ML20012B684

Forwards Summary of Enforcement Conference on 900214 to Discuss Apparent Weaknesses in Corrective Actions to Correct Problems W/Control of SNM at Plant.List of Attendees & Handout Presented at Meeting Also Encl

ML20012B684
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	03/01/1990
From:	Wilson B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Kingsley O TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
References
NUDOCS 9003160103
Download: ML20012B684 (14)

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NAR o 1 1990 Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.

Senior Vice' President, Nuclear Power Tennessee Valley Authority 6N 38A Lookout, Place

-1101 Market Street

' Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 l

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Dear Mr. Kingsley:

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SUBJECT:

- DOCKET NOS. 50-259, 50-260, AND 50-296

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This letter refers to an enforcement conference conducted, at our request, in Rockville, Maryland, on February 14, 1990. The enforcement conference was held i

to discuss apparent weaknesses in your corrective actions to correct problems t

that have existed for several years with the control of special nuclear 1

material (SNM) at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.

Enclosed are a summary of the conference, a list of attendees, and a copy of the handout which accompanied your presentation.

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It is. our opinion that the meeting was beneficial and has provided an l

i understanding of the circumstances and actions taken by your staff in establishing an accurate SNM baseline inventory.and your plans for maintaining it.

j In accordance with the Section 2.790'of the NRC's " Rules of Practice " Part 2, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and ~ its enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

l Should you haveLany questions regarding this summary, we will be pleased to -

_ discuss them.

Sincerely,

,)- & p cjN ug h'*L N Y O Bruce A. Wilson, Assistant Director i

for Inspection Programs ~

TVA Projects Division Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i

Enclosures:

(See page 2) c 9003160103g0O PDR ADOCK pg ;' ~

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Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.

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Enclosures:

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Meeting Summary 2.

Attendance List 3.

Handout Material cc w/encls:

F. L. Moreadith, Vice President P. Carier, Site Licensing Manager Nuclear Engineering Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Sunmit Hill Drive P. O. Box 2000 L

WT 12A 12A Decatur, AL 35602 L

Knoxville, TN 37902 L

G. Campbell, Plant Manager Dr. M. O. Medford Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant

'Vice President and Nuclear Tennessee Valley Authority Technical Director P. O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Decatur, AL 35602 6N 38A Lookout Place Chattanoogn, TN 37402-2801 TVA Representative Rockville Office Chairman, Limestone County 11921 Rockville Pike Commission Suite 402 P.-0. Box 188 Rockville, MD 20852 Athens, AL 35611 General Counsel Dr. Henry Myers, Science Advisor Tennessee Valley Authority Committee on Interior and 400 West Summit Hill Drive Insular Affairs ET 11B 33H U. S. House of Representatives Knoxville, TN 37902 Washington, D. C.

20515 Claude Earl Fox, M.D.

O. J. Zeringue, Site Director State Health Officer Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant State Department of Public Health Tennessee Valley Authority State Office Building P. O. Box 2000 Montgomery, AL 36130 Decatur, AL 35602 State of Alabama Manager, Nuclear Licensing and Regulatory Affairs bec w/encis:

i Tennessee Valley Authority D. M. Crutchfield, NRR SN 1578 Lookout Place B. D. Liaw, NRR Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 S. C. Black, NRR R. C. Pierson, NRR G. E. Gears, NRR D. Moran, NRR W. S. Little, NRR/RII J. Rutberg, OGC M. S. Callahan, GPA/CA R. H. Bernhard, NRR/RII NRC Document Control Desk II/NRQ RII/N NRC Resident Inspector AM \\

U.S. Nuclear Reaulatory Commission ar) enter:vyg WLi Route 12 Box 637 2/>790 2/y90 Athen, AL 35611 1

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ENCLOSURE 1 MEETING

SUMMARY

l Licensee:

Tennessee Valley Authority Facility:

Browns Ferry Docket Nos:

50-259, 50-260, 50-296 On February 14, 1990, an enforcement conference was held in Rockville, Maryland, with TVA and NRC management to discuss the apparent weaknesses in TVA corrective actions in dealing with SNM accountability and resolution of NRC concerns with the control of SNM.

Mr. Dennis Crutchfield, NRC Associate Director for Special Projects, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, opened the meeting by expressing a continuing concern that TVA's corrective actions to prevent previous SNM violations (October,1986 and August,1987) did not appear to be effective in light of the SNM events since November,1989.- In November, while conducting a general area cleanup in the Rad Waste Evaporator Building, the licensee discovered several containers of non-fuel SNM that were not stored in accordance with TVA's storage procedure, Technical Instruction

14..These SNM items were determined to be those that had been previously reported as lost by the licensee as a result of actions taken in response to the 1986 and 1987 SNM violations. Since November 1989, the licensee had found numerous other SNM accountability violations. The meeting focused on what actions the licensee has taken and plans to take to clearly establish the baseline SNM inventory and ensure that an effective program is implemented to maintain SNM accountability.

The' licensee acknowledged a failure to provide SNM accountability in accordance with 10 CFR 70.51.

They indicated a management recognition of the seriousness of this condition. They stated that past corrective actions in response to the 1986 and 1987 issues were ineffective. The licensee's response to the current issue involves close management oversight of the new inventory activities.

1 These actions included an SNM inventory of all TVA plants.

WBN and SQN inventories are complete with no problems noted.

BFN inventory is almost complete with the only major area remaining to be inventoried being five shipping liners stored in the fuel pool.

The audit of Bellefonte, which contains significant amounts of stored SNM from cancelled plants,-has just started. The licensees believes the problem was isolated to BFN.

The recent SNM inventory concern at BFN began November 4,1989 when non-fuel SNM inventory discrepancies were identified.

On November 8,1989 a complete SNM inventory was initiated. During November 25-27, 1989 the search identified additional inventory discrepancies and made numerous one hour NRC ENS phone

. notifications.

To date 23 instruments containing SNM are missing.

None has been found in uncontrolled areas.

The licensee stated the root causes of this recent event as:

insufficient involvement and thoroughness by previous management inadequate training of SNM searchers inaccurate 1986 non-fuel SNM inventory programmatic breakdown of SNM accountability I4

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_Theyi outlined. their. recent activities and plans to ' address these past' root g

causes : and = committed to completing. a - thorough SNM baseline-inventory and -

. maintaining it'.,

'-A copy of the licensee's presentation is attached (Enclosure 3)'.

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ENCLOSURE 2 ATTENDANCE LIST L

TVA i

P. Salas, Supervisor, Compliance Licensing J.L. Lewis, Technical Support Reactor Engineer n

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'G. G. Turner, Manager, Site Quality O. J. Zeringue, Site Director, Browns Ferry c

G. G. Campbell, Plant Manager, Browns Ferry M. O. Medford Vice President, Nuclear Technology and Licensing

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P. R. Carrier, Manager, Site Licensing NRC D. M. Crutchfield, Associate Director for Special Projects B. D. Liaw, Director TVA, ADSP S. Black, Assistant Director for Projects. TVA, ADSP B. A. Wilson, Assistant Director for Inspection Programs, TVA, ADSP E. Goodwin,. Technical Assistant, TVA, ADSP F. T. Daniels, Allegations Coordinator ADSP-T. R, Quay. Technical Assistant,.ADSP J. ' D. - Ennis, Safeguards Inspector, Region II R. P. Rosano, Senior Enforcement Specialist Office of Enforcement G.-A. Todd. Enforcement and Investigation Specialist, Region 11 W. S. Little, Section Chief, Browns Ferry, ADSP t

D. R. Carpenter, Site Manager, Browns Ferry, ADSP C. A. Patterson, Restart Coordinator. Browns Ferry, ADSP 4

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'j ENCLOS'JRE 3 c

TVA - NBC ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE r

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PROGRESS OF SNM PROGRAM - 3Aown Rockville, MD.

