ML20134H477

Forwards Copy of Maine Yankee Community News & Highlights Area of Concern

ML20134H477
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	12/02/1996
From:	Christine P AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
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ML20134H475	List: ML20134H471 ML20134H477
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NUDOCS 9702110322
Download: ML20134H477 (5)

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December 2, 1996 Commissioner Shirley A. Jackson Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wasington, DC 20555 RE: Maine Yankee

Dear Commissioner:

I draw your attention to the highlighted article in this item recently sent to all area residents. This type of clouding of the facts is a disservice to Maine citizens. The ISAT report rnentioned " eroded margins" above 2440 MWth. The ISAT neglected to address the fact that Maine Yankee has been operating for 171/2 years with " eroded margins",

therefore, unsafely.

Since

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Peter Christine P.O. Box 12 Alna, ME 04535 l

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l l 17,000 aour review 4Fm ym;n v,..

I affirms safe jp;4 M g-c operation

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A 25 member Independent Safety

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l Assusment (ISA) team affirmed Maine

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j Yankee's safe operation at 90 percent

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i power after investing 17,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br />

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l thoroughly examining Maine Yankee's 7

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operation. The review included 4,500 hours0.00579 days <br />0.139 hours <br />8.267196e-4 weeks <br />1.9025e-4 months <br /> of on-site plant inspection.

Contrary to some accounts, the repon Ukrainian Excellence Action did not find Maine Yankee unsafe at full power butindicated that 100 percent Physicians Tour Plan l

Maine Yankee by Charles Frizzle u er documen ati n. \\ fo their l

report balanced and fair. From the For Maine Yankee thisis a time of outset Maine Yankee viewed the ISA as Chpak Vladimir and Evgen Kurilov, intense internal and external examina-an opportunity forlearning and im-physicians from the Ukrainian Ministry tion. Though the Independent Safety prove'nent.

of Health, toured Maine Yankee in late Assessment found the plant to be October along with Dr. Kathleen operating safely, we recognize there are

,Te are committed to Gensheimer, Maine State Epidemiolo-important areas where improvements dev0 ting whatever resources gist. Drs. Vladimir and Kurilov are in and changes must be made if we are to i

are DeCessary 10 Continue the United States for a program at the continue providing Maine people with Operating the plant safely or Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.

safe, clean. low. cost electricity for years we will not operate it at all. "

Georgia. They gent a week in Maine to come.

learning about.mne public neaith ne mo know that comprehensive activities. Serge Milculim ofAugusta imprm ement will not happen overnight.

Tnis U.S. Nuclear Regulatory served as translator for the physicians.

In fact, we expect some rough sledding Commission (NRC) inspection was the Serge is also from Ukraine and has lived ahead as a number ofitems identified by most thorough m Maine Yankee s in the U.S. since defecting from a former the ISA and other inspections will result history. It was also unique as it was the Soviet fish processing vessel off Portland in enforcement action and possibly fines first such inspection that included participation by a state. Governor King UKRAINIAN, CONTINUED oN PAGE 2 EXCELLENCE, CoNDNUED oN PAGE 2 called for a top to bottom inspection of the plant last May, and the state of 17,000 man hour review Teamwork Builds success 2

Maine became a key playerin the ISA.

affirms safe operation 1

New Faces in the Community...... 3

.m Theinspection came about following Ukrainian Physicians Tour The Power of Partnership 4

an concerns about plant safety raised in a e icnce ActEIa~n.

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1 Edited by Maine Yankee Public Affairs SAFE, CoNhNUED oN PAGE 3 Produced by Maine Yankee Graphics

!MM UKRAMAN CONTINUED Fn0M PAGE 1 Larry Jewett is one of the Plant Sh.ft Superintendents who oversees Success in vi "t veratio"siaciudiaeco"trtroem kW if, activities. Jewett came to Maine Yankee

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Operati0ns in 980 fter graduating from the University of Maine with an engineering degree. But his association with Maine 4

The Independent Safety Assessment Yankee goes back to when Lany was a singled out the Operations Department boy scout camping;tt Eaton Farm and r

as one of Maine Yankee's strengths.

seeing the plant under constmetion L-R: SERGE MilcuuM, Dn. KATHLEEN Operations monitors plant performance Jewett started as a Nuclear Power GENSHEIMER, PAinicx DoSTiE, Dn. EVGEN ar0und the clock. That large responsi-Operator. After years of study and Xunuov, PArnicx CouGHLIN, DR CHPAK bility is in the hands of Nuclear Power successfully completing rigorous VLADiMin, Enie howes-Operators, Control Room Operators, Nuclear Regulatory Commission exams.

