ML20034C254

Responds to from Rf Schramm,Urging That NRC Be Required to Publicly Disclose Repts Prepared by INPO Evaluating Nuclear Power Plants Licensed & Regulated by Nrc. NRC Review of INPO Activities Serves Public Interest

ML20034C254
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/24/1990
From:	Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Schuette B HOUSE OF REP.
Shared Package
ML20034C255	List: ML20034C254 ML20034C259
References
NUDOCS 9005020229
Download: ML20034C254 (6)

Text

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UNITED STATES 1

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NUCLEAR REGULA10RY COMMISSION -

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April 24, 1990-r i

The Honorable Bill Schuette United States House of 1

Representatives 1

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Schuette:

I am pleased to provide.you with information regarding a March-19,1990,

' letter to you from your constituent, the Reverend Robert F. Schram. The-Reverend Schramm-urges that the NRC be required to publicly) disclose reports.

prepared by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations-(INPO that evaluate the adequacy of; operations at commercial-nuclear power plants-that are:

t liceued and regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Following the 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island plant, the' 55 utilities owning and operating-nuclear power plants joined together to-create-INP0 as.

3 an organization dedicated to upgrading the quality of operations and safety.

performance at nuclear power plants. One of INP0's primary methods of achieving improved performance is-through the conduct of periodic, comprehensive team evaluations at all reactor facilities.

During.such an evaluation, a team, which typically consists of 10 to 15 persons experienced in all aspects of nuclear operations, spends severa1 weeks at both the plant-and the corporate office interviewing the utilit) naff. examining _ records,.

and conducting independent inspections. With the 'information' gathered from these activities, the inspection team prov_ ides a written report to:the utility, which contains the strengths and weaknesses that the team observed.

The utility is required to report back to INP0 on the steps that' they plan to take to:

adcress the observed weaknesses.

Then INP0 reviews.these11tems1during.

subsequent evaluation visits.

INP0 has.taken the position that their reports should not be made public.

By treating the reports as. proprietary information, i

member utilities will feel free to' accept and: answer candid. reports of weaknesses 1.

without becoming defensive and argumentative.

The NRC has accepted this position,.

j.

however, INP0 has agreed to provide NRC access to.its reports upon issuance.

l While INPO does not make its evaluation reports = public and 'is not required.

l to submit them to-the NRC, our staff does review.these reports onsite at_each reactor facility.- This review'is normally: conducted by one-of our resident inspectors who.is assigned fulltime at.each.. licensed power reactor.: The NRC ttviews the reports to determine whether they contain any significant adverse safety information that was:not previously known to us through-our comprehensive inspection program.

In addition, we require every utility to directly notify" us of any INP0 finding that indicates a condition that the utility's license requires them to report ~to the'NRC.

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The Honorable Bill Schuette i

.Thus, while there is no requirement that INPO evaluation reports be disclosed to the public, we believe that the public safety is being well served through the industry's INPD self-assessment initiative, through HRC's direct inspection program, and through our ongoing review of INP0 activities.

I trust that this information will be useful to you in responding to Reverend Schramm. Please'let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely, Original Signed By:

James M. Taylor -

James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION:

Central Files NRC PDR ADPReading(GT5321)

EDO #5321 EDO Reading TMurley/FMiraglia JPartlow i

DCrutchfield FGillespie SVarga DMossburg(GT5321w/ incoming)

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JTaylor SMeador(GT5321)

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The Honorable Bill Schuette Thus, while there is no requirement that INP0 evaluation reports be disclosed to the public, we believe that the public safety is being well served through the industry's INPO self-regulation fnitiative, through NRC's direct inspection program, and through our ongoing-review of INP0 activities /

I trust that this information will be useful to you in ye/

sponding to Reve' rend Schramm. Please let me know if I can be of f41rther assistance,

\\\\

Sincerely,

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Jame) M. Taylor

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Executive Director or Operations DISTRIBUTION:

Central Files NRC PDR ADP Reading (GT 21)

EDO #5321 ED0 Reading TMurley/FMiraglia JPartlow DCrutchfield FGillespie SVarga DMossburg(GT5321w/inc' ing)

