ML20244D610
Text
- ~ '
~
o,,
UNITED STATES NUC1, EAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 5
wAsHmorom, o. c. 2 ossa
- t
}
~
- ,..+
DEC 2 31985
)
J MEMORANDUM FOR:
J. Nelson Grace, Regional Administrator, RII THRU:
James M. Taylors Director Office of Inspection and En cement' FROM:
Edward L Jordan,. Director Division of En.ergency Preparedness and Engineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement
SUBJECT:
EURVEY OF LICENSEES FOR INTERFACE WITH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE DATA SYSTEM The policy issue of how best to obtain data from nuclear power facilities i
The Commission approved the Emergency Response Data System (ERDS)'(encloJ during emergencies was. presented to 'the Commission in SECY-84-481 option.
Briefly, the ERDS design concept includes the following:
10 1.
Parameter inputs to ERDS would be obtained from an existing computer U
system at the plant (e.g. SPDS, plant computer; EOF data systems, etc.).
2.
Data will be transmitted to the NRC Operations Center via modem over a commercial telephone line or a dedicated line maintained by NRC (e.g.
ENS).
3.
A processing system maintained by the NRC will receive the data stream via j
modem.
The system will be designed to receive all varied data streams and will reformat the data into a consistent format.
The reformatted data vill be outputed to an appropriate video display and printer.
4.
The parameter list would include those necessary to ensure that appropri-ate action is being taken with respect to offsit.e. recommendations.. The list would be limited to those parameters involving' plant status and -
radiological and meteorological conditions..
5.
Licensees will not be required to backfit their systems to include addi-tional parameters to match the NRC parameter list.
Data that is not 1
available from the electronic data stream can be provided by.. voice commu-i I
nication over existing phone lines.
t
Contact:
J.'B.
Hickman, IE
,492-155 2
85(2279llfM 1
v
J. Nelson Grace l
'C 6.
The updating frequency of the licensees
- systems will determine transmis-sion frequency'to NRC.
If more frequent updates are required than those provided electronics 71y by a particular licensee, the increased frequency will be accomplished (for a very limited subset of parameters) by voice communications over existing telephune lines.
7.
The licensee will have complete control over data transmission.
ERDS would be " switched on" by the licensee in the early stage of a declared emergency.
This data transmission cencept has been presented to several licensees at AIF and other meetings, and has been generally well received.
ERDS provides the potential for improving NRC response and coordination with licensees while lessening the burden on licensees in supplying data to NRC.
Two tests of the ERDS concept have been conducted, with McGuire and LaSalle, and in both cases improvements in the quality of the assessment and in the reduction of verbal data communications were noted.
At this point we are in the survey and design phase of ERDS implementation.
A contract has been awarded to visit or contact a'll sites, obtain infor: nation on the licensees data systems, and design the ERDS system.
In order to accomplish this effort we will need some regional support to schedule the site visits.
Therefore, I am requesting that you send the enclosed letter to all licensees I
in your region and designate an individual as a contact point to work with members of my staff.
A member of my staff will participate in each site visit s
s and will be responsible for the interface of the contractor with the licensee.
Your contact point should establish initial contact with the licensee, obtain utility concurrence for the proposed visit, identify a utility point of con-tact, and provide the traditional " good guy" letter identifying the visiting surveyor.
Questions of policy regarding ERDS should be directed to Ken Perkins at 492-7361.
Questions on planning the site visits should be directed to John Hickman at 492-4155.
D%d sisa.d en L* D Jordan Edward L. Jordan, Director Division of Emergency Preparedness and Engineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Enclosures:
As stated Distribution:
DCS KPerkins DEPER R/F SSchwartz IRB R/F EJordan t!RTWK#TM RVollmer RPriebe JTaylor DD:IE 0:IE RHVollmer JMTaylor
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE 11/4 /85 13/N,/85 IRB:DEPER:IE IRB: DEPER:IE IRB:DEPE -
0:D y/ 00:DEPER:IE
- JBHickman:ams
- RFPriebe
- KEPerkin SASchwartz El ordan-11/08/85 11/12/85 11/12/85 g 11/ /85 11/25/85 l
t
~
u
fo Power Reacter Licensees
.m
'U This letter is to inform you of an emergency communications capability that the NRC is considering establishing with licensed nuclear power facilities and an upcoming site visit by an NRC contractor to obtain information on how such a system would interface with your faciiity.
The emergency communication capability being considered is called the Emergency flesponse Data System (ERDS).
The EROS concept has been determined by the NRC to be a design which best addresses the requirements of the NRC with minimal impact on the licensee.
