ML20137Q269

Forwards Enforcement Conference Summary Repts 50-424/85-49 & 50-425/85-36 on 850925 & Notice of Violation Re Findings of NRC Investigation on 830519-0709 Concerning Welding QC Activities

ML20137Q269
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	11/15/1985
From:	Grace J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Kelly R GEORGIA POWER CO.
Shared Package
ML20137Q275	List: IR 05000424/1985049 ML20137Q269 ML20137Q281
References
EA-85-117, NUDOCS 8512050219
Download: ML20137Q269 (4)

See also: IR 05000424/1985049

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NOV 151985

Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425

License Nos. CPPR-108 and CPPR-109

EA 85-117

Georgia Power Company

/ ATTN: Mr. R. J. Kelly

Executive Vice President

P. O. Box 4545

Atlanta, GA 30302

Gentlemen:

SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION - NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT NO. 2-83-005

This refers to the Enforcement Conference held in the Region II Office on

September 25, 1985, between members of the NRC staff and members of your staff.

The Enforcement Conference was held to discuss the findings of an investigation

conducted by the NRC Office of Investigations from May 19 through July 9,1983,

concerning welding Quality Control (QC) activities authorized by NRC Construction

Permit Nos. CPPR-108 and CPPR-109 at your Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP).

The investigation was initiated as a result of allegations made to the NRC Senior

Resident. Inspector by a confidential source.

The investigation was based primarily on interviews of QC personnel and revealed

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that a manager for Pullman Power Products Company (PPP), Georgia Power Company's

(GPC) contractor for installation of piping and piping supports at VEGP, had

intimidated QC personnel who, through the line management, reported to him

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administratively. The QC personnel had responsibilities for inspection of the

PPP installation work. Although the investigation and subsequent inspections

did not identify evidence that QC inspections were compromised, the intimidation

of QC inspectors by the manager still constitutes a violation of Criterion I of

Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50. This criterion requires that construction permit

holders establish and execute a quality assurance program such that persons and

organizations performing quality assurance functions have sufficient authority

and organizational freedom to identify quality problems.

To' emphasize the need for you to assure that the GPC quality assurance program

is being properly executed, and.that QC personnel are not discouraged from

.vi gorousl y ~ implementing the quality. assurance program, I have been authorized by

the Director, Office of Inspection and Enforcement, to issue the enclosed Notice

of Violation. The violation has been. categorized as a Severity Level III violation

in accordance with the " General. Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC

Enforcement Actions," 10 CFR Part 2, Appendix C, 47 FR 9987 (March 9,.1982), I

the Enforcement Policy in effect at the time of the violation. Normally, a civil

CERTIFIED MAIL

RETURN RECEIP1 REQUESTED

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penalty is considered for a Severity Level III violation. However, after

consultation with the Director, Office of Inspection and Enforcement, I have

decided that a civil penalty will not be proposed in this case because of

your thorough investigation and your prompt corrective actions to resolve this

matter. Those actions included replacement of the manager charged with intimidation,

implementation of methods for QC inspectors to express their concerns (such as

suggestion boxes, a concerns program, and biweekly meetings), improved training

for QC and other personnel, and apprising QC personnel as to previously misunderstood

salary administration policies. We have also taken into consideration your good

enforcement history since this incident occurred. You have described the

corrective actions which you have taken in your letter dated July 23, 1984, to

Region II in response to Inspection Reports 50-424/84-05, 50-425/84-05, 50-424/84-36,

and 50-425/84-36 and during the Enforcement Conference and the NRC has determined

that these actions are acceptable. Therefore, no response to the enclosed Notice

is required.

A summary description of the Enforcement Conference is included as an enclosure

to this letter. For record purposes, this letter and its enclosures have been

assigned inspection report numbers 50-424/85-49 and 50-425/85-36.

In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2,

Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its enclosures

will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

Should you have any questions concerning this letter, we will be glad to discuss

them with you.

Sincerely,

J. Nelson Grace

Regional Administrator

Enclosures:

1. Notice of Violation

2. Enforcement Conference Summary Report

Nos. 50-424/85-49 and 50-425/85-36

cc w/encls:

dR. E. Conway, Senior Vice President

Nuclea: Power

20.O. Foster,VicePresident

/andGeneralManagerVogtleProject

v}l. H. Gregory, III, General ,

Manager, Vogtle Nuclear _ Construction -

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ut. Bockhold, Jr. , Vogtle

Plant Manager

d.-T.Gucwa, Chief

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dubleA. Thomas,

Vice President-Licensing Vogtle

Project

ddGroover, Quality

d.AssuranceSiteManager

W. Hayes,'QA' Manager-

/J. T. Beckham, Vice President

& General ~ Manager - Operations

. /J. A. Bailey, Project Licensing

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deorge F. Trowbridge, Esq.

Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge

druceW. Churchill,Esq.

Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge

vtrnest L. Blake, Jr. , Esq.

Shaw, Pittman, Potts and.Trowbridge

damesE.-Joiner,Troutman, Sanders,

Lockerman and Ashmore

vdames G. Ledbetter, Commissioner

Department-of Human Resources

vdharles H. Badger, Office of-

Planning and Budget, Management

Review Division

vdeppishKirkland,III, Counsel

Office of the Consumer's Utility

Council

V60uglasC.Teper,GeorgiansAgainst

Nuclear Energy

Vlaurie Fowler, Esq., Legal Environmental

Assistance Foundation

VTim Johnson,' Executive Director

Educational Campaign for a Prosperous

Georgia

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dorton B..Margulies, Esq., Chairman

Administrative Judge, Atomic Safety

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Licensing BoardAdministrative

H. Paris, Panel Judge

1 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel

vdustave A. Linenberger,'Jr. , Administrative

Judge, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

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dilliePirnerGarde,CitizensClinicDirector

Government Accountability-Project-

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