ML040710454
| ML040710454 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 03/10/2004 |
| From: | Howell A, Satorius M NRC/RGN-IV/DRP |
| To: | Overbeck G Arizona Public Service Co |
| References | |
| Download: ML040710454 (5) | |
Text
March 10, 2004 Gregg R. Overbeck, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Arizona Public Service Company P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034
SUBJECT:
EVALUATION OF THE SAFETY CONSCIOUS WORK ENVIRONMENT AND INTEGRATED ISSUES RESOLUTION PROCESS
Dear Mr. Overbeck:
This letter provides you the results of the NRCs evaluation of the adequacy of the safety conscious work environment at the Palo Verde Nuclear Station. As indicated in our October 22, 2003, letter, we had a number of questions regarding the results and actions associated with your independent assessment of the safety conscious work environment at Palo Verde, especially in the Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) Department. The information you provided to us at the January 14, 2004, meeting was responsive to these questions and aided us in our review. A transcript of that meeting is available in our ADAMS, accession number ML040290630.
Your assessments and our independent reviews indicate that your employees feel free to raise nuclear safety issues for resolution. You stated that the safety conscious work environment is strong and you have taken additional steps to strengthen it. While we recognize these steps at Palo Verde and overall, conclude these steps and the results of your assessments support an environment where employees feel free to raise safety concerns, we continue to have concern as to whether these actions are sufficient to promote a sustained, best environment at Palo Verde. At the January 14 meeting, you also indicated that there are a number of areas needing further attention. These areas include employee awareness and familiarity with your Employee Concerns Program and Differing Professional Opinions Process, as well as, the effectiveness of the Management Issues Tracking and Resolution Process in resolving non-nuclear concerns.
You indicated a number of actions, which should improve these areas. We agree that the actions are necessary.
During the NRCs problem identification and resolution inspection activities in December 2003, we determined that some employees do not always use, or feel free to use, the condition reporting process to identify and document problems. As discussed during the January 14 meeting, these inspection results differ, somewhat, from your assessment results. Accordingly, we believe you need to understand and address these differences.
Again, we have concluded that you do have an environment where employees feel free to raise safety concerns. While we have no immediate concern, we have determined that you need to complete those actions proposed at the January 14, 2004, meeting in order to sustain and promote the best environment at the Palo Verde Nuclear Station.
Arizona Public Service Company Should you have any further questions regarding our reply, please call Russell Wise, Senior Allegations Coordinator, at 817-860-8245.
Sincerely,
/RA/ by Mark A. Satorius for Arthur T. Howell III, Director Division of Reactor Projects Dockets: 50-528 50-529 50-530 Licenses: NPF-41 NPF-51 NPF-74 cc:
Steve Olea Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 W. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007 Douglas K. Porter, Senior Counsel Southern California Edison Company Law Department, Generation Resources P.O. Box 800 Rosemead, CA 91770 Chairman Maricopa County Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003 Aubrey V. Godwin, Director Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency 4814 South 40 Street Phoenix, AZ 85040 M. Dwayne Carnes, Director Regulatory Affairs/Nuclear Assurance Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7636 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034
Arizona Public Service Company Hector R. Puente Vice President, Power Generation El Paso Electric Company 340 E. Palm Lane, Suite 310 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Terry Bassham, Esq.
General Counsel El Paso Electric Company 123 W. Mills El Paso, TX 79901 John W. Schumann Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Southern California Public Power Authority P.O. Box 51111, Room 1255-C Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100 John Taylor Public Service Company of New Mexico 2401 Aztec NE, MS Z110 Albuquerque, NM 87107-4224 Cheryl Adams Southern California Edison Company 5000 Pacific Coast Hwy. Bldg. DIN San Clemente, CA 92672 Robert Henry Salt River Project 6504 East Thomas Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Brian Almon Public Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701-3326
Arizona Public Service Company Electronic distribution by RIV:
Regional Administrator (BSM1)
DRP Director (ATH)
DRS Director (DDC)
Senior Resident Inspector (GXW2)
Branch Chief, DRP/D (JAC)
Senior Project Engineer, DRP/D (NLS)
D. Jackson, OEDO RIV Coordinator (DAJ1)
Hard Copy:
G. Sanborn, D:ACES ADAMS: Yes
No Initials: __ath___
Publicly Available
Non-Publicly Available
Sensitive
Non-Sensitive S:\\DRP\\DRPDIR\\DAISY\\Daisy 02-04 Response.wpd DRP DAISY 02-04 RIV:C:DRP/D D:DRP (concurrence) AC D:ACES DRA JAClark;mjs ATHowell RWise GFSanborn TPGwynn NLSalgado for MASatorius for /RA/
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/RA/
3/4/2004 3/4/2004 3/5/2004 3/ /2004 3/10/2004 RA D:DRP (signature)
BSMallett ATHowell TPGwynn for MASatorius for 3/10/04 3/10/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY T=Telephone E=E-mail F=Fax