ML17174B125
| ML17174B125 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden, Zion  |
| Issue date: | 02/03/1992 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Oconnor J COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9202110530 | |
| Download: ML17174B125 (5) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 Docket No'.
Docket No.
Docket No.
Docket No.
50-295 50-304 50-237 50-249 Mr. Ja111t:!s J. O'Connor Chief Executive Officer Co1ru11onwea 1th Edi son Company Post Office Box 767 Chicago, Illinois 60690
Dear Mr. O'Connor:
February 3, 1992 On January 14 and 15, 1992, NRC senior managers met to review the perforliiance of nuclear power plants licensed to operate by the NRC.
These 111tietings are conducted semiannually to focus NRC resources on those plants and related issues of ~reatest safety significance.
At this meeting, Zion Station and Dresden Station were both catt?gorized as requiring close monitoring.
Plants in this category have beE:1i identified as having weaknesses that warrant in-creased NRC attention from both Headquarters and the Regional Office until the licensee de111ons tr ates a period of iwproved performance.
Su111111aries of the discussions held relating to Zion Station Units 1 and 2 and Dresden Station Units 2 and 3 are provided below:
Zion Station Units 1 and 2 Generally, the NRC' s inspections and overview activities have shown that Zion Statiu11 perfor111ance continues to improve at an acceptable rate.
Perfor111ance Improvement Action Plans continue to be co111pleted timely and satisfactorily; material condition of the plant and equiptl~nt is improving; professionalism, teamwork, manage111ent overview of activities, and outage planning are also improving; and corporate support and resources continue at a11 acceptable level.
Although these improv~nents at Zion Station are encouraging, more remains to be done, and the per1uanence of the i111prove111ents 111us t be de1r1ons trated.
Continued forced outages from equipment failures, errors in control of plant activities, and the large nw11ber of planned modifications, mainte-nance activities, and capital improve111e11ts will severely challenge the corporate and Zion Station staffs. Therefore, the NRC plans to continue to closely monitor tht: progra1ris and performa11ce at Zion Station to assurt:
continued progress.
9202110530 920203 I
~DR. *ADOCK 05000237 PD~
James J. O'Connor Dresden Station Units 2 and 3 The NRC's inspection and overview activities have shown that Dresden Station performance has declined. This indicates that the actions taken to improve performance in 1987 and 1988 were only partially effective.
After a Diagnostic Evaluation Team inspection in August 1987, Dresden was placed on the NRC watch list as a plant requiring close NRC monitoring.
Subsequent licensee management initiatives, encompassed in the Dresden Station Improvement Plan, were successful in improving performance, and Dresden was removed from the watch list in December 1988.
Performance continued to improve or at least remain constant during the next year and a half. With the onset of the Unit 2 refueling outage in late September 1990, initial indications of a decline in performance were identified.
The refueling outage was characterized by high station dose, instances of inattention to detail, use of inexperienced personnel, lack of effective supervisory involvement, failure to use procedures, and use of inadequate procedures.
For a period of several months following the Fall 1990 Unit 2 refueling outage, some of these problems, such as lack of effective supervisory involvement and the use of inexperienced personnel and inadequate procedures, abated.
However, in late August 1991, prior to the Unit 3 refueling outage, problems with inattention to detail, failure to follow procedures, the use of inadequate procedures, and lack of supervisory involvement, began to recur. A number of safety significant events occurred which resulted in recent civil penalties.
As a result of these safety significant events, and other events that resulted in degraded or inoperable equipment, the NRC identified a need for the licensee to assess how these numerous equipment problems at Dresden will be addressed and how they affect risk.
The licensee is developing short term and long term actions to address fundamental performance deficiencies. Presently, Region III is continuing its increased level of management attention and is closely scrutinizing' the Dresden Station with a resident staff of two inspectors. Recent inspections have identified concerns related to the ability of some equipment to meet its design basis.
In addition, hardware failures~ due in part to maintenance errors, have contributed to recent events.
In summary, the decrease in Dresden's performance is of concern to Agency senior managers in light of the fact that Zion, another Commonwealth Edison plant, was already on the watch list. Because of the challenges to the licensee in effectively managing the needed improvements, it was concluded that increased attention by both the NRC and the licensee was necessary and this would be best achieved by adding Dresden Units 2 and 3 to the list of Category 2 plants on the wat~h list.
James J. O'Connor cc:
Michael I. Miller, Esq.
