ML20199F278

Provides Summary of 980106-07 Smm.Informs That NRC Senior Managers Concluded That Trends in Performance at Point Beach Raised Sufficient Concerns That Would Warrant Meeting W/Utility.Public Meeting Scheduled for 980121

ML20199F278
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	01/16/1998
From:	Callan L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	Abdoo R WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER CO.
References
NUDOCS 9802030118
Download: ML20199F278 (5)

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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION-E #

WAbHINGToN, o C. ageIHIO1 4

..... January 16, 1998 Mr, Richard A. Abdoo Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Wisconsin Electric Power Company 1231 W. Michigan P.O. Box 2046 Milwaukee,WI 53201 Dost Mr. Abdoo:

On January 6 and 7,1998, the NRC senior managers met to evaluate nuclear safety performance of operating reactors, fuel facilities, and other materials licensees. This meeting is conducted semiannually to determine if the safety performance of various licensees exhibits sufficient weaknesses to warrant increased NRC attention or if it is trending adversely and requires steps to be taken to communicate concems to the utility's president or board of directors. At the January 1998 Senior Management Meeting (SMM), the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant was discussed.-

In our letter of January 27,1997, Mr. Hugh L. Thompson, Acting Executive Director for Operations, advised you that at the January 14,15, and 17,1997 SMM, the NRC senior managers concluded that trends in performance at Point Bea h raised sufficient concems that we believed it would be appropriate to meet with you to discuss these concems.

At the January 1998 SMM, the discussion regarding Point Beach considered the additional O insights gained from our monitoring of plant performance since the January 1997.SMM. Based on these discussions, it was concluded that the corrective actions you are taking have been effective in addressing our conoems and that the adverse trends in performance at Point Beach :

have been arrested.. A summary of the NRC senior managers' discussions related to your facility follows:

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Pt During the last year, Wisconsin Electric implemented a number of initiatives to address Point Beach's performance problems. For example, improvements in operations resulted from changes in operations' management, the implementation of an improved conduct of operations standard, and the formation of an on-shift montaring program-staffed by consultants who were previously licensed senior reactor operators. This mentoring program helped improve inconsistent performance among operating crews and brought Point Beach closer to industry norms in several performance amas.

Engineering performance improved following the implementation of a fully staffed system engineering organization.~ This action increased the number of onsite engineers and improved engineering ownership of plant systems. In addition, Wisconsin Electric established a system engineering review board and outage review committee to thoroughly review each plant system and identify issues requiring resolution prior to restart of the units. An engineering mentoring program, similar to that established in b! M N 1R/100cR summ

., l R.Abdoo 2 operations, was implemented to ensure consistent safety focussed performance. Also, the engineering staff is receiving additional resources and the corporate engineering staff is being relocated to a new facility at the site.

Efforts to address surveillance and post maintenance and modification testing improved performance in the maintenance area. In addition, the material condition at Point Beach has improved as a result of Wisconsin Electric's successful efforts to lower the threshold for reporting and addressing plant deficiencies, to address equipment prcblems identified during system engineering review board and outage review committee activities, and to identify and address long standing design deficiencies. A number of hardware improvements were accomplished through the replacement of the Unit 2 steam generators, the Unit 1 Iow pressure turbines, and the G01 and G02 emergency diesel generator governors.

Wisconsin Electric's timely and comprehensive actions to address Point Beach's declining performance trend was primarily due to management's strong commitment and dedication to improving performance, in addition to the initiatives described above, management has demonstrated this dedication through the coramitment to complete several important long term efforts designed to ensure continued good performance.

These efforts include improving the work control system, upgrading operations and maintenance procedures, implementing improved standard Technical Specifications, and upgrading the final safety analyses report.

I urge you to continue to actively address the challenges facing Point Beach as the facility identifies material problems and design issues and to ensure that recent improvements are maintained and continued.

Mr. A. Bill Beach, the NRC Region lli Administrator, has discussed the bases for our conclusion with regard to the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant with members of your staff.

An NRC Commission meeting, open to the public, is scheduled to be held in the Commissioners' Conference Room in Rockville, Maryland, on January 21,1998, at 10:00 a.m.

to review the results of the latest meeting of the NRC senior managers. If you have any questions regarding this matter, do not hesitate to call me at (301) 415-1700.

