ML20149J587

Informs That NRC Has Established senior-level Review Group to Conduct Independent Review & Evaluation of How Millstone Related Employee Concerns & Allegations Have Been Handled

ML20149J587
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	12/15/1995
From:	Zimmerman R NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Busch R NORTHEAST UTILITIES SERVICE CO.
Shared Package
ML20149J591	List: ML20149J587 ML20149K951 ML20149K969
References
NUDOCS 9512190421
Download: ML20149J587 (3)

Text

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t UNITED STATES j

j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 30sedMlo01 December 15, 1995  !

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i Mr. Robert E. Busch President - Energy Resources Group '

Northeast Utilities Services Company 107 Selden Street Berlin, CT 06037 ,

SUBJECT:

IEEPENDENT STAFF REVIEW 0F NILLSTONE STATION AM NRC HAMLING 0F EMPLOYEE CONCERNS AND ALLEGATIONS

Dear Mr. Busch:

The' purpose of this letter is to inform you that we have established a senior-level review group to conduct an independent review and evaluation of how N111 stone-related employee concerns and allegations have been handled.

Since 1985, the Millstone Station has been the source of a large number of employee concerns and allegations addressing plant safety, harassment,

• intimidation and discrimination. Notwithstanding several evaluations, company self-assessments, NRC enforcement and other actions, effective corrective action has not yet been implemented for handling employee concerns.

The review group effort will be conducted by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and will be led by an NRR SES manager, Herbert N. Berkov.

The objectives and scope of the review and evaluation are enclosed for your information. The task force will likely need access to~ selected members of i your staff for interview and relevant written records for review. We would appreciate your cooperation in this regard.

Please identify a management-level contact from your organization who can serve as the primary point of contact with Mr. Berkow and let me know who that person is within one week from the date of this letter.

Sincerely,

= _-

. i ruan soci Director for Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

As stated Docket Nos. 50-245, 50-336, and 50-423 mqu # + - .

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i NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Sg ve

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WASMNGTON. D.C. 2 55-0001 December 12, 1995 MEMORANDUM FOR: William T. Russell, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM: James M. Taylor, Executive Director .<

for Operations

SUBJECT:

INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF MILLSTONE TION AND NRC HANDLING OF EMPLOYEE CONCERNS AND ALLEGATIONS Since the. late 1980's Millstone-Station has been the source of a high volume

. of employee concerns and allegations related to safety of plant operations and harassment and intimidation of employees. NRC has conducted many inspections and investigations which have substantiated many employee concerns and allegations. The licensee has been cited for violations and escalated enforcement has been taken. Notwithstanding these NRC' actions, the licensee has not been effective in handling many employee concerns nor implementing effective. corrective action for problems identified.

NRR is to conduct an independent evaluation of the history of the licensee's and the staff's handling of employee concerns and allegations related to licensed activities at Millstone station. NRR's review should include in-depth case studies of selected employee concerns and allegations to identify root causes, common patterns between cases and lessons learned.

A broad outline of the objectives and scope of the NRR review is attached.

The review should be led by a full time SES manager with appropriate senior NRR management oversight. You should develop a plan of action and detailed schedule for this effort by December 29, 1995. I would like to be briefed on progress in 60 days with a goal to complete your review by April 30, 1996.

By copy of thi., memohandum, Region I, 01, . IG and OE are requested to provide records and reports and make appropriate staff available for interview by the Task Force, as requested.

Attachment:

As stated cc: (w/ attachment)

T. Martin L. Norton G..Caputo J. Lieberman W +

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r INDEPENDENT REVIEW 0F MILLSTONE STATION AND NRC l HANDLING OF EMPLOYEE CONCERNS AND ALLEGATIONS Objectives:

For the period from 1985 to the present, critically evaluate both the licensee's and NRC staff's effectiveness in addressing Millstone-related employee concerns and allegations.

for identified deficiencies and develop recommendations for licensee a related to the Millstone station for improvements in handling of employee concerns and for NRC staff actions related to handling of allegations.

Scope of Effort:

1.

Conduct a broad based review of licensee and NRC allegation files, 2.206 petitions, related inspection reports, 01 and 0!G investigations, enforcement actions, DOL actions and prior NRC management reviews from 1985 to present.

2. Select 6 to 12 cases for indepth evaluation.

In addition to review of relevant documentation, conduct structured interviews of involved NRC l staff, licensee management and concerned licensee employees as necessary to ensure an accurate record of the handling of selected case studie Develop a case history outlining the problems, licensee's responses,s.

the NRC actions. and Critically evaluate both the licensee's and staff's handlingand patterns andlessons processing of the case to identify root causes, common learned. I

3. Based upon the broad review and case studies develop lessons learned and recommend both plant-specific and program,matic corrective actions.

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