Senior Reactor Operators, Shift Techni-Jewett became a licensed Control Room several years ag0.

cal Advisors, Shift Operating Supervi-Operator and eventually a licensed Drs. Vlad,imir and h,urilov were sors, and Plant Shift Superintendents.

Senior Reactor Operator. Later.Jewett mterested in the significant differences, became a Shift Operatmpupervisor especially in safety systems, between a a M]

before promotion to his current position t

U.S. plant like Maine Yankee and the D.

s Chernobyl n' " lear unit that was g

s Plant Shift Superinendent.

destroyed in the 1986 accident. Thirtv-g,j '

Commumcation and coordination of activities are essential to Operations'

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seven percent of Ukraine's electricity six eight person crews. It makes sense fr comes from that country's 15 nuclear to have crews-we learn to function power plants. Since the Chernobyl

' y t gether as a team, said Jewett. Crews

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accident, plants in Ukraine and other L

spend a lot of time together even outside areas of the former Soviet Union have w rk. Sometimes it seems like I spend incorporated many safety featurec m te time with these guys than my wife required for plants in the U.S. and other Western countries.

LARRY JEWETT DURING SIMULATOR SDd family," said deWelt.

TRAINING TEAMWORK, CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 1

EXCELLENCE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 continue operating the plant

• The nuclear oversight committee safely or we will not operate it of the board is being enhanced to by our regulator. That said, we cer-at all.

include nationally respe.ted tainly regard any violations as a serious technical advisors.

matter and are doing everything we can

• A national search is underway for to fully comply with regulatory require-a vice president oflicensing and

• Maine Yankee is cooperating with ments new and in the future.

regulatory compliance. Responsi-federal and state officials to To bring about long-term improve-bilities include regulatory compli-address issues in the ISA report ment m all areas,Meme Yankee has ance, licensing issues, evolung and to chart an appropriate path deseloped a comprehensive Commit-standards in theindustry, and for return to full power.

ment to Excellence Action Plan. While supporting a culture of excellence we will be presenting to the Nuclear l

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l Regulatory Commission (NRC) a formal detailed response to the ISAin early i

• The licensing and eng.meenng 3

g Decemoer, the Exceller.ce Action Plan is departments at Mame Yankee will g

already being implemented.

be separated to enhance focus m Key Points: Maine Yankee Commitment to Excellence Action Plan

. A respected former senior NRC Scon McAtusTER INsmen Lwis Loon oN official has 3'oined the Maine THE use or TNr New LEARNING BANK, A TOOL THAT

• Mam.e Yankee will devote what-Yankee Board of Directors.

wu GREATLv tNHANcr maine YAurtt's Assury To ever resources are necessary to TRACK AND PRIO9fTIZE ACTION ITEMS.

Maine Yankee Community News Page 2

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1 TEAMWORK, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 New Faces in the Community Jewett is also involved in the community, serving as an Assistant Den Leader to the Wiscasset Webolos and as 4

President and co-founder of the

-4 Wiscasset Sno-Goers snowmobile club.

When asked what he enjoys most about y

his job, Jewett responded simply, "No two days are ever the same."

SAFE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Maureen Brown, Public Affairs Patrick Coughlin, Program Director Coordinator e-When the media needs up to the Patrick is fast becoming a key Maine minute information about Maine Yadee connection to the local community, l

' NI Yankee, Maureen has all the facts and schools and businesses. If you want to figures. Shejoined Maine Yankee as schedule a group visit, a Maine Yankee Public A!Tairs Director in August with speaker or other special event, give him a L

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an impressive background, including call at the Energy Information Center experience as Communications Director (800-458-0066).

