ML20035D994
| ML20035D994 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/23/1993 |
| From: | Shewmon P NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| REF-GTECI-142, REF-GTECI-NI, TASK-142, TASK-OR ACRS-SL-0403, ACRS-SL-403, NUDOCS 9304140166 | |
| Download: ML20035D994 (8) | |
Text
.
/
'o, UNITED STATES
' 'n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SL-0403
{
E ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS g
0, g
WASHINGT ON, D. C. 20555 l
g,...../
'//9/95 March 23, 1993 The Honorable Ivan Selin Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Chairman Selin:
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
REPORT - THREE HUNDRED AND NINETY FOURTH MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS, FEBRUARY 11-13, 1993, AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE During its 394th meeting, February 11-13, 1993, the Advisory Committee on Reactor i
Safeguards (ACRS) discussed several matters and conoleted the following reports and memorandum as noted.
Reports Issues Pertainina to the Advanced Reactor (PRISM. MHTGR. and PIUS) and CANDU 3 Desians and their Relationship to Current Reaulatory Recuirements (Report to the Honorable Ivan Selin, NRC Chairman, from Paul Shewmon, ACRS Chairman, dated February 19,1993)
Proposed Resolution of GI-142 "Leakaoe Throuah Electrical Isolators in Instrumentation Circuits" (Report to Mr. James M.
Taylor, Executive i
Director for Operations, from Paul Shewmon, ACRS Chairman, dated February 19,1993) t Memorandum Proposed Rule - Exemotion from Criticality Monitorina for Unirradiated Fuel at Liaht Water Reactors (Memorandum to Warren Minners, Director of the Division of Safety Issue Resolution in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, from John Larkins, Acting Executive Director of the i
ACRS, dated February 19,1993.)
HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE 1.
Key Policy Issues for Advanced Reactor Desians i
Dr.
J.
E.
Wilkins, Chairman of the Advanced Reactors Subcommittee, discussed the Committee's continued review of the key policy issues identified by the staff for advanced reactor designs.
The MHTGR, PRISM, and CANDU reactor designs were discussed during this l
l session.
}0 l
130142 I
qb O)/g
/
rv l
9 3 0 4 1 4 0 1 6 6 9 3 0 4-0 9
~
[-04 D'
~
PDR m
re'w
4 2
Griffith, Director of the Office of Advanced Reactor Programs, Mr.
discussed the DOE's positions on the policy issues statement, including the program plans and schedule for the advanced liquid metal-cooled reactor (ALMR), and the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR).
Conclusions The Committee provided a report to Chairman Selin connenting on the ten key issues that need policy direction from the Commission for proposed deviations from existing regulations pertaining to the advanced reactor and CANDU 3 designs.
2.
Schedules for the NRC Review of Proposed Reactor Desians Mr. Crutchfield, NRR, asked that the ACRS continue its support in reviewing the advanced reactor designs in parallel with the staff.
He anticipates that the staff will hava the ABWR review schedule to the Commission in March 1993.
The staft expects the Commission to provide guidance on the remaining schedules on the advanced reactor design reviews, such as the orde and sequence of the reviews. This guidance is expected by the April /May 1993 time frame.
Conclusion This was a briefing for information only.
No ACRS action was taken at this meeting as a result of this briefing.
3.
Reactor Operatina Experience on Restart of the FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant Backaround The ACRS was briefed on actions related to the restart of the James A.
FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant. In November 1991 the licensee, New York Power i
Authority (NYPA), shut the plant down due to the discovery of a problem with the containment isolation logic in the core spray system.
It was found that this defect had existed in the plant since initial startup.
This fact, combined with NRC's concern over apparent declining performance trends (initially categorized in an early-1991 SALP review and subsequent NRC Diagnostic Evaluation Team (DET) inspection), spurred the licensee to j
conduct additional investigations. These investigations led to discovery of numerous violations of fire protection requirements.
The licensee elected to keep the plant shut down until it was confident that all major problems were resolved.
Licensees Presentation Mr. Beedle, Executive Vice President of Nuclear Generation at NYPA, discussed numerous improvements that have been made to ensure safe operation of the plant. Two key improvement initiatives were the Results Improvement Program, which was designed to provide a plan for continuous
e 3
l 1
improvement, and a Nuclear Generation Business Plan, with key objectives to promote nuclear and industrial safety, professionalism, performance, regulatory compliance, and cost management.