February 14, 1990 i

O. J. Zeringue j

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WERVIEW j

o TVA ACKNOWLEDGES FAILURE TO PRWIEE StM ACCOUNTABILITY PER 70.51 o

1%NAGENENT RECOGNIZES SERICUSNESS OF CONDITION o

PAST CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE INEFFECTIVE o

CLOSE MANAGEMENT WERSIGHT OF NEW INVDfIORY ACTIVITIES IfME:DIATE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN SUFFICIENT QlRLIFIED RESOURCES HAVE BEEN ALIOCATED t

TRAINI!G OF SEARCHERS o

INITIAL RESULTS INDICATE CURRENT CORRBCTIVE ACTIONS ARE mv2 rive o

CURRENT SITUATION A!O ASSOCIATED PROB 12NS IDENTIFIED BY TVA 0

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l IESCRIPTION OF EVENT RECENT StM IWENIORY C0tCERN O

NWEMBER 4,1989 - NON-FUEL SIM INVENIORY DISCREPANCIES IDENTIFIED 0

NWENBER 8,1989 - SIE INVENTORY INITIATED o

NWEMBER 25-27, 1989 - SEARCH IDENTIFIED ADDITI0t%L INVENIORY DISCREPANCIES o

NWEMBER 25-27, 1989 - FOUR l-HOUR NRC ENS NOTIFICATIONS o

10 DATE - ADDITIONAL DISCREPANCIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED HOUR ENS NOTIFICATIONS MADE BOOP CAUSES 01 INSUFFICIENT INVOLVENENT AND THOROUGHNESS BY PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT 0

INADEQUATE TRAINIlO OF SNM SEARCHERS INAOCURATE 198610N-EUEL SNM INVENIORY o

PROGRAlHATIC BREAKDOWN OF StM A0000NTABIIJTY

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ANALYSIS OF PREVIOUS CORRECTIVE ACTIONS l

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MANPGMENT INATTENTION INADEQUME AND INSUFFICInff MANAGEMENT CNERSIGiT LACK OF QA CVERSIGfr j

o INDCMPLETTE TRAININ3 1

1 IACK OF AEQUATE TRAINING FOR SEARCHERS AND EMPIOYEES 1

NO TRAINING EOR SCHE SEARCHERS i

l NO MODELS OF NON-EUEL S!E ITEMS i

o LIMITED INVENIORY/SEMCHES MINIMIZE PRESChNEL EXPOSURE EQUIPMENT IESTRUCTION o

INADEQUME DOCUPENETICH l

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TRANSFER, INSTALLATION AND DISPOSAL RECORDS REXXRDS RETRIEVAL SYSEM o

ADEQUATE SNM PROCEDURE l

ESTABLISHED APPPOVED SIE S'IORAGE AREAS

,,, - CONTROL CF REB 00RDS i

REQUIRED SIE IABELS AND/OR UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS CONTROL OF SIM TRANSEERS 4

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CORRICTIVE ACTIONS i

i IMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS (100% COMPLETE) o MANAGEMEtfr INVOLVDENT i

o INITIATION OF StE SEMCHES BY QtALIFIED REACIOR ENGINEERS o

DEVELOPMENT T SIN PROGRAM ACTION PLAN o

REVISED IMPLEMENTATION OF 70.52 REPORTIlO RBQUIREMENTS 1

l SHORT-TERM CORRECTIVE ACTICNS (100% COMPIETE) o TRAINIlG T SEAIDERS o

PHYSICAL SEARCH T CERTAIN PIANT AREAS o

100% QA REVIDi & SEARCH PIAN o

QA SFARCH T 60% W THE SHORT-TEIN SEARCH AREAS g

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j C0idd.n VE ACTIONS IDG-TERM CORRTTIVE ACTIWS o

