ML17284A571
| ML17284A571 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 10/06/1988 |
| From: | Caldwell C, Johnson P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17284A569 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-397-88-31-MM, NUDOCS 8810240203 | |
| Download: ML17284A571 (5) | |
See also: IR 05000397/1988031
Text
U.
S.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION V
Report
No.
50-397/88-31
Docket No.
50-397
License
No.
Licensee:
Washington Public Power Supply System
P.
0.
Box 968
Richland, Washington
99352
Facility Name:
Washington Nuclear Project
No.
2 (WNP-2)
Meeting at:
Region
V Office
Meeting Conducted:
August 18,
1988
Prepared
by:
C.
W. Caldwell, Project In pect r
Approved by:
P.
H, Jo nson,
hief
Reactor Projects
Section
3
~Summar:
Dat
S gned
rc
gF
Da e
S gned
A Systematic
Assessment
of Licensee
Performance
(SALP) Meeting was held on
August 18,
1988 to discuss
the overall conclusions identified in the
report (50-397/88-08)
and to continue the dialogue
between
Region
V and the
Supply System
on items of mutual interest
and recent
enhancements
to programs
in response
to the
SALP report.
Region
V expressed
continuing concern
regarding the
number of personnel
errors
and the number of near misses that
have
happened
at WNP-2 since the beginning of 1988.
During the meeting,
the
Supply System did not contest
any of the findings or conclusions
in the
report.
However,
they did present
the status of corrective actions in response
to the
SALP report.
SSi0240203
SSi0i6
ADOCK 05000397
0
DETAILS
1.
Mana ement Meetin
Partici ants
NRC Partici ants
J.
B. Martin, Regional Administrator
D.
F. Kirsch, Director, Division of Reactor Safety
and Projects
R.
A. Scarano,
Director, Division of Radiation Safety
and Safeguards
A.
E. Chaffee,
Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety
and Projects
G.
M. Holahan,
Associate Director for Regions III and
V Reactors,
G.
W. Knighton, Director, Project Directorate
V,
R.
P.
Zimmerman, Chief, Reactor Projects
Branch
G.
P.
Yuhas, Chief,
Emergency
Preparedness
and Radiological= Protection
Branch
R.
B. Samworth,
Project Manager,
M.
R. Johnson,
Region
V Coordinator,
OEDO
J.
L. Crews,
Senior Reactor
Engineer
R.
F. Fish, Chief,
Emergency
Preparedness
Section
C. J.
Bosted,
Senior Resident Inspector
C.
W. Caldwell, Project Inspector
G.
R. Cicotte, Radiation Specialist
WPPSS Partici ants
D.
W. Mazur, Managing Director
G.
D. Bouchey, Director, Licensing and Assurance
A.
L. Oxsen, Assistant
Managing Director - Operations
J.
P.
Burn, Director, Engineering
C.
M.. Powers,
WNP"2 Plant Manager
C.
H.
McGilton, Manager,
Operational
Assurance
Programs
L. T. Harrold, Manager,
Generation
Engineering
Bonneville Power Administration
R.
F. Mazurkiewicz, Chief, Operations
Branch
On August 18, 1988,
a SALP meeting
was held at the Region
V Office with
the individuals identified in paragraph
1 in attendance.
The purpose of
the meeting
was to follow up on concerns identified during the
assessment
period of June 1,
1987 through
May 31,
1988 in accordance
with
and to continue the dialogue
between
Region
V and
, the Supply System regarding recent developments
and program enhancements
in response
to the
SALP report.
~Back round
NRC concerns
have focused
on several
areas
since the beginning of 1988.
These
areas
were concentrated
on personnel
performance errors,
clearance
order/system
lineup deficiencies,
engineering
design effectiveness,
weaknesses
in documenting/reporting plant problems,
performance of root
cause
analysis of events,
management
awareness
of plant problems,
and
follow-through on commitments.
Meetin
To ics
The meeting
convened at 10:00 a.m.
The Regional Administrator opened the meeting by stating that the purpose
of the meeting
was to discuss
the licensee's
performance
as described
in
the
SALP report for the period of June 1,
1987 through
May 31,
1988.
Hr.
Martin briefly discussed
the
SALP categories
and stated that the findings
were subject to discussion.
Mr. Hazur had
no opening remarks.
Mr. Kirsch then led the discussion
by making a comparison of the
categories
between the last two SALP periods.