Sidley and Austin One First National Plaza Chicago, Illinois 60690 Dr. Cecil Lue-Hing Director of *Research and Dev~lop~ent Metropolitan Sanitary District of Gr~ater Chicago 100 East Erit Street Chicago, Illinois 60611 Phillip Sttptoe, Esq.
Sidley and Austin On~ First National Plaza Chicago, Illinois 60603 Mayor of Zion Zion, Illinois 60099 Illinois Dt:partment of Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Facility Safety 1035 Outtr Park Drive Springfield, Illinoii 62704 U.S. NuClear Regulatory Comrnissioli Resident Inspector Office 105 Shiloh Blvd.
Zion, Illinois 60099 Robert Neumann Office of Public Counsel State of Illinois Center 100 W. Randolph Suitt: 11-300 Chicago, Illinois 60601 Mr. M. Wallace Vice ~resident, PWR Operations Commo nwe a 1th Edis on Comp any Post Offict Box 767 Chicago, Illinois 60690 Mr. 0. Galle Viet President, BWR Operations Co11~11onw~a l th Edi son Company Post Office Box 767 Chicago, Illinois 60690 Mr. T. Joyce Plant Superintendent Zion Nuclear Power Station Zion, Illinois 60099 Mr. C. Schroder Plant Superintendent Dresden Nuclear Power Station Rural Route #1 Morris, Illinois 60450 U.S. Nuclt::ar Regulatory Coud1iission Resident Inspectors Office Dresden Station Rural Route #1 Morris, Illinois.60450 Chairman.
Board of Supervisors of Grundy County Grundy County Courthouse Morris, Illinois 60450
James J. O'Connor An NRC Commission meeting, open to the public, has been scheduled for February 5, 1992, to review the results of the latest meeting of NRC senior managers.
Mr. A. Bert Davis, the Region III Administrator, has discussed the basis for our conclusion with regard to Zion Station Units 1 and 2 and Dresden Station Units 2 and 3 with members of your staff.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, do not hesitate to call me.
cc: See next page o_Distribution_ [OCONNOR LTR]
'*.Central Fjl~J EDO R/F TMurley*
FMiraglia,
WBrach RBarrett RIII*
ABDavis 01/17/92 DONRR*
TMurley 01/24/92
- See previous concurrence Sincerely, Orlginal Signed By1*
Jame~ M~Jayl~J *~
James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations JTaylor WRusse 11 SECY JSniezek JPartlow PA CA BDavis WBateman PDR
James J. O'Connor Dresden Station Units 2 and 3
.~, '
The NRC's inspection arid overview act~v.ities have shown tfrat,Dresden Station performance has~ decli.ned.
This indicates that the actions taken
- to improve performance in~l9~7 and ~98~ were o~l~ partially effective.
Indications of performance problems occurred dur-1ng -the. Dres n Unit 2 refueling outage that began in late 199Q.!,.
These problems **eluded deficiencies in work planning,. execution~ and control an resulted in performance problems after reacto'r startup. 'In late
- ust 1991, prior to the Unit 3 refueling outag*e, problems wHh inattenti' n to*detail, failure to follow procedures' use of i nad~quate procedure and Jack of super-visory involvement beg(!n to' reoccur.* These prob ems-,. coupled with additional events and errors.in.late 1991, wer brough~ to th'e licensee's attention and have resulted i'n short term an long 'ter.m action plans to improve performance at Dresden Station.
\\
While recognizing the licensee's ongoi
- a_nd planned programs to improve performance at Dresden Station, the related to the hardware and performance at Dresden Station are 1gnificant.
In addition~ recent inspections*have identified concer,1s related to the design basis of some equipment and to hardware ficiencies due to maintenance errors.
Therefore, the NRC plans to cl sely monitor the programs and efforts to improve perfor111ance and hard re to assure progress. *.
An NRC Commission meeting, ope to the public, has been scheduled for February 5, 1992, to review t e results of the latest meeting of NRC senior managers.
Mr. A. Bert Davi, the Region III Administrator, has discussed the basis for our conclus~on w'th regard to Zion Station Units 1 and 2 and Dresden Station Units 2 and 3 wi members of your staff.
If you have any regarding this matter, do not hesitate to call me.
cc:
See next*page Distribution Central File TMurley WBrach Riii*
AB Davis 01/17/92
[O I CONNOR L TR]
EDO R/F FMiraglia RBarrett DONRR*
TMurley 01/24/92
'
- See previous concurrence Sincerely, James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations JTaylor WRussel 1 SECY R
ek 92 JSn i ezek JP art low PA CA BDavis
. WBateman PDR EDO JTaylor 01/
/92