ML20129H539

Ack Receipt of Expressing Concerns Re Development of Graded QA Initiative.Informs That Staff Available to Discuss Matters Further in Public Meeting at Mutually Acceptable Time

ML20129H539
Person / Time
Issue date:	11/04/1996
From:	Thadani A NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Ralph Beedle NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE (FORMERLY NUCLEAR MGMT &
References
PROJECT-689 NUDOCS 9611050274
Download: ML20129H539 (6)

Text

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Mr. Ralph E. Beedle, Senior Vice President November 4,1996 and Chief Nuclear Officer, Nuclear Generation l

Nuclear Energy Institute l

1776 i Street, NW l

Washington, D.C. 20006-3708

Dear Mr. Beedle:

I would like to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated October 10,1996, in which you expressed a number of concerns regarding the development of the graded quality assurance (QA) initiative. In general, you state that the pace of development is too slow, there are excessive and repetitive staff questions and requests for information, and the staff focus is on the details of implementation tather than on the safety significance of the licensee's QA j

changes.

l As you are aware, the staff has been working with the three volunteer plant licensees to develop graded QA programs that include techniques for categorizing the various plant components into levels of safety significance, and to identify quality program elements appropriate to each level. The rationale utilized for this effort has been consistent with the the four essential elements originally described in a letter to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) dated June 15,1994 and is subject to the constraints imposed by applicable regulations. In parallel, the staff has devoted considerable effort to the development of both a regulatory guide and a standard review plan to provide industry guidance on graded QA.

As requested in your letter, the staff is available to discuss the above matters in a public.

meeting at a mutually acceptable time. Please contact Ms. Melinda Malloy at (301) 415-1178 to set an agenda for discussion and to make arrangements for this meeting.

Sincerely, Original signed by: Ashok C. Thadani Ashok Thadani, Acting Deputy Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 689 cc: See next page j!%p DISTRIBUTION:

Docket Files JCraig, RES ARSmith, RES m anna QA Section Staff HWoods, RES WDean, OEDO GHolahan MMalloy JMilhoan RJones HOMB R.F.

Central Files PUBLIC SMagruder ki%ru fNTolpliR) l DOCUMENT NAME: G:Beedle3

• See previous concurrence To r:ccive a copy of this document. indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure

'N" = No copy 0FFICE HOM8:DRCH SC:HOMB l

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O NEl Project No. 689 cc:

Mr. Thomas Tipton, Vice President Operations and Engineering Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 l Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Ms. Lynnette Hendricks, Director Emergency Preparedness and Waste Regulation Nuclear Energy institute Suite 400 1776 i Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Ronald Simard, Director Advanced Reactors Programs Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 177G l Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Nicholas J. Liparulo, Manager Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Activities Nuclear and Advanced Technology Division Westinghouse Electric Corporation P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230 l

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Mr. Ralph E. Beedle, Senior Vice President November 4, 1996 and Chief Nuclear Officer, Nuclear Generation Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 i Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20006-3708

Dear Mr. Beedle:

l I would like to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated October 10,1996, in which you expressed a number of ccncerns regarding the development of the graded quality assurance (QA) initiative. In general, you state that the pace of development is too slow, there are excessive and repetitive staff questions and requests for information, and the staff focus is on the details of implementation rather than on the safety significance of the licensee's QA changes.

As you are aware, the staff has been working with the three volunteer plant licensees to develop graded QA programs that include techniques for categorizing the various plant components into levels of safety significance, and to identify quality program elements appropriate to each level. The rationale utilized for this effort has been consistent with the the four essential elements originally described in a letter to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) dated June 15,1994 and is subject to the constraints imposed by applicable regulations. In parallel, the staff has devoted considerable effort to the development of both a regulatory guide and a standard review plan to provide industry guidance on graded QA.

As requested in your letter, the staff is available to discuss the above matters in a public meeting at a mutually acceptable time. Please contact Ms. Melinda Malloy at (301) 415-1178 to set an agenda for discussion and to make arrangements for this meeting.

Sincerely, Original signed by: Ashok C. Thadani Ashok Thadani, Acting Deputy Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 689 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

Docket Files JCraig, RES ARSmith, RES

'shhamn.

