ML20133J484

FOIA Request for Four Categories of Documents Re QC at Facility.Newspaper Articles Re Problems W/Qc Encl

ML20133J484
Person / Time
Site:	Callaway
Issue date:	09/23/1985
From:	Bell N NUCLEAR INFORMATION & RESOURCE SERVICE
To:	Felton J NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION (ADM)
References
FOIA-85-655 NUDOCS 8510180465
Download: ML20133J484 (6)

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9gp aw Nuclear Information and Resource Service 1616 P Street, N.W., Suite 160, Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 328-0002 Septebmer 23, 1985 James M. Felton, Director Division of Rules and Records FRE- 0F INFOfMdATiON Office of Adminstration REQUEST U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 f0I/7~/b-db)-

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REOUEST Q fM["M

Dear Mr. Felton:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 522, as amended, and 10 CFR 9.8 of the Commission's regulations, the Nuclear Information and Resource Service requests the following documents regarding the Callaway nuclear power plant. Please consider " documents" to include reports, studies, test results, correspondence, memoranda, meeting notes, meeting minutes, working papers, graphs, charts, diagrams, notes and summaries of conversations and interviews, computer records, and any other forms of written communication, including internal NRC Staff memoranda. In your response, please identify which documents correspond to which requests below.

Pursuant to this request, please provide all documents prepared or utilized by, in the possession of, or routed through the NRC related to:

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1. A February 22, 1985 audit report of Union Electric's quality assurance office which led to the suspension of inspectors;

2. Al) related requests for corrective action or plans for corrective action related to this issue, and Union Electric reviews of the quality control inspection system;

3. Union Electric Company documents that indicate that on March 10, 1984, Terry Shaw, a OA supervisor, directed his inspectors to take their technical problems initially to Mr.

Shaw or to an assistant supervisor; and

4. NRC Staff responses to Union Electric plans to review and correct problems in the quality control inspection system at Callaway.

Newspaper articles regarding the problems with quality control inspection at Callaway are attached.

8510180465 850923 PDR FOIA BELL 85-655 PDR

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Please provide a list of offices to which this request was forwarded.

f In our opinion, it is appropriate in this case for you to waive search charges, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552 (a) (4) ( A) "because furnishing the information can be considered as primarily benefiting _the general public." The Nuclear Information and Resource Service is a non-profit organization serving local 4 organizations concerned about nuclear power and providing infor-mation to_the general public. Information required by 10 CFR 9.14a was provided by letter dated August 3, 1984.

Sincer_el ,

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1 o nbune 1985, COLUMBIA, MISSOURI 20 PAGES - PRICE 25'

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UE adds 15 inspectors to roles of unqualified plants, Garde said, including the CHRISTOPH SZECHENYI operating in December, generates of the Tribune's staff 1,150 megawatts of electricity for William H. Zunmer plant in Ohio, a Uruon Electric Co. has identified customers in St. Iouis and dozens of Midland, Mich., plant and the Mar-22 inspectors - 15 more than initial- Mid-Missouri towns such as Ashland ble Hill plant in Indiana. All three ly reported - who lacked qualifica- and Moberly. The plant is 35 miles have been shut down for severe deft-tions to ensure the safe operation east of Columbia, ciencies. Quality control questions and maintenance of its Callaway Mike Geary, a Union Electric have also been raised at the Co-County nuclear power plant, a Nu- spokesman, said utility officials de. manche Peak plant near Glen Rose, clear Regulatory Commission offi- clined to comment on their investi. Texas.

cial said this week. gation of the inspettors' work. "We Geary said Union Electric engi-The official, Bruce Little, said util- don't see a need for a blow-by-blow neers are carefully evaluating the ity engineers and auditors who account of what's being done," he jobs performed by the inspectors began investigating inspectors

• said. But he confirmed that 22 in, with questionable credentials.

backgrounds last month have identi- spectors lacked certain credentials. "We're looking at the nature of the fied atout 250 inspections performed w rk involved," he said. "If it didn't Little said he expects the utihty to require a high level of expertise, by the 22 inspectors during the past wrap up its study by the end of three years. March. At that time, Geary said, we'll pr bably assume it was done A special utility task force has all right. We'll also check to see if Union Electric will provide the com-found that the 22 inspectors were the work had been subjected to addi-mission with a report of its fmdings.

qualified to do all 230 of the jobs re- ti nalinspections."

Little plans to file a report of his own The utihty s engineers have not viewed as of Friday, Little said. The task force has found no evidence of findings and recommendations by reinspected any areas yet, Geary the end of April.

deficiencies in the plant's hard- said. Some reinspections may be dJ-In early March, the utility con- ficult. if not impossible, to perforra ware. cluded that seven of its present in_

The St.14uis utility is reviewing because plant materials have be-about 12,000 work orders, said Little, spectors lacked sufficient training c me radioache.

or experience in some areas of work a commission inspector at Cal- they had been doing at the plant. As A longtime nuclear power oppo-laway. a result, Union Electric suspended nent, Kay Drey of University Oty, He said his agency will wait for the men from doing certain jobs. said yesterday she and the Coalition UrJon Electric to complete its study $e nment wW Me a pe4 before considering action. He said Union Electric employed 13 of the tion asking the commission to shut the utility is conducting a thorough 22 inspectors, Little said. Seven of down the Callaway plant, the 13 still work as quality control g investigation and has found no evi-dence that the inspectors' work com-promis (d the plant s safety. {]'e s d P

for ind dent construction . contractors, in-she said, "makes it all the more ot$

vious that we have to call on the reg-Billie Garde, a staff member with ulaton amminion to shut down the the Government Accountability cluding Daniel International Co' plant until Union Electric can dem-

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Project, a public interest group in onstrate that the systems are Washington, D.C., voiced doubts. Nuclear plant inspectors check 3,g,'n "The system had to have broken electrical, mechanical and civil en-down in a fairly significant fashion," gineering work throughout the plant, she said. "The NRC's approach to including systems such as pipes and this is dangerously inadequate." valves in the reactor building. THE WEATHER IJttle said he cannot assess Garde said Daniel International whether the unqualified personnel helped build Kansas' Wolf Creek nu- Cloudy today, with a 70 percent influenced the safety of the plant clear power plant, which has been chance of showers. High around near Fulton until he looks at the plagued with structural flaws. The 50, with southwest winds at 10 to work orders and, if necessary, ex- regulatory commission recently 15 miles per hour. Tonight,60 per smines the inspectors' field work. gave the plant near Burlington, cent chance of showers, with the He plans to start that part of his in- Kan., an operating license. Iow in the mid 30s. Tomorrow, vestigation on Monday. Inspection problems have turned cloudy with a 30 percent chance The $3 billion plant, which started up at several U.S. nuclear pcwer of showers. High in the mid-tos.

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.g Yearlongworkers' rift revealed inUEsafety assurance problems By GIRIS'IOPH SZECHENYI Shaw's inspectors. "I would expect a supervisor to be of the Tribune's staff competent in inspection philosophy."

Friction between inspectors and their supervisors at Several inspectors said such a management attitude the Callaway County nuclear power plant had surfaced and supervisors' shortage of expertise spurred inspec nearly a year before Union Electric Co. started inves- tors' complaints to Powers' office, which did the audit. I tigating its deteriorating quality control system, an in; outlined inadequate training, education and experience ternal memo reveals. among seven of 13 inspectors - including Portell and as Company documents show that,,m w h in_ W sistant supervisor 1,.M. Zahara - and sparked suspen quality control supervisor Terry Shaw ordered inspec- sion of some of their duties.

tors under him to take technical problems to him or to an Following the audit's suggestion, the company sus assistant supervisor before approaching other depart- pended inspectors from some tasks until their qualifica ment managers. tions are established. Union Electric is also reviewiry "In past weeks, there have been numerous instances some 12,000 work orders to determine whether disqualj h

\ demonstrating a lack of effective communication within fied men did inspections that could jeopardize th plant's safety.

Q the quality control department," Shaw wrote in the The St. lauls utility is also reviewing the credential g memo to 30 people, many of whom were inspectors.

