ML20216J756
| ML20216J756 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 06/25/1987 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20216J028 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8707060355 | |
| Download: ML20216J756 (2) | |
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j WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS OF SEOUOYAH GUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY SE000YAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-327/328 1.0 Introduction The TVA organization for quality assurance (QA) that has been in use since mid-1976 is described in a topical report, TVA-TR75-1, entitled "QA Program Description for Design, Construction, and Operation of TVA Nuclear Power Plants." This report contains organization charts, a description of the organization, and the OA responsibility assignments.
As the QA organization has changed over the years, the NRC has been informed.
The staff has reviewed and approved each organizational arrangement reported by TVA. However, although the staff accepted each OA program described by TVA, problems were encountered in program execution, and the staff's systematic assessment of licensee performance (SALP) reports for TVA nuclear activities from 1980 through mid-1985 showed a need to improve QA.
As noted in the revised Sequoyah Nuclear Performance Plan, TVA's nuclear QA and quality control (QC) functions had not been effectively unified in a j
single department. One nuclear 0A organization was responsible for conducting corporate-level audits, a separate nuclear QA group within the construction division was responsible for inspection construction activities, and a third nuclear 0A group within engineering was responsible for conducting audits of engineering activities.
To further compound the problem, each nuclear site had its own 0A group responsible for 0A/0C activities at that site.
As a result, TVA's nuclear QA activities were not conducted according to a consistent set of programs and procedures, and the QA groups reported to various management groups within TVA, thereby diminishing the visibility and importance of these activities to top-level management. As a result, the staff believes that the QA program has not always been implemented on an effective, consistent basis.
2.0 Evaluation The staff evaluation of TVA's Sequoyah Quality Assurance Program is based on a review of Section 2.6, " Quality Assurance" in Revision 1 to Sequoyah Nuclear Performance Plan (Volume 2) Part II dated March 1987.
Under the new organization, the responsibility for all nuclear 0A/QC functions has been consolidated under the Director of Nuclear Quality Assurance, who reports directly to the Manager of Nuclear Power. This responsibility includes all QA/QC activities related to engineering, construction, and operations, as well as OC inspections of construction and maintenance / modification activities.
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A standardized TVA QA program, nuclear quality standards.and directives, and model QA procedures for the sites are being developed. The standard nuclear
.QA program is to be implemented at each site, with site-specific adjustments allowed only if (1) they do not degrade the level of quality provided by the standard program and (2) they are approved by the Director of Nuclear Quality Assurance.
The staff concludes the overall revisions to the TVA nuclear quality assurance program as generally described in the revised Sequoyah Nuclear Performance Plan represent QA programmatic improvements and if properly implemented are acceptable.
1 TVA submitted a revised and upgraded version of its QA topical report for NRC
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review on May 1, 1986. The report described the then-current organization and QA procedure system. After a review of the report and a meeting with TVA representatives, the staff forwarded a request for additional information to TVA on August 1, 1986. TVA revised the topical report to address these staff questions and to fully reflect the organization of the Office of Nuclear Power.
Determining if the changes in the TVA 0A topical report will resolve past problems can only be done by observing TVA's performance over an extended period. As noted above, the problems in TVA's nuclear activities occurred under a previously approved 0A program; however, that program was not implemented 'the way it was described. Thus, it is important to note that the staff's review and acceptance of the QA topical report means only that TVA's commitments meet the programmatic requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix B, as described in Section 17 of the NRC Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800). The staff will assess whether these commitments are fully and effectively met in-its ongoing oversight and inspection of TVA's technical and QA programs.
Because of TVA's past problems in the QA area, the staff approved this revision (Revision 9) to the QA topical report on January 30, 1987 for a period of two (2) years. The staff's decision on extending the approval of the topical report l
will depend on how effectively TVA implements the program.
3.0 Conclusion On this basis of the NRC staff review of the Sequoy(Volume 2)y Assurance Program ah Qualit provided in the Sequoyah Nuclear Performance Plan Part II of Volume 2 dated March 1987, the staff finds that with proper implementation the Quality Assurance Program description is acceptable, s