ML20213G583

Responds to Recipient Forwarding Ltr from E & R Lewis Re Operation of Plant.Lewises Requested Comments on Possibility of Getting Russellville Plant in Line W/ Federal Regulations. NRC Performing Independent Reviews

ML20213G583
Person / Time
Site:	Arkansas Nuclear
Issue date:	05/11/1987
From:	Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Pryor D SENATE
References
NUDOCS 8705180355
Download: ML20213G583 (6)

Text

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$. ap k * . . . ,o# MYl1lWI 3/ 3 The Honorable David Pryor United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510-6350

Dear Senator Pryor:

I am responding to your letter dated March 30, 1987 addressed to Mr. Carlton Kammerer which enclosed a copy of a letter from Ervin and Ruth Lewis. The Lewises expressed a concern regarding the operation of the nuclear power plant, Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit No. 1, in Russellville, Arkansas, designed by the Babcock and Wilcox Company. Specifically, the Lewises requested coments on "the possibility of getting the Russellville plant in line with federal regulations."

Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit No.1, currently operates under a license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Comission and NRC concerns applicable to operating power reactors are being satisfactorily addressed. Should this plant not meet NRC regulations for any reason, the NRC will take appropriate action.

SincetheaccidentatThreeMileIsland(TMI)in1979,theNRChasrecognized thattheBabcockandWilcox(B&W)plantsaremoresensitiveintheirresponse '

to operational events than other pressurized water reactors. After TMI, efforts were intensified significantly to improve B&W plants, but the number and complexity of problems were still of concern. Following problems that occurred at the Davis-Pesse and Rancho Seco nuclear plants in June and

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December of 1985 respectively, the NRC Executive Director for Operations directed in January 1986 that the long-term safety of nuclear reactors designed by B&W be reassessed.

At that time, the NRC staff concluded that continued operation of the B&W plants during the reassessment would not pose an undue risk to public health and safety. Since the reassessment began, over 150 recommendations have been referred to the B&W licensees and many of them have been or are now being implemented. These changes have already had a positive effect on safety by bringing about improvements; for example, in the integrated control system and in the performance of the main feedwater system that have reduced challenges to safety systems caused by feedwater transients. Because of these and other changes, the staff has concluded that the plants are safer now than they were a year ago. Further implementation of the pertinent recommendations being proposed should result in additional improvements in plant performance and reductions in the frequency and severity of plant trips and transients.

TheBabcockandWilcoxOwnersGroup(BWOG),madeupofrepresentativesfromeach i

utility that operates B&W plants, has taken a leadership role in the reassess-ment effort. Their Safety and Performance Improvement program has been modi-fled at the request of the staff and its implementation is being closely 0705100355 070$g3

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i reviewed and monitored by the NRC. The NRC staff has met with the Owners Group numerous times and is performing necessary independent reviews to ensure that NRC concerns are met.

Theobjectoftheoverallevaluationistoreassessthebasicrequirementsand

o)erational characteristics of B&W plants and to compare the overall safety of t1ese plants with other pressurized water reactors. The a)proach used by the B&W Owners Group and the NRC staff includes, among other t1ings, (1) the review of o)erating experience at B&W plants, including the outcome of the Davis-Besse and lancho Seco Incident Investigation Team reports; (2) a review of human factors aspects, including procedure reviews and interviews of operation and maintenance personnel; (3) an examination of systems, such as the integrated control system and feedwater systems that contribute to the complexity of pre-tripandpost-tripreactorbehavIorand(4)performanceofsensitivityand risk analyses.

Considerable work has been completed by both the BWOG and the NRC staff. The NRC staff expects to complete its reassessment of B&W nuclear reactors by June 30 1987 The results of the staff's review will be documented in a safety evaluatIonrep. ort.

I trust that this information will assist you in responding to your constit-l uents.