"Our aim is to solve problems through communication, and work of 50 to t,0 more inspectors employed by a firr

" not create them." that helped build the plant, which sttarted generatin But some inspectors said this week that they repeated- electricity in December.

{ ly got no action from Shaw when voicing concerns about The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's inspector a supervisors who were unqualified to make technical de- Callaway is also planning to review some work orders y cisions for ensuring safety. In addition, the utility con-firmed today that inspectors took their concerns to Yesterday, the Fulton Sun quoted plant spokesma Mike Geary as saying that "we have a good system her for recourse...I'm not sure why the inspectors didCt g Shaw's boss in early December, nearly two months be-fore the utility started an audit of problems. up the quality control chain of command "

Several inspectors said they did not trust some super- But today, Ceary admitted that statemert was ur 5 visors because they lacked expertise in certain quality true. He said he had been unaware of the inspectors' e control areas. "On a day to day basis, you're going to forts when he talked to the Fulton newspaper.

have technical questions," said one informed source He conceded that seven or eight inspectors had take who requested anonymity. " Management wants us to go their concerns in early Deceinber to Paul Appleby, a to them for answers, yet how can they discuss these assistant plant manager who oversees quality contn problems when they're not technically qualified?" operations.

One assistant supervisor, Vernon PortclI, recently lost Geary said the inspectors' concerns "were bein certification for two types of inspections at the f3 billion taken seriously." After the interviews, Geary said, Al plant near Fulton. Reacting to the finished audit, dated pleby put together a plan for corrective action. Cear Feb. 22, plant manager Steve Miltenberger suspended said he didn't know what changes Appleby had pr Portell's certification. Portell, however, retains his su- posed.

pervisory role. Inspectors said this week that they grew impatici

" A supervisor does not have to be certified at any level with Appleby's efforts, and so they asked Powers' qua' in any discipline," said Robert Powers, assistant man- ty assurance office to investigate. Powers noted that i ager of the division that oversees the effectiveness of spectors have the right under company policy to cor plain to his division.

Auditors concluded managers had broken writt4 THE WEATHER cinspectors.Theinspectorscheckelectrical

• P*ar r"'e= 'a ""*r*""$t*"c** 67 c,'"rt"8 *a mechanics civil and material work throughout the plant, includia Fair tonight with a low in the upper 30s. Mostly systems in the reactor building and other key comp sunny tomorrow. High around 60. nents.

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l l VOL LEWI, NO. 57' -

l THURSDAY, MARCH 7,1985, COLUMBIA, M l UE targets unqualifiedp Concem surfaces about quality,  ;

safety assurances at Callaway. '

iC) IM5 columbta Dady Tribune its or:gmal price estimate - sup-1;ruen Cectnc Co. has allowed un- pbes 1,t50 Inegawatts for about t quahfied mspectors for more than nulbon t'nion Electne customers m 4.

."* G d 7M % h.k N P .$ %  ;

three years to help ensure the safety power plant. The utabty recently sus-St. kuis and dozens of MidMssourt of its Callaway County nuclear commuruties, such as Ashland and Moberly. After eight years of cor> '"

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W 'Mbd "' h pended seven inspectors from nu- struccon, the plant, which is M l

merous duues after an internal ire miles from Columbia, started vestigauon revealed shortcomings operaung in December.

in their tralrdng, education or expe- Any citizen may petition the NRC nence.

to halt the plant's operauon untu the The discovery has raised company safety revtew is finished. Unsche-l officisis' doubts about the plant's duled shutdowns, the company has I safe operabon, leatng them to estimated, would cost the utihty j begin revampmg the qual!ty control about $"50,000 a day.

mspection system. Doubts about inspections stnke at 1

Concems won't be resolved unta the heart of the plant's quahty assur-g i

the utity completes a massive re. ance program, Pollard said. "The i view of inspectors' work datir.g back paper process is the only way they to 1981 company officials said yes. have to assure public safety."

terday 1he review ss expected to Robert Powers, the plant's assis.

take at least three more week.s. tant quality assurance manager, ,

"We're interested m seeing if said inte'vtews with diMuahfled tr>

i there are any safety problems."said spectors revealed that when they en-company spokesman M.he Cleary, l countered work outside their areas

, "and m correctmg them if they of experuse, they passed the job enst."