The development of the EROS concept began with an assessment of what is the NRC's role in an emergency at a licensed nuclear facility.
The Commission determined that the NRC's primary role is one of monitoring the l'icensee to assure that appropriate recommendations are made with respect to offsite protective actions.
To fulfill this role the NRC requires accurate, timely data on four types of parameters:
(1) core and coolant system conditions must.be known well enough to assess the extent or likelihood of core damage; (2) conditions inside the containment must be known well enough to assess the likelihood of its failure; (3) radioactivity release rates must be available promptly to assess the immediacy and degree of public danger; and (4) the data from the plant's meteorological tower is necessary to assess the distribution of pntential or actual impact on the public.
A list of the particular parameters considered necessary to these assessments is included as Enclosure 1.
,mV Experience with the voice-only emergency communications link, currently uti-lized for data transmission, has demonstrated that excessive amounts of time are needed for the routine transmission of data and for verification or correc-tion of data that appear questionable.
Error rates have been excessive; initiations have been slow; frequency of updates have been unreliable.
In addition, the current system creates an excessive drain on the time of valuable experts at the NRC and at the facility.
When errors occur, they frequently create false issues which, at best, divert experts from the real problems for seriously long periods of time.
At worst, incorrect data may cause the NRC to respond to offsite officials with inaccurate or outdated advice that results in the implementation of inappropriate protective actions.
Several options were considered for upgrading the data acquisition capabilities at the Operations Center.
The options included various means of acquiring the data:
manually, automatically using existing systems, or automatically using new systems. Appropriate options for transmitting the data to the Operations Center were considered:
electronically formatted data, image facsimile, or by voice through specially qualified communicators.
The criteria used to compare these options involved accuracy, reliability, timeliness, completeness, cost (in dollars and expert personnel), and backfitting requirements.
The NRC determined that automatic transmission of selected parameters from licensees' existing electronic data systems is most capable of providing acceptably complete and reliable data on a timely basis at reasonable cost with the minimum potential for burdening licensee in an emer-gency.
Most licensees either already have developed or are developing 4.
electronic data systems for 'their emergency response' facilities '(ERFs).
Because the role of the licensees' ERFs is similar to the role of the NRC during emergencies, the licensees' data systems already include most of the C
parameters desired by NRC.
Those few parameters which are not included in any particular licensee's system can be communicated by voice over the Emergency Notification System (ENS), tnus avoiding backfitting requirements on the licensee to include additional parameters on their electronic data systems.
Data would be accepted in whatever format the licensee uses and reformatted at the Operations Center, as necessary.
Because of the diversity of data systems utilized by the licensees, the best means for extracting the NRC's parameters from each system would be determined on a case-by-case basis.
The licensees would have control over transmission and would use the system only during emergencies. This option is the Emergency Response Data System (ERDS).
The design concept fer the ERDS is outlined in Enclosure 2.
Previous discussions with several licensees and two tests of the ERDS concept which were conducted with Duke Power and Commonwealth Edison have indicated that the EPDS concept has the potential to significantly improve the NRC incident response function and our response relationship with licensees.
Therefore, to determine more specifically the factors that would effect imple-mentation of an ERDS we have initiated an effort to survey the equipment and facilities at licensees' sites and determine the hardware and sof tware require-ments of such a system.
You should expect to be contacted in the near future by a member of this regional office to arrange a site visit by a NRC Headquar-ters staff member accompanied by a NRC contractor to speak with you on this subject.
The visit is an information gathering process.
It is oriented toward determination of:
The availability of a particular set of PWR or BWR parameters in digital O
form.
1 The verification and validation method, if any.
Characterization of the available data feed point (s).
Access will be needed to documentation and knowledgeable individuals typically from Instrumentation and Control, technical, telecommunications, and computer systems cadres within the plant staff.
Should you have any questions on this site visit please contact (Fill in name and number of regional contact).
Should you have any question on the ERDS concept in general please contact Ken Perkins with the Incident Response Branch at NRC Headquarters.
He can be reached at 301-492-7361.