Sincerely, Or!2 hal Olgn d 1:7 V, etc30 Victor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION Docket Hle NRCPDR(w/cyofincoming) F. Miraglia Local PDR (w/cy of incoming) ED0 No. 002754 R. Starostecki E00 Reading V. Stello J. Blaha J.--Ree- T. Rehm J. Funches E-Beckjord' Jr-Zerbe- D. Mossburg J. Taylor J. Murray (ED0-02754) 0.-Nussbaumer B.-Davis -

T. Murley/J. Snlezek F. Schroeder D. Crutchfield PD-4 Reading (w/cyofincoming)

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The Honorable David Pryor United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510-6350

Dear Senator Pryor:

I am responding to your letter dated March 30, 1987 #ddressed to Mr. Carlton Kammerer which enclosed a copy of a let(er from Ervin and Ruth Lewis. the operation of the nuclear The Arkansas power plant, Lewises Nuclear expressed One,aUnit concern regarding'Russellville, Arkansas, No.1. fin designed by the Dabcock and Wilcox Compa'ny. Decifically, the Lewises requested comments on "the possibility of getting the ussellville plant in line with federal regulations."

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Arkansas Nuclear One Uni No. 1, currently operate under a license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission a 6 meets NRC .egulations applicable to operating power reactors. Should thi plant not meet NRC regulations for any reason, the NRC will take appropria action.

Since the accident at Three Mile Jsland (TMI) in 1979, the NRC has recognized that the Babcock and Wilcox (888) plants are more sensitive in their response to operational events than othee pressurized water reactors. After TMI, efforts were intensified sign)ticantly to improve B&W plants, but the number and complexity of problems wpre still of concern. Following problems that occurred at the Davis Bessg/and Rancho Seco nuclear plants in June and December of 1985 respect 1yely, the NRC Executive Director for Operations directed in January 1986 that the long-term safety of nuclear reactors designed by B&W be reassessed.

At that time, the hR staff concluded that continued operation of the B&W plants during the r ssessment would not pose an undue risk to public health and safety. Since he reassessment began, over 150 recommendations have been referred to the B licensees and many of them have been or are now being implemented. T .se changes have already had a positive effect on safety by bringing about mprovements; for example, in the integrated control system and in the perfo once of the main feedwater system that have reduced challenges to safety syste s caused by feedwater transients. Because of these and other changes, t staff has concluded that the plants are safer now than they were a year ago. Further implementation of the pertinent recommendations being propose should result in additional improvements in plant performance and reductions in the frequency and severity of plant trips and transients.

The Babcock and Wilcox Owners Group (BWOG), made up of representatives from each utility that operates D&W plants, has taken a leadership role in the reassess-ment effort. Their Safety and Performance Improvement Program has been modi-fled at the request of the staff and its implementation is being closely

reviewed and monitored by the NRC. The NRC staff has met with the Owners Group numerous times and is performing necessary independent reviews to ensure that NRC concerns are met.

Theoblect of the overall evaluation is to reassess the basic requirements and o)erational characteristics of B&W plants and to compare the overall safety of t1ese plants with other pressurized water reactors. The a)proach used by the B&W Owners Group and the NRC staff includes, among other t1ings, (1) the review of o)erating experience at B&W plants, including the outcome of the Davis-Besse and Rancho Seco Incident Investigation Team reports; (2) a review of human factors aspects, including procedure reviews and interviews of operation and maintenance personnel; (3) an examination of systems, such as the integrated control system and feedwater systems that contribute to the complexity of pre-tripandpost-tripreactorbehavIorand(4)performanceofsensitivityand risk analyses. .<

Considerable work has been completed by both the BWOG e NRC and,tfi../ staff. The NRC staff expects to complete its reassessment of B&W rur(lear reactors by June 30 1987 The results of the staff's review wi V be documented in a safety evaluatIonrep. ort.

I trust that this information will assist you responding to your ,

constituents.

Sincer y, ictor Stello Jr.  !

