ML19269D216

Responds to NRC 790116 Ltr Re Violations Noted in IE Insp Rept 50-306/78-21.Corrective Actions:Test Procedure Will Be Revised to Include 90% Composite Grade & Past Experience of Two Employees Was Documented

ML19269D216
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	02/01/1979
From:	Wachter L NORTHERN STATES POWER CO.
To:	Heishman R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
Shared Package
ML19269D214	List: ML19269D216
References
NUDOCS 7903070478
Download: ML19269D216 (3)

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. NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY MIN N E A PO U S, MI N N E SOTA 55401 February 1, 1979 Mr. R. F. Heishman, Chief Reactor Construction and Engineering Sepport Branch Region III United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137

Dear Mr. Heishman:

PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR GENEPATING PLANT Docket No. 50-306 In response to your letter of January 16, 1979, which transmitted Inspection Report 50-306/78-21, the following information is of f ered :

Deficiencv

a. Paragraph 8.6.4 SST-TC-1A,1975 Edition requires that a composite grade of 90% is necessary to pass the test.

Contrary to the above, Lambert, MacGill, Thomas, Inc. procedure No. QA-6, Revision 6, " Qualification and Certification of NDE Personnel", March 6, 1978; did not state that for NDE Level III personnel, a composite grade of 90% is required to pass the test.

b. Lambert, IbcGill, Thomas, Inc. Procedure No. QA-6, Revision 6.

March 6, 1978, " Qualification and certification of NDE Personnel",

SNT-TC:1A, 1975 Edition, requires experience prior to taking an examination for any NDE method.

Contrary to the above, two NDE personnel certifications received did not document previous NDE experience.

Response to a The code governing our In-Service Inspection Program, ASME Section XI, 1974 Edition, through and including the Summer 1975 Addenda, requires that " personnel performing nondestructive examination operations shall be qualified with a procedure prepared in accordance with SNT-TC-1A for the applicable examination technique and method." Lambert,

-EB 5 1979 7903070417%

NORTHERN GTATES POWER COMPANY Mr. R. F. Heishman February 1, 1979 Page 2 MacGill, Thomas, Inc. (LMT) Procedure No. 07.-6, Revision 6, entitled,

" Qualification and Certification of NDE Personnel", was prepared to meet the guidelines established in SNT-TC-1A (June, 1975, Edition).

SNT-TC-1A states that "in developing his written practice as required by Paragraph 5, the employer shall review the detailed recommendations presented herein, and shall modify them as necessary to meet his particular needs."

Although the LMT procedure didn't specifically state that for NDE Level III personnel a composite grade of at least 90 percent is required to pass the tests, it does require the individual to successfully complete a specific examination, a practical examination, and obtain at least an 80 percent grade on the general examination.

The LMT Level III individual on site was certified in accordance with Procedure No. QA-6. The certification papers were reviewed and all of his composite grades (for each NDE method he was certified) were above 90 percent.

The procedure has been revised to include a corposite grade of at least 90 percent (for Level III) in the process of gearing up the program to future editions and addenda of Section XI that will become ef fective.

The revised procedure will be included in the next revision of the LMT QA Manual.

Response to b A certification statement was at the site for each examiner. This statement identifies the individual, level of certification, a brief statement on education, background and experience, certification dates, examination grades, etc. In addition to this, a resume was included for some of the examiners. After the inspector identified his concerns, the LMT home of fice was contacted and a resume was telecopied to the site for B. K. Graham and V. R. March.

B. K. Graham and V. R. March did have their experience documented. Their certification records, including detailed documentation on their training, experience, etc., were maintained at the LMT home of fice. There is no requirement that the examiners' experience be maintained at the plant site. LMT's QA Manual was approved by Northern States Power Company.

This included the procedure for Qualification and Certification of NDE Personnel which identifies the requirements for maintaining certification records. Contrary to the statement on page 6 of Report No. 50-306/78-21,

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY Mr. R. F. Heishman February 1, 1979 Page 3 B. K. Graham and V. R. March did not perform any ultrasonic examinations. They operated strip chart recorders used for automatic data recording of the ultrasonic examination.

A certified Level II ultrasonic examiner performed the examinations.

Yours very truly, fhf L. J. Wachter Vice President Power Production and System Operation cc: Mr. G. Charnoff