ML20128K704

Discusses NRC Senior Managers Meeting on 930126-28 to Evaluate Nuclear Safety Performance of Operating Reactors, Fuel Facilities & Other Matls Licensees.Informs That Close Monitoring of Plant No Longer Warranted

ML20128K704
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	02/05/1993
From:	Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Kingsley O TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
References
NUDOCS 9302180259
Download: ML20128K704 (3)

Text

- _ - _ _ _ _ _ - _ - - _ _

' p ng#o UNITED STATES

~,,

[

~

g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION D :p WASHINGTON D. C. 20$55

%, # February 5,1993 Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260, 50-296 Mr. 011ver D. Kingsley, Jr.

President, Generating Group Tennessee Valley Authority 3B Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

Dear Mr. Kingsley:

On January 26-28, 1993, NRC senior managers met to evaluate the nuclear safety performance of operating reactors, fuel facilities, and other materials licensees. The NRC conducts this meeting semiannually to determine if the safety performance of the various licensees exhibits sufficient weaknesses to warrant increased NRC attention. In addition, at this meeting, senior managers identify specific plants that have demonstrated a level of safety performance that deserves formal recognition. At the January 1993 Senior Management Meeting, Browns Ferry Units 1 and 3 were discussed.

In April 1991, the Commission approved the restart of Browns Ferry Unit 2.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) took the unit critical on May 24, 1991 and successfully r.mnleted the power ascension orogram. Unit 2 demonstrated sustained excellent plant performance through a conservative approach to operations which was confirmed by NRC inspections, it was concluded at the June 1992 meeting that close NRC monitoring of Browns Ferry Unit 2 was no longer warranted.

Browns Ferry Units 1 and 3 remain in the category of plants that requires NRC authorization to operate and warrants close monitoring by the NRC. Plants in-this category have, or have had, significar.t weaknesses and warrant maintaining the units in a shutdown condition until the licensee can demonstrate that adequate programs have been established and implemented to correct the weaknesses. A summary of NRC discussions related to Browns Ferry Units 1 and 3 follows:

Units 1 and 3 require extensive engineering and construction effcrt prior to restart of the units. Although some progress has been made in preparing Unit 3 for restart, the rate of progress appears to have slowed due to organizational interface problems.

The objective of the recent reorganization and redefinition of responsibilities was to correct the difficulties encountered in implementing project controls and enforce accountability at all levels. Priority and scheduling of work on Unit 3 has also been adversely impacted by extensive outage modifications on Unit 2.

Successful completion of the remaining work onsite for Units 1 and 3 will require enhanced management and quality assurance oversight similar to Unit 2.

110043 ,

9302180259 930205 i PDR ADOCK 05000259 ()

P PDR <Q W

O 9

Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr. February 5, 1993 Based on these considerations, the NRC plans to continue to closely monitor the programs and performance at Browns Ferry Units 1 and 3 to assure continued progress.

An NRC Coanission meeting, open to the public, has been scheduled to be held in the Commission Conference Room on February 9, 1993, at 2:30 p.m.,

Rockville, Maryland, to review the results of the latest meeting of NRC senior managers. Mr. Stewart D. Ebneter, the Region 11 Administrator, has discussed the bases for our conclusions with regard to Browns Ferry Units 1 and 3 with  ;

members of your staff.

Sincerely, Original S gqcd By:

James M. Taylor James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations cc: See next page DISTRIBUTIO.fj:

Central Files 7'F2

• F. Miraglia, NRR PDR J. Partlow, NRR RPEB R.F. W. Russell, NRR E00 R.F. R. Barrett, NRR J. Taylor, EDO G. Zech, NRR J. Sniezek, DEDR SECY T. Murley, NRR PA W. Bateman, OED0 CA S. Ebneter, RII oSeepreviousconcurrengg 0FC RIliL9v% n d W DD:EDO EDOA _

NAME, SEbkbfer:'}h hirle[ JSniezek JT h j DATEh A/1/93 h /93 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY

/ /93 _

./I/93 / /93 Document Name: BROWNSFE.LTR

4-

.f Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr. February 5,1993 '

cc:

J. B. Waters, Director General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority Ei 12A ET llH 400 West Summit Hill Drive 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902 Knoxville, TN 37902 J. R. Bynum, Vice_ President Chairman, Limestone County Nuclear Operations Commission '

Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 188 38 Lookout Place Athens, AL 35611 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN .37402-2801- Claude Earl Fox, M.D.

State Health Officer -

Site Licensing Manager State Department of Public Health Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant State Office Building Tennessee-Valley Authority Montgomery, AL 36130 P. O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35602 bec:

0. J. Zeringue, Vice President NRC Senior Resident inspector.

Browns Ferry Operations U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission-Tennessee Valley Authority Route 12, Box 637 P. O. Box 2000 Athens, AL 35611 Decatur, AL 35602 Mark J. Burzynski, Manager Nuclear Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority SB Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 TVA Representative Rockville Office 11921 Rockville Pike Suite 402 Rockville, MD 20852