ML051660336

Letter to J.V. Parrish Correction to Safety Evaluation for Revision to the Quality Assurance Topical Report, Operational Quality Assurance Program Description.

ML051660336
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	06/13/2005
From:	Brian Benney NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD4
To:	Parrish J Energy Northwest
Benney B, NRR/DLPM, 415-3764
References
TAC MC5814
Download: ML051660336 (4)

Text

June 13, 2005 Mr. J. V. Parrish Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 (Mail Drop 1023)

Richland, WA 99352-0968

SUBJECT:

COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - CORRECTION TO SAFETY EVALUATION FOR REVISION TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE TOPICAL REPORT, "OPERATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION" (TAC NO. MC5814)

Dear Mr. Parrish:

By letter dated April 6, 2005, the Commission issued a safety evaluation for a revision to the Quality Assurance Topical Report, "Operational Quality Assurance Program Description." The revision removed the plant manager from the position of POC Chairman. The revision was in response to your application dated January 21, 2005.

Enclosed is the corrected page. The page replaced is page 1 of the safety evaluation (SE) issued in the letter dated April 6, 2005. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you.

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:

page 1 of the SE cc w/encl: See next page

ML051660336 NRR-106 OFFICE PDIV-2/PM PDIV-2/LA PDIV-2/SC NAME BBenney LFeizollahi RGramm DATE 6/13/05 6/13/05 6/13/05 DOCUMENT NAME: C:\My Files\Copies\Columbia GS, Correct version ML051660336.wpd SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION PROPOSED REVISION TO THE QUALITY ASSURANCE TOPICAL REPORT ENERGY NORTHWEST COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION DOCKET NUMBER 50-397

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated January 21, 2005, Energy Northwest (the licensee) submitted changes to the quality assurance (QA) program for the Columbia Generating Station, described in topical report, "Operational Quality Assurance Program Description" (QA topical). The licensee characterized the change as a reduction in commitment, subject to NRC staff approval prior to implementation, in accordance with 50.54(a)(4). The proposed change removes the plant manager from the position of Plant Operations Committee (POC) Chairman.

2.0 TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN THE SUBMITTAL The licensee's QA program description currently designates the plant manager as the POC Chairman. Appendix III, Section 2.1.2 of the QA topical states, in part, "The manager l responsible for plant operation ..., the POC chairman, shall appoint in writing, the POC Vice Chairman, and individual members." The licensee states that designating a qualified individual other than the plant manager as the POC Chairman would be more in line with the independent advisory role of the POC.

3.0 REGULATORY AND TECHNICAL EVALUATION Compliance with Appendix B to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50 requires an applicant to identify managerial and administrative controls to be used to ensure safe operation. The Standard Review Plan (SRP) NUREG-0800, Section 13.4, "Operational Review," provides the acceptance criteria used by the staff to evaluate the licensee's provisions for plant staff review of operational activities. The SRP stipulates that the licensee's provisions for plant staff review should meet the requirements described in Section 4.4 of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N18.7-1976 (ANS 3.2), as endorsed by Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.33, Revision 2.

Section 4.4 of the ANSI N18.7, states that the POC should provide, as part of the normal duties of plant supervisory personnel, timely and continuing monitoring of operating activities to assist the Plant Manager in keeping abreast of general plant conditions and to verify that the

Columbia Generating Station cc:

Mr. W. Scott Oxenford (Mail Drop PE04) Mr. Dale K. Atkinson (Mail Drop PE08)

Vice President, Technical Services Vice President, Nuclear Generation Energy Northwest Energy Northwest P. O. Box 968 P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Mr. Albert E. Mouncer (Mail Drop PE01) Mr. William A. Horin, Esq.

Vice President, Corporate Services/ Winston & Strawn General Counsel/CFO 1400 L Street, N.W.

Energy Northwest Washington, DC 20005-3502 P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Mr. Matt Steuerwalt Executive Policy Division Chairman Office of the Governor Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council P.O. Box 43113 P.O. Box 43172 Olympia, WA 98504-3113 Olympia, WA 98504-3172 Ms. Lynn Albin Mr. Douglas W. Coleman (Mail Drop PE20) Washington State Department of Health Manager, Regulatory Programs P.O. Box 7827 Energy Northwest Olympia, WA 98504-7827 P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Technical Services Branch Chief FEMA Region X Mr. Gregory V. Cullen (Mail Drop PE20) 130 228th Street S.W.

Supervisor, Licensing Bothell, WA 98201-9796 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