ML071520274
| ML071520274 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Ginna  |
| Issue date: | 05/23/2007 |
| From: | Wallace M Constellation Energy Group |
| To: | Klein D NRC/Chairman, Document Control Desk, NRC/SECY |
| References | |
| G20070391, LTR-07-0388, SECY-2007-0176 | |
| Download: ML071520274 (7) | |
Text
EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:
DUE: 06/11/07 EDO CONTROL: G20070391 DOC DT: 05/23/07 FINAL REPLY:
Michael J.
Wallace Constellation Energy TO:
Chairman Klein FOR SIGNATURE OF :
ROUTING:
Activities at R.
E.
Ginna Nuclear Power Plant (EDATS:
Reyes Virgilio Kane Ash Silber Burns Dyer, NRR
- Cyr, OGC DATE: 05/31/07 ASSIGNED TO:
RI CONTACT:
Collins SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
Ref. G20070359.
EDATS Number: SECY-2007-0176 Initiating Office: SECY Gene al Ifr ato Assigned To: Region I Other Assignees:
Subject:
Activities at R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant
==
Description:==
CC Routing: OGC; NRR ADAMS Accession Numbers - Incoming: NONE OEDO Due Date: 6/11/2007 5:00 PM SECY Due Date: 6/13/2007 5:00 PM Response/Package: NONE Cross Reference Number: G20070391, G20070359, Staff Initiated: NO LTR-07-0388 Related Task:
Recurring Item: NO File Routing: EDATS Agency Lesson Learned: NO Action Type: Letter Priority: Medium Sensitivity: None Signature Level: Chairman Klein Urgency: NO OEDO Concurrence: YES OCM Concurrence: YES OCA Concurrence: NO Special Instructions: Ref. G20070359 Originator Name: Michael J. Wallace Date of Incoming: 5/23/2007 Originating Organization: Constellation Energy Document Received by SECY Date: 5/31/2007 Addressee: Chairman Klein Date Response Requested by Originator: NONE Incoming Task Received: Letter Page 1 of I
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: May 31, 2007 09:31 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
LTR-07-0388 EDO LOGGING DATE: 05/30/2007 AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
Michael Wallace MD
SUBJECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
Activities at R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant Signature of Chairman RF, SECY/RAS, SECY to Ack.
05/23/2007 No Immediate release to the public via SECY/EDO/DPC NOTES:
Commission Correspondence FILE LOCATION:
ADAMS DATE DUE:
06/13/2007 DATE SIGNED:
EDO -- G20070391
Michael J. Wallace 750 E. Pratt Street President, Constellation Generation Group 18th Floor Baltimore, Maryland 21202-3106 410.783.2877 410.783.2873 Fax mjw@constellation.com Constellation Energy 10 C.F.R. § 50.4 May 23, 2007 Dale E. Klein, Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washingtori, DC 20555,.
Siubject: Activities at R.E..Ginna Nuclear Power"Plant*(Docket No. 50-244)
Dear Chairmiarn Klein:
This letter acknowledges my receipt of a key letter and my recent discussions with Sam Collins, James Clifford, and-Brice Bickett of your Region IVstaff; Those discussions involved actions Constellation Generation Group ("CGG") is taking or is planning in response to several issues raised in a letter addressed to you regarding CGG's R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant ("Ginna").
The" undated letter Was sent to y'ou'by a group calling itself the "Ginna Founders." That letter was -copied to'several Constellation executives, as well as to members of the federal and state government offices associated with areas surrounding the Ginna facility.
CGG has reviewed the letter to determine potential areas for investigation. Due to the imrportance of the subject matter and CGG's duty to ensure the safe operation' of our nuclear facilities, we are proceeding with our preliminary actions.' Some of these actions are already being taken: others are being planned. Actions already being taken will be modified, as necessary as the situation evolves and dialog with the NRC staff unfolds.
Upon receipt of the Ginna Founders letter, we noted several areas to investigate and formulated actions to assess those areas.
In most instances, we will use an independent team (i.e., independent of the Chief Nuclear Officer's organization) to assess the issues. For your referetnce, aid' to place the 'independence issue in 'the proper perspective as you read the Founders letter, Mr. Mike Heffley is CGG's Chief Nuclear Officer ("CNO").
Dale E. Klein, Chairman Page Two May 23, 2007 The only exception to this general rule of having independent assessors is the activity already in progress to enhance monitoring of shift activities and major plant evolutions. Given the importance of the assertion, we took immediate action to assess safe operation of the facility using resources that could meet the immediate need.
That effort is currently being performed during each shift by CGG's Quality &
Performance Assessment ("Q&PA") group, which does not report directly to the Ginna Vice President, but does officially report to the CNO.
For the purposes of this investigation, these monitoring activities will eventually shift to one or more independent evaluators as external resources become available and are able to obtain unescorted access at the site. Again, this oversight effort is being taken to assess whether or not the facility is being operated in a safe and prudent manner. These efforts are in addition to the routine and independent Q&PA activities on-site and the oversight performed by your inspectors, including the two NRC Resident Inspectors at the site.
The investigative team effort will be led by an individual external to the Ginna organization and external to the CNO's organization. Currently, Carey Fleming of our legal department is leading the effort.
Mr. Fleming held an NRC Senior Reactor Operator license at a pressurized water reactor for eleven years prior to becoming an attorney and has led numerous referred allegation investigations and root cause teams within the nuclear industry.
We are still in the process of assembling resources for larger aspects of the investigation.
We are assessing the availability of key resources typically used in referred allegations and site-wide Employee Concerns Program matters. For example we are engaging: respected industry leaders who are now retired or are in private practice; outside counsel, as necessary; and, former NRC inspectors and staff members now in private practice. We have used similar resources during recent investigations at CGG's Nine Mile Point facility.
Investigative efforts will include document reviews, observations of activities, and interviews where appropriate. If an issue at Ginna is substantiated, we will: perform an extent of condition evaluation; perform a root cause determination; and, formulate corrective actions in accordance with the relevant procedures. In addition, if an issue is substantiated at Ginna, the same sort of investigation will be performed at CGG's other nuclear facilities. Accordingly, action will be taken at those facilities if warranted.
Dale E. Klein, Chairman Page Three May 23, 2007 Please contact me to discuss aspects of this effort.
Sincerely, Mic ael J.Walc cc:
Honorable James Walsh Honorable Hillary Clinton Honorable Charles Schumer Honorable Eliot Spitzer Mr. Samuel Collins (NRC-R I)
Mr. James Clifford (NRC-R I)
Mr. Brice Bickett (NRC-R I)
Mr. Mayo Shattuck Mr. Michael Heffley Irv Yoskowitz, Esquire
750 E. Pratt Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202-3106 0
Constellation Energy
-q Dr. Dale E. Klein Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555