In addition, a number of steps were taken to improve the " safety culture" of the organization.
The plant has been restarted and is now running at full power.
It was noted that the FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant is on the NRC's " Watch List," and the staff is continuing to closely follow-up on NYPA's implementation of j
the Restart Improvement Prograra.
Conclusions The Committee is satisfied with the corrective actions specified in the i
Restart Improvement Program and with the NRC staff's review of this matter.
h 4.
EC Reculatory Review Group Mr. Jim Sniezek, Office of the Executive Director for Operations, and Mr.
Frank Gillespie, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Review Group Leader of the Regulatory Review Group, presented a report on the status of the activities of the Review Group.
Conclusions This was a briefing only. No Committee action was taken at this meeting
}
as a result of this briefing.
5.
Accointment of New Members The Committee discussed the qualifications of several candidates nominated to fill the vacancy that will occur when Dr. Shewmon's present term i
expires in May 1993. The Committee intends to send a slate of candidates to the Commission for consideration for filling this vacancy in the near
[
future.
6.
Multiple Systems Response Proaram Mr. C. Michelson summarized the relevant issues noting that the Multiple System Response Program (MSRP) was conducted to bring together and individually characterize numerous issues and concerns which had been raised. Several Unresolved Safety Issues have been resolved as a result of this effort. Currently the MSRP is complete and the twenty-one issues that were identified have been or are being prioritized by the NRC. The degree to which these issues are being addressed by the evolutionary and advanced plant designs varies widely between issues.
Representatives of the NRC staff discussed this mau.er, noting that twenty-one issues characterized by the MSRP were described in NUREG/CR-5420.
All other items were described as being incorporated into one of
]
~
t 4
i the generic issues identified and prioritized in NOREG-0933 or the Individual Plant (' ;aination of External Events (IPEEE) program.
Conclusions This was a briefing only.
The Committee made no conclusions or determinations during this meeting as a result of this briefing.
The staff will present a more formal briefing on the status of resolution of i
each of these items in the summer of 1993.
7.
Atomic Safety and Licensina Board Panel 4
Judge Paul Cotter, Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Panel (ASLBP), briefed the Committee on the ASLBP hearing process.
Judge Frederick Shon, Deputy Chief Administration Judge - Technical, discussed the lawyer - technical member relationship that exists on each Board made up of two technical people and one lawyer.
Mr. Lee Dewey, Director and Chief Counsel, discussed the role of ASLBP in design certification proceedings.
Conclusions This was a briefing only. No Committee action was taken at this meeting i
as a result of this briefing.
8.
Briefina on Recent Chanaes to the Reaulations on the Conduct of Government Employees Representatives of the Office of the General Counsel briefed the Committee on the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (including Part I of Executive Order 12674 and 5 CFR Part 2635 Regulation) as it relates to Special Government Employees. This briefing was designed to provide training to ACRS members regarding recent changes to the regulations governing the conduct of government employees.
9.
Research on Oraanizational Factors The Committee was briefed on the current status of research on organizational factors.
Mr. Joel Kramer, NRC/RES, discussed the background of organizational factors research and the bases for the NRC staff's decision to discontinue funding for this research.
Dr. Sonja Haber, Brookhaven National Laboratory, discussed the objectives of the NRC staff's organizational factors research and how the products are applied.
t 5
1 Dr. George Apostolakis, University of California - Los Angeles, discussed the organizational factors research products and how they are quantified and applied to determine risk at nuclear power plants.
Conclusions No Comittee action was taken at this meeting as a result of this briefing.
The Committee is considering sending the Comission a report comenting on the need for this research program.
10.
Future ACRS Activities The following activities were scheduled for the 395th ACRS Meeting, March 11-13, 1993, Bethesda, MD:
Current License Renewal Issues - The NRC staff will brief the Comittee on the status of current license renewal issues, including the establishment of a senior management review group to review the harmonization of the Maintenance and License Renewal Rules.
Computer Issues - The NRC staff will brief the Committee on the need for and progress toward the staff's development of standards and criteria for digital Instrumentation and Control Systems and the staff's policy on diversity (backups).
Reactor Operatino Experience - The NRC staff will brief the i
Committee regarding the reactor trip and stuck open pressurizer safety valve event of July 3,1992 that occurred at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant. Representatives of the licensee and of the NRC staff will participate, as appropriate.
ISO Ouality Standards - The Committee w;11 be briefed regarding the 150 9000 quality management standard used by the European community, and how it differs from the quality standards being used in the U.S.
nuclear industry. Representatives of the staff will participate, as appropriate.
ACRS Subcommittee Activities - Members cf the Committee will report on and discuss the status of ACRS subcomittee assignments, including alternate plugging criteria for degraded steam generator tubes, piping design improvements for advanced plant designs, and proposed priority ranking of Generic Issue 152, " Design Basis for Valves that Hight be Subjected to Significant Blowdown Loads," PWR version of the RELAP5/ MOD-3 code and the analytical and experimental programs in support of the AP600 design certification effort, and procedures for the conduct of ACRS business. Representatives of the NRC staff will participate, as appropriate.
t
6 Reconciliation of ACRS Comments and Recommendations - The members will discuss replies from the NRC Executive Director for Operations regarding the NRC staff reaction to recent ACRS comments and recommendations.
Future ACRS Activities - The members will discuss topics proposed for consideration by the full Committee.
Proposed ACRS Reoorts - The members will discuss proposed ACRS reports on computer related issues, Organizational Factors Research Program, and on AE0D study of human performance in operating events.
Representatives of the NRC staff and industry will participate, as appropriate.
Accointment of ACRS Members The members will discuss qualifications of candidates prcposed for appointment as ACRS members.
Portions of this session will be closed to discuss information the release of which would represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Miscellaneous - The members will discuss miscellaneous matters related to the conduct of Committee activities and complete discussion of topics that were not completed during previous meetings as time and availability of information permit.
11.
ACRS Subcommittee Activities Report of ACRS Plannina and Procedures Subcommittee Meetino on February 10. 1993.
The items covered during the February 10, 1993 Planning and Procedures Subcommittee meeting were discussed, including the status of members' appointments, the status of actions related to Mr. Stella's reappointment as a Fellow, the ACRS budget, and the use of the ACRS Bulletin Board System.
Election of New ACRS Officer An election should be held during the May 1993 meeting to elect a new member-at-large to fill the vacancy created on Dr. Shewmon's retirement.
Per the ACRS Bylaws, Dr. Wilkins will succeed Dr. Shewmon as Chairman, and Mr. Carroll will succeed Dr. Wilkins as Vice Chairman. An election will have to be held to fill the member-at-large office that will be created when Mr. Carroll becomes Vice Chairman.
Meetina Dates for the Multilateral Meetina The members confirmed that the proposed dates of October 11-15, 1993 for a multilateral meeting of advisory committees to be held in France was acceptable.
The French and the Germans should be notified of the acceptability of these dates.
i l
i l
7 l
12.
Reconciliation of ACRS Comments and Recommendations l
Due to lack of time this matter was not discussed at this meeting.
It will be scheduled for discussion at the March 1993 ACRS meeting.
i l
13.
Miscellaneous Proposed Rule - Exemotion from Criticality Monitorina for Unirradiated Fuel at Licht Water Reactors The Committee directed Dr. John Larkins to send a memorandum to Warren i
Minners, Division of Safety Issues Resolution in the Office of Nuclear i
Regulatory Research, as noted above, indicating that the Committee decided i
not to review the proposed rule.
l ACNW Review of Interim On-Site Storaae of low-level Waste q
[
The Committee had no objection to the ACNW reviewing the option for i
interim on-site storage of low level wastes at nuclear power plants, i
stemming from an EPRI report on this matter dated September 1992.
l 14.
Subcommittee Meetinas During the period between the January 7-8, 1993 and the February 11-13, 1993, ACRS meetings, the following Subcommittee meetings were held Computers in Nuclear Power Plant Operations - February 9,1993 The Subcommittee discussed current and proposed methods, including f
the risk-based method for evaluating computer software for safety-critical applications in nuclear power plants.
In addition it discussed recent utility experience with conversion of analog l
instrumentation and control systems to software-based digital i
instrumentation and control systems in existing plants.
I Plannina and Procedures - February 10, 1993 The Subcommittee discussed proposed ACRS activities, practices, and procedures for conducting Committee business, and related matters.
Qualifications of candidates nominated for appointment to the ACRS were also discussed.
J l
. -,. _. - -. -., -. -, ~,.....,,, - -
8 Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors - February 10, 1993 The Subcommittee began its review of the NRC staff's Draft Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-1462) for certification of the AB8-CE System 80+ Design.
Sincerely, Paul Shewmon Chairman l
.-