ML20154R151

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Rept of 841101 Interview W/Bp Garde of Gap Re Allegations of Possible NRC Misconduct Concerning Failure to Properly Respond When Notified of Wrongdoing by Util
ML20154R151
Person / Time
Site: Comanche Peak  Luminant icon.png
Issue date: 11/07/1984
From: Mulley G
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTOR & AUDITOR (OIA)
To:
Shared Package
ML20154R138 List:
References
NUDOCS 8603280104
Download: ML20154R151 (2)
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. U.S. NUCLE AR CEGULATORY COMMIS$10N Office of Inspector and Auditor O... .. i,...... .... No ye mb e r 7 , 1984 Report of Interview Ms. Billie Pirner Garde, Director, Citizens Clinic, Government Accountability Project (GAP), Institute for Policy Studies, was interviewed concerning possible NRC misconduct regarding the Comanche Peak Stean Electric Station (SES). . Garde alleged that Region IV, NRC, and the Office of Investigations (01), NRC, did not properly respond when notified of wrongdoing by Texas Utilities Generating Company (TUGCO), the applicant at Comanche Peak SES.

During the interview, Garde outlined three instances where Region IV and 01 allegedly failed to act when notified of wrongdoing by TUGC0.

The first incident discussed by Garde concerned the TUGC0 Safeguards Post Construction Verification Task Force which was organized to conduct post construction quality control (QC) inspections at Comanche Peak SES. On the task force were eight OC inspectors, six of which were electrical QC inspectors. The electrical OC inspectors identified numerous deficiencies with electrical construction. Consequently, Comanche Peak SES Construction nanagement began to pressure the Site Quality Assurance Supervisor, Ronald G.

Tolson, to stop the electrical QC inspectors from writing deficiencies and accused the electrical QC inspectors of conducting unnecessary destructive examinations.

On about March 1, 1984, because of the complaints b'y Construction management, Tolson telephonically notified Doyle M. Hunnicutt, Region IV, NRC, that the electrical QC inspectors on the task force were going to be replaced. On March 5,1984, the TUGC0 QC inspectors arrived for work wearing Tee shirts bearing the slogan "We are QC inspectors and are pickers of nits." TUGC0 management took no action as a result of this incident. On March 8, 1984,-.the QC inspectors again arrived for work wearing the Tee shirts. On this date, however,' Mark Welch, who had replaced Tolson as Site Ouality Assurance Super-visor, detained eight of the quality control inspectors in a room in the. safe-guards building ostensibly to protect the inspectors from construction personnel. Of the eight QC inspectors detained, four were task force members.

While the OC inspectors were detained, their desks were searched and inspe-tion documents were confiscated. One of the task force QC inspectors (GAP w. ess) who was not detained, twice telephoned the NRC Senior Resident Inspector James E. Cummins and informed him of the detention and search for inspection documents. The QC inspector asked to meet with Cummins to discuss the situation. Cummins did not meet with the inspector and apparently took no action except to notify Doyle Hunnicutt, Region IV, of the situation.

Region IV was also informed of the ongoing situation by Billy Ray Clements.

Vice President for Nuclear Operations, TUGCO. Clements discussed the situation with Paul S. Check, Deputy Regional Administrator, Region IV. In response to the information, Region IV had a management meeting; however, OI was not included in the meeting. Region IV did not take any action to resolve the incident.

,,,...,4.i. .,o., N o v e p b e r 3 1, 1984 ,,Be.thesda, MD , ,,, u 85-10

)$Q Vi November 7, 1984

,,, George A. Mulled, Jr., Investigator, OIA O,,,,,,,,,,

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2 Because Region IV did not take action, Billie Garde telephor,ed Ben B. Hayes, Director, 01, NRC, during the evening of March 8,1984, and notified him of

, the detention and seizure of inspection ~ records by TUGCO. 01 also did not act on this information.

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A second incident outlined by Garde concerned an inspection conducted by the OB Cannon Company, Philadelphia, PA, a firm contracted by TUGC0 to inspect the paint coatings at Comanche Peak SES. In August 1983, OS Cannon inspecto ,

Lipinsky, prepared his inspection report which stated that the paint coatings on the reactor components at Comanche Peak SES was' beyond salvage and required complete rework. A TUGC0 QC inspector provided a copy of the inspection report to Region IV, 01 Investigator, Donald Driskill who, in turn, forwarded it to Region IV. When notified of the results of the OB Cannon inspection, TUGC0 applied pressure on OB Cannon to have Lipinsky reword his report. OB Cannon, in turn, applied pressure on Lipinsky. In September 1983, Lipinsky provided Driskill with a memorandum concerning his inspection report and the resulting pressure. On November 10-11, 1983, a meeting was held between TUGC0 and OB Cannon concerning the inspection. At this meeting, TUCC0 discussed the wording of the report with Lipinsky and OB Cannon-and again attempted to force Lipinsky to reword his conclusions. In December 1983, Region IV and Driskill were provided a copy of the transcript of the November 10-11, 1983, meeting.

Although aware of TUGC0 and OB Cannon's harassment of Lipinsky, Region IV nor 01 took action.

The third incident discussed by Garde pertained to the liner plates for the spent fuel tank, refueling cavities, and two transfer canals. Periodically, during the past several years, Region.IV has been provided affidavits alleging the liner plates had been improperly installed and that TUGC0 had falsified inspection records concerning the liner plates. Brooks Griffin, Region IV, 0I Investigator, is also in possession of these affidavits. However, NRC has taken no action concerning this information. Thomas A. Ippolito, Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data, NRC, has been aware since April 1984 of five individuals in TUGC0 management who have knowledge of the liner plate problem and who are willing to discuss the problem with NRC.

Region IV nor 01 have yet contacted these individuals.

Garde stated that the above allegations have been discussed in detail during recent testimony before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board hearing regarding Comanche Peak SES and that Judce Peter B.. Bloch has indicated the dissatisfaction with NRC's handling of these incidents. Additionally, GAP has gathered nany documents, affidevits, and transcripts in support of these allegations. These documents are available for OIA to use in developing our d

investigation.

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