ML20236D035

Forwards Ltr to Nuclear Util Executives Re New Rule on Site Access for NRC Inspectors to Facility

ML20236D035
Person / Time
Site:	05000054
Issue date:	12/01/1988
From:	Wenzinger E NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Mcgovern J CINTICHEM, INC.
Shared Package
ML20236D019	List: ML20236D016 ML20236D021 ML20236D035 ML20236D043
References
NUDOCS 8903220430
Download: ML20236D035 (3)

Text

'

00:43 FRC RI DOCKET ROOM FO.419 P002 g#  % UNITEO STATES g

k NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSl N MEGM)N i e

• j 478 ALLeNOALe ROAD KING OF PRutel A.PeNNevLVANIA tedee

• 4 gy

....e Docket No. 50-54 01 DEC 1988 I Cintichem, Inc.

ATTN: Mr. James J. McGovern Plant Manager P. O. Box 816 Tuxedo, New York 10987 ,

Ge n t.i nen .

Subject:

Site Access for NRC Inspectors A letter was sent to all Nuclear Utility Executives from the NRC Executive -

Director for Operations on November 17, 1988 concerning a new rule which.

_.r_ __ became effective on October 25, 1988. The letter bears.directly on conver :-

sations we have held concerning NRC inspector's access to your facility.

1

~

A copy of the cover letter is provided as Attachment 1. If you have not -

received the letter and would like copies of the enclosures to the letter please contact me at 215-337-5225.

Sincerely, ,

I f Edward C. W nzinger,f32 Projects Branch No.

Division of Reactor s

. Attachment 1: Letter from,V. Stello (without enclosures) to Nuclear Utility i Executives dated November 17, 1988 l cc:

W. G. Ruzicka, Nuclear Operations Manager

$f44FR47918

ru. 4w - suuu.

~

.pupw ue 40 pp., in wuu iuun i

, f

[ UNITt0 GT ATit NUCLE AR REGULA. TORY COMMl8811N '

ATTACHMENT 1

.. .,f '

m e.nwovow.s.a.eente l l

'a ** WOV111988 Nuclear Utility Executives .

Aentlemen: l The purpose of this letter is to advise you of three issues of current regular tor / significance, specifically; a new rule effective October 25,1988,-

concerning the announcing of the presence of a3 NRC inspector at a nuclear power plants a revision to the NRC enforcement policy effective October 14.1 1988; and the recently proposed enforcement actions for sperator inattentive-ness at Philadelphia Electric Compary's Peach lettom Atomic Power Station.

The new rule on announcing the presence of an NRC inspector will modify j 10 CFR 50.70 and is as-follcws:  !

-The licensee or construction permit helder (nuclear power

._ ~~

reactor only) shall ensure that the arrival and presence of -- -

an NRC inspector, who has been properly authorized f acility e access as descrieec ir paragraph (b)(3) of th'is section, is not announced cr otherwise communicated by its employees or _

contractors to other perscr.s at the facility unless -

specifically requestec by the Nr.C inspector. . 1 This rule should ensure.ttat hE: ir.spectors will be granted unannounced access tc licensee f acibties envitalert te that previcee a regular plant er:ployee.

This ruit providet that ne access contrel measures or other means Ny be  !

cmployed by the licar.see or its contractors to intentionally give notice to other persons of the ar'ivel anc presence of a NRC inspector, unless the licensee is specifica11., recuestec to oc so by the inspecter.. There have beer instances it, tre past at several facilities that compromised the ability l P prCat'1) 44 Cit: f M 1r1lt:U's 10 instect and accels, oh ar unannnunrPr. 1 basis, activities rt'iatte-tc tre license ce constructier. perrit when liter. set erployees et cortracter e..;1ey ees ir.'crne ettors at the f acility of tne

, prestr.ct c' tre h*: ir s;t etcr s. "ris chargt to 10 CFR 50.7( is te cle'"

that NR: inspectors, bac;te at tte f acility, have irrnediate, unescortec access to ongoing activitics as sttst activitics are being performed withowt asiancet notification of the inspectier. This is especially impcrtant durir'5 non-norr al

, business hours e ar. operatir.g personnel might assuma NRC inspectors wowle not be on site. Recognizing ti.

of an inspector's presence,t thepossibility hkC expects of tc 164dytetent er tuvel comniptigt reserve enforcement actier "or s ig t.1 f i c a r. intertiotal sic'.stions of this rulr. An herest resper.se by ar.

employee to ar. ir.nocer.t incviry that he/she ,nst saw an NR inspector is.not.

within the confines c' ttis rule.

Tn irrrene the inten.ives fe licerssst tc, scrutinize their operatiors with.

out depending on h;.' ir t'..er.ea.t. the Cercissict has revisec its Enforcement .

Folicy to provide t'e sit'f witr ac'citienti circumstances where discrettor car te ap;ite.c r.ct tc iss.e a civil par.4'ty f er sigt.ificant ticletters at s' l

._._.___m__ _ _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Wy ,p.

t f

9

,g g9 g awcism . utility Fantal11ves ed where esult Severity Level III., For ersuple, civil penalties sight not be propo a licenser (destifies, fa&pris, sand torrects such as safety those isng1ving engineer. deficiencies as

. ~of pursuing a prograss to addrass It is importsnt past error 1tr emphastzeincentives that the Trincipal

-ing, design or installation. i objective of this change .to the Enforcement Poliry is to provide for licensees to identffy, report, and initiative.

Inclosedfor servect safe better evaluation of :the significance of.spfeguards l with the tiotice violations..

, your information is the revised NRC Enforcement Policy A ong 14,.1988.

that was published in the Tederal Retister on Octoberctions for bloms at phile.

As you are probably aware, the NRC recently These Troposed actions enforc the long-standing and pervasive operatof inattentiveness the Tre delphia Electric Corcarj's Psact Ecttom I have enclosed Atoeic Pow -

l

~

_ first ever proposee civil penalties for ItcensedThese operators.l actions d l hia~- Electric C

.are

, a copy of the action pre;: set against Phi a e p -

e examples of the preocles actions against l the aperators.to ensure that you being sent to you to er.pn1512s' yo:.r resprinsibi ity; lice

- and that your operaters are atteetive to . duty.

tne public healin erg safety. i f these l

1 tepe that this ir.fr watic* wili laad to a better understand r.; o ,

recent, regulatery actiers.

Lir.cerely, l n f! -

1 ActerAlr'/' i Stelje, J;/

l Laacuttwa Director for Operrtin's ,

Inclosures: i:b:

1. 4evisee hi: Infoace-et eff ective C>:te:e- N, 31!

2 Inforsevent Actions Asso:utet with Peact..icito'. Ato-u

• Power Statist 4

se m__..m.m.__.__._ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ - _ _____