 2003, reference ADAMS accession number ML030640193, D.C. Cook operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety.

In addition to presenting a summary of the NRCs assessment of D.C. Cook Performance last year, the NRC staff provided a summary of the results of a recent Supplemental Inspection. In late February 2003, the NRC performed Supplemental Inspection Procedure 95002, Inspection For One Degraded Cornerstone or Any Three White Inputs In A Strategic Performance Area.

This inspection resulted in the determination that the licensees evaluation of the two White findings was incomplete because an adequate extent of condition review for the root and contributing causes had not yet been performed. Specifically, the extent of condition reviews for maintenance procedure adequacy and condition report evaluation and closure for equipment-related issues, which were two important causes for both of the White findings, were not adequately completed. The NRC considered this to be a significant weakness with the licensees evaluation of the issues and resulted in both of the White findings that contributed to the Degraded Cornerstone remaining open.

Following the NRC staffs presentation, licensee management acknowledged that D.C. Cook operational performance was in need of improvement, and that there were problems with implementation of the site corrective action program. Mr. Pollock, Site Vice President, discussed site performance in 2002, noting that improvements have been made in some areas, though repetitive equipment problems, poor corrective action implementation, and human performance problems resulted in challenges to plant operators. Mr. Finissi, Plant Manager, discussed efforts being taken to improve human performance including the focus being placed

on accountability, leadership, and quality. Mr. Giessner, Chair, Equipment Reliability Steering Committee, discussed actions being taken to improve equipment reliability including the strategy and process being used, accomplishments, and challenges. Mr. Noonan, Performance Assurance Director, discussed corrective action program implementation problems and challenges, and actions being taken to address these problems. Mr. Noonan stated that based on the results of the NRC Problem Identification and Resolution team inspection and the recent 95002 Supplemental Inspection, inconsistent corrective action closure was the pre-dominant problem. The licensee conducted a root cause evaluation for this problem and have initiated actions to improve performance in this area including the issuance of a stop work order, and implementation of a Corrective Action Closure Board.

Throughout the licensees presentations on human performance, equipment reliability, and corrective actions, the NRC staff questioned the licensee staff on details regarding the actions being taken, or planned, to improve performance at D.C. Cook. The meeting concluded with Mr. G. Grant, Director, Division of Reactor Projects, Region III, and Mr. J. Dyer, Regional Administrator, Region III, summarizing the results of the NRCs assessment of performance at D.C. Cook, and reiterating the need for D.C. Cook to take thorough and comprehensive action to address the operational and process implementation problems that were indicative of performance at D.C. Cook during the past year.

Before adjourning the meeting the NRC provided the opportunity for members of the public to ask questions.

/RA/

Eric R. Duncan, Chief Branch 6 Division of Reactor Projects cc: J. Dyer, Regional Administrator J. Caldwell, Deputy Regional Administrator G. Grant, Director, DRP S. Reynolds, Deputy Director, DRP E. Duncan, Chief, Branch 6, DRP L. Kozak, Project Engineer, DRP B. Kemker, SRI, D.C. Cook I. Netzel, RI, D.C. Cook Please see previous concurrence.

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\Branch TSS\EOC Ltrs\eoc 030403\Mtg.Summaries\ML031250433.wpd To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box:"C" = Copy without enclosure "E"= Copy with enclosure"N"= No copy OFFICE RIII RIII NAME TVegel/co EDuncan DATE 04/17/03 04/21/03

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Enclosure Meeting Participants April 10, 2003 D. C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Annual and Regulatory Performance Meeting Name Organization Sam Collins NRC, Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Jim Dyer NRC, Regional Administrator, Region III Geoffrey Grant NRC, Director, Division of Reactor Projects (DRP),

Region III Anton Vegel NRC, DRP, RIII Eric Duncan NRC, DRP, RIII Brian Kemker NRC, Senior Resident Inspector, DRP, RIII Ivy Netzel NRC, Resident Inspector, DRP, RIII John Stang NRC, Senior Project Manager, NRR Chris Bakken Senior Vice President, AEP Joe Pollock Site Vice President, AEP Mike Finissi Plant Manager, AEP Jack Giesner Equipment Reliability Steering Committee, AEP Tom Noonan Director, Performance Assurance, AEP