ML20004F715
| ML20004F715 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello, Dresden, Davis Besse, Palisades, Kewaunee, Point Beach, Prairie Island, Duane Arnold, Cook, Quad Cities, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Zion, LaSalle, Zimmer  |
| Issue date: | 05/01/1981 |
| From: | Carroll D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Wright G ILLINOIS, STATE OF |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8106220214 | |
| Download: ML20004F715 (2) | |
Text
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na neo UNITED STATES 8'
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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o e a REGION lil y,
799 ROOSEVELT ROAD g
GLEN ELLYN. ILLINOIS 60137 HAY I 1981-g & \\lI.Q.i
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Illinois Department of 7
k Nuclear Safety 1
I'MY O' 19 8 ;. t ATTN:
Mr. Gary N. Wright 9'
u,a Deputy Director 80 *i 1
1035 Outer Park Drive g
Springfield, IL 62704 e
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Gentlemen:
The enclosed IE Circular No. 81-04 titled "The Role of Shift Technical Advisors and Importance of Reporting Operational Events" was sent to the licensees listed below for Information on April 30, 1981:
American Electric Power Service Corporation Indiana and Michigan Power Company D. C. Cook 1, 2 (50-315, 50-316)
Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company Zimmer (50-358)
Commonwealth Edison Company Dresden 1, 2, 3 (50-10, 50-237, 50-249)
LaSalle 1, 2 (50-373, 50-374)
Quad-Cities 1, 2 (50-254, 50-265)
Zion 1, 2 (50-295, 50-304)
Consumers Power Company Big Rock Point (50-155)
Palisades (50-255)
Dairyland Power Cooperative LACBWR (50-409)
Iowa Electric Light & Power Ce,.npany Duane Arnold (50-331)
Northern States Power Company Monticello (50-263)
Prairie Island 1, 2 (50-282, 50-306)
Toledo Edison Company Davis-Bessc 1 (50-346) 8106220 M4 9
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Illinois. Department of:
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- Nuclear Safety -
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~ Wisconsin Electric' Power Company Point Beach-- 1,.2 (50-266, 50-301)
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' Wisconsin Public Service-Corporation 1Xewaunee:(50-305).
Sincerely, 9
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a./
Dorothy E. Carroll, Chief ord Processing and Document Control Section
Enclosure:
. IE Circular No. 81-04 cc w/ enc 1:
Mr. D. ld. Kane, Sargent & Lundy Central Files Reproduction Unit NRC 20b AEOD Resident Inspectors, RIII J.'G. Keppler, RIII
. Acting. Division Directors, RIII P. R. Wohld, RIII LPDR Local PDR NSIC.
JTIC
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SSIh5 No.:
6830-Accession No:
3-8011040278 IEC 81-04 UNITED STATES
-NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 April 30, 1981-IE Circular No. 81-04: THE ROLE-OF SHIFT TECHNICAL ADVISORS AND IMPORTANCE OF REPORTING OPERATIONAL EVENTS
Purpose:
The purpose of this circular is to focus attention on several problems 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-spiead.
Shift Technical Advisor (STA) Program:
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 shift 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 operations of the plant.
This is to be accomplished through addit..nal 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-normrl events.
The STA should also provide advice or recommendations to the shift suparvisor on the safety significance and reportability of these event, 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 STA program, 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 recommended that licensees review their guidance to STAS and shift supervisors in this area so that use of the STA will be optimized.
IEC 81-04
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April 30, 1981 Page.2 of 2 y
2.
. Basic o:ganizational' structures and procedures do no+. suitably define, in 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 shift s.rpervisors must be clear in order to achieve' improvements in overall safety.
Program for Reporting Operational Events:
Reports of operational events are essential for NRC to carry out its ongoing review and analysis of operatinn' problems.
Information provided to NRC must represent a complete picture of the event, the cause, and corrective actions taken.
This does not mean.that a lengthy description is required.
Descriptions uay be brief but must be sufficient to reflect the situation as understood a', 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 cff-normal condition and any change in uat 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 regul tions.
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 the 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 office.
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.ittachment:
Recently issued IE Circulars s
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J Attachment IEC 81-04 April 30, 1981 RECENTLY ISSUED IE CIRCULARS
- Circular Date of lNo.
Subject-Issue Issued to 81-06
. Potential 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
?noperable Seismic Monitoring 3/2/81 011 peser reactor Instrumentation faci'.ities with sn OL e t CP s
81-02 Performance of NRC-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 facilities with 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 taletherapy 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 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 OL = Operating Licenses CP = Construction Permit
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