ML18067A585
| ML18067A585 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 06/19/1997 |
| From: | Robert Schaaf NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Bordine T CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9706300278 | |
| Download: ML18067A585 (3) | |
Text
UNITED STATES
. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l)~
~le_
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-()0()1 June 19; 1997 5o-2C~
Mr. Thomas C. Bordine Licensing Manager Palisades Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, Ml 49043
SUBJECT:
INFORMATION REGARDING OPEN TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO SIEMENS POWER CORPORATION'S 10 CFR 50.46 LARGE BREAK LOSS-OF-COOLANT ACCIDENT (LOCA) EVALUATION MODEL
Dear Mr. Bordine:
The NRC recently completed an inspection of Siemens Power Corporation - Nuclear Division (SPC) in Richland, Washington. As a result of the inspection, technical issues were raised that will require action by SPC to resolve. The purposes of this letter are (1) to provide information to you regarding the open technical issues, and (2) to alert you to the need to compile and maintain specific information pursuant to regulatory requirements pertaining to the computer codes used to perform LOCA analyses for your plant. The exit for the inspection was conducted with Siemens at NRC readquarters on May 13, 1997.
Some of the open technical issues are discussed in the enclosed letter from the NRC to SPC and concern testing and analysis performed by SPC to support the development of the EXEM PWR large-break LOCA evaluation model. No immediate action is required by licensees using SPC's methodology. However, licensees will be responsible for the assessment and reporting of the impact of any changes to SPC's approved methodology that may result from the resolution of these issues.
In addition to the issues discussed in the enclosed letter from NRC to SPC on the inspection, the NRC inspection team found significant deficiencies in SPC's documentation of its analysis codes and models, and also determined that SPC performed inadequate verification and validation (V&V) of approved codes after changes were made to them.
Regulatory requirements for documentation and V&V of LOCA codes are contained in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix K, Section II. These requirements are imposed on licensees, since licensees are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the LOCA analyses for their plants comply with applicable regulations. In addition, general requirements with regard to quality assurance, which are related to licensee responsibilities in ensuring that LOCA codes and analyses comply with applicable regulations, are discussed in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B; for example, Criterion Ill {Design Control), Criterion V (Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings), Criterion VII (Control of Purchased Material, Equipment, and.
Services), Criterion X (Inspection), Criterion XVII (Quality Assurance [OAJ Records)~ and Criterion XVIII (Audits).
- 9706300278 970619 PDR ADOCK 05000255 p
PDR NRC FILE CENTER COPY I l oro\\ l 1
Mr. Thomas C. Bordirie.,.
Licensees must maintain documentation that prqvides adequate assurance that their LOCA analyses comply with. the appropriate provisions; of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B and Appendix K, and that.. they meet the *acceptanc~* criteria of 1 O CFR 50.46. This documentation *should consist of (but is not limited to) reports of internal or external reviews of LOCA methc;>dologies aiid 'results, audit.or inspectio'n reports, or independent confirmatory analyses. *while the staff.. does not require at this time that licensees submit this information, the staff will. review the documentation as part' of its inspections of
- licensees, such as those.cond1J<::ted\\~ *s~pport:.oHhe tor~ performance action plan. Failure of licensees to provide adequate oversight of their:cohtractors or to maintain adequate documentation could resu*I~ *in enforc*ement a<:;tion:
The staff further reminds licensees that it is their responsibility to con9uct meaningful audits of their contractors. This is discussed i~ the context of requirements related to LOCA analyses in NRC Information *Notice (IN) 97-15; *however, it is generally applicable to*
other contractor activities, as well. If the* stat't determines that contractor technical and.
QA deficiencies shoul~ have been discovered by licensees' audits,* the staff will generally
- initiate enforcem.ent action against the licensees., ~he staff is currently reviewing whether enforcement action is warranted as a res.ult of the SPC inspectio.n.
Doc::ket No. 50~255 Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY
-Robert' G. Schaaf, Project Manager
- Project Directorate.111-1
- Division of Reactor Projects - Ill/IV
- Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation EnclosGre*:.
Ltr to H. Curet (Siemens) dated 5/7 /97 '(ACN9705140221) cc w /encl:
. See next page DISTRIBUTION w/o encl:
Docket File w/encl PD# 3-1 Reading w/encl OGC PUBLIC wfeV\\CI JRoe ACRS BBurgess, Riii Alevin JDonohew DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\WPDOCS\\PALISADE\\PAL_LOCA.. LTR To rec.eive a copy of this document, indicate in the box C = Cqpy w/o attachment/enclosure E =Copy with attachment/enclosure N
= No copy OFFICE PM:PD31 E.
LA:PD'31.
- D:PD41 D:PD31 NAME f!.._sfhaaf :db CJamerson
. WBecknerw~(J JHannon DATE
. fotf°J /97 i'1111 /97
Mr. Thomas C. Bordine Consumers Power Company cc:
Mr. Thomas J. Palmisano Site Vice President Palisades Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, Michigan 49043 Mr. Robert A. Fenech, Sr Vice Pres Nuclear, Fossil, and Hydro Operations Consumers *Energy Company 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson, Michigan 49201 M. I. Miller, Esquire Sidley & Austin 54th Floor
- One First National Plaza Chicago, Illinois 60603 Mr. Thomas A. McNish Vice President & Secretary Consumers Energy Company 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson, Michigan 49201
- Judd L. Bacon, Esquire Consumers Energy Company 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson, Michigan 49201 Regional Administrator, Region Ill U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, Illinois 60532-4351 Jerry Sarno Township Supervisor Covert Township
. 36197 M-140 Highway Covert, Michigan 49043 Office of the Governor Room 1 - Capitol Building.
Lansing, Michigan 48913
- Palisades Plant U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector's Office Palisades Plant 27782 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, Michigan 49043
- Drinking Water and Radiological Protection Division Michigan Department of Environmental Quality 3423 N. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd P. 0. Box 30630 CPH Mailroom Lansing, Michigan 48909-8130 Gerald Chernoff, Esquire Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge 2300 N Street, N. W.
Washington DC 20037 Michigan Department of Attorney General Special Litigation Division 630 Law Building P.O. Box 30212 Lansing, Michigan 48909 April 1997