ML20247N300

Responds to 980210 Memo Re Event Inquiry Involving Public Concerns W/Nrc Rept of Independent Safety Assessment at Plant

ML20247N300
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	05/05/1998
From:	Callan L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 9805270103
Download: ML20247N300 (5)

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May 5, 1998 T-SC5 0 Wf MEMORANDUM TO: Chairman Jackson i FROM: L. Joseph Callan @gud Signedby Executive Director for Operations gg l

SUBJECT:

EVENT INQUIRY - PUBLIC'S CONCERNS WITH NRC REPORT OF INDEPENDENT SAFETY ASSESSMENT (ISA) AT MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION (CASE NO.97-03S) l in response to your memorandum dated February 10,1998, the subject OlG Event inquiry Report has been revieweo. The report concluded, in part, that some misunderstanding and confusion resulted from the language used in the Maine Yankee Independent Safety Assessment Team (ISAT) report. While the staff constantly strives to communicate their findings clearly, misunderstandings may occur and should be resolved promptly. I believe the recommendations of the Communications Coordinating Committee in response to DSI-14 will assist in improving the communications issues identified in the OlG Event inquiry Report. Our response to each finding is attached.

Attachment:

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u, MEMORANDUM TO: Chairman Jackson FROM: L. Joseph Callan ,..

Executive Director for Operations 1

SUBJECT:

EVENT INQUIRY- PUBLIC'S CONCE S WITH NRC REPORT OF INDEPENDENT SAFETY ASSESSMENT (ISA) AT MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION (CASE NO.97-03S) l l

In response to your memorandum dated Februa 10,1998, the subject OlG Event inquiry Report has been reviewed The report conci ' , in part. that some misunderstanding and confusion resulted from the language used the Maine Yankee independent Safety Assessment Team (ISAT) report. While the aff constantly strives to communicate their findings clearly, misunderstandings may occur and should be resolved promptly. I believe the recommendations of the /

Communication ns Coordinating Committee in response/ to DSl-14 will assist in improving the communications issues identified in the OlG Event Inquiry Report. Our-response to each finding is attached.

Attachment:

As stated ,

i cc: Commissioner Dic'us Commissioner Diaz CommissionerMcGaffigan SECY OGC OCFO OClO

- OCA OPA

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PNorry IRD R/F SMcKelvin (#98-19)

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20656-0001 4*****4

! May 5, 1998-l MEMORANDUM TO: Chairman Jackson FROM: L. Joseph Callan Executive Director persiivos 1

SUBJECT:

EVENT INQUIRY - P BLIC'S CONCERNS WITH NRC REPORT OF INDEPENDENT SAFETY ASSESSMENT (ISA) AT MAINE l

YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION (CASE NO.97-03S)

In response to your memorandum dated February 10,1998, the subject OlG Event inquiry Report has been reviewed. The report concluded, in part, that some misunderstanding and confusion resulted from the language used in the Maine Yankee independent Safety Assessment Team (ISAT) report. While the staff constantly strives to communicate their findings clearly, misunderstandings may occur and should be resolved promptly. I believe the recommendations of the Communications Coordinating Committee in response to DSI-14 will assist in improving the communications issues identified in the OlG Event Inquiry Report. Our i

response to each finding is attached.

Attachment:

As stated cc: Commissioner Dieus Commissioner Diaz Commissioner McGaffigan SECY OGC l i

OCFO OClO f '

OCA OPA i

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s T 4 RESPONSES TO FINDINGS IN OlG EVENT INQUIRY - PUBLIC'S CONCERNS WITH NRC REPORT OF INDEPENDENT SAFETY ASSESSMENT (ISA) AT MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION (CASE NO.97-03S)

1. FINDING: The OlG inquiry revealed that the significant deficiencies identified by the ISAT were either resolved by the licensee during the ISA or were provided to NRC program offices for resolution. OlG learned that the ISAT considered the balance of the good and bad of the safety systems and programs reviewed to conclude that MYAPS was in general conformance with its licensing and design bases.

Additionally, the ISAT took into account MYAPS' defense-in-depth when it concluded that the plant posed no undue risk to public health and safety and was safe to operate.

RESPONSE: No response required.

2. FINDING: The OlG inquiry found that several phrases such as " undue risk" and " adequate protection" to the public were used by the ISAT to describe the NRC's standard of protection of public health and safety as applied to MYAPS. However, OlG learned that these phrases are not clearly defined by the NRC.

RESPONSE: We recognize the need to communicate clearly with all stakeholder including the public. In response to DSI-14, the staff has developed recommendations on public communications initiatives. These initiatives are documented in the

• Report of the Communications Coordinating Committee With Recommendations on Public Communications initiatives," dated March 24,1998 (CCC Report).

Plans include making written and spoken language more understandable by, in part, explaining technical jargon, boilerplate language, acronyms, and regulatory findings in a balanced way