ML20244D054

Urges Independent Investigation of Issues Raised by I Yin During 840725 Briefing.Issues Include Improper Use of Quick Fix Design Changes & Possible Inadequacies in Idvp

ML20244D054
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	07/30/1984
From:	Panetta L, Patterson J HOUSE OF REP.
To:	Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML20235X756	List: IA-84-743, Lists Addl Actions to Be Taken to Assure Continuity in Review & Resolution of Allegations Re Design of Small Bore Piping IA-84-776, Summarizes Aslab 840906 Decision Affirming Board 820831 Initial Decision Authorizing Full Power License for Unit 1. Board 840910 Order Requests Parties Views for Further Action on Unit 2 & 840906 Order Denies Reopening Seismic Issues ML20235X753 ML20235X841 ML20235Y060 ML20235Y182 ML20235Y317 ML20235Y692 ML20244C838 ML20244D054
References
FOIA-84-743, FOIA-84-744, FOIA-84-776 NUDOCS 8409120115
Download: ML20244D054 (5)

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q ElasSngten,BE. 20515 July 30, 1984-

%'.,1 3 8 Honodable Nunzio Pall'adino i Chairdan Nuclear Regulatory Commission' a

E717 "H" Street), N . W. ,

j'; Washington tD.C. 20555 1

Dear Mr. Chairman,

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l Thank you .rcr your assistance- in making Isa Yin of. the NRC Region III staff availab30 for a briefing on the Diablo . Canyon nuclear -

facility on July 2L., We sincerely appreciate'your help,in complying with Congressional requests of this kind, and hope this spirit: of coope, ration will cont,inue. ,

We initially requested the briefing with' Mr. Yin out of concern about his resignation fromland lack of confidence in the investigation conducted by the MRC Peer Review Group (PRG) into the design c'ontrol and quality assurance issues raised by Mr. Yin 'before. the ' Commission l on March 26. As you know, the PRG was organized to . review and

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evaluate the Diablo licensce's, compliance with seven License Con- i ditions attached' to the . low p'ower test Operation License issued by l' '

sthe Commission on April 13.

At the July 25 bfiefing Mr.. Yin outlined :his concerns about the- ,

inadequate scope and improper documentation of the PRG's efforts, and conveyed his belief that additional' measures were necessary to ensure compliance with the seven License Conditions. Specifically, Mr. Yin. ,

discussed: 1). the necessity of properly documenting' and performing additional analysis of small bore piping support computer calculations,

2) thelneed to more closely analyze ~ the spacing. and shimming of .

closely-spaced rigid support structures, 3) the importance -of examining- l

) design assumptions relative to the placement of. snubbers close to 14' rigid restraints, and 4) the need to perform additional theoretical-and tn-site analys.is of potential main stem pipe contact with structural and electrical interference objects.

Mr. Yin 'also detailed.his continuing concerns about the improper use 7of " quick fix" design changes at Diablo and possible' inadequacies in ,

'the Independent Design Verification Program. 'He believes'these' l problems point to a substantini quality assurance breakdown in the  !

Y areasEof small and largo bore piping design control. Mr. Yin.also discussed his findings of inadequate personnel training and the improper control of.cpitical documents relative to the On-Site.

Project Engineering Group.

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,. d, Honorable Nunzio Palladino July 30, 1984 Page Two i

i We are particularly concerned that while it was Mr. Yin who raised i the issues which led to the License Conditions, he was not considered i essential to the PRG's effort to ensure the licensee's compliance with i them. Mr. Yin said that many of the PRG's meetings and on-site i investigations .were conducte.d whilehe had other commitments, and that he was denied access to critical documents when he requested them later. Mr. Yin also indicated that the PRG ' examined the various issues related to the License Conditions simultaneously, and as a l result, he was unable to participate in many staff sessions. j Most important, Mr. Yin believes that the scope of the PRG's review was inadequate, and that many of the original design-related problems at Diablo may persist. As he states in testimony prepared for the l Commission's August 2 Full Power Operations License hearing, I

" Subsequent review of the Peer Review Team reports contained in the draft SSER revealed that they contain mostly undocumented reviews )

l and casual observations. There were cases where the inspection  !

l sample selected was extremely small, where problems originally identified continued to exist, where review criteria were compromised i l- without technical justification; and where Team failed to address l the specific program deficiency issues " l l

Last year, Mr. Yin was able to step into the Diablo licensing process j and identify substantive design and quality assurance problems which '

had gone unnoticed by the NRC staff and on-site inspectors. In short,  ;

while he was largely responsible for the imposition of the seven l License Conditions, he is far from satisfied that they have been complied with. In fact, Mr. Yin responded to us in the negative when asked directly if he believed Diablo should be given a full. power license at this time. In this connection, we are very concerned by the issues he raised with us, and feel he is uniquely qualified to evaluate the licensee's compliance with the seven License Conditions.

Therefore, we respectfully request that you provide Mr. Yin with the additional time and organizational freedom necessary to undertake a thorough analysis of the critical design and quality assurance issues

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at Diablo which he feels have not been adequately addressed. We feel th t such an investigation should be conducted prior to the Commission's consideration of a full power Operation License for the Diablo facility.

Mr. Yin indicated to us that such a review could be accomplished in

'only three to five weeks, after which time he could report his findings directly to the Commissioners. While this additional I

analysis may mean a short delay in the licensing process, such action is c1carly warranted given Mr. Yin's experience and continuing concerns.

Mr. Yin is' viewed in the local community and by Members of Congress as a man of great personal integrity and substantial technical expertise, and such a review would go far toward assuring the public that every step has been taken to provide for the safety of the Diablo facility.

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HohorableNunzioPalladino July 30, 1984 Page Three 4 I

i In your February 17, 1983 letter to Representative Morris K. {

Udall, Chairman of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, you stated that "We will require a high level of confidence j that no significant design or construction deficiencies at theaffecting facility l safety at any authorized level of operation exist before reaching a decision to authorize that level of operation. 1 l

Given he which thathimself Mr. Yinfirst hasbrought serioustodoubts about the resolution the Commission's attention, ofwe issues do l 1

l not believe that a "high level of confidence" in theAccordingly, full. power-we l operability of the plant can exist at this time. investigation  !

urge you to consider authorizing a fu11 and independentof these the Commission's high licensing standards.

Thank you very much for your consideration of our views. l l

Sincerely,

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1b" r g W t LEOh c. PANETTA JER['M.PATTERSON Member of Congress Member of Congress 4

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