Sincerely, Division of Reactor Projects O
_ - ~ - _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - - - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. - - _ _. - _ _ _ _ _ _. _ _ _ _ _ _. _ _ _ - _. _ _ _ _ _ - - _ - _ _ _.. _ _ _
j 9
PWR PARAMETER LISTS O
Primary Coolant Pressure System Temperatures - hot leg Temperatures - cold leg Temperatures - core exit thermocouple Subcooling margin Pressurizer level
)
RCS charging / makeup flow-1 Reactor vessel level (when available)
Reactor coolant flow Neutron flux - startup range Secondary Coolant Steam generator levels System Main feedwater flows Auxiliary / Emergency feedwater flows-Safety Injection High pressure safety injection flows Low pressure safety injection flows Safety injection flows (Westinghouse)
Borated water storage tank level Containment Containment pressure Containment temperatures Hydrogen concentration Containment sump levels l
O Redietion Moa4torino Reector cooient redioectivity system Containment radiation level Condenser air removal radiation' level i
Effluent radiation monitors Process radiation monitor levels J
Meteorological Wind speed Wind direction Atmospheric stability I
J i
O
________.____..___.____.__.____m.__.________
__.__._._______m________E___'_____~_____.____._____m_
~
BWR PARAMETER LISTS Reactor Coolant Reactor pressure iQ System Reactor vessel level
?
Feedwater flow Neutron flux-Startup range Safety Injection RCIC ' flow HPCI/HPCS flow Core spray flow LPCI flow Condensate storage tank level Containment Drywell pressure Drywell temperature Hydrogen & 0xygen Concentration Drywell sump level Suppression pool temperature Suppression pool level Radiation Monitoring Reactor coolant radioactivity 'avel Systems Primary containment radiation ievel Condenser off gas radiation levels Effluent radiation monitor Process radiation levels Meteorological Wind speed Wind direction Atmospheric stability l
_m.__.a
EMERGENCY RESPONSE DATA SYSTEM (ERDS)
Q DESIGN CONCEPT Data Acquisition Parameter inputs to ERDS would be obtained from an existing computer system (e.g. SPOS, plant computer, E0F data systems, etc.) at the plant.
Data Transmission Data will be transmitted to the NRC Operations Center by modem to commer-cial telephone line or a dedicated line maintained by NRC (e.g. ENS).
Data Collection A processing system maintained by the NRC will receive the data stream by modem. TM system will be designed to receive all varied data streams and to reformat the data into a consistent format.
The reformatted data will be output to CRTs and. printer.
Parameter List The parameter list would include those parameters necessary to ensure that j
appropriate protective action is being taken with respect to offsite j
recommendations.
The list would be limited to those parameters involving 1
plant status, radiological and meteorological conditions.
Licensees will not be required to backfit their systems to include addi-tional parameters to provide data on NRC's parameter list.
Data that is i
not available from the electronic data stream can be provided by voice over existing phone lines.
Transmission Frequency The updating frequency of the licensees' systems will determine transmis-sion frequency to NRC.
If more frequent updates are required than those provided electronically by a particular licensee, the increased frequency will be accomplished (for e very limited subset of parameters) by voice over existing telephone lines.
Control The licensee will have complete control over data transmission.
ERDS would be " switched on" by the licensee in the early stage of a declared emergency.
O
N Y 15 IN$
Mr. Hark Kerrigan Room 8002 Q
New Executive Office Building i
Office of Management and Budget Washington, DC 20503
Dear Mr. Kerrigan:
1 This letter is in response to questions you recently posed in conversations with Peter Rabideau from the Office of the Executive Director for Operations and with Ray Priebe from the Office of Inspection and Enforcement.
Answers to your questions are prcvided in the enclosure.
In addition, I would System (provide you additional information on the Emergency Respense DataWhen ac like to ERDS) project.
i provided will allow NRC to have a better real time understanding of plant conditions. This method is an improvement over voice communicated data since i
it minimizes the likelihood for transmission of inaccurate information and reduces the burden on the licensee for providing the data to NRC during an event. Timely receipt and frcquent updating of a limited set of plant data will facilitate verification of plant conditions during an accident with less verbal communication. Verbal communications, with ERDS implemented, are anticipated to emphasize information transfer rather than data collection. The i
combined improved data and infortnation are expected to substantially improve the ability of the NRC to fulfill its mission.
If you have any additional questions regarding the ERDS project please contact.
us.
Sincerely, (Signed) Jack W. Roe uack W. Roe Deputy Executive Director for Operations
)
Enclosure:
As stated DISTRIBUTION:
DCS JMTaylor DEPER R/F RHVollmer i
IRB_R/E,
ELJordan
'JHickmanf SASchwartz
{
RPriebe JBlana
)
KPerkins JWRoe Ae # r e un a O PDR KCyr
" ' '7 " / '
EDO EDO r/f
- PRabideau 11/13/85-Revised in ED0 11/14/85 DD:DEPER:IE D:DEPER:IE ED
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES
- SASchwartz
- ELJordan JW e 10/24/85 11/5/85 11
/85 IRB:DEPR:IE IRB:DEPER:IE IRB:DEPER:IE D:PSAS:IE ELD
- JBHickman:amw
- RFPriebe
- KEPerkins JLBlaha
- KCyr 10/21/85 10/./85 10/ /85 11/1/85
9 Question What are the capital costs associated with the implementation of ERDS7 qU Answer An estimate of the capital costs is included below.