He stated that the latest
weaknesses
were baselined
during the June 7, 1988 management
meeting
as
discussed
in the
NRC's meeting report (50-397/88-23)
issued
on June 24,
1988.
The concerns
were related to the personnel
errors,
proceeding in
the face of uncertainty,
system tagout deficiencies,
reactor vessel
level
control, performance of technical
work, and plant problem reporting.
These
concerns
were reflected in the latest
SALP category ratings.
Mr.
Kirsch also stated that the Supply System
had much work to do to resolve
these
concerns.
In particular, it would require
a significant adjustment
in attitude.
Hr. Molahan commented
on the
NRC headquarters'erspective
of the Supply
System's
performance.
Me noted that the
SALP report findings were
considered
a disappointment.
The plant had undergone
some difficulties at
startup,
but headquarters
thought that those difficulties were past.
In
particular,
Mr. Holahan stated that proceeding in the face of uncertainty
was
a red flag giving a warning of impending problems.
He stated
however,
that the Supply System
had the potential to be
a better performer
and that
the
NRC wanted to understand
what was planned with regard to corrective
actions.
Mr. Hazur then stated that the Supply System
was prepared to discuss
the
status of corrective actions in response
to the
SALP.
Following this,
Supply System representatives
made presentations
on the following subjects
in response
to
NRC questions
and concerns:
Simulator deficiencies
and control
room performance
problems
Organization
and alignment of the licensed operator training
department
The personnel
error which resulted in an excessive
plant heatup rate
on June 27,
1988
Reactor trip reduction program
Root cause
assessment
and quality programs
Engineering
improvement program
Maintenance
program
Mith regard to the subjects
discussed
above,
NRC representatives
made the
following specific comments:
Operator training - The Supply System might evaluate
the alignment of
the Training organization (if this has not already
been
done) to
determine if the reporting
scheme is providing the most effective
results
and to minimize the possibility of barriers
between the
Operations
and Training organizations.
Operations
Performance - The Supply System must remain constantly
critical and evaluate conditions
as they change.
Root cause
assessment
program - Root cause
assessment
program changes
are
key elements
towards
improvement
and the Supply System
needs to
get the whole organization into the root cause
mode of thinking.
guality programs - The
NRC has the perception that the quality
oversight organizations
have not contributed
much in the past.
The
performance of the quality groups will be baselined at the next
management
meeting.
Engineering - It will take
a great deal of resources
and commitment
to implement the Engineering
Improvement Plan.
This was perceived
as
a starting point and it should
be integrated for use
by all
engineering
groups.
Problem identification - The Supply System
needs to ensure that there
will be sufficient visibility of problems
as they arise
and that
these
problems will be elevated for management
action when warranted.
In closing, the Regional Administrator stated that Supply System
management
must constantly reevaluate
the program
and personnel
changes
that have occurred to determine if progress
is still being
made towards
achieving the desired goals.
To this end,
management
involvement in
monitoring plant activities
on a routine basis is necessary
to ensure that
corporate policies
and expectations
are being achieved.
During past
meetings,
the Supply System
has said
many words to address their
methodology for enhancement
of activities.
However,
few actual
improvements
have
been observed.
As of this meeting,
Operations
was the
only area that was perceived
as showing
some
improvement.
Mr. Hartin also
identified that the situation with Engineering will be harder to resolve
due to the fact that there are more fundamental
problems,
although
he
believed the Supply System
was in a position to resolve these
problems.
The Supply System's efforts to correct the. deficiencies identified in the
SALP report and the results
achieved will be reviewed in the next few
months.
The meeting adjourned at 1: 15 p.m.
APPENDIX
1
NRC CONCLUSIONS
A.
Comments
Received
From Licensee
Washington Public
Power
Supply System's
response
to the
WNP-2 SALP Board
Report dated
September
17,
1988,
had
no comments
addressing
the specific
content of the report.
Because
there were
no comments,
no changes
were
made to the
SALP Report.
B.
NRC Conclusions
Re ardin
Acce tabi lit
Of Licensee's
Planned Corrective
ctlons
We feel that your actions to deal with areas
needing
improvement appear
to be responsive
and substantial.
However,
we note that your plans for
improvement could benefit from the application of a systematic
program to
periodically assess
the effectiveness
of your initiatives to improve
performance
and provide any necessary
corrective adjustments.
B.
Re ional Administrator's Conclusions
Based
On Consideration
Of Licensee's
~Res
ense
I have concluded that the overall ratings in the affected
areas
have not
changed.