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along to qualified men.

The St. kuis utity is reviewmg "We don't have any concern about work by 50 to 60 more inspectors em- the plant's construction " he added,

• i ployed by a contractor who helped notmg that the inspectors did all budd the plant near Fulton. Union their work during what is considered ,.

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Dectnc wants to ensure that inspec- the plant's operational phase, since .- .g %

l 4 tors had adequate skgls and certfi- midyear 1961, j cauon. ,)

One worker, who requested ano.

I A recent company audit, prompt- nymity for fear of superiors' repri-ed by internal comp;aints, unco- sals, said he found certficauon f vered deficiencies with seven of 13 papers on his desk a few months ago <

i utity inspectors. As a result, the allowmg him to do inspections for a utsty began studymg about 12,20 which he lacked complete training. 7

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work orders this week to determme He and other workers said manag- ,,

i whether unquahfied men conducted ers wanted to improve efficiency by c: s 1 g

faJty inspectons, hundreds of using mulucertafted inspectors. #

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wNch were done m key safety-re'at- "I was afraid...! might get asked ed systems "We need to review to do something I had no expertence j those records to find out what they m," the worker said this week, "and act. ally d.d." said James Gearhart, at that pomt, I would have had to g h .

2e t'raan E!ectne employee who su- say, 'Get somebrdy else m here who y l permed the audit. '

,-"-c knows what they're domg."'

The Ndear Regulatory Cornrms- Other workers said they never re- Q c  !

smn has not moved to alter plant callseeing or hearmg of an tnspector operatiorJ in the wake of the find-who proceeded with an inspection t, gs Bruce 1.attle, comtrussion kn- for which he wasn't quahfied. In spector at Ca 'away, said he wCI re- such instances, the workers said, the new sorr.e utsty work orders. So mspector always turned to someone tar. ce utity has reported no evi- quahfied. But the employees noted dexe that the unqualified inspec- that the inspectors in queston - and ,

tors comproinsed safety, lattle their work - have caused alarm said.

about the quabty control program. A The agency's regional office in final ruling about safety can come Clucago, resporaible for overseeing only when reviews are firdshed, the Callseay's oprauon, has alertedits workers agreed.

top d vtsion cNefs and the five com. Two utihty divisions are the key nussioners in Wastangton, D C. tJt- players: the quahty control branc!L ut taid tho utsty might have vicht. which inspects maintenance work ed .wC rules.

and repairs to make sur they meet l'ruonBobofPouard, Concerned a staff member Scientists a Powers' of the strict quality safety regulauons; assurance wmg. and four requests for corrective action: Callaway p ,

• One of three quality control as- tenberger suspended Portel, Washar.gton and a former comtras- which reports only t3 corporate sistant supervisors, Vernon Porte11, certficauon. He non wo.ker, said regulators should headquarters and functions to er>

1acked necessary espertence la elvd sory posicon, Cleary said, bt, shut down completes the plant its revtees. ur.td the utity surt 2at members on the quahty and electrical inspections, fields he been barred from control staff perform correctly. oversa w. electrical inspections.

tambastmg the federal agency's In late January, the quabty assur-inacuan, Pouard said. "That's es- . The man responsible for approv- . Most of the 13 men had a ance office received complaints ing certficauon of inspectors, quall- for inspecuans in more than artly what the dJficulty is ever at from inspectors who questioned the ty control supervisor Terry Shaw, on the four te Go pleasNRC. is safe, tristead ofonprort they overate the ab- that a credent.als and abibties of other three occasions since Oct. 22 violat- taling 2s certifratio quatey control inspectors and two ed company rules for certifying in- - but half of those certif.

omre eum "

af prouf Ltat it 6s danger- divtson sapervisors. Powers said spectors. were found questionable. Ir 1

his si,itors began investigating the One person that Shaw recom- cases, the men &d not meet >

fie 83 bdban Ca:laway plant - nest tay. Among the findtngs out-mended be certified for two techni- accepted etthin the indus e emplesag at more than five umes lined in a Feb. 22 audit report and cal duties was Porte11. test week, others. Union De

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