The estimate delineates the site and headquarters components of the costs.
The cost figures are based on a review of the available information describing 'iicensees' data systems and a determination of the propor-tion of licensees that repre:ent a trivial interface problem to those that are more complex.
Precise site costs will have to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Site Costs: (Based on 114 units)
Total Hardware @ $6.5 K/ unit
$ 740 K Software @ $21.8 K/ unit
$2,486 K Design @ $3.2 K/ unit
$ 367 K Implementation @ $10.1 K/ unit
$1,155 K Headquarters Costs:
Hardware 58 K Software
$ 270 K Design and Implementation
$ 395 K Total
$5,471 K O
l 0
Question What are the ERDS operating costs including regular maintenance costs and those associated with " deployment" of ERDS if necessary for an O
incident?
LJ Answer Regular testing and repair.
$ 200 K/ year
- Software modifications due to licensee computer changes.
$ 40 K/ year based on:
Assumption that each unit will upgrade computer hardware once over the operating life of the unit.
4 units / year
$10 K/ software modification I
' Cost for system usage during exerc.ises or actual events and part of 4
the maintenance costs will depend on transmission system chosen.
l Based on the current transmission method of dialup commercial l
telephone, annual service costs would be $20K.
Usage cost would be I
long distance charges to the site.
Other transmission possibilities have been considered and the method to be used is subject to revision I
based on agency telecommunications upgrades.
O O
Q m tion What impact, if any, will ERDS have on the government liability issue?
Answer In our view, ERDS information availability in no way affects NRC liability.
The agency has considered the actions it would be prepared to take in defining its rols. */ The availability of ERDS would only mean that any actions taken wit 1 be based on a small set of timely reliable information.
Having a more timely and reliable source of key plant data, such as ERDS, would make the staff less likely to err in its evaluation of licensee responses or in making specific recommendations for protective actions.
Determination of NRC liability in general is discussed below.
The question of governmental liability for personal injury or property damage arising out of NRC's actions during an emergency would be governed by the provisions of the Federal Tort Claims Act.
- / The Federal Tort Claims Act permits recovery against the United Hates for negligent acts of federal employees, unless those acts involve j
the performance of or failure to perform a " discretionary function" I
within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. 62680(a).
The NRC's determination whether or not to take certain actions during an emergency would'most likely be viewed by the courts as involving the exercise of discretion
)
in carrying out the Commission's regulatory functions.
However, once J
the Commission had determined to undertake performance of certain actions or to take control of a facility, the possibility of liability
!l l
would increase.
If the actions of the NRC did not involve the
)
exercise of governmental discretion at the planning, policy-making l
1evel but rather involved performance of functions at an operational
(
level, the United States would be potentially liable for the negligent i
(
acts and omissions of NRC employees.
Whether in undertaking certain f/ The revised role of this agency during a nuclear emergency has been defined l
in NUREG-0728, revised, which was forwarded to the Congress in February 1983.
Briefly, the agency's role is fourfold.
The NRC monitors the licensee to ensure that appropriate recommendations are being made with respect to offsite protective actions.
The NRC informs other Federal agencies and entities and in coordination with other public affairs groups, informs the l
news media of the NRC's knowledge of the situation.
The NRC provides advisory support to the licensee and State and local authorities, including confirming the 1Tcensee's recommendations to offsite authorities.
Finally, in some rare and unusual situations, the NRC may find it necessary to intervene by providing limited direction to the licensee.
The Commission believes that this role can best be fulfilled by sending a team of experts to the site of an emergency, with the Headquarters Operations Center providing the initial response during the 2 to 6 hours6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br /> that the Site Team is in transit and providing support and analysis to the Site Team once i
it arrives.
- / The Price-Anderson Act provisions (Atomic Energy Act $170, 42 U.S.C. 62210)
I:
regarding limitations on liability would not apply to claims against the NRC itself.
{}
l l
-2 g)
%)
actions during an emergency, the NRC and hence the United States, would be liable for the consequences of its actions would depend on such circumstances as the nature and scope of NRC's actions, whether the actions were negligent, and whether the actions caused the alleged injury.
I
\\
(J~
l l
l l
/V
\\
l
_ _ _ _ -