ML20207A357
| ML20207A357 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 04/27/1987 |
| From: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Lloyd M HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20207A360 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8705060190 | |
| Download: ML20207A357 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 d
April 27, 1987 CHAIRMAN The Honorable Marilyn Lloyd United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congresswoman Lloyd:
I am responding to your letter of March 18, 1987 regarding our current investigations of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) matters.
I assure you that the Commission recognizes its responsibility to conduct all of its regulatory activities in a manner that enhances public health and safety and resists efforts by those outside the agency to adversely influence the Commission's exercise of this responsibility.
I also assure you that conclusions resulting from the investigation will be based on the facts and that such conclusions will not be drawn until the investigation is complete.
The NRC staff was evaluating a number of specific issues when the staff received the March 20, 1986 letter from Mr. Steven White.
These issues included welding, design control and material traceability.
These evaluations, when complete, would form the basis for the staff to determine the accuracy of the conclusions in the March 20 letter.
The staff notified TVA on May 16, 1986 that NRC was not prepared at that time to agree with the conclusions of the March 20 letter.
Its ongoing evaluations of several issues at Watts Bar took second priority to resolution of Sequoyah restart items.
The first major evaluation was completed in October 1986.
The staff wrote to TVA on October 14, 1986 indicating that its evaluation had identified significant deficiencies in structural welding.
The staff requested that TVA reessess its views on the quality assurance breakdown in light of the structural welding problems.
The results of the welding evaluation prompted the staff to initiate efforts to obtain the TVA documentation supporting the March 20, 1986 letter.
This documentation was reviewed by the NPC staff during December 1986 and formed the basis for interviews conducted January 5-7, 1987.
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1 The Executive Director for Operations was briefed on the results of the interviews on January 8 and again on January 12, 1987 just before the meeting with TVA,
- Although, on.lanuary 12, the Executive Director had reached the tentative conclusion that an investigation was warranted, he i
j had not yet formally requested an investigation and, therefore, it would have been inappropriate for him to discuss this matter with Mr. White.
The investigation was formally requested by the Executive Director for Operations 3
on January 14, 1987 and is currently underway.
I hope the above information answers any questions you may have regarding this matter.
Sincerely, N-7/ch,Jf.,
l Lando W.
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