ML19259A922
| ML19259A922 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/02/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Myers G HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19259A923 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7901110251 | |
| Download: ML19259A922 (3) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES I
NUCLE AR REGULATORY COMM'sSION COtY)fn 1
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W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 k d h, j January 2,1979 CON 3
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CHAIRMAN The Honorable Gary A.
Myers United States House of Representatives Washington, D.
C.
20515
Dear Congressman Myers:
Thank you for youl recent letter containing suggestions for the establishment of a commercial react or information center and for the initiation of a computerized data bank of reactor incidents.
The Commission has reviewed your suggestion for the estab-lishment of a reactor information center similar to the CHEMTREC National Data Bank.
Staff discussions with persons involved with CHEMTRIC led us to conclude that their approach to aiding in the response to an " emergency" situation has certain parallels with our incident response action.
We should emphasize, however, that a strict comparison with CHEMTREC or adaptation of their approach is difficult due to a fundamental difference between the individuals CHEMTREC seeks to assist and nuclear power plant operators.
CHEMTREC provides direction to persons who are not expected to be knowledgeable about the hazards they face.
Nuclear power plant operators, on the other hand, are required to have detailed knowledge about all phases of plant operation, including response to emergencies.
The Commission has established its procedures and requirements to place par-ticular emphasis on ensuring the ability of plant operators to cope with abnormal situations independent of outside assistance.
For example, to reduce the potential for operator errors, the Commission, in addition to licensing the plants, licenses the nuclear power plant operators for a specific plant.
As part of the qualification for a license, an individual must demonstrate knowledge of both standard operating procedures and emergency procedures written for that plant.
Power plant simulators are used in operator licensing to test the ability to identify and respond to postulated emergencies or accidents.
In addition, plant operators must periodically 20/2
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Honorable Gary A.
Myers requalify and on those occasions must demonstrate knowledge of plant design changes, procedure changes and facility license changes which regulatory or operating experience have shown to be necessary.
Through written procedures and training requirements, NRC seeks to minimize the possibility of operator error and to provide the operator with specific information for dealing with emergencies before the fact.
In spite of these measures, we recognize that errors are made and that accidents might occur.
To ensure timely response during unusual incidents, the Commission also requires the formulation of site emergency plans and pro-cedures for use by plant personnel.
In addition, NRC works with local and State personnel in developing off-site emergency plans for use in the event that an accident situation involves actual or potential release of significant radioactivity.
In emergency situations the Commission is to be promptly notified, and has the ability at its Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland to activate an Incident Response Center staffed by Commission senior management and staff experts.
The Center would be in communication with NRC regional staff, other Federal agencies, State and local support agencies, and plant personnel.
The Center has available copies of the emergency plans and procedures for each operating nuclear power plant, plant design, and plant site information.
Thus, the NRC staff can independently assess an emergency situation and aid in its resolution.
Your recommendation for a reactor information center envisions a source of emergency procedural information developed by the NRC from the study of operational information and knowledge of plant designs.
To a certain extent the SRC Incident Response Center acts as'such a source.
- Ecwever, enlike CHEMTREC, the Center is not intended to serve as the primary source of emergency information in most circumstances or to substitute for trained personnel at the site.
Tne operator has the procedures available to him, is trained to diagnose problems, and is in the best position to cope with those problems which must be resolved quickly.
Nuclear plant operating procedures are developed under scrutiny of the NRC and in part address emergency situatiens postulated by the NRC staff.
Changes to procedures, plant design changes, and facility license changes are ways tha:
lessons learned by the NRC and the licensees are tail: red tc each facility and fed back to operating personnel.
Af di ti: n al 20/2 218
Honorable Gary Myers vehicles for sharing information with licensees include Inspection and Enforcement Bulletins, quarterly Abnormal Occurrence Reports, and less formal publications such as
" Current Events".
We believe that these measures address your concern that operating personnel have available fairly detailed guidance which incorporates the NRC's experience.
We agree with you on the importance of using our cumulative knowledge to aid operating personnel in handling emergencies.
We believe that the existing NRC programs and requirements outlined above meet the intent of your suggestion for a reactor information center.
We are continuing to review these programs and revise them as needed.
Suggestions such as yours are valuable in this effort.
We believe that your second suggesion to develop a computer file of reactor incidents for evaluation purposes has merit and has already been implemented to a great extent.
A computer file of Licensee Event Reports (LERs) from power reactors was created in mid-1973.
The file and associated software were developed for the purpose of selective report retrieval and compilation using data elements such as plant name, plant system involved, component involved, cause of the incident, corrective action and so on.
This file is used by the Commission staff, the industry, and the public for analyses of operating exrerience.
For example, the NRC has contracts for analysis ci the data file to assist in licensee and equipment performance evaluation.
Also, Congressman Udall has recommended a special review of the data by someone other than the NRC for ways to further enhance safety.
We intend.to examine ways to improve the usage and utility of our data base.
The Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, also maintains a computer file of licensee event reports, other docketed material, and nuclear safety information.
This information also is retrievable by r:eywords and several other means.
We appreciate your interest in enhancing the safety of nuclear power plants.
Please let us know if we may be of further assistance.
' Sincerely,
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Joseph M.
Hendrie 20/2
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