ML083400255

Vendor Challenges for New Reactor Construction, Industry Perspective

ML083400255
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	12/10/2008
From:	Mcburnett M South Texas
To:	Office of New Reactors
Rivera-Varona A, NRO/DCIP, 415-4001
Shared Package
ML083400234	List: ML083400255
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Download: ML083400255 (11)

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Vendor Challenges for Vendor Challenges for New Reactor Construction New Reactor Construction Mark McBurnett Mark McBurnett Vice President, Oversight and Vice President, Oversight and Regulatory Affairs Regulatory Affairs STP Nuclear Operating Company STP Nuclear Operating Company

Topics Topics STP Experience STP Experience Latent Supplier Quality Issues Latent Supplier Quality Issues Select Experience in Large Component Select Experience in Large Component Fabrication Fabrication Vendor Audit Issues Vendor Audit Issues Commercial Grade Dedication Commercial Grade Dedication Part 21 Part 21 Lessons Learned Lessons Learned

Latent Vendor Quality Issues Latent Vendor Quality Issues Diesel Generator connecting rod failure Diesel Generator connecting rod failure Poor work practices during original fabrication Poor work practices during original fabrication in late 1970s results in catastrophic engine in late 1970s results in catastrophic engine failure in 2003 failure in 2003 Reactor Vessel Bottom Mounted Reactor Vessel Bottom Mounted Instrument penetration leak Instrument penetration leak Poor work practices in late 1970s result in 5 Poor work practices in late 1970s result in 5 month outage in 2003 month outage in 2003

Large Component Fabrication Large Component Fabrication Asymmetric generator rotor slots machined Asymmetric generator rotor slots machined mirror image mirror image Poor work practices result in substantial delay Poor work practices result in substantial delay Loss of turbine blades shortly after generator Loss of turbine blades shortly after generator rotor replacement rotor replacement Insufficient analytical methods result in plant outage Insufficient analytical methods result in plant outage Generator Rotor damage during fabrication Generator Rotor damage during fabrication Poor machinist work practice result in machine tool Poor machinist work practice result in machine tool damage to journal surface during final operations on damage to journal surface during final operations on rewound generator rotor rewound generator rotor

Large Component Fabrication Large Component Fabrication Replacement Steam Generators Replacement Steam Generators Worker practices Worker practices Unqualified processes Unqualified processes Unapproved tools Unapproved tools LP Turbine LP Turbine fabrication fabrication Use of many sub Use of many sub--suppliers suppliers Work practices Work practices Software QA Software QA

Commercial Grade Dedication Commercial Grade Dedication Many US and foreign vendors are not practiced Many US and foreign vendors are not practiced at implementing commercial grade dedication at implementing commercial grade dedication programs programs Need for early and ongoing dialog and feedback on Need for early and ongoing dialog and feedback on the dedication process and documentation the dedication process and documentation Need to consider life of plant maintenance and Need to consider life of plant maintenance and replacements, documentation of critical replacements, documentation of critical characteristics, acceptance criteria and inspection &

characteristics, acceptance criteria and inspection &

testing methods testing methods 10CFR 50 App B programs should be established 10CFR 50 App B programs should be established where practical where practical

Part 21 Part 21 Many US and foreign vendors have not Many US and foreign vendors have not dealt with 10 CFR Part 21 dealt with 10 CFR Part 21 Posting and reporting Posting and reporting Evaluation of defects Evaluation of defects

Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Fabricators often do not appreciate life of plant Fabricators often do not appreciate life of plant affects or service demands affects or service demands Corrective Action Programs must be robust Corrective Action Programs must be robust Expectations for access to and approval of disposition Expectations for access to and approval of disposition of non of non--conformances must be established conformances must be established Expectations and communications protocol must Expectations and communications protocol must be established as part of contract be established as part of contract Oversight is appropriate for risk significant Oversight is appropriate for risk significant components (safety, cost and schedule) components (safety, cost and schedule)

Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Purchasers need to be involved and engaged Purchasers need to be involved and engaged with suppliers to ensure you get what you need with suppliers to ensure you get what you need and expect and expect Operating experience needs to be considered Operating experience needs to be considered Logistics, planning and budgeting need to Logistics, planning and budgeting need to provide adequate resources provide adequate resources Oversight personnel need experience in Oversight personnel need experience in manufacturing processes manufacturing processes

Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Vendor oversight mindset is focused on Vendor oversight mindset is focused on QA/QC QA/QC Periodic audits and hold point inspections Periodic audits and hold point inspections Culture and communications are Culture and communications are significant impediments in foreign shops significant impediments in foreign shops Oversight philosophy needs to be Oversight philosophy needs to be supported from the top level executives to supported from the top level executives to work work

Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Even when experienced in nuclear work Even when experienced in nuclear work some foreign vendors may not completely some foreign vendors may not completely understand or correctly implement US understand or correctly implement US regulations regulations Different enforcement of regulations in the Different enforcement of regulations in the home country home country Different relationship with the regulator Different relationship with the regulator