ML18102B413
| ML18102B413 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Salem  |
| Issue date: | 06/23/1997 |
| From: | Callan L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Ferland E Public Service Enterprise Group |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9707070103 | |
| Download: ML18102B413 (6) | |
Text
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DISTRIBUTION:
for letter to Mr. E. James Ferland (SALEM)
Central Fil es PUBLIC EDO R.F., 0-S E6 PIPB R.F., 0-12 E4 SECY, 0-16 GlS OPA, 0-2 GS OCA, 0-4 BlO ELJordan, 0-S E6 BDean, 0-S E6 Jlieberman, 0-7 HS ACThadani, T-10 F12 DFRoss, T-4 DIB TTMartin, 0-12 GIB RPZimmerman, 0-12 GIB FPGillespie, 0-12 GIB CWHehl, RI RWBorchardt, 0-12 E4 MRJohnson, 0-12 E4 PICastleman, 0-12. E4 SAVarga, 0-14 E4 JAZwolinski, 0-14 H3 JCStolz, 014 E21 LNOlshan, 0-14 E21 9707o7ofo3 97o62a PDR ADOCK 05000272 P
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UNITED STATES
- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Mr. E. James Ferland Chief Executive Officer Public Service Electric and Gas Company 80 Park Plaza Newark, NJ 07101
Dear Mr. Ferland:
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 June 23, 1997 On June 10 and 11, 1997, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) senior managers met to evaluate the nuclear safety performance of operating reactors, fuel facilities, and other materials licensees. The NRC conducts this meeting semiannually to determine if the safety performance of various licensees exhibits sufficient weaknesses to warrant increased NRC attention. At the June 1997 Senior Management Meeting (SMM), the Salem Generating Station was discussed.
The Salem plant remains on the NRC Watch List as a Category 2 plant. Plants in this category have been identified as having weaknesses that warrant increased NRC attention until the licensee demonstrates a period of improved performance. A summary of NRC discussions related to Salem follows:
Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) continued to make progress in addressing both equipment and human performance issues that led to the shutdown of both Salem units over two years ago.
The outage on Unit 2, which has resulted in extensive refurbishment and modification of both safety-related and balance-of-plant systems, is nearing completion.
Much of this effort has been directed toward eliminating operator workarounds and only a few remain; PSE&G is well along in completing a comprehensive pre-startup test program intended to assure repair work has been effective. The Unit 1 steam generator replacement project is proceeding well.
Station management has continued to strengthen corrective action programs.
The threshold for problem reporting is low and root cause assessments are usually strong. Self assessment activities are effective and management has normally taken appropriate action as problems are brought to light. Plant operators continued to exhibit a strong sense of plant ownership and conservative decision making.
The plant is in the early stages of implementing an improved stationwide planning and scheduling process.
The number and significance of personnel errors have declined. This stems, in part, from extensive retraining and requalification programs conducted during the outage for operators and maintenance technicians to both reinforce fundamental skills and establish higher safety standards.
The engineering staff also received significant, additional training.
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E. James Ferland The magnitude of engineering efforts to support the dual unit outage has been large; engineering performance has generally been strong.
Following up on NRC inspection findings, PSE&G conducted an extensive FSAR and licensing basis verification effort. However, PSE&G staff was slow in addressing several important technical issues identified before the outage; resolution of these issues must occur before restart of Unit 2.
While a strong management team has been in place for most of the dual unit outage, effective operation of the facility at power has yet to be demonstrated.
For this reason, the senior managers concluded that continued increased attention to Salem activities is necessary.
As a consequence, Salem will remain a Category 2 facility.
Mr. Hubert Miller, the Region I Regional Administrator, has discussed the bases for our conclusions with regard to Salem with members of your staff.
An NRC Commission Meeting, open to the public, is scheduled to be held in the Commissioners' Conference Room in Rockville, Maryland on June 25, 1997 at 10:00 a.m., to review the results of the latest meeting of NRC senior managers.
If you have any questions, regarding this matter, do not hesitate to call me at (301) 415-1700.
Docket Nos.:
50-272 and 50-311 cc: See next page Sincerely, or~lnal signed by
~~~~
~-*. J.Q.,~!!.PJLJ:,a ll an Exe'Cut i ve Di rector for Operations DISTRIBUTION:
See attached page DOCUMENT NAME:
G:\\SECY2\\SALEMLTR.697
- See Previous Concurrence To receive a copy of this document,* dicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment/enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE DD:NRR D:NRR NAME FJMira lia*
SJCollins*
DATE 06/18/97 06/18/97 06/
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
E. James Ferland This magnitude of engineering efforts to support the dual unit out ge has been large; engineering performance has generally been stron-.
Following up on NRC inspection findings, PSE&G conducted an e ensive FSAR and licensing basis verification effort. However, PSE staff was slow in addressing several important technical issues ide ified before the outage; resolution of these issues must occur befor restart of Unit
- 2.
While a strong management team has been in place r most of the dual unit outage, effective operation of the facilit at power has yet to be demonstrated.
For this reason, the senior ma~ gers concluded *that continued increased attention to Salem acti~fties is necessary.
As a consequence, Salem will remain a Category facility.
Mr. Hubert Miller, the Region I Regional Adm' istrator, has discussed the bases for our conclusions with regard to S em with members of your staff.
An NRC Commission Meeting, open to the ublic, is scheduled to be held in the*
Commissioners' Conference Room in Roe ville, Maryland on June 25, 1997 at 10:00 a.m., to review the results o the latest meeting of NRC senior managers.
If you have any questions, reg ding this matter, do not hesitate to call me at (301) 415-1700.
')
Docket Nos.*
50-272 and 50-311.
Sincerely, L.
Joseph Callan Executive Director
- for Ope rat i ans DIST, IBUTION:
See attached page DOCUMENT N ~E: G:\\SECY2\\SALEMLTR.697 To receive a c py of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without a closure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy OFF IC EDO NAME LJCallan DATE 06/
/97
Mr. E. James Ferland.
Public Service Elect
& Gas
'{. Corripany cc:
Mark J. Wetterhahn, Esquire Winston & Strawn 1400 L Street NW Washington, DC 20005-3502 Richard Fryling, Jr., Esquire Law Department - Tower SE 80 Park Place Newark, NJ 07101 Mr. D. F. Garchow General Manager - Salem Operations Salem Generating Station P.O. Box.236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Louis Storz Sr. Vice President-Nuclear Operations Nuclear Department P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey.08038 Mr. Charles S. Marschall, Senior Resident Inspector Salem Generating Station U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Drawer 0509 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Dr. Jill Lipoti, Asst. Director Radiation Protection Programs NJ Department of Environmental Protection and Energy CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625-0415 Maryland Office of People's Counsel 6 St. Paul Street, 21st Floor Suite 2102 Ba.ltimore, Maryland 21202 Ms. R. A. Kankus Joint Owner Affairs PECO Energy Company 965 Chesterbrook Blvd., 63C-5 Wayne, PA 19087 Mr.
Elber~ Simpson Sr. Vice President-Nuclear Engineering Nuclear Department P.O. Box 236 Hancocks* Bridge, New Jersey 08038 Salem NucleiiJillienerating Station, Units 1 a19
- Richard Hartung Electric ~ervice Evaluation Board of Regulatory Commissioners 2 Gateway Center, Tenth Floor Newark, NJ 07102 Regional Administrator, Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Lower Alloways Creek Township c/o Mary 0. Henderson, Clerk Municipal Building, P.O. Box 157 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. David R. Powell, Manager Licensing and Regulation Nuclear Business Unit P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. David Wersan Assistant Consumer Advocate Office of Consumer Advocate 1425 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA 17120 P. M. Goetz MGR. Joint Generation Atlantic Energy 6801 Black Horse Pike Egg Harbor Twp., NJ 08234-4130 Carl D. Schaefer External Operations.- Nuclear Delmarva Power & Light Company P.O. Box 231 Wilmington, DE 19899 Public Service Commission of
.Maryland, Engineering Division Chief Engineer 6 St. Paul Centre Baltimore, MD 21202-6806 Mr. Leon R. Eliason Chief Nuclear Officer & President-Nuclear Business Unit Public Service Electric and Gas Company Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
Mr. E. James Ferland Public Service Electr~ Gas
- c
- Cpropany cc (cont'd.):
J. A. Isabella MGR. Joint Generation Department Atlantic Electric Company Post Office Box 1500 6801 Black Horse Pike Pleasantville, New Jersey 08232 Salem Nucle~~enerating Station, Units 1 a.._