ML20209G517
| ML20209G517 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello, Prairie Island, 05000000 |
| Issue date: | 08/19/1985 |
| From: | Gilberts D NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. |
| To: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20209G476 | List: |
| References | |
| IEIN-85-053, IEIN-85-53, TAC-57847, TAC-57848, NUDOCS 8509190450 | |
| Download: ML20209G517 (5) | |
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Northem States Power Company 414 Nicollet Mall Minneapohs. Minnesota 55401 Telephone (612) 330-5500 August 19, 1985 Mr William J Dircks Executive Director for Operations US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Docket Nos. 50-282 License Nos. DPR-42 50-306 DPR-60 Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22 NRC Enforcement Actions Related to Establishing Professionalism in the Control Room and Potential for Negative Impact on Moral of Operations Staff Since commencement of operations at our Monticello and Prairie Island plants we have permitted our control room operators to have a radio tuned to background music.
This has been carefully moni-tored by plant management to assure that the programming and loudness was such that it did not constitute a distraction.
On July 12, 1985 the NRC's Office of Inspection and Enforcement issued IE Information Notice 85-53, " Performance of NRC-Licensed Individuals While on Duty."
On the basis of this Information Notice, and on conversations with Region III management, we came to understand that there were very strong feelings at the NRC that any playing of radios was a distraction and hence should not be permitted.
Accordingly we removed the radios from the control rooms of our plants.
As I expected, this produced a very negative effect on the morale of our operators.
This is of great concern to me as the officer of our company directly responsible for the safe and efficient operation of our nuclear plants.
As an illustration of the reac-tion of our operating staff, I am attaching a letter I received from a Shift Supervisor.
I further understand that some of the operators have written to you or members of your staff regarding this issue.
8509190450 850910 PDR ADOCK 05000263 F
PDR 4
EDO --- 000939
l' Northem States Power Company Mr W J Dircks, EDO, USNRC j
August 19, 1985 Page 2 Because of this, I wanted to let you know our management position i
on this matter and offer an alternative which in our view would address the NRC's concerns and yet provide the benefits in main-taining alertness which the operators strongly believe background music provides.
First of all, we agree that radios have the potential of becoming a distraction if unsuitable programming and loudness are permit-ted.
Further we agree that professionalism in the control room is essential.
We also agree with the operator's view that properly selected and controlled background music does help maintain alert-i ness during periods of relative inactivity, that it has a positive i
effect on the workplace environment, and that it can reduce the tension and stress of the job.
For these reasons we have permit-i ted radios over the years, properly monitored, in the control rooms at both nuclear and fossil power plants and have utilized subscription service music in office buildings throughout our company.
j The alternative I am suggesting is the installation of a tape deck with a library of tapes reviewed and approved by plant management as to content (e.g. no vocal selections, no talking, no raucous type music) and with the loudness controlled to a non-distracting level.
It seems to me this would address the NRC's concern regar-l ding potential distraction and still provide the benefits from j
background music that we and.our operators perceive.
l Please give me your thoughts regarding this approach.
While this whole issue may appear to be a rather trivial matter, to the
[
extent it impacts the morale of our operating staff negatively, it l
becomes of considerable concern to me.
We are very desirous of resolving this matter in a timely and mutually acceptable manner.
Yours ~ truly, D E Gilberts Senior Vice President Power Supply 3
Attachment-c:
Mr J G Keppler, Administrator Region III, USNRC Mr H R Denton, Director NRR, USNRC Monticello NRC Resident Inspector Prairie Island NRC Resident Inspector i
Monticello NRC Licensing Project Manager Prairie Island NRC Licensing Project Manager G Charnoff
~
4 Mr.
D.
Gilberts Vice Present Power Procluction
Dear Mr. Gilberts:
It is with great displeasure that I am writing a letter of this nature.
The stimulation of this action comes from your request of the plant staff to remove the radio from the Control Room of the Prairie Island Plant.
I find the selectivity which Northern States Power Company's management exercises in choosing which of the NRC's latest requirements they option to combat very disheartening.
Granted the removal of this radio is a long way from the concerns of stock prices and duties needed to run a large utility, but the lack of rebuttal in the NRC's request for the removal of the radio symbolizes management's seemingly disinterested view of the operators who have helped make NSP's Nuclear Program what it is today, an industry leader.
I have worked in the Control Room for 8 years and 3 of those as a Shift Supervisor, and I have yet to find the radio a distraction from the business at hand.
The men and women who fill the Control Room operator positions are professionals in every sense of the word.
Yet, they are treated as if they were children who can not exercise good judgment in the actions they take.
These operators have in the past shown excellent judgment with respect to the use of the radio, and give no cause that this 4
level of professionalism would not continue in the future if the radio were to return.
Everyone knows of the relaxing qualities of music, it is this very se;e quality that allows Control Poom operators to function in the tedious environment of the Control Room.
The radio provides a background noise to drown the sixty cycle hum of vast number of instruments, which can become trying.
The Control Room operator is afforded few of the amenities which professionals are usually entitled.
By the taking of their radio was a way of saying that they are not professional enough to exercise sufficient control over the radio's use.
i I
i l'
i The NRC in their bulletin felt strongly of the connection between the performance of the operating staff and the pride the st,aff has in the facility.
It is extremely hard to develop such a pride when there is seemingly no display of managerial support for the causes championed by
, the operating staff.
.,,j
_ f Thank You 6 h Michael D.
Wadley Shift Supervisor PIN J
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