ML11291A134
| ML11291A134 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 10/18/2011 |
| From: | NRC/OCM |
| To: | |
| References | |
| M111018B | |
| Download: ML11291A134 (1) | |
Text
I4 U.S.N RC u%'%rID SI h.I S NUCLEAR REGULAFORYI ProtectingPeople and the Environment COMMISSION Briefing on Browns Ferry Unit I Bill Borchardt Executive Director for Operations October 18, 2011
Objectives
- Provide overview of performance issue
- Describe staff's review and assessment of performance
- Review agency actions 2
Agenda
" Browns Ferry Performance
-Victor McCree
" Increased Oversight
- Richard Croteau 3
Browns Ferry Performance Victor McCree Regional Administrator Region II 4
Browns Ferry Performance
- Unit I low pressure coolant injection valve failure
-Inspection finding and violation
-Red (high) significance determination
- Units 2 and 3 in Column I
- All performance indicators are green 5
Performance Assessment Q22010 I Q3 2010 Unit 1 Degraded Cornerstone Yellow Violation of 10 CFR 50 Finding Low Pressure Coolant Injection Valve Failure Appendix R III.G.1 & III.G.2 Unit 2 Degraded Cornerstone Yellow Violation of Finding 10 CFR 50 Appendix R III.G.1 & III.G.2 Unit 3 Degraded Cornerstone Yellow Violation of 10 CFR 50 Finding Appendix R III.G.1 & III.G.2 A &
6
Staffts Review and Assessment
- Browns Ferry Unit I moved to Column 4
- Licensee appealed final significance determination
- Independent review panel
Conclusion:
Red finding sustained 7
Increased Oversight Richard Croteau, Director Division of Reactor Projects, Region II 8
Increased Oversight
- Regional reorganization
- Overall inspection effort focused on equipment reliability 9
Increased Oversight (Cont'd)
Supplemental inspection conducted in three parts Component testing programs (complete)
Maintenance programs (in progress)
Formal 95003 procedure. (planned)
- Includes third-party review of safety culture assessment 10
PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENT AT TVA'S BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT October 18, 2011 Preston D. Swafford, Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Tennessee Valley Authority
=
Background===
- A failed Browns Ferry, Unit 1, Residual Heat Removal (RHR)/Low Pressure Coolant Injection (LPCI) system valve was discovered during shutdown in October 2010
- Due to the plant's fire protection strategy at that time, the previously undetected failure of this valve was determined to be of high ("Red") safety significance 2
Background (continued)
- TVA acknowledges the safety significance of this occurrence e Actions were promptly taken to address the valve failure mechanism at all three Browns Ferry units 3
Background (continued)
- While TVA identified a number of factors that could have mitigated the safety significance, we understand these factors could not be credited
- TVA fully agrees that the issue here is the lack of rigor that was applied in evaluating operating and testing information and as a result, not taking appropriate and timely corrective actions 4
Causal Investigation and Analysis
" New root cause analysis is finding all the possible missed opportunities to identify this valve failure
" Our investigation is going well beyond those issues only associated with the "Red" finding 5
Causal Investigation and Analysis (continued)
The safety culture assessment part of the root cause analysis will review the actions being taken to address the open substantive cross-cutting issues of thoroughness of evaluating identified problems and the appropriateness and timeliness of corrective actions 6
Causal Investigation and Analysis (continued)
- The causal investigation and analysis also includes the broader issues associated with a long-standing culture of taking a minimalist approach to problems that adversely affect equipment reliability 7
Improvement Plan TVA is using th is "Red" finding to accelerate all actions that will lead to equipment reliability improvement at Browns Ferry All actions will be rolled up into an Integrated Improvement Plan
- Integrated Improvement Plan will include actions necessary to sustain improvement
Improvement Plan (continued)
- Some improvements already in place are:
- Strong corporate governance and oversight Equipment Reliability program including the establishment of necessary proceduralized processes and tools o$260 M expended or allocated from FY 2009 through FY 2011 strictly for equipment reliability improvements 9
Improvement Plan (continued)
- Objective of the Integrated Improvement Plan is for Browns Ferry to identify equipment problems, thoroughly evaluate them, and take appropriate and timely corrective actions before they cause occurrences of safety significance
- TVA executive management fully supports this effort 10