MANAGEMENT NEM SITE AND PIANP MANAGEMENP IN LIEU OF PREVIOUS CONTRACT N

NE SIM CUSIODIAN IDENTIFIED (COMPELTE)

QA CVERSIGff OF SNM PROGRAM (75%; DUE: 3/31/90) o TRAINING TRAIN PERSONNEL 04 IEENTIFICATIO4 OF StE ITEMS (C04PLETTE) o INVENIORY/SEABCHES j

PHYSICAL SEABCH OF APPPOVED SW. GYJAGE AREAS, PRCTIECTED AREA, ADMIN BUILDING AND POWER STORES (95%; DUE 6/1/90) t PLNCHLIST OF CURRENTLY It@CCESSIBLE AREAS (50%; DUE 3/1/90)

COMPARE RECORDS TO SEARCHES FOR RENAINI)G DISCREPANCIES (95%; DUE 6/1/0) o PROGRAM ETIC RE-IABEL AND/OR REASSIGN UNIQUE INNFIFIER TO NCN-FUEL StM (75%; DUE 3/1/90)

ESTABLISH TEMPORARY StN STORAGE AREA FOR SHIPPItG (00MPLETE)

IMPLEMENT PIAN TO DISPOSE OF StM (0%; DUE 7/1/90)

(NOIE:

No shipnents until TVA management accepts baseline inventory)

NEW SIM PROGRAM (RECORDS AND TRACKItG) FROM: (50%; DUE 6/1/90)

Industry Practices l

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'Iassons learned from past commitments and corrective actions l

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SEMCH STAWS

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PIANT AREAS M BE SEMCHED APPRNED SM4 S'IORAGE AREAS INSIDE THE PRCTfECTED AREA POWER S'IORES AND ADiIN BUILDING o

AREAS SEMCHED M DME UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 APPROVED SNM STORAGE AREAS 100% OF THE APPROVED SNM STORAGE AREAS ON REFUEL FLOORS 100% OF INSTAILED INSTRUMENTATION 100% OF THE FUEL BUNDLE INVENIORIES i

100% OF INSTRWlENTATION S'IORED IN FUEL POOL, EXCEPT THE i

LINERS OIHER APPKVED StN STORAGE AREAS g.

1004 OF THE WMEHOUSE 100% T THE RADWhSE EVAPORATOR BUILDIM 100% & THE RADCON AND CHEMISTRY IABORATORIES OIHER AREAS 90% OF REACIOR BUILDINGS 50% OF TURBINE BUILDIE 95% OF RADWAS1E BUILDIE I

99% OF SERVICE BUIIDING u

85% OF PERIMEIER BUILDIE OUTSIDE PRCrrECIED AREA l

l 60% OF POWER S'ICRES P

100% OF ADMIN BUIIDIE

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i FINDINGS I

DATE DISCREPANCY ICVEMBER 4, 1989 8 INSTRUMENTS NCVDBER 25-27, 1989 12 INSTRNENTS DECEMBER 22, 1899 1 SRM j

i JANUARY 24, 1990 2 TIPS

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JANUARY 31, 1990 3 INSTRNENTS l

Total Discrepancies 26 Instruments

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CONCLUSION WA ACKNOWLEDGES FAILURE 70 PRCVIDE SNM ACCOUNTABILITY PER 70.51 (d) o o

PROBLEM WAS TVA IDENTIFIED i

o MANAGEMENT RHXGNIZES SERIOUSNESS OF THE CONDITION o

INADEQUATE 1986 BASELINE INVENIORY l

o SNM HAS NCfr BEEN IDENTIFIED OUTSIDE OF APPRCVED SM4 STORAGE AREAS o

HIGH DEGREE OF SENIOR SITE MANAGEMENT INVOLVEMENT IN NEM INVENIORY AND OIHER CORRECTIVE ACTIONS o

PROMPT AND EXTENSIVE CORRB.TIVE ACTIONS

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