ML031490749

April 17, 2003 - RIC 2003 Presentation - T3 - James J. Sheppard - Risk Informed Activities

ML031490749
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	04/17/2003
From:	Sheppard J South Texas
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
RIC 2003
Download: ML031490749 (5)

Text

RIC 2003 Risk-Informed Activities, Session T3 South Texas Experience Implementing an Option 2-type Process for Categorization and Treatment Mr. J. Joe Sheppard President and CEO South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company April 17, 2003

Proto-type Pilot for Option 2:

Strengthening Nuclear Safety While Reducing Costs

• STP sought, received an exemption from certain special treatment requirements of 10CFR Parts 21, 50, and 100 for components categorized as Low and Non-Risk Significant

- Exemption granted 08/03/01

- based on an approved risk-informed categorization process

- this was the proto-type for the industrys 50.69 activities

• Experience to date has shown good coherence for enhanced nuclear safety through risk-informed regulation

- reduced burdens on both STP and NRC

- allows better focus on safety significant SSCs

- strengthens safety culture 2

Categorization & Implementation Status

• 43 systems (over 51,000 components) categorized to date

- Only 22% of safety-related SSCs have been determined to be safety significant (Box 1)

- About 1% of non-safety related SSCs have been determined to be safety significant

• Implementation proceeding deliberately on strategically selected programs

- LLRTs: 57% reduction in required testing

- Maint. Rule: 15 systems removed from scope

- Valve Stroke Time Testing: 70 tests eliminated in U-2 outage

- Relief Valve Testing: 162 valves eliminated from scope of IST 3

Implementation / Insights Gained

- PM activities: 5 man-year labor savings, $60K in parts

- Procurement: $261K savings noted in 2002

• These savings on Low Safety Significant SSCs has allowed stronger focus on High Safety Significant SSCs

- culture becoming risk-fluent - recognizing appropriate treatments based on risk insights

• PRA Model changes must be carefully controlled

- Risk rank changes now directly impact treatment of SSCs

• Categorization decisions must be clearly documented

• Need to guard against mis-applications of component categorizations 4

Closing Thoughts

• STP continues to cautiously and deliberately implement the Exemption allowances - still early in the process

• Intended STP objectives are being achieved, that is, to enhance safety focus while reducing burden

• STP approach has demonstrated that a coherent risk-informed program can be mutually beneficial by enhancing safety while reducing burden

• Current industry Option 2 offers a significant opportunity to enhance nuclear safety while improving cost performance 5