QA Section Staff HWoods, RES WDean, OEDO GHolahan MMalloy JMilhoan RJones HQMB R.F.

Central Files PUBLIC SMagruder ki!,ohru (NTo%pl#1)

DOCUMENT NAME:

G:Beedle3

• See previous concurrence To acceite e opy of this document. Indicate in the boa: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure

• E' = Copy with attachment / enclosure

• N* = No copy 0FFICE HQMB:DRCH SC:HQMB l

BC:HOMB DD:DRCH l

D:DRCH l

NAME WHaass:cct RAGramm SCBlack RLSpc.>sard BABoger DATE 10/31/96*

M)/31/96*

M/31/96*

y 11/1/96*

11/1/96*

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/96 11/

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N B C R i 2 6 N d [1 C O P Y

l NEl Project No. 689 cc:

Mr. Thomas Tipton, Vice President Operations and Engineering Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 i Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Ms. Lynnette Hendricks, Director Emergency Preparedness and Waste Regulation Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 i Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Ronald Simard, Director Advanced Reactors Programs l

Nuclear Energy Institute l

Suite 400 l

1776 i Street, NW l

Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Nicholas J. Liparulo, Manager Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Activities Nuclear and Advanced Technology Division i

Westinghouse Electric Corporation P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230 I

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Mr. Ralph E. Bxdla, S nior Vice President November 4,1996 l

and Chief Nuclear Officer, Nuclear Generation i

Nuclear Energy Institute

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1776 i Street, NW l

Washington, D.C. 20006-3708 l

Dear Mr. Beedle:

I would like to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated October 10,1996, in which you expressed a number of concerns regarding the development of the graded quality assurance i

(QA) initiative. In general, you state that the pace of development is too slow, there are excessive and repetitive staff questions and requests for information, and the staff focus is on l

the details of implementation rather than on the safety significance of the licensee's QA changes.

As you are aware, the staff has been working with the three volunteer plant licensees to develop graded QA programs that include techniques for categorizing the various plant l

components into levels of safety significance, and to identify quality program elements appropriate to each level. The rationale utilized for this effort has been consistent with tne the four essential elements originally desertad in a letter to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) dated June 15,1994 and is subject to the constraints imposed by applicable regulations. In parallel, the staff has devoted considerable effort to the development of both a regulatory guide and a standard review plan to provide industry guidance on graded QA.

l As requested in your letter, the staff is aveilable to discuss the above matters in a public meeting at a mutually acceptable time. P' ease contact Ms. Melinda Malloy at (301) 415-1178 to set an agenda for discussion and to make arrangements for this meeting.

Sincerely, Original signed by: Ashok C. Thadani Ashok Thadani, Acting Deputy Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 689 l

cc: See next page i

DISTRIBUTION:

Docket Files JCraig, RES ARSmith, RES h

QA Section Staff HWoods, RES WDean, OEDO GHolahan l

MMalloy JMilhoan RJones HQMB R.F.

l Central Files PUBLIC SMagruder R&hru (NTolplR) i DOCUMENT NAME:

G:Beedle3

• See previous concurrence To r:ceiro e copy of this document. Indicate in the boa: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure

• N" = No copy 0FFICE HQMB:DRCH l

SC:HQMB l

BC:HOMB DD:DRCH l

D:DRCH l

NAME WHaass:cct RAGramm SCBlack RLSpessard BABoger DATE 10/31/96*

10/31/96*

{0/31/96*

11/1/96*

11/1/96*

0FFICE DD:DRPM(jl (4 fT:NRR A:DD:NRR//7 l

2 NAME DMatthe d '

%htron AThadani DATE 11/ 1 /96 11/ 'l /96 11/ / /96 11/

/96 11/

/96 M

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f NEl Project No. 689 cc:

Mr. Thomas Tipton, Vice President Operations and Engineering j

Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 i Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Ms. Lynnette Hendricks, Director Emergency Preparedness and Waste Regulation Nuclear Energy institute Suite 400 1776 i Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Ronald Simard, Director l

Advanced Reactors Programs Nuclear Energy Institute Suite 400 1776 i Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 3708 Mr. Nicholas J. Liparulo, Manager Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Activities Nuclear and Advanced Technology Division Westinghouse Electric Corporation P.O. Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230 i

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