ML20217H552
| ML20217H552 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000036 |
| Issue date: | 03/30/1998 |
| From: | Beach A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Kaiser B ABB COMBUSTION ENGINEERING NUCLEAR FUEL (FORMERLY |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9804030390 | |
| Download: ML20217H552 (6) | |
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March 30, 1998 Dr. Bruce Kaiser
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Vice President, Fuel Operations
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ABB Combustion Engineering, Inc.
3300 State Road P
)
Hematite, MO 63047 l
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SUBJECT:
NRC PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF LICENSED ACTIVITIES
Dear Dr. Kaiser:
On March 26,1998, managers and staff from Region til and the Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards reviewed your program for conducting NRC licensed activities. The 1
review evaluated your performance for the period of January 1,1996, through January 31,1998.
This review provides you feedback on how the NRC assessed your performance, and will be used as a basis for establishing the future NRC inspection program at your facility.
We evaluated your performance in the five major areas of safety operations, safeguards, radiological controls, facility support, and licensing activities. An outline of the results of the NRC's review, in the form of program strengths, areas needing improvement, and projected challenges, is enclosed. Results of the NRC's review will be discussed with you at the ABB Combustion Engineering, Inc., Hematite, Missouri, facility during an open meeting on April 14, 1998. During this meeting, we expect you to discuss your view of your performance in the same major areas.
Our review indicated that your performance was generally adequate in the areas of safety operations, safeguards, facility support, and licensing activities. In addition, your performance in the area of radiological controls for this assessment period was very good. However, our review
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indicated that your performance was inconsistent throughout the assessment period in nuclear criticality, chemical and fire safety, and material control and accounting. Although you have made observable improvements in several of the areas over the course of the assessment period, our review indicates that continued improvements are warranted in these major areas to f
enhance overall performance.
Our previous licensee performance review identified your self-assessment program as an area needing improvement. During this review period, your self-assessment program, intemal and
- j extemal audits, and subsequent corrective actions continued to lack the breadth and depth necessary to enhance overall facility performance. For example, although your staff took aggressive corrective actions to our Augmented Inspection Team (AIT) review of the circumstances surrounding the unanticipated exothermic chemical reaction that occurred on August 22,1996, the AIT concluded that your staff had at least two opportunities prior to the event to self-identify problems with the outside hold and evaporation tank system design. In December 1997, an NRC inspection identified that the single site fire safety pump was significantly degraded between September 1996 and April 1997, due to an uncorrected overheating condition. The lack of completeness in thoroughly investigating and correcting these kinds of issues once identified during intemal and external audits and surveillances has hindered performance in some areas.
9804030390 980330
{DR ADOCK 07000036 f
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B. Kaiser -
Procedural quality has improved and now provides a generally adequate level of guidance and detailc The equipment and process system upgrades made in the recycle and recovery room, significant removal of contaminated waste behind Building 256, and equipment upgrades performed on the oxide conversion plant were also noted improvements. Current enhancements to the maintenance area, and the newly established maintenance management team, responsible for developing an effective preventive maintenance program, demonstrate a commitment to improve the maintenance of plant equipment.
l-Our review indicated an impuement in material condition, radiation protection, housekeeping, and procedural compliance at your facility since the last review period. Radiological exposures l-continued to decrease while production increased over the review period, demonstrating positive performance results from your As Low As Reasonably Achievable program. Additionally, since your previous LPR, your staff has disposed of approximately 1.1 million pounds of stored radioactive waste, remediated contaminated soil, and reduced the generation rate of onsite waste. These initiatives are noteworthy, and we encourage you to continue.
Based upon the review, the NRC has determined that increased ir.spection efforts in the areas of safety operations with an emphasis on your corrective action program for all major areas, is warranted.- Additionally, the NRC will decrease our radiological controls inspection efforts.
' because of your very good performance in this area.
In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rule of Practice," Part 2, Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
l Should you have any questions or comments, we would be pleased to discuss them with you.
