ML20211M464

Advises of Actions Taken in Response to Recent Burnout of Pressurizer Heater Bundle.Sessions Scheduled at Lynchburg Simulator During Feb 1987 to Polish Operator Skills & Awareness,Per Performance Improvement Action Plan

ML20211M464
Person / Time
Site:	Rancho Seco
Issue date:	12/03/1986
From:	Julie Ward SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
To:	Martin J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V)
References
JEW-86-963, TAC-61635, NUDOCS 8612170278
Download: ML20211M464 (2)

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UU RECElVED SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT C P. O. Box 15830, Sacramh o CA 95852-183pg16) 452-3211 AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM SERVING THE HEART OF CALIFORNIA G DEC -9 A 9: Sit December 3, 1986 I

k JEW 86-963 9V lp Mr. Jack Martin Regional Administrator Region V Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.

S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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1450 Maria Lane, Suite 210 Walnut Creek, California 94596

Dear Jack:

The recent burnout of a pressurizer heater bundle has put added emphasis on our operator " retuning" process.

Our Action Plan Performance Improvement recognized that by the time Rancho Seco restarts, our operators will not have seen the plant running for almost two years.

In order to polish their operational skills and awareness, we have scheduled sessions at the Lynchburg simulator for the month of February 1987.

Not only do we intend to concentrate on the procedural changes resulting from plant modifications (the most significant being the EFIC system and the new four diesel emergency power installation) for emergency situations, the intent is to dedicate an additional two hours per day to concentrate on normal plant evolutions to reintroduce the operators to " steady steaming" conditions and routines.

In the interim, it is clear that each plant evolution in support of our system testing program, plant heat-up, hot functional testing, etc., must be fully understood by the operating crew.

" Chalk talks" and procedure talk-throughs will be conducted for each evolution.

These preparations will stress safety in plant operation as the prime responsibility.

We will underline the control room indications associated with the successful progress of the evolution as well as those instrument readouts that would indicate marginal or unacceptable conditions.

To further bolster the operators confidence and to provide additional expertise in the control room, we intend to add experienced senior licensed advisors to each shift.

Initially these will come from the Rancho Seco staff and will be SROs who have been promoted to positions which have taken them off the shift rotation.

They will be returned to shift coverage for 8612170278 861203 PDR ADOCK 05000312

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RANCHO SECO NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION 14440 Twin Cities Road, Herald, CA 95638-9799;(209) 333 2935

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• Mr. Jack Martin December 5, 1986 4

major plant evolutions of the restart as assigned by the plant manager and will remain on shift until considered no longer necessary.

This will be followed by a formal Shift Advisor Program similar to those recently used at NTOL plants.

These individuals will all be previously licensed on B&W units at the SRO level and will bring added expertise with a different perspective.

We are in the process of formalizing our shift Advisor Program, to include qualification requirements, position descriptions, and the training program.

This will be forwarded to you by 12/31/86.

These programs will provide an added source of technical / operational advice to the control room operators.

Finally, I am asking INPO to conduct an assessment of the operational staff and their capability to safely operate Rancho Seco.

This assessment will be scheduled in the February-March time frame subsequent to the February simulator training session.

This will give the District and the regulator the advantage of an independent assessment of this key ingredient t.s operational readiness.

4 I would appreciate any comments you might have on this approach and invite you and members of your staff to assess any of the elements of this plan in connection with your ongoing review of our restart activities.

Very truly yours, 4

uo n E. Ward Deputy General Manager, Nuclear cc:

J. Taylor, AEDO NRC 4

F. Miraglia

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