ML033520149
| ML033520149 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 12/16/2003 |
| From: | Brian Benney NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4 |
| To: | Parrish J Energy Northwest |
| Benney B, NRR/DLPM, 415-3764 | |
| References | |
| TAC MC1255 | |
| Download: ML033520149 (5) | |
Text
December 16, 2003 Mr. J. V. Parrish Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 (Mail Drop 1023)
Richland, WA 99352-0968
SUBJECT:
REVISION 10 TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION FOR COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION (TAC NO. MC1255)
Dear Mr. Parrish:
By letter dated October 23, 2003, Energy Northwest submitted a change to the quality assurance program description for Columbia Generating Station in accordance with the provisions of 10 CFR 50.54(a). Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.54(a)(4), Energy Northwest identified the change as one that constitutes a reduction in commitment and, therefore, requires NRC approval prior to implementation. The reduction in commitment proposes a change in the responsibilities of the Plant Operations Committee.
Our review and the basis for finding the proposed change to be acceptable are documented in the enclosed safety evaluation. The reduction in commitment continues to satisfy the guidelines of ANSI N18.7, as endorsed by Regulatory Guide 1.33, Revision 2, "Quality Assurance Requirements (Operation)," and is, therefore, acceptable.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-3764.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Brian Benney, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation cc w/encl: See next page
December 16, 2003 Mr. J. V. Parrish Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 (Mail Drop 1023)
Richland, WA 99352-0968
SUBJECT:
REVISION 10 TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION FOR COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION (TAC NO. MC1255)
Dear Mr. Parrish:
By letter dated October 23, 2003, Energy Northwest submitted a change to the quality assurance program description for Columbia Generating Station in accordance with the provisions of 10 CFR 50.54(a). Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.54(a)(4), Energy Northwest identified the change as one that constitutes a reduction in commitment and, therefore, requires NRC approval prior to implementation. The reduction in commitment proposes a change in the responsibilities of the Plant Operations Committee.
Our review and the basis for finding the proposed change to be acceptable are documented in the enclosed safety evaluation. The reduction in commitment continues to satisfy the guidelines of ANSI N18.7, as endorsed by Regulatory Guide 1.33, Revision 2, "Quality Assurance Requirements (Operation)," and is, therefore, acceptable.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-3764.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Brian Benney, Project Manager, Section 2 Project Directorate IV Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397 DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC
Enclosure:
Safety Evaluation PDIV-2 Reading RidsNrrDlpmPdiv (HBerkow) cc w/encl: See next page RidsPMBBenney RidsLAEPeyton RidsOgcRp RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsRegionIVMailCenter (B. Jones)
DThatcher SDennis ACCESSION NO.: ML033520149 NRR-106 OFFICE PDIV-2/PM PDIV-2/LA SC:IEPB:DIPM PDIV-2/SC NAME BBenney EPeyton DFThatcher SDembek DATE 12/16/03 12/16/03 12/16/03 12/16/03 DOCUMENT NAME: C:\\ORPCheckout\\FileNET\\ML033520149.wpd OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Columbia Generating Station cc:
Mr. Dale Atkinson (Mail Drop PE08)
Vice President, Technical Services Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Mr. Albert E. Mouncer (Mail Drop PE01)
Vice President, Corporate Services/
General Counsel/CFO Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Chairman Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council P.O. Box 43172 Olympia, WA 98504-3172 Mr. D. W. Coleman (Mail Drop PE20)
Manager, Performance Assessment and Regulatory Programs Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Ms. Christina Perino (Mail Drop PE20)
Manager, Licensing Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Regional Administrator, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4005 Chairman Benton County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 190 Prosser, WA 99350-0190 Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 69 Richland, WA 99352-0069 Mr. Rodney L. Webring (Mail Drop PE04)
Vice President, Nuclear Generation Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Thomas C. Poindexter, Esq.
Winston & Strawn 1400 L Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005-3502 Mr. Bob Nichols Executive Policy Division Office of the Governor P.O. Box 43113 Olympia, WA 98504-3113 Ms. Lynn Albin Washington State Department of Health P.O. Box 7827 Olympia, WA 98504-7827
SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION PROPOSED REVISION 10 TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM ENERGY NORTHWEST COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-397
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated October 23, 2003, Energy Northwest (the licensee), submitted a change to the quality assurance (QA) program for the Columbia Generating Station, in accordance with the provisions of 10 CFR 50.54(a).
The licensee has determined that the change to the QA program constitutes a reduction in commitment, as specified by 10 CFR 50.54(a)(4), and requires NRC approval prior to implementation. This change would clarify the licensees commitment to ANSI N18.7-1976, "Administrative Controls and Quality Assurance for the Operational Phase of Nuclear Power Plants," regarding the responsibilities of the Plant Operations Committee (POC) which is the independent review body.
2.0 REGULATORY EVALUATION
Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.33, Revision 2, "Quality Assurance Requirements (Operation),"
describes a method acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with the Commission's regulations with regard to overall QA program requirements for the operational phase of nuclear power plants and endorses the guidelines of ANSI N18.7-1976 subject to the regulatory position of RG 1.33, Revision 2, Section C.Section II.2 of Chapter 13.4, "Operational Review," of the Standard Review Plan, Revision 4, states that the independent review function should meet the guidelines described in Section 4.3 of ANSI N18.7.
The licensees QA program conforms to RG 1.33, Revision 2, and is described in the "Operational Quality Assurance Program Description (OQAPD)" (Procedure No.
WPPSS-QA-004, Revision 9). Section 2.0 of the OQAPD describes the review and audit responsibilities of the licensee's POC.
Appendix III, Section 2.1.6.e, of the OQAPD, describes a POC responsibility function to investigate, prepare, and forward reports of all violations of the plant or independent spent fuel storage installation technical specifications. The OQAPD states the following in Appendix III, Section 2.1.6.e.
Investigation of all violations of the plant or Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation technical specifications, including the preparation and forwarding of reports covering the evaluation and recommendations to prevent recurrence, to the Chief Nuclear Officer and to the Corporate Nuclear Safety Review Board.
The proposed change clarifies the POC responsibility as an independent review body and states as follows:
Review of all deviations of applicable codes, regulations, orders, technical specifications, license requirements, or internal procedures or instructions that affect nuclear safety. The results of these reviews will be forwarded to the Chief Nuclear Officer and to the Corporate Nuclear Safety Review Board.
3.0 TECHNICAL EVALUATION
The proposed change maintains the POCs independent review function as described in Section 4.3 of ANSI N18.7-1976 and endorsed by RG 1.33, Revision 2. Investigations, preparation, and forwarding of reports of violations, previously a POC responsibility, will continue to be performed in accordance with the licensees corrective action program under the guidance of the Performance Management Department and reported to the POC, Chief Nuclear Officer, and Corporate Nuclear Safety Review Board.
Based upon the licensees description of the proposed change, the staff finds the reduction in commitment to be acceptable.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The proposed change is consistent with the guidance for independent review as described in Section 4.3 of ANSI N18.7-1976 and endorsed by RG 1.33, Revision 2. The proposed change is acceptable in that the reduction in commitment continues to conform to a method acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with the Commission's regulations with regard to overall quality assurance program requirements for the operational phase of nuclear power plants.
Principal Contributor: Steve Dennis Date: December 16, 2003