ML19261D882
| ML19261D882 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Davis Besse  |
| Issue date: | 05/31/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Glenn J SENATE, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7906270144 | |
| Download: ML19261D882 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES
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I*g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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May 31, 1979 Q h CH AIRMAN The Honorable John Glenn, Chairman Subcomittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation
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and Federal Services.
J o o JB l
Connittee on Governmental Affairs i
United States Senate Washington, D. C.
20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
I find I have to correct a part of the testimony I gave at the May 9, 1979, hearing before your Subcomittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation and Federal Services. This occurs at pages 120 and 121 of the reporter's draft of the transcript, where we were discussing resident inspectors and the Davis-Besse facility.
I had thought that some of the first-hand inspection reports I had seen on Davis-Besse were from a resident inspector stationed there.
I find.I was mistaken.
The Office of Inspection and Enforcement (0IE) tells me those reports were from regional inspectors who regularly visit Davis-Besse.
The assignment of a specific individual to be the resident inspector at Davis-Besse has not yet been made:
we expect to make that assignment However, the intensi'y of inspection effort at by the end of this summer.
Davis-Besse has been essentially equivalent to, or has exceeded, that of a permanently assigned resident inspector since the increase in inspection at all operating plants with Babcock and Wilcox reactors that was instituted after the Three Mile Island accident.
That level of inspection effort will be sustained until a full-time assignment is made. When the B&W plants are in cold shutdown, the inspection coverage may vary somewhat.
NRC had at ieast one reactor operations inspector at Davis-Besse each nonnal work day from April 2 through May 4.
During the period May 5 through May 16, inspection coverage at Davis-Besse was reduced due to conflicts in scheduling of manpower as a result of the need for inspector This reduction participation in meetings involving licensees and NRC.
was determined to be tolerable in view of the cold shutdown status of the plant, the low level of work activity at the site and knowledge of the then-pending NRC shutdown order to the licensee.
I should point out that a permanently assigned resident inspector might very well have absences of this duration to cover annual leave or sickness, or to attend meetings such as these.
2159 158 Ti h 22 d M
' The Honorable John Glenn During this period of reduction of intense inspection effort, NRC presence at the site was, nevertheless, higher than normal by virtue of a security
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inspection conducted by Region III specialist inspectors during the period May 7-11.
Full forty-hour-per-week inspection coverage was resumed on May 17. Thus, except for the three-day period of May 14-16, 1
Davis-Besse has had coverage equivalent to, or greater than, that available from a permanently assigned resident inspector.
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As noted, we anticipate the assignment of a full-time resident inspector f
to the Davis-Besse pla'nt by the end of this sumer and we will continue E.'
the present high level of inspection coverage there until that assignment is made.
The individual to be selected will be a well-qualified and
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experienced inspector.
I believe this letter should be included in the record of the hearing
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to correct my testimony on these points.
Sincerely,7
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l ph M. Hendrie cc:
Senator Jacob K. Javits I
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