A ANDREWS & ROBERT GARCEAU SET for the Ohio Secretary of State, editor, Before Patrick joined Maine Yankee as and reporter for various newspapers Program Coordinator in September, he December 1995 anonymous letter.

including the Brunswick Times-Record.

managed an environmentallab in Arizona The report identified strengths in Maureen replaces Marshall Murphy and taught chemistry and science classes the areas of operations, maintenance who took a new position with Champion at Waynflete Schoolin Portland. Currently and engineering. It also found weak-Internationalin Alabama.

he and his wife, Jennifer, live in Brunswick nesses. These were captured under two Maureen graduated with a degree in where they met as students at Bowdoin broad categories: 1) economic pressures journalism from the University of College. You may catch him at % cal events to contain costs; and 2) lack of a ques-Missouri-Columbia but her recent or pounding nails for the Bath-Brunswick

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tioning attitude and areas of compla-education has been on the job learning Habitat for Humanity Chapter.

cency.

about Maine Yankee and fielding prioritizes the work to be done. Th9 time. When she is not at work, Maureen

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Like any company Maine Yankee questions from the media at the same j

report found that Maine Yankee has lives in Brunswick with her son, John.

postponed some projects and program l

improvements, but not at the expense of -

plant safety. Safety is always para-For those circumstances where we A-mount during plant operation and did not exhibit an adequate questioning f'

during budget decisions. Also, post-attitude, we, the managers at Maine I Yankee must accept the blame. It is our poned activities were not viewed at the time to have safety significance. In light job to ensure that potentially signiScant of what we have learned from the ISA, and credible "what ifs' are addressed in p

we are reconsidering how we make every circumstance.

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,N;o those decisions.

The ISA taught us a great deal about

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I Maine Yankee's 470 employees are ways we can work smarter. It also l

among the best educated, anc motivated helped us better understand the expecta-4 in the state. Safety significant issues tions of our regulator. We are adjusting o

are promptly addressed. The fact that our operation to meet the challenges of some projects have not been completed an evolving regulatory environment. We may point to isolated instances of are also committed to devoting whatever complacency, but in most cases we made resources are necessary to continue HERMAN l OVEJOY CUTTING NEW GASKET l

the decision to defer projects viewed as operating the plant safely or we will not less pressing.

operate it at all.

Maine Yankee Community News Page 3 C

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3 nityinput. Do you have automotive i

,T;h+%a The Power of enginerereirexperieeceendwiehte y

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,A learn about marine diesels? Or maybe J.

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r M4 you wouldlike some trainingin small OY h

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business management? These and other i

courses may be offered in Damariscotta Maine Yankee Helps Bring CMTC and other Lincoln County locations as to Lincoln County l.

y9 Don puts together a program that meets identified needs for skills development CentralMaine Technical College

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y (CMTC) and Maine Yankee have teamed M

and employment potential.

f up to bring college education to the Dow OsmR, CMTC PROGRAM COORolNAToR y u can reach Don at his office m

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l communities in Lincoln County. With Boothbay at 633-0675 (fax 633-5458).

I CMTC's academic experience and Maine y[a n

Don,who now lives in New Harbor, has a n

Yankee's financial support, the program find more opportunity;I m personal interest in making the program l is up and running with its first class in delighted that my new role a success. "My fatherleft Lincoln red ectate cabs being n!Tered in Boothbay Harbor. Students can earn involves creating opportunity Coumy to hd mcre opper:urity; I'm CMTC credits through this program right here" delighted that my new role involves

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creatingopportunity nght here.

without traveling to CMTC's Auburn I

campus.

here. As Lincoln County's largest

" Education is very important to us,"

employer, we think our contribution is a Notable Mention...

explained Charles Frizzle, President terrific investment in this community; As olhemben our 60 l

and CEO of Maine Yankee. "We think we are proud to be a partner in this pn>fessionals haIe worked nwre I

this region deserves attention from exciting new venture."

than 1.000 000 safe hour uithout a l

Maine's public higher education system; "What do you want tolearn?" asks lost time miur3.phde tultilhng but we also realize that with the state Don Osier, CMTC Program Coordinator.

Mame unkeei misson of prondmg facing a budget shortfall, CMTC needed Don is developing course offerings for clean plennrul Iowgost electnaty financial help to initiate a presence next semester cud is looking for commu-i MaineYankee BULK RATE P.O. Box 408 U.S. POSTAGE Wiscasset, ME.04578 PAID PORTLAND, ME

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