ML17188A010

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Forwards SALP 15 Repts 50-237/97-01 & 50-249/97-01 for Period 961229-971122 for Review.Licensee Should Be Prepared to Discuss Assessment & Plans to Improve Performance in Area of Engineering at 980116 SALP Meeting
ML17188A010
Person / Time
Site: Dresden  Constellation icon.png
Issue date: 01/02/1998
From: Beach A
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To: Heffley J
COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
Shared Package
ML17188A011 List:
References
50-237-97-01, 50-237-97-1, 50-249-97-01, 50-249-97-1, NUDOCS 9801130212
Download: ML17188A010 (4)


See also: IR 05000237/1997001

Text

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION Ill

Mr. J. M. Heffley

Site Vice President

Dresden Station

Commonwealth Edison Company

6500 North Dresden Road

Morris, IL 60450

Dear Mr. Heffley:

801 WARRENVILLE ROAD

LISLE. IWNOIS 60532-4351

January 2, 1998

Enclosed for your review is the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) 15

Report for the Dresden Nuclear Plant, covering the period December 29, 1996, through

November 22, 1997. This report will be discussed with you at a public meeting to be held at

Dresden on January 16, 1998, at 1 :00 p.m.

During this meeting you are encouraged to candidly discuss any comments you may have

regarding our report.

In accordance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) policy, I have reviewed the

recommendations resulting from the SALP Board assessment and concur with their ratings. The

functional areas of operations, maintenance and plant support were rated as Category 2. The

area of engineering was rated as Category 3. It is my view that conduct of nuclear activities in

connection with the Dresden facility was improved from the previous assessment period.

At the SALP meeting you should be prepared to discuss our assessments and your plans to

improve performance in the area of engineering. Additionally, you are requested to respond in

writing, within 30 days after the meeting, specifically addressing corrective actions planned to

improve performance in engineering.

Good performance in the conduct of plant operations and strong management support of a

conservative operating philosophy were evident throughout this assessment period. We noted

that substantial improvement was made in the material condition of the plant. This was

significant because during past rating periods operators were frequently challenged by equipment

problems that unexpectedly affected plant performance. The improved material condition

resulted in longer periods of plant operation with fewer challenges to the operators. The area of

material condition remains an area deserving close attention, however, because equipment

problems still sometimes challenged operators during this period. Improvements made in the

work control processes increased the station's ability to get work done and should aid in further

plant improvement efforts.

Another function that contributed to performance improvement was departmental

self-assessment activities and the assessments performed by the Quality and Safety Assurance

organization. Personnel performing these activities asked probing questions and identified

substantive issues that resulted in effective improvement initiatives. The Dresden engineering

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assessment group, engineering audits, and assessments in operations were notable examples of

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effective self-assessment activities. Overall, self-assessment appears to be a developing

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strength in all performance areas.

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J. Heffley

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Although performance in the area of engineering continued to improve, sustained improvement

remains to be demonstrated. When engineering efforts were focused on a specific issue such as

the torus suction strainer replacement or the containment pressurization issue, the results were

very good. However, engineering is faced with continuing challenges including consistently

providing timely engineering products of good quality, and improving the record of the plant

design basis.

One other aspect of performance you have worked to address was personnel performance on

the individual level. Many problems encountered in this assessment period involved errors

committed by individuals. Continued management attention is needed to reduce these errors.

In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Code of

Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter, the SALP report, and your response will be placed in

the NRC's Public Document Room.

Should you have any questions concerning the SALP Report, we would be pleased to discuss

them with you.

Docket No. 50-237

Docket No. 50-249

Enclosure: SALP 15 Report

Sincerely,

/s/ A. Bill Beach

A. Bill Beach

Regional Administrator

No. 50-237/97001; 50-249/97001

See Attached Distribution

See Previous Concurrence

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\SALP\\DRE97001.SLP

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without

attachment/enclosure

"E" = Co

with attachment/enclosure

"N" = No co

OFFICE

Riii

Riii

Riii

Riii

Riii

NAME

RLerch:nh

MRin

RCa ra

JJacobson

GGrant

DATE

01 / /98

01 / /98

01/ /98

01 / /98

01 / /98

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

A

01 / l-/98

  • .

J. Heffley

-2-

Although performance in the area of engineering continued to improve, sustained improvement

remains to be demonstrated. When engineering efforts were focused on a specific issue such as

the torus suction strainer replacement or the containment pressurization issue, the results were

very good. However, engineering is faced with continuing challenges including consistently

providing timely engineering products of good quality, and improving the record of the plant

design basis.

One other aspect of performance you have worked to address was personnel performance on

the individual level. Many problems encountered in this assessment period involved errors

committed by individuals. Continued management attention is needed to reduce these errors.

In accordance with Section 2. 790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice, n Part 2, Title 10, Code of

Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter, the SALP report, and your response will be placed in

the NRC's Public Document Room.

Should you have any questions concerning the SALP Report, we would be pleased to discuss

them with you.

Sincerely,

/s/ A. Bill Beach

A. Bill Beach

Regional Administrator

Docket No. 50-237

Docket No. 50-249

Enclosure: SALP 15 Report

cc w/encl:

No. 50-237/97001; 50-249/97001

0. Kingsley, Nuclear Generation Group

President and Chief Nuclear Officer

M. Wallace, Senior Vice

President, Corporate Services

J. S. Perry, Vice President1BWR Operations

Liaison Officer, NOC-BOD

D. A. Sager, Vice President,

Generation Support

D. Farrar, Nuclear Regulatory

Services Manager

I. Johnson, Licensing Operations Manager

Document Control Desk-Licensing

T. Nauman, Station Manager Unit 1

See Attached Continued Distribution

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\SALP\\DRE97001.SLP

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without

attachment/enclosure

"E" = Co

with attachment/enclosure

"N" = No co

OFFICE

Riii

Riii

NAME

Rlerch:nh

A Beach

DATE

12/31 /97

12/ /97

J. Heffley

-3-

cc w/encl:

0. Kingsley, Nuclear Generation Group

Distribution

President and Chief Nuclear Officer

M. Wallace, Senior Vice

President, Corporate Services

J. S. Perry, Vice President, BWR Operations

Liaison Officer, NOC-BOD

D. A. Sager, Vice President,

Generation Support

D. Farrar, Nuclear Regulatory

Services Manager

I. Johnson, Licensing Operations Manager

Document Control Desk-Licensing

T. Nauman, Station Manager Unit 1

F. Spangenberg, Regulatory Assurance

Manager

Richard Hubbard

Nathan Schloss, Economist

Office of the Attorney General

State Liaison Officer

Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission

INPO

Chairman Jackson

Commissioner Dicus

Commissioner Diaz

Commissioner McGaffigan

L. Callan, EDO

J. Lieberman, Director, Office of Enforcemer.it

R. Zimmerman, Associate Director for Projects, NRR

B. Sheron, Acting Associate Director for Technical Review, NRR

E. Adensam, Acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects Ill/IV, NRR

SALP Program Manager, NRR (2 copies)

DRP Division Directors RI, Rll, RIV

J. Caldwell, Riii

R. Capra, NRR

J. Stang, NRR

TSS, Riii

Docket File

DRP

PUBLIC IE-40

SRI Dresden

CAA 1 (E-Mail)

Riii PRR

Riii Enf. Coordinator

DRS (2)

DOCDESK (E-Mail)