ML17059B807
| ML17059B807 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 12/30/1997 |
| From: | Miller H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Sylvia B NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17059B808 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-220-97-99, 50-410-97-99, NUDOCS 9801090241 | |
| Download: ML17059B807 (10) | |
See also: IR 05000220/1997099
Text
C'ATj'(iUKY
4
REGULATORY INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (RIDS)
ACCESSION NBR:9801090241
DOC.DATE: 97/12/30
NOTARIZED: NO
FACIL:50-220 Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1, Niagara
Powe
50-410 Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2, Niagara
Moha
AUTH.NAME
AUTHOR AFFIL1ATZON
MILLER,H.J.
Region
1 (Post
820201)
RECIP.NAME
RECIPIENT AFFILIATION
SYLVIA,B.R.
'iagara
Mohawk Power Corp.
SUBJECT: Forwards
SALP repts 50-220/97-99
5: 50-410/97-99 for Nine
Mile Point Nuclear Station, Units
1
& 2 for period 960602-
971108.Mgt meeting scheduled for 980109 at Nine Mile Point
site to discuss
assessment
R address
weaknesses
identified.
DISTRIBUTION CODE:
IE40D
COPIES
RECEIVED:LTR
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TITLE: Systematic
Assessment
of Licensee
Perfo
ance
(SALP) Report
DOCKET
05000220
05000410
C
A
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23
ENCL
23
December 30, 1997
Mr. B. Ralph Sylvia
Executive Vice President
and Chief Nuclear Officer
Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation
Nuclear Learning Center
450 Lake Road
Oswego, NY 13126
SUBJECT:
SYSTEMATICASSESSMENT OF LICENSEE PERFORMANCE (SALP) REPORT
NOS. 50-220/97-99 AND 50-410/97-99 FOR NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR
STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2
Dear Mr. Sylvia:
This letter forwards the SALP report for Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Units No.
1 and 2,
for the period June 2, 1996, through November 8, 1997 (Enclosure 1). This assessment
was conducted using the SALP process that was implemented by the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) on July 19, 1993.
In this process, the NRC staff evaluates
the performance of licensees
in four functional areas: Operations, Engineering,
Maintenance, and Plant Support.
The Plant Support area is composed of radiological and
effluent controls, chemistry, security, emergency preparedness,
fire protection, and
housekeeping.
Performance of the Nine Mile Point Station during this period was generally good; however,
continued management attention is needed to address
issues in several areas.
The Unit 1
plant trip and reactor vessel overfill event revealed weaknesses
in the management
oversight of operations and engineering support activities.
Lapses in management
oversight also resulted in weak performance in other areas such as maintenance
rule
program development, and implementation of the radioactive waste and transportation
program.
Personnel performance errors occurred in all functional areas.
Although the
threshold for identifying problems was appropriately low, on many occasions the root
cause analyses
and corrective actions were weak.
While initiatives were taken and
improvements were made in some of these areas, there was a lack of consistent
performance and improvement.
Performance in the operations area declined to a Category 2 rating.
Operators generally
performed well during plant startups and shutdowns,
and in response to events.
Conservative decision making was evident in the operation of both units.
However,
personnel performance errors were noted throughout the period.
Also, several weaknesses
were identified with the licensed operator initial and requalification training programs.
980i090241
97i2SO
ADQCK 05000220
9
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
OFFICIAL RECORD
COPY
IEr40
B. Ralph Sylvia
Performance
in the maintenance
area was rated Category 2. Management involvement and
oversight in the planning and performance of maintenance activities, particularly during
outages, were evident.
Routine maintenance
and surveillance activities were generally well
planned, coordinated, and executed.
Significant corrective maintenance
in response to
emergent issues was also performed well. Personnel performance errors occurred
throughout the period; however, the frequency and consequence
of the errors decreased
in
the latter half of the period.
Several deficiencies with the technical adequacy of
surveillance procedures,
and with the scheduling of some tests, were noted throughout the
period.
Also, the Unit 1 maintenance
rule program was poorly developed.
Performance
in the engineering area was rated Category 3.
