ML18106A285
| ML18106A285 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Salem  |
| Issue date: | 01/15/1998 |
| From: | Callan L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Ferland E Public Service Enterprise Group |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9802030096 | |
| Download: ML18106A285 (5) | |
Text
Mr. E. James Ferland Chief Executive Officer Public Service Electric and Gas Company 80 Park Plaza Newark, NJ 07101
Dear Mr. Ferland:
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555--0001 January 15, 1998 On January 6 and 7, 1998, 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 January 1998 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.
While Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) has made some significant improvements in plant equipment and station operating philosophy, the senior managers concluded that making judgements about whether changes will be long lasting will require another period of monitoring. During this period PSE&G can demonstrate sustained, successful plant operation by successfully completing the start-up of Unit 1 while continuing safe operation of Unit 2. A summary of NRC discussions related to Salem follows:
PSE&G continued to make progress in addressing both equipment and human
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performance issues that led to the shutdown of both Salem units over two years ago.
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PSE&G completed a comprehensive test program and restarted Salem Unit 2 without any significant events. The Unit 1 steam generator replacement project is nearing completion; fuel has been loaded and an integrated test program is underway in support of plant restart.
Senior PSE&G management provided effective oversight ofthe Unit 2 restart and has successfully fostered a conservative and deliberate operating ethic among the Salem operations staff. While there was an increasing trend in personnel errors during the initial transition to an operating environment, the low-threshold, high-volume problem identification and corrective action system, which is now well established at the station, and continued strong management involvement promptly arrested this trend. Operator performance since the restart has been very good.
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The magnitude of engineering efforts to support the dual unit outage and Unit 2 restart has been large; the quality of these efforts has been generally good. The plant organization is currently challenged by a large maintenance backlog that has grown with the recent focus on Unit 2 restart and completion of the Unit 1 steam generator replacement outage. Current steps being taken by PSE&G to improve station maintenance planning and work control processes are important to reducing these backlogs.
Mr. Hubert Miller, the Region I Regional Administrator, has discussed 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 January 21, 1998, 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 DISTRIBUTION: See attached page DOCUMENT NAME: A\\SALEMLTR.198
- See Previous Concurrence
- Concurred via telecon Sincerely,
/s/
L. Joseph Callan Executive Director for Operations To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment/enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE RA:RI I DD:NRR I
D:NRR I
EDO {A_
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NAME HJMiller **
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SJ Collins*
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DATE 01/14/98 01/14/98 01/14/98 01/ \\ ~ /98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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E. James Ferland 2
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replacement outage. Current steps being taken by PSE&G to improve station maintenance planning and work control processes are important to re_s:ltfcing these backlogs..
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Mr. Hubert Miller, the Region I Regional Administrator; has discussed,'6ur conclusions with regard to Salem with members of your staff.
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An NRC Commission Meeting, open to the public, is schedulEJ.<:fto be held in the Commissioners' Conference Room in Rockville, Maryland, on January 21, 1 ~98, at 10:00 a. m., to review the results of the latest meeting of NRC senior managers.
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If you have any questions, regarding this matter, do l)dt hesitate to call me at (301) 415-1700.
/
/
Docket Nos.: 50-272 and 50-311 cc: See next page DOCUMENT N' E: A\\SALEMLTR.198
- See Previou/concurrence
- Concurred 1 via telecon OFFICE RA:RI NAME HJMiller **
DATE 01/14/98 Sincerey lephCallan Executive Director for Operations with attachmenUenclosure "N" = No co EDO LJCallan 01/
/98
- Public Service Electric & Gas Company cc:
Jeffrie J. Keenan, Esquire Nuclear Business Unit - N21 P.O. Box236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 General Manager - Salem Operations Salem Nuclear Generating Station P.O. Box236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. Louis Storz Sr. Vice President - Nuclear*Operations Nuclear Department P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Senior Resident Inspector Salem Nuclear 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 Baltimore, MD 21202 Ms. R. A. Kankus Joint Owner Affairs PECO Energy Company 965 Chesterbrook Blvd., 63C-5 Wayne, PA 19087 Mr. Elbert Simpson Senior Vice President-Nuclear Engineering Nuclear Department P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 Mr. Harold W. Keiser Chief Nuclear Officer & President-Nuclear Business Unit Public Service Electric and Gas Company Post Office Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Richard Hartung Electric Service 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 Manager-Licensing and Regulation Nuclear Business Unit - N21 P.O. Box236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Mr. David Wersan Assistant Consumer Advocate Office of Consumer Advocate 1425 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA 17120 M~nager - 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. Box231 Wilmington, DE 19899 Public Service Commission of Maryland Engineering Division Chief Engineer 6 St. Paul Centre Baltimore, MD 21202-6806
- DISTRIBUTION: for letter to Mr. E. James Ferland (SALEM)
Central Files
__ PUBLIC EDO R.F., 0-5-E-6 PIPS R.F., 0-12-E-4 SECY, 0-16-G-15 OPA, 0-2-G-5 OCA, 0-4-8-10 Hl Thompson, 0-16-E-15 ACThadani, 0-16-E-15 GTracy, 0-16-E-15 WMDean, 0-16-E-15 Jlieberman, 0-7-H-5 MRKnapp, T-10-F-12 TTMartin, T-4-D-18 BWSheron, 0-12-G-18 RPZimmerman, 0-12-G-18 FPGillespie, 0-12-G-18 RWBorchardt, 0-12-E-4 MRJohnson, 0-12-E-4 DRTaylor, 0-12-E-4 CWHehl, RI BEBoger, 0-14-E-4 JAZwolinski, 0-14-H-3 JFStolz, 0-14-E-21 PDMilano, 0-14-E-21