OGC GPA/CA SECY(90-0328)

JTaylor SMeador (GT 5321/)

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UNITED STATES 1

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8 WASHINGTON, D. C.20656

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f The Honorable Bill Schuette United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 l

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Dear Congressman Schuett :

I am pleased to provide yo with informati n regarding a March 19, 1990, letter to you from your con tituent, the verend Robert F. Schram. The~

Reverend Schrann urges that e NRC be r uired to pt,blicly disclose reports

' prepared by the Institute of clear Po r Operatior.s (INPO) that evaluate -

the adequacy of caerations at merci nuclear pcwer plants that are 1

licensedandreguiatedbytheU..Nu ear Regulatory Commission (NRC).-

Following the 1979 accident at the T ree Mile Is' land plant, the 55 utilities owning and operating nuclear power lants joined together to create INP0 as an organization dedicated to upgra i the-quaiity of. operations and safety performance at nuclear power plan s.

ne of 1NP0's primary methods of achieving improved performance-1: throu h th9 conduct of periodic, comprehensive team evaluations

. all re ctor facilities. During such an -

evaluation, a team, which typi 11y consi s of 10 to IE persons experienced:

in all aspects of nuclear oper tions, sper several weeks at'both-the plant and the corporate office inte viewing the ut lity: staff, examining records, and conducting inde)endent i spections. With he_information gathered from 3

these activities, tie inspe ion team provides written resort to the utility, which contains the strengt and weaknesser that the team o) served. The utility 1

is required to report back to INPO on the steps t t they plan to take.to address the observed weak esses. Then INP0 review these items during subsequent evaluation vis ts.

INP0 has taken the po ition that their reports-should not be made publi.

By treating the reports a proprietary -information, member utilities will fe 1 free to accept and answer cagdid reports of weaknesses without becoming defensi e and argumentative. The NRC ti s accepted and agreed with this position, esp >cially because we are able-to rey ew the reports.upon-L their issuance.

^

3 While INP0 does not ma e its evaluation reports public and is not required to submit them to the (RC, our staff reviews these reports onsite at each reactor facility. Th review is normally conducted by one of bur resident inspectors who is ass gned fulltime at each. licensed power react 6r. The NRC reviews the reports t<

ensure that they do.not'contain any significant ' adverse safety information thit was not previously'known to us through ourJcomprehensive -

L inspection program.

In addition, we require-every utility to directly notify us of any INP0 find g that indicates a condition that the utility's license-requires them to report to the NRC.

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EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:

DUE: 04/16/90 EDO-CONTROL: 0005321 DOC DT: 03/19/90 FINAL REPLY:

Rep.' Bill Schuette

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.2 FOR SIGNATURE OF':

• • GRN CRC.NO': 90-0328 Ex3cutive Director 7

.DESC:

. ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM REV. ROBERT F. SCHRAMM REQUESTING PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF ALL INPO REPORTS DATE: 04/04/90

'9NED TO:

CONTACT:

NRR Murley VIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

. REPLY TO REP. BILL SCHUETTE i

i; ACTION: h e 2DLPQ/ ROE 499NRR. RECEIVE 0;,., April 4, 1990

.i' NRR ROUTING:

MURLEY/MIRAGLIA PARTLOW CRUTCHFIELD' GILLESPIE VARGA M0SSBURG 4

h ACTf0N DUE TO NRR DIRECTOl..

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OFFICE OF THE' SECRETARY-CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET.

-PAPER NUMBER:

CRC-90-0328 LOGGING DATE: Apr 3 90

-ACTION OFFICE:-

EDO

-AUTHOR:

Bill Schuette-

)

. AFFILIATION:

UNITED-STATES SENATE LETTER DATE:

Mar 23 90 FILE CODE:-

SUBJECT:

' Constituent'sLrequest for public disclosure of INPO i

reports.

j ACTION:

_ Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION:-

OCA to Ack., DSB-SPECIAL HANDLING: None

,,4 NOTES:

Robert Schramm DATE DUE:

Apr 17 90 SIGNATURE:

DATE SIGNED:-

AFFILIATION:-

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