ML19346A287
| ML19346A287 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Humboldt Bay, Diablo Canyon |
| Issue date: | 04/30/1981 |
| From: | Engelken R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Crane P PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19346A285 | List: |
| References | |
| IEC-81-04, IEC-81-4, NUDOCS 8106190016 | |
| Download: ML19346A287 (1) | |
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UNITED STATES
- _ 3,* ! ff NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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a-REGION V
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- e,, e,' o*[E 1990 N CALIFORNIA BOULEVARD SulTE 202, WALNUT CREEK PLAZA WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA 94596 April 30, 1981 Occket tlos. 50-133, 50-275 Pacific Gas and Electric Company P. O. Box 7442 San Francisco, California 94106 Attention. Mr. Philip A. Crane, Jr.
Assistant General Counsel Gentlemen:
The enclosed circular is forwarded for your~ information.
No written response to this circular is required.
If you have any questions related to this matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely, nWM,4L R. H. Engelken Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Circular No. 81-04 2.
List of recently issued IE Circulars cc w/ enclosures:
J. D. Shiffer-W. Raymond, PG&E R. C. Thornberry, Plant Manager E. Weeks, PG&E, Humboldt Bay E. B. Langley, Jr 3 PG&E
'810 6'19 0 0l4
v SSINS No.: 6830 Accession No:
8011040278 IEC 81-04 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCt411SSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 April 30, 1981 IE Circular No. 81-04: THE ROLE OF SHIFT TECHNICAL ADVISORS AND imp 0RTANCE OF REPORTING OPERATIONAL EVENTS purpose:
The purpose of this circular is to focus attention on several prcblems NRC has identified in licensee implementation of the shift technical advisor (STA) program and the program for reporting operational events.
Problems in both of these areas have been identified, and to varying degrees, are believed to be fairly wide-spread.
Shift Technical Advisor (STA) Procram:
The STA position is a TMI-2 Action Plan Requirement clarified in NUREG-0737 and also in the letter from Mr. H. R. Denton, Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, "To All Operating Nuclear Power Plant Licensees," dated October 30, 1979.
The STA position was established to provide additional on-shift technical support and knowledge to the shif t supervisors in the areas of operational event evaluation and accident assessment. The primary duties of the STA include providing technical and engineering advice in assuring safe operaticns of the plant. This is to be accomplished through additional reviews and evaluations of operating events and accident and incident assessments. As the title implies, the position is one of advisor. The duties of the STA should include the review and evaluation of off-normal events.
The STA should also provide advice or recommendations to the shift supervisor on the safety significance and reportability of these events as they occur.
Based on results of a recent investigation, NRC has concluded that the STA position is not being utilized to the extent envisioned.
It is important that the STA be kept well informed of off-normal events and of safety-related activities being performed by others. By strengthening the ST/ nrogram, an additional margin of safety can be realized.
Specific areas, identified by our inspection and investigative activities, where it appears that the STA program can be strengthened, include the
_ ~..- following:
1.
STAS are not routinely being called upon for advice when potential safety problems are identified. The threshold for identifying off-normal condi-tions the STA should evaluate appears to be too high.
It is recomended that licensees review their guidance to STAS and shift supervisors in this area so that use of the STA will be optimized.
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IEC 81-04 April 30,1981 Page 2 of 2 Basic. organizational structures and procedures do not suitably define, in
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many cases, the functional duties of the STA during operating or shutdown conditions.
The working relationships between the STA, who functions in an advisory capacity, and the shif t supervisors must be clear in order to achieve improvements in overall safety.
Program for Recorting Operational Events:
- Reports of operational events are essential for NRC to carry out its ongoing review and analysis.of operating problems.
Information provided to NRC must represent a ccmplete picture of the event, the cause, and corrective This does not mean that a lengthy. description is required.
actions taken.
Descriptions may be brief but must be sufficient to reflect the situation as understood at the time of the report.
Supplementary. reports adding additional facts or reflecting significant changes in the facts surrounding the event must be made on a priority basis commensurate with the significance of the additional facts or changes to facts previously reported.
An evaluation of each off-normal condition and any change in that condition should be made to determine reportability.
It is recommended that licensees review with their staffs the importance of ensuring that initial and subse-quent important information on off-normal events is reported to NRC as required by conditions of operating licenses and NRC regulations. Although it is important to keep the NRC. resident inspector informed of each event, the official NRC notification must be made in accordance with the requirements as stated in the license and NRC regulations.
It is essential that reporting to NRC and other government offices does not detract from t' I response to the event.
Reporting cannot be allowed to degrade safety.
It is therefore essential that sufficient shift staffing be provided to meet both event response and reporting requirements.
No written response to this circular is required.
If additional information regarding this matter is needed, licensees should contact the director of the appropriate NRC regional off4ce.
Attachment:
Recently. issued IE Circulars
- Wh e 4e
,a u
Attachment
.IEC 81-04 April 30, 1981-RECEtiTLY ISSUED IE CIRCULARS Circular.
Date of rio.
_ Subject Issue Issued to 81-06 Totential Deficiency Affecting 4/14/81 All power reactor Certain Foxboro 20 to 50 facilities with an Milliampere Transmitters-OL or CP 81-05 Self-Aligning Rod End Bushings 3/31/81' All power reactor for Pipe Supports facilities with an OL or CP 81-03
' Inoperable Seismic Monitoring _
3/2/81 All power reactor Instrumentation facilities with an OL or CP 81-02 Performance of llRC-Licensed 2/9/81 All power reactor Individuals While on Duty facilities (research-
& test) with an OL or CP 81-01 Design Problems Involving 1/23/81 All power reactor Indicating Pushbutton facilitics with i
Switches' Manufactured by an OL or CP Honeywell Incorporated 80-25 Case Histories of 12/5/80 All radiography Radiography Events licensees 80-24 AECL Teletherapy Unit 12/2/80 All teletherapy Malfunction licensees 80-23 Potential Defects in Beloit 10/31/80 All power reactor Power Systems Emergency facilities with Generators OL or a CP 80-22 Confirmation of Employee 10/2/80 All holders of a Qualifications-power reactor OL or CP architect-engineering companies and nuclear steam system suppliers 80-21 Regulation of Refueling 9/10/80 All holders of a
. Crews power reactor OL or CP 0L = Operating Licenses CP = Construction Pennit