Early in the period,
management oversight provided to some important engineering activities was ineffective
and the quality of engineering work varied significantly, To address those issues,
management,
organizational and program changes were made.
Later in the period, some
improvements were noted in engineering activities,
For example, improvements made to
the motor-operated valve testing program were sufficient to permit closure of Generic Letter 89-10. Also, some significant technical problems were identified and addressed
through engineering activities such as the Unit 1 core shroud inspection and repair
program.
However, throughout the period, a number of equipment problems challenged
the operating organization, some of which resulted in the need for unit shutdowns.
Also,
staff attrition and turnover, particularly in the system engineering and environmental
qualification groups, presented
a continuing management challenge.
Performance
in the area of plant support area was rated Category 2. The radiological
protection program was effectively implemented with radiological exposures maintained as
low as reasonably achievable, while radiological effluents, environmental monitoring, and
chemistry programs remained strong.
Also, performance in the emergency preparedness,
security and fire protection areas was good.
However, problems were noted in the
radiological waste handling and transportation area.
We have scheduled
a management meeting with you at noon on January 9, 1998, at the
Nine Mile Point site.
The meeting is open to the public. At the meeting, you should be
prepared to discuss our assessment
and any initiatives you have ongoing or plan to take to
address the weaknesses
detailed in our assessment.
B. Ralph Sylvia
Enclosure 2 provides the schedule of NRC inspections of your facility planned for the next
year.
We willinform you of any changes.
The routine resident inspection effort is not
included in this schedule.
We appreciate your cooperation.
Hubert J. Miller
Regional Administrator
Docket Nos.
50-220
~ 50-410
Enclosures;
1.
SALP Report Nos. 50-220/97-99 and 50-410/97-99
2.
Inspection Plan for Nine Mile Point Units
1 and 2
cc w/enclosures:
R. Abbott, Vice President & General Manager - Nuclear
C. Terry, Vice President- Safety Assessment
and Support
J. Conway, Vice President - Nuclear Engineering
K. Dahlberg, Vice President - Nuclear Operations
D. Wolniak, Manager, Licensing
J. Warden, New York Consumer Protection Branch
G. Wilson, Senior Attorney
M. Wetterhahn, Winston and Strawn
J. Rettberg, New York State Electric and Gas Corporation
P. Eddy, Electric Division, Department of Public Service, State of New York
C. Donaldson, Esquire, Assistant Attorney General, New York Department of Law
J. Vinquist, MATS, Inc.
F. Valentino, President, New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority
J. Spath, Program Director, New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority
Chairman Jackson
Commissioner Dicus
Commissioner Diaz
Commissioner McGaffigan
Institute for Nuclear Power Operations
(INPO)
1
B. Ralph Sylvia
Distribution w/encls:
H. Miller, RA/W. Axelson, DRA (1)
J. Lanning, DRM
D. Screnci, PAO (2)
Region
I Docket Room (with concurrences)
Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)
PUBLIC
NRC Resident Inspector
J. Wiggins, DRS
L. Nicholson, DRS
DRS Branch Chiefs
M. Oprendek, DRP
L. Eckert, DRS
L. Cheung, DRS
L. Doerflein, DRP
R. Junod, DRP
Distribution w/encl: (VIAE-MAIL)
M. Leach, Rl EDO Coordinator
S.
Collins, NRR
R. Zimmerman, NRR
J. Lieberman, OE (2) (OE MAIL)
B. Norris - Nine Mile Point
S. Bajwa, NRR
D. Hood, NRR
M. Campion, Rl
Inspection Program Branch (IPAS)
R. Correia, NRR
F. Talbot, NRR
DOCDESK
Distribution via E-Mail:
Region
I Staff (Refer to SALP Drive)
DOCUMENT NAME: G:iBRANCH1iNMPSALP.LTR
To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without
attachment/enclosure
"E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure
"N" = No copy
OFFICE
.
NAME
DATE
RI/DRP
LDoerflein
1 2/I4 /97
RI/0RA
RI/DRS
HMille
JWiggin
2/ 0/97
12/
/97
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY