ML20129F468

Forwards Petition Dtd 960816,requesting That NRC Take Action W/Regard to Myaps & All Users of Relap Computer Code for ECCS

ML20129F468
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	09/06/1996
From:	Goldberg J NRC OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT (OE)
To:	Russell W NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
Shared Package
ML20129F448	List: ML20129F446 ML20129F454 ML20129F461 ML20129F468
References
2.206, NUDOCS 9610010351
Download: ML20129F468 (2)

Text

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UNITED STATES -

1. %.g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION p

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WA5HlNGTON, O.C. 20506-0001 " '!

) ' September 6,1996 l

3 oFHCE OF THE .i GENERAL COUNSEL  :

i MEMORANDUM TO: William T. Russell, Director  !

ffice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l

f FROM: 'TOi ack R. Goldberg -!

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( Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Enforcement i

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SUBJECT:

2.206 PETITION OF PATRICK SEARS REGARDING MAINE  ;

i YANKEE AND ALL OTHER NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS USING

THE RELAP CODE FOR ECCS ANALYSIS

Attached is a copy of a Petition dated August 19,1996, addressed to the Executive l Director for Operations and submitted by Patrick M. Sears (Petitioner), requesting that the l l NRC take action with regard to the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Station and all users of i

the RELAP computer code for Emergency Core Cooling Systems (ECCS). Petitioner  !

j requests that the NRC fine Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPCo) and Yankee i j . Atomic Electric Company (YAEC) if computer runs have not been kept in accordance with  !

YAEC's computer code Quality Assurance procedures, and that the NRC inspect all users

.of RELAP and fine those users not operating within required computer code verification

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j' procedures.

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j As the basis for his request, Petitioner states that: the May 5,1989, statement of Steve j Nichols of Maine Yankee (then Licensing Supervisor), that RELAP5YA was " operable" and

! would be used for subsequent reloads was false; no computer code inspections were l' performed by NRC before a 1992 inspection at YAEC by Mr. Sears when he was an 1 employee in the NRC Vendor Inspection Branch and not again until 1995; Mr. Sears was told not do any more computer code inspections; RELAP is widely used; RELAP has been j shown to have serious deficiencies; and the RELAP problem is not confined to the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Plant but is endemic to the industry as.a whole.

l' I have attached a draft letter of acknowledgment to the Petitioner for your signature. I am j also attaching a Notice of Receipt of the Petition for publication in the Feders/ Register.

i If you want the licensee to respond regarding these matters, we will assist your staff in drafting an appropriate letter. If you want more information.from the Petitioner, we will be glad to assist your staff in drafting a letter requesting the information.

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Contact:

Giovanna M. Longo 415-3568 i

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! 9610010351 960924 PDR ADOCK 05000309

,F PDR .

William T. Russell Please inform me of the technical contact who will be involved in preparing a response to the Petition. Please ensure that I am provided copies of all correspondence related to the Petition and that I am asked to concur on all staff correspondence.

Attachments: 1. Copy of Petition

2. Draft Letter of Acknowledgement

3. Draft FederalRegister Notice cc w/atts: M. Matsch, OGC S. Burns, OGC W. Olmstead, OGC L. Chandler, OGC J. Goldberg, OGC H. Miller, RI K. Smith, Rl S. Ebneter, Rll C. Evans, Ril A. Beach, Rlli B. Berson, Rlli L. Callan, RIV W. Brown, RIV l

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-. t Mr. Patrick M. Sears .

Box 13 .

Fairfield, Pennsylvania 17320

Dear Mr. Sears:

This letter is to acknowledge' receipt of your Petition dated August 19,1996, addressed to the Executive Director for Operations of the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The Petition requests that the NRC take' action with regard to the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Station anci all usdrs of'the RELAP computer code for Emergency Core Cooling Systems (ECCS). The Petition requests that the NRC fine Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPCo) andiYankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC) if computer runs have not been kept in accordan'ce,with YAEC's computer code Quality Assurance procedures, and that the NRC inspect all users of REL.A, P and fine those users not operating within required computer cods berification procedures, f.

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As the basis for this request l the Petition' states that: the May 5,1989, statement of

. Steve Nichols of Maine Yank'ee, that"RELAPSYA was " operable" and would be used for  !

's'ubsequent' reloads was falseino comiiuter co'de inspections were performed by NRC before a,1992 inspection. at;YAEC by Petitioner when he was an employee in the NRC Vendor inspection Branch and not again until 1995;Mr. Sears was told not to do any more computer code inspections: RELAP is widely used; RELAP has been shown to have serious

' deficiencies; and ~the RELAP problem is not confined to the Maine Yankee Atomic Power-Plant but is endemic to the industry'as a whole,

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.The Petition has been referred to me' pursuant to 10 C.F.R. I 2.206 of the Commission's regulations. As provided by Section 2.206, action will be taken on your request within a reasonable time. ,

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I have enclosed for your information a copy of the notice that is being filed with the Office

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of the Federal Register for publication.

Sincerely, William. T. Russell, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation j

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Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl: Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company Yankee Atomic Electric Company

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U.S; NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l

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. Maine;Yankea Atomic Power Company

. Yankee Atomic Electric Company l 2 . RECEIPT OF PETITION FOR DIRECTOR'S DECISION

. , + UNDER 10 C.F.R. 5 2.206 l

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Notice is hereby give that by Petition dated August 19,1996, Patrick M. Sears (Petitioner) has requested that the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) take action with regard to the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Station and all users of the RELAP computer code for Emergency Core Cooling Systems (ECCS). Petitioner requests that the NRC fine Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPCo) and Yankee Atomic Electric company (YAEC) if computer runs have not been kept in accordance with YAEC's computer code Quality Assurance procedures, and that the NRC inspect all users of RELAP and fine those users not operating within required computer code verification procedures.

As the basis for his request, Petitioner states that: the May 5,1989, statement of

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Steve Nichols of Maine Yankee, that RELAP5YA was " operable" and would be used for subsequent reloads was false; no computer code inspections were performed by NRC before a 1992 inspection at YAEC by Mr. Sears when he was an employee in the NRC Vendor Inspection Branch and not again until 1995; Mr. Sears was told not to do any more computer code inspections; RELAP is widely used; RELAP has been shown to have serious deficiencies; and the RELAP problem is not confined to the Maine Yankee Atomic Power 6 ,

Plant but is endemic'to the' industry as a whole.

The request is'being~ treated pursuant to 10 C.F.R. I 2.206 of the Commission's r '

regulations.' The request has been referred to the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor y .b (

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2-Regulation. A copy of the Petition is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room at 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20555.

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FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION William T. Russell, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Rockville, Maryland This day of 1996.

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