Sincerely, Original Signed _by i
A. Bill Beach Regional Administrator Docket No. 070-00036 License No. SNM-33 1
l
Enclosure:
As stated j
cc w/ encl:
R. W. Sharkey, Regulatory Compliance Manager R. A. Kucera, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\SEC\\ COMB.LPR
- See Previous Concurrences To reewve a cov or this document inmcane in the boa: c = copy w/o attaent ncer Copy w/ attach /enci *N" = No copy OFFICE Rill:DNMS l
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l NAME'
- Hiland:ib:kje
- TenEyck
- Pederson Bedch DATE 03/ /98 03/ /98 03/ /98 03/$/98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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- 8. Kaiser Our review indicated an improvement in material condition, radiation protection, housekeeping, and procedural compliance at your facility since the last review period. Procedural quality has improved and now provides a generally adequate level of guidance and detail. The equipment and process system upgrades made in the recycle and recovery room, significant removal of contaminated waste behind Building 256, and equipment upgrades performed on the oxide conversion plant were also noted improvements. Current enhancements to the maintenance area, and the newly established maintenance management team, responsible for developing an effective preventive maintenance program, demonstrate a comrnitment to improve the maintenance of plant equipment. Radiological exposure continued to decrease while production increased over the review period. The decrease in radiological exposure demonstrated positive performance results from your As Low As Reasonably Achievable program.
l Based upon the review, the NRC has determined that increased inspection efforts in the areas of safety operations and safeguards, with an emphasis on your corrective action program for all major areas, is warranted.
in accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rule of Practice," Part 2, Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Should you have any questions or comments, we would be pleased to discuss them with you.
Sincerely, A. Bill Beach Regional Administrator Docket No. 070-00036 License No. SNM-33
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/ encl:
R. W. Sharkey, Regulatory Compliance Manager R. A. Kucera, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\SEC\\ COMB.LPR To r+ceive a copy of this document. Indicate in the box:C" = Copy without enclosure *E" Mopy with enclosure *N"= No copy OFFICE Rill C
Rlli E Rlli M l 13 Rlli NAME Hiland:ib 1RY TonEyck $ lr e Pedhrsfon Beach DATE 03/n/98 03/M798 V'"b 03/3 /98 03/ /98 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY y
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B. Kaiser ;
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Distribution:
Docket File w/enci i
PUBLIC IE-07 w/enci l
J. L Caldwell, Rlli w/enci J
Rlli Erif. Coordinator w/enci M. Weber, NMSS w/enci R. Soong, NMSS w/encI P. Ting, NMSS w/enci R. Bellamy, RI w/enct EJM, Ril w/enel (e-mail)
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F. Wenslawski, RIV/WCFO w/enci Greens w/o enci 1
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LICENSEE PERFORMANCF. REVIEW FOR ABB COMBUSTION ENGINEERING, INC.,
ASSESSMENT PERIOD: January 1,1996 to January 31,1998 A.
SAFETY OPERATIONS (Comprised of Plant Operations, Chemical Safety, Criticality Safety, Fire Safety, and Management Controls) l Proaram Strenaths e
Open and effective communication amongst licensee staff e
Significant progress in housekeeping Proaram Areas Needina Improvement e
implementaticm of the criticality safety program
- implementation and maintenance of criticality safety limits and controls Development and maintenance of plant safety basis documentation e
e Control of hazardous chemicals e
Control of the fire protection program l
Proactive initiatives to systematically evaluate, correct, and resolve issues n
ident6ied during intemal and extemal audits Projected Challenaes to Performance l
e Completion of criticality safety upgrade plan commitments in a timely manner Cornpletion of integrated safety analysis in a timely manner e
B.
SAFEGUARDS (Comprised of Material Control and Accounting (MC&A) and Physical Protection)
Proaram Strenaths e
None Proaram Areas Needina Improvement l
implementation and development of the MC&A program elements e
e Conduct and corrective actions for periodic audits i
P_rojected Challenoes to Performance e
None l
i C.
RADIOLOGICAL CONTROLS (Comprised of Radiation Protection, Environmental Protection, Waste Management, and Transportation)
Proaram Strenaths As Low As Reasonably Achievable program effective in minimizing radiation e
exposures and facility effluents Proaram Areas Needina Improvement Open and timely communications for the resolution of environmental issues Pro!ected Challences to Performance e
None D.
FACILITY SUPPORT (Comprised of Maintenance and Surveillance, Emergency Preparedness, and Training)
.Proaram Strenaths Competent facility maintenance workers e
Overall maintenance and implementation of the emergency preparedness program Erocram Areas Needina improvement e
Corrective actions for surveillance findings Eroiected Challenaes to Performance e
Effective implementation of the computerized preventive maintenance program I
e-Transition to the new computerized operator training system E.
SPECIAL TOPICS (Licensing Activities)
Proaram Strenaths e
None Proaram Areas Needina improvement Adequacy of initial licensing submittals and responsiveness to initial and e
informational NRC questions Eroiected Challenaes to Performance Ensure timely resolution of decommissioning activities e
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