ML20043F086
| ML20043F086 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/23/1990 |
| From: | Carr NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Bevill HOUSE OF REP., APPROPRIATIONS |
| References | |
| BEVILL-900323, CCS, NUDOCS 9006140152 | |
| Download: ML20043F086 (2) | |
Text
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.MR. BEVILL:
How can the NRC assist the nuclear industry in improving the reliability and availability of nuclear power plants? -
CHAIRMAN CARR:
The mission of the NRC is the protection of the health and safety of the public.
Reliability and availability matters are generally concerns of the licensee.
Nevertheless, NRC recognizes that plant reliability and availability are important contributors to plant safety.
HRC believes its efforts to encourage or require improvements in plant maintenance will also improve industry performance in terms of reliability and availability. The NRC has a number of activities underway in the area of maintenance. The NRC initially issued a policy statement in March,1988, which stated the Commission's expectations in the area of maintenance and identified elements of an effective maintenance program. Rulemaking was also begun.
In 1989, the Comission, in acknowledgement of industry progress, suspended the rulemaking for a period of 18 months and issued a revised policy statement in December 1989. The NRC has also issued for public comment a draft regulatory guide on maintenance programs which was developed as a part of.the rulemaking effort. Further, the NRC is performing teem inspections to improve the conduct of. maintenance within the industry.
The Technical Specification Improvements Project within NRR also will improve availability and reliability. The program on Technical Specification Improve-ments is a comprehensive, voluntary program of Technical Specification improvements consistent with the recommendations of separate NRC and Industry-Study Groups that evaluated the entire subject of Technical Specifications.
The Policy Statement encourages licensees to apply a specific set of screening criteria for determining which design and operating requirements should be included in the Technical Specifications for their plants.
If licensees elect to apply the criteria to their Technical Specifications, they will also improve 9006140152 900323
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BEVILLO44 PDC.
Question 44/Bev111/NRR
, j March 23, '990
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u the Bases;for the remaining _ Technical Specifications and apply good human 1
factors principles in rewriting the Technical Specifications.
The rewritten Technical Specifications will focus on the operator as a primary user. They a
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will also focus on the most risk significant requirements, they will be simpler, and there will be a clear link between the technical requirements ond:
their safety significance.
r Significant improvement in safety as well as reliability will be realized as'a result of implementing this program.
Improvement is expected through the development of more operator-oriented Technical Specifications, improved Technical Specifications BASES, reduced action statement-induced plant--
I transients, reduced testing at power, and through more-efficient use of NRC I
and industry resources, r
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=e Question 44/Bevill/NRR l
March 23, 1990 l