ML20055D075

Responds to 900601 Request for Meeting W/Nrc During Wk of 900618 Re Plant Weld Program.Suggests Meeting Following Completion of Insp Team Insp/Assessment Rept Targeted for Issuance in Early Jul

ML20055D075
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	06/13/1990
From:	Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Kostmayer P HOUSE OF REP., INTERIOR & INSULAR AFFAIRS
References
CCS, NUDOCS 9007030182
Download: ML20055D075 (1)

Text

{{#Wiki_filter:-. -- - - L o UNITED STATES l ~g l 8 n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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WASHINGTON, D. C. 205S5

                     **                     June 13,1990 CHAIRMAN The Honorable Peter H. Xostmayer, Chairman

• Subcommittee on General Oversight and Investigations Committee on-Interior and Insular Affairs United States House of Pepresentatives Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

l" I am responding to your letter of June 1, 1990, requesting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff to meet with Congressional staff during the week of June 18 regarding the Seabrook plant. Two previous meetings have been held with Congressional staff interested in this matter. NRC staff members who have'been present describe these meetings as productive and beneficial because they have provided extensive opportunities to discuss the approach and status of the.NRC's efforts as well as the concerns of the Congressional staff. The two aspects of the Seabrook weld program that your staff ! wishes to discuss were covered extensively during the most recent meeting and will be well documented in an inspection report. Yhe NRC personnel required to attend the proposed meeting are those who participated in the inspection, and I am concerned that the meeting will delay the inspection team's assessment of their field work and preparation of the-inspection report. Rather than meet the week of June 18, the team wi11 be pleased to meet with your staff following the completion of the report and after your staff has-had the opportunity to review it. I under-stand that the report is targeted for issuance.in early July. I believe that this approach will result in continued timely and L efficient exchanges of information between our respective staffs ! on all areas covered during the inspection. Sincerely, 1 i uk. l Kenneth M. Carr cc: Rep. Barbara Yucanovich ( i 9007030182 900613 l i PDR COMMS NRCC W '"T E X T A N CORRESPONDENCE PDC I

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                         . case TRf JD*essoat 601,Mt Dagota m.i The Honorable Kenneth M. Carr, Chairman
   '                         United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission E

Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear'Mr. Chairman:

I am writing again about weld issues at the Seabrook plant.

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                             .I        am . grateful for your assistance in arranging                                The briefingthe briefing provided
                            ' presented-to Congressional staff on May 25.

answers to many important questions. l While the NRC staff's inquiry has reviewed materials critical to 4 l an_ assessment ~of weld quality at Seabrook, of particular significant concern aspects

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                              .the . matter elude understanding, licensee's A00% review conducted prior to May 1984. Since the conclusions.of the NRC. inquiry will depend in part.on the. extent.

of the NRC's past reliance on the pre-May 1984 review, 'it is ' necessary to have knowledge of the Ourmethodology own inquiry and has results.of so far found ths-review during this.timeframe. scant evidence of a 100% review conducted prior to May 1984. In fact, the preponderance of evidence available to us indicates that the pre-May 1984 review was incomplete and error prone. Also of concern is'the licensee's belated discovery of the backlog of several hundred radiograph packages that had accumulated for a period of one year. or more. This backlog and the licensee's apparent, ignorance of it raise further questions as to how the consequences of the treakdown in the licensee's. inspection process were identified and re.:iedied. The efficient conduct of our inquiry requires that our respectiveI Accordingly, staffs ' communicate directly on these questions. would appreciate your requesting NRC staff to meet during the week of June 18 with Congressional staff assigned to this inquiry. Thank you. S cerely, .

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