Executive Ofre,ctor '

for Operations 0!STRIBUTION Docket File F. Miraglia Local POR (w/cy of incomi j) NRCPOR(w/cb4ofincoming)

E00 No. 0027 R. Starostecki E00 Reading V. Stello J. Blaha J. Roe T. Rehm J. Funches J. Zerbo E.Beckjord D. Mossburg  ;

J. Taylor J. Murray (E00-02754)  !

D. Nussbaumer B. Davis T. Murley/J. Sniezek F. Schroeder D. Crutchfield / PD-4 Reading (w/cy of incoming)

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SECY(3) / OCA(3)lo V. Stel PPAS (E00 No. 002718) w/cy of incoming P. Shea i W. Paulson / P. Noonan PD-4 Green Ticket File

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reviewed and monitored by the NRC. The NRC staff has met with the Owners Group numerous times end is performing necessary independent reviews to ensure that NRC concerns are met.

The object of the overall evaluation is to reassess the basic requirements and operational characteristics of B&W plants e.nd to compare the overall safety of these plants with other pressurized water reactors. The approach used by the D8W Owners Group and the NPC staff includes, among other things, (1) the review of operating experience at BAW plants, including the outcome of the Davis-Besse and Rancho Seco Incident Investigation Team reports; (2) a review of human frctors aspects, including maintenance personnel; (3) an procedure examinationreviews and such of systems, interviews of operation and as thejintegrated control system and feedwater systems, that contribute to the complexity of pre-trip and post-trip reactor behavior and (4) performance of' sensitivity and risk analyses. /

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Considerabic work has been completed by both the BWOG and the NRC staff. The NRC staff expects to complete its reassessment of B&W n'uclear reactors by June 30, 1987. The results of the staff's review will be'fdocumented in a safety evaluation report. /

I trust that this information will assist you in/'responding to your consti-tients.

Sincerely,

/

Victor Stello, Jr.

l lxecutive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION Docket File NFC PDR (w/cy of inccming) l Local PDR (w/cy of incoming) EDO No. CC2754 EDO Reading V. Stello J. Roc T. Rehm J. Zerbe E. Deckjord J. Taylor J. Furray D. Nussbaumer B. Davis T. Murley/J. Snierek F. Schroeder D. Crutchfield PD-4 Reading (w/cy of incoming) l OGC OCA(3)

SECY(3) V. Stello l PPAS (EDO No. 007718) w/cy of incoming P. Shea i

W. Paulson P. Neonan PD-4 Creen Ticket File

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reviewed and monitored by the NRC. The NRC staff has met with the Owners Group numerous times and is performing necessary independent reviews to assure that NRC concerns are met.

Theobjectoftheoverallevaluationistoreassessthebasicrequirementsand operational characteristics of B&W plants and to compare the overall safety of these plants to other )ressurized water reactors. The approach used by the B&W Owners Group and t1e NRC staff includes, among other things, (1) the review of operating experience at B&W plants including the outcome of the Davis-Besse and Rancho Seco Incident Investigation team reports, (2) human factors aspects includin maintenance personnel, (g procedure reviews and interviews of. operation and3) an control system and feedwater systems, that contribute to the complexity of pre-trip and post-trip reactor behavlor and (4) sensitivity and risk-analyses.

Considerable work by both the Babcock and Wilcox Owners Group and'the NRC staff has been completed. The NRC staff expects to complete th' eB&W reassess-ment by June 30, 1987. The results of the staff review wilb be documented in a safety evaluation report. /

I trust that this information will assist you in responding to your consti-tients.

Sincerely, /

/

/

/

Victor Ste.110, Director Executive / Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION  !

Docket File NkC PDR (w/cy of incoming)

Local PDR (w/cy of incoming) /ED0 No. 002754 E00 Reading / V. Stello J. Roe / T. Rehm J. Zerbe / E. Beckjord J. Taylor / J. Murray D. Nussbaumer / B. Davis T. Murley/J. Snfezek / F. Schroeder D. Crutchfield / PD-4 Reading (w/cy of incoming)

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