ML18057A137
| ML18057A137 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/27/2018 |
| From: | Chris Miller Division of Inspection and Regional Support |
| To: | Joseph E Pollock Nuclear Energy Institute |
| Isom J/NRR/DIRS,415-1109 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML18057A137 (3) | |
Text
C. Earls UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 February 27, 2018 Mr. Joseph E. Pollock Vice President, Nuclear Operations 1201 F Street, NW, Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20004
SUBJECT:
RECEIPT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE INDUSTRY WHITE PAPER, RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FIRE PROTECTION TRIENNIAL INSPECTION PROGRAM
Dear Mr. Pollock:
This letter acknowledges receipt of your December 18, 2017, letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from the Nuclear Energy Institute entitled, Industry White Paper, Recommendations on Improvements to the Fire Protection Triennial Inspection Program (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML17352B114).
The December 18, 2017, letter forwarded industrys white paper which outlined the accomplishments of the NRC fire protection program and proposed a future NRC inspection framework that provides a transition away from the current triennial fire protection program.
I appreciate your feedback on the industrys perspective on the effectiveness of our current triennial fire protection program. In February 2017, a working group consisting of experienced supervisors and inspectors was formed by the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to conduct an assessment of the NRC engineering inspections that verify the adequacy of facility design, operations, and testing and make recommendations on improving both the effectiveness and efficiency of the suite of Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) engineering inspections. The triennial fire protection inspection is included in this review effort.
Your recommendations for sunsetting the current triennial fire protection inspections and for focusing future NRC inspections on modifications to the fire protection system were evaluated by the engineering working group. On February 22, 2018, this working group presented their recommendations to improve the suite of ROP suite of engineering inspections to member of the public. Included in these recommendations were ways to improve the structure of future triennial fire protection inspections to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. We plan to implement these recommended improvements after obtaining NRC Commission approval.
If you have any questions, please contact James A. Isom by telephone at 301-415-1109 or by e-mail to James.Isom@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Christopher G. Miller, Director Division of Inspection and Regional Support Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation