ML19242C953
| ML19242C953 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/02/1979 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Staudt H BUNKER RAMO CORP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19242C954 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908140243 | |
| Download: ML19242C953 (2) | |
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JtJL 2 1979 Mr. IIerman R. Staudt 900 Commerce Drive Oak Brook, Illinois 60521
Dear Mr. Staudt:
Your letter of May 9,1979 to Chairman IIendrie concerning establishment of a new " safety" position at nucicar power plants to improve the read-iness and capability of utility personnel to respond to emergencies contains elements which are consistent with our thinking. We are moving ahead with measures t_ improve the training of plant operating personnel '
and to assure that utility management and technical support personnel are capable of quickly and effectively responding to emergencies. Your idea of establishing new " safety" positions jointly sponsored ~oy the government and industry is novel and constructive; however, as you recog-nize, it would undoubtedly be controversial and difficult to implement.
We agree with you that the NRC has a unique responsibility to the public to insure that safety, integrity, technical competency and the authority to act promptis and according to the public's primary interest are vested in a person or team located at ea._h nuclear power plant. We require that any individual who manipulates the controls of a nuclear power plant or any individual designated by the facility licensee to be responsible for directing the activities of reactor operators be licensed by the NRC.
We also require that the facility licensee issue instructions to such individuals which emphasize their responsibility for safe operation of the nuclcer power plant. We are lo-king at a variety of methods to further emph. size the responsibility for safe operation of the plant and to provide additional assistance to plant operators in carrying out their responsibil-ities. Some of the options advanced by individuals, in addition to your proposal, include:
(1) stationing a federal employee in the control room on a 24-hour basis to monitor operations; (2) requiring the facility licensee te station ta engineer in the control room, in addition to the present.antrol room operators, to act as a safety monitor; (3)~ requiring each operating shift to have at least one technical advisor with acceptable
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engineering training who has plant design knowledge in addition to that required by current NRC license criteria and; (4) taking additional steps to further emphasize the present operators' responsibilities for safe operation of the plant including increased training.
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As you may be aware, the Commission has directed the staff to ' conduct a thorough review of current NRC requirements and guidance to licensees for qualification of reactor operators. As part of this study we will give consideraton to the proposals described above and to the points raised in your letter. Short term actions are being taken to get an immediate increase in safety of nuclear power plants. We fully expect that addition-al actions will be tC.en as our review of the Three Mile Island accident progresses.
I am enclosing for your information a document which describes the procc-dures and criteria for issuance of reactor operator and senior reactor opcrator licenses.
This document was produced to assist applicants and facility licensees to a better understanding of the pertinent parts of the Commission's regulations. A review of the enclosed document may produce additional suggestions.
If so, we would be pleased to hear them.
While I have not attempted to comment on each point in your letter, I would like to respond to your observation that the government of ten influences salaries and fringe benefits of key personnel in regulated industries. We have recently conducted a statistical sampling of nuclear power plants.
Salaries for operators varied from $18,000 to $26,000, depending upon geographic location and seniority.
Salaries for senior operators varied from $19,000 to $40,000, also depending upon geographic location and seniority.
If you should have additional thoughts, we would be pleased to consider them.
In this regard we have established a " Lessons Learned" task force within the Of fice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to study the Three Mile Island acci-dent, including the review and evaluation of investigative irJormation, staff evaluations of responses to NRC bulletins and orders, staff recommend-ations and recommended actions from outside of the NRC and to identify, analyze, and recommend changes to licensing requirements and the licensing process for nuclear power plants.
This task force will also provide recommendations _for interim requirements for new operating licenses prior to comp!ction of long-term activities.
The Task Force Chairman, Dr. Roger J. Mattson, may be reached by calling area code 301 (492-7517).
Sincerelydh
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Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
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