ML20077E054

Responds to Response to Re Commission Oversight of Insp of Welding Activities at facility.910503 Response Did Little to Allay Concerns.Commission Explanation of NRC Failure to Inform Subcommittee Caused Dismay

ML20077E054
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	05/14/1991
From:	Dingell J HOUSE OF REP., ENERGY & COMMERCE
To:	Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML19332J710	List: ML20077E054
References
NUDOCS 9106060053
Download: ML20077E054 (2)

Text

. - _ _ _ _ .

,, ~ wm u u~ c Den . .m m i

• k..Suhh Mudt D8hti QL%h44

m. t ... .. . . m . , e . ...,. ,

,.3 .e.. ~ u m . . x. . . . . . s t , . . m.a .

. *1*a'n,7.9% M*".0!Ma'*.:C' 13.$. h0DSC Of REpitSCDiatiDt3

' " " " " " ~ "

32,'J..

.,-..o .%,".nh,. Subtommittte on ODttsight and inttsuganons

""l,'.1;T.!NJ *,',"Jf.li.'.'JU ". ofIht Committtt on Entrgu and Commerrt Washington, BC 20515 May 14, 1991 The Honorable Kenneth Carr Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am writing to call to your attention a particularly troublesome statement in your May 3, 1991 response to my April 26, 1991 letter relating to the Commission's oversight of the inspection of welding activities at the Seabrook Station.

The purpose of the April 26 letter was to express concern about the way in which the Commission was handling this matter. The commission's May 3 response did little to allay my concerns. In particular, I am dismayed at the Commission's explanation of the NRC's failure to inform the Subcommittee staff of the Seabrook licensee's discovery, while compiling weld packages in response to the Subcommittee's request, that a radiographic record was missing.

Your May 3 letter would have us believe that we were not promptly notified of the missing film because the NRC staff

" viewed the issue as being limited to a records-keeping problem" and that relevant documents "were promptly provided when the NRC staff understood the Congressional staff was interested in the details concerning the missing records." But, the focus of the Subcommittee's inquiry has been the records _ which the Commission used (or should have used) to support its decision to allow nuclear operations at the Seabrook Station.

Moreover, the proffered explanation gives rise to further questions because this very discovery caused the NRC to begin anrther investigation of the Seabrook weld matter by directing the Seabrook licensee to review its engineering drawings in ordar to identify the welds for which radiographic testing was required.

... -' u.

,o  %,

The Honorable Kenneth carr May 14, 1991 Page 2 Please provide the Subcommittee with an explanation and clarification of the ab ma ter by Tuesday, May 21, 1991.

Sincerely John D. Dingell Chairman Subcommittee on oversight and Investigations JDD:PSem cc: The Honorable Thomas J. Bli'.cy, Jr.

Ranking Republican Member Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

)

S l