ML20197C504
| ML20197C504 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/15/1998 |
| From: | Mcgaffigan E NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Callan L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| References | |
| SECY-98-131-C, NUDOCS 9809140046 | |
| Download: ML20197C504 (2) | |
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{a 7 7 o n \_ n n n n n n n f7 nygg No objection.. See attached Comments.
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. . . . . . . . . . . . o o e e... tials eOO June 8.1998 SECY-98-131 EQB: The Commissioners FROM L. Joseph Callan Executive Director for Operations
SUBJECT:
STATUS OF THE INTEGRATION PLAN FOR CLOSURE OF SEVERE ACCIDENT ISSUES AND THE STATUS OF SEVERE ACCIDENT RESEARCH PURPOSE:
To inform the Commission of the status and progress in implementing the elements of the integration Plan for the Closure of Severe Accident issues, i.e., the Individual Plant Examination
' of intemal Events (IPE), Individual Plant Examination of External Events (IPEEE), Severe Accident Research, and Accident Management (A/M) programs as requested in a Staff Requirements Memorandum dated April 20,1989, and to recommend an alternate approach to keep the Commission informed of progress in these areas.
BACKGROUND:
On May 28,1988, the staff presented to the Commission the " Integration Plan for Closure of Severe Accident issues"(SECY-88-147). There were six major elements in that plan: IPE, IPEEE, Severe Accident Research, A/M, Containment Performance improvement and the improved Plant Operations programs. On April 20,1989, the Commission requested that the staff provide periodic updates of the status of the various elements of the Plan. The last update was provided on June 23,1997 (SECY-97-132).
Contacts: C. Ader, RES (415-5622) NOTE: TO BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE M. Cunningham, RES (415-6189) WHEN THE FINAL SRM IS MADE AVAILABLE R. Palla, NRR (415-1095) 3 L 9809140046 980715 PDR yA COMMS NRCC CORRESPDNDENCE PDR %jd
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i Commissioner McGaffiaan's Comments on SECY-98-131 I have no objection to the recommendation in the pape~r to end the annual update on seveie accident issues and deal with the remaining issues in the PRA
[ quarterly reports. However, in reviewing the paper I noted the discussion of l the Severe Accident Management (SAM) program in Attachment 2, and I wanted to review the staff's reply to industry's concerns before voting. Having
! reviewed the June 25, 1998 letter from Mr. Collins (NRR) to Mr. Beedle (NEI),
i l 1 want to endorse the audit approach proposed in the letter and the effective reversal of some of the previous staff positions (e.g., on operator training)
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provided in a January 28, 1998 letter to NEI. This latest letter appears to clear the way for relatively rapid progress toward closure in SAM implementation. I look forward to future updates in the PRA quarterly reports.
More broadly, this last minute snafu on SAM implementation cir years of communications between staff and industry raises questions about how the staff j deals with voluntary industry initiatives in lieu of regulatory requirements (which would likely be voluntary in any case due to backfit considerations).
According to SECY-97-303., the staff intends to discuss this generic issue at the stakeholders' meeting planned in follow up of DSI-13. the role of industry, on September 1. 1998 in Chicago. It may be useful to use particular cases. such as SAM implementation one, to facilitate the discussion of the generic issue.