Sincerely,

/5 L.Josep/ h Callan Executive Director for Operations Docket Nos. 50-266; 50-301 cc: See next page DlSTRIBUTION: See attached page DOCUMENT NAME: A:\ptbchltr.198 " Concurred via telecon

'See previous concurrence OFFICE RA: Rill DD.NRR D:NRR ED(V)

NAME ABBeach" FJMiraglia* SJCollins* LJChtdm DATE 01/14 /98 01/15 /98 01/15 /98 01/ / 6 /98

o R.Abdoo 2 Efforts to address surveillance and post maintenance and modification testing im oved performance in the maintenance area. In addition, the meterial condition at Po Beach has improved as a result of Wisconsin Electric's successful efforts to lower t threshold for reporting and addressing plant deficiencies, to address equipment prob ms identified during sybtem eng.neering review board and outage review committee a evities, and to identify and address long standing design deficiencies. A number of dware improvements were accomplished through the replacement of the U 2 steam generators, the Unit 1 Iow pressure turbines, and the G01 and GO emergency diesel generator govemors.

Wisconsin Electric's timely and comprehensive actions to ad ess Point Beach's declining performance trend was primarily due to manage nt's strong commitment and dedication to improving performance. In addition to the i latives described above, management has demonstrated this dedication throug e commitment to complete severalimportant long term efforts designed to ensur continued good performance.

These efforts include improving the work con *rol sy em, upgrading operations and maintenance procedures, implementing improve tandard Technical Specifications, and upgrading the final safety analyses report.

I urge you to continue to actively address the challe es facing Point Beach as the facility identifies material problems and design issues an o ensure that recent improvements are maintained and continued.

Mr. A. Bill Beach, the NRC Region til Admini ator, has discussed the bases for our conclusion with regard to the Point Beach Nuclear Po r Plant with members of your staff.

An NRC Commission meeting, open to t e public, is scheduled to be held in the Commissioners' Conference Room in Rockville, Maryle , on January 21,1998, at 10:00 a.m. to review the results of the latest meeting of the N senior managers, if you have any questions regarding this matter, do not hes! tate to call at (301) 4151700.

Sincerely, L. Joseph Callan Executive Director for Operations Docket Nos. 50-2 ;50-301 cc: See next p e DISTRIBUTl  :- See attached page DOCUMENT NAME:  :\ptbchltr.198

• Concurred via to con To receive a copy o this document,indicatedp the bar: "C" = Copy without enclosures *E" = Copy with enclosures *N* = No copy OFFICE RA:Rlli l DDP**' l QHR8Gl, l EDO l l NAME ABBeach" F.hMWII y $J6T4W LJCallan DATE 01/14 /98 01/l { /98 YO1/ ' T /98 01/ /98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

__ . . _ _ . - . - - - _ ~ . . - . - . - - . . - __-___ . - _

Wisconsin Electric Power Company Point Beach Nuclear Plant Unit Nos.1 and 2 Cc:

Mr. Richard R. Grigg Chief Nuclear Officer Wisconsin Electric Power Company 231 West Michigan Street, Room P379 Milwaukee,WI 53201 Ernest L. Blake, Jr.

Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge 2300 N Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20037 Mr. Scott A. Patuiski Vice President

Point Beach Nuclear Plant Wisconsin Electric Power Company 6610 Nuclear Road Two Rivers, Wisconsin 54241 Mr. Ken Duveneck i

Town Chairman Town of Two Creeks 13017 State Highway 42 Mishicot, Wisconsin 54228 Chairman Public Service Commission

- of Wisconsin P.O. Box 7854

Madison, Wisconsin 53707 7854

\

Regional Administrator, Region 111 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road

- Lisle, Illinois 60532 4351 Resident inspector's Cffice

- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 6612 Nuclear Road Two Rivers, Wisconsin 54241 Ms. Sarah Jenkins Electric Division Public Service Commission of Wisconsin P.O. Box 7854 Madison, Wisconsin 53707 7854 l

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DISTRIBUTION: for letter to R Abdoo (Point Beach)

Central Files PUBLIC EDO R.F.,0-17-G 21 PlPB R.F.,012 E 4 SECY,016 G 15 OPA,0 2 G 5 OCA,017 F 2 HLThompson,016 E-15 ACThadani,016 E 15 WMDean,0-16 E 15 GTracy,016 E 15 JLloberman,0 7 H 5 MRKnapp, T 10 F 12 TTMartin, T-4 D 18 BWSheron,012 G 18 RPZimmerman,0-12 G 18 FPGillespie,012-G 18 RWBorchardt,0-12 E 4 MRJohnson,0-12 E 4 DRTaylor,0-12 E-4 JGrant, Rlli EGAdensam,013 E 4 JNHannon,0-13-D-18 LLGundrum,013 D 18

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