ML19308B731

Summary of 790322 Meeting W/Js Creswell Re Recent NRC Investigation at Davis-Besse

ML19308B731
Person / Time
Site:	Crane, Davis Besse
Issue date:	04/04/1979
From:	James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
References
TASK-TF, TASK-TMR NUDOCS 8001160850
Download: ML19308B731 (1)

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\\ * * * * * /g CLEN ELLYN, ILUNOIS 60lM April 4, 1979 MEMORANDUM FOR:

Region III Files FROM:

James G. Keppler, Director

SUBJECT:

[MEETINGWITHJ'[S.'CREiiWELk-DAVISBESSE OnIarhh- '22,1979[ I met with Mr. Creswell to discuss concerns which he M

had expressed with respect to the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station. The meeting was an outgrowth of a short discussion I'd had earlier with him in which I had asked whether he was satisfied with the recent investigation conducted by the Region at Davis Besse an investigation initiated as a result of concerns raised by Creswell. The pertinent information discussed during our meeting are as follows:

1. j Mr..C'reswell[ felt [thatithe[NRC should take prompt action. to shut 'downf

< Davis,Besse. His position appeared to be based on_the Company's past

_ performance which, in his opinion, showed: (1) aflarge. number of1 ipersonalierrors;in operating safety-related equipment; (2) appreciable time lapses,.in correcting known_ problems; and (3) an unusually;high

,, backlog.of_ maintenance-requests.

Mr. Creswell'a views had not been discussed with his Section Chief or his Branch Chief.

2.

I told Mr. Creswell that !I shared many of 'his, concerns'; regarding.

Davis Besse 's. pe. rformance but that, in the! absence of;an imminent 1 health and safety. concern, I was not in a position to support a,

. recommendation of shutdown of the facility. iCreswell stated that he:

Lcould not_ prove an'imm'ediate health and 'safetyj issue, but, based on

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his inspection experience, was convin'c'ed ' licensee management was j

incapable of bringing about the needed improvement in their regulatory performance.

3.

I indicated that we had not..yet; utilized 'l' owe'rf thn.% hold enforcement) options available to us and pointed out that the strongest enforcement sanction employed to date had been a Headquarters Notice of Violation.

1 4.

I expressed my_ view that Toledo Edison.'s _performancefparallel'ed, in many ways, the performance' of Commonwealth Edison Company at. Zion.

I told Mr. Creswell I had met with Messrs. Heishman and Spessard recently regarding current reportable events at Davis Besse and that I was moving in the direction of having'an enforcement conference!with top licenue i

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RIII Files 4/4/79 management to identify our specific concerns.

This, in turn, would be followed two or three weeks later with another meeting in which the licensee would be asked to outline specific actions take.2 'r planned to deal with our identified concerns.

Subsequent me-agement meetings at a prescribed frequency would then be held to monitor the licensee _'s

_ progress in achieving corrective actions.

Iaddedthat[ civil {penaltyl taction woald be; Aonsidered as rell if our inspections of recent unusual event reports met the criteria of MC 0800.

5. !Mr. Creswell; expressed his; view that we;had been slow,i,n' confronting'

{this licensee.'s performance and appeared to be concerned over further delays without meaningful. improvement in performance. _I. informed

,Mr. Creswell that11 would.,have to; agree thatcour previous managementj

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' meetings had not been effective in resolving our concerns; however, short of an immediate health and safety problem...I considered it

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important't'oescalate)our}.enforcementoptionsoneat.atime.

I indicated that, while Toledo Edison management had been told that we had a number of misgivings about their operation, they had not been "put on notice" by us that strong enforcement action was under considera-tion.

I emphasized that our normal policy was to give licensee management the opportunity to bring about improved performance.

I added that we would meet on a timely basis with the licensee to assure they were meeting their commitments and, if the licensee did not meet his commitments, we would promptly reassess our position.

6.

While,Mr. Creswell_.seemed.to_consid.er my. suggested approach as

reasonable..I was. unable to conclude whether= he.vas supportive.of

,ithis approach; I informed him thatiif.he~still. believed,the reactor

= should be, shut, down that he should:put.his position, and bases for this position, vin ~ writing.to me!

I indicated that!I. would. forward!hisipositionl, along with my evaluation of that position,.to Headquartersifor further consideration.

3bk James G. Keppler Director cc:

R. F. Heishman C. E. Norelius i

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