ML20211M926

Forwards NRC Re Policy for Managing Emergency Notification Sys & Health Physics Network.Licensee Should Assign Knowledgeable Individual to Maintain Open,Continuous Communication Channel

ML20211M926
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	02/17/1987
From:	Brownlee V NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Stewart W VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.)
References
NUDOCS 8702270390
Download: ML20211M926 (1)

Text

e o(Esal FEB 171987 VJrginia Electric and Power Company DATTN: Mr. W. L. Stewart, Vice President, Nuclear Operations P. O. Box 26666 Richmond, VA 23261 Gentlemen:

SUBJECT:

USE OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK DURING EXERCISES AND EMERGENCIES This letter is in reference to communication problems encountered during the Surry event of December 1986.

Enclosed is a copy of our letter of November 21, 1986, which discussed the NRC policy for manning the Emergency Notification System (ENS) and the Health Physics Network (HPN).

As stated in the aforementioned letter, the NRC policy for manning the ENS and HPN telephones specifies that each licensee assign a knowledgeable individual to maintain an open, continuous communication channel with the NRC upon request by the NRC.

It ~is my understanding that you had some questions in this area during the December event.

If you have further questions regarding this matter we will be happy to discuss the issue.

Sincerely, Virgil L. Brcwnlee, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 2 Division of Reactor Projects

Enclosure:

Letter dated November 21, 1986 cc w/ encl:

sA, F. Saunders, Station Manager

1. . J. Hardwick, Manager - Nuclear Programs and Licensing bec w/ encl:

1. C Resident inspector Document Control Desk C6niniowealthTof ' Virginia RII RII RII RII DCofk N FCa r$11 AGoode TDe er 2//o/87 2/ 4/87 2/g /87 2/ /_/87

/

G702270390 870217 i

PDR ADOCK 05000280 F

ppg,

GI ZEX

-.=

UsetTSO8T4736 NUCLEAR RDULATCRY COMMis$lON f

RE060ed II.

~

. 101 MARIETTA STREET,N.W.

ATLANTA. GEORGI A 30323 s*

m n lees l

Virginia Electric.and' Power Company ATTN: Mr. W. L. Stewart, Vice President.

~

Nuclear Operations ~

P. 0.- Box 26666'

~

~

Richmond, VA 23261

' Gentlemen:

~

~

~

SUBJECT:

. USE OF THE EMERGENCY CON 4UNICATIONS NETWORK DURII.tG EXERCISES AND EMERGENCIES '

~

This Jis to infons licensees of a change in NRC onsite staffing and-function during. an emergency. ~NRC policy for manning the Emergency Cosamunication Network

~

'(Emergency Notification System (ENS).and Health Physics Network (HPN)) telephones has.. called for each licensee to as. sign a knowledgeable individual to communicate -.

essential reactor safe ~ty and protective measures data over these netwdrks.

Region II Incident Response Team procedures have called for NRC staff.to assume communication responsibility.on 'these networks when sufficient NRC staff arrived onsite.

However, the Region II Incident Response Teams, including the Resident Inspector.

will, no longer provide a primary communicator for the EMS and HPN at your.

Emergency Response Facilities (Emergency Operations Facility Technical Support

. - Center, or Control Room).

Licensee responsibility to man these two positions will now continue even after NRC staff arrives onsite.

NRC will still provide EMS and NPN monitors for the Incident Response Team at your Emergency Response Facilities. The bases for this change are outlined below:

~

'10 CFR 50.72(c)(3) requires that each'11cInsee,.during the course of an.

- a.

event

" maintain.an open, continuous cosuunication channel with 'the NRC.'.

Operations Center upon request by the NRC."

Thus, the responsibility for

~

l communication is the licensee's..

~

Ib.

NUREG.-0845, " Agency Procedures for the ~NRC Incident _ Response Plan,"~

- Chapter III, Page W-6. Paragraph 2.a. priivents the Resident Inspector from relieving the licensee of the responsibility for. telephone cosuunication with the NRC.'

c.~ - IE Information Notice No. 85-80,~ " Timely Declaration of an Emergency.-

~

~

Classification. Implementation of.an Emergency Plan, and-Emergency ~ ~. -

. Notifications,". further clarifies the licensee's-responsibility to nsure -

e l

. that adequate personnel,' knowledgeab~1e about plant conditions and emer~gency plan implementing procedures, are available on shift. to assist the shift supervis~or~ to classify an emergency and activate 'the emergency pl.an~,

including-making appropriate notifications, without interfering with plant'.

operations.

~

g O'

~

i

r i

o Virginia Electric and Power Company 2

We are making the appropriate changes to our Emergency Response Plans by deleting the positions on the NRC ~ Response Team of an ENS Communicator and the HPN Comunicator wherever they are manned by the licensee.

We recommend that you' consider adjusting as necessary the staffing of your Emergency Response Teams to ensure -that adequate qualified pers,onnel, knowledgeable about plant conditions and emergency plan implementing procedures,

~

are available on shift to assist the shift supervisor in maintaining an open, continuous communication channel-with the NRC Operation Center.

Sincerely, ir L. Brownlee, Chief

~

Reactor Projects Branch 3 Division of Reactor Projects cc:

E. W. Harrell, Station Manager

- R. J. Hardwick,~ Manager - Nuclear Programs and Licensing R. F. Saunders, Station Manager e

g e

O WL e

e.

e-

~

e o

~*

~

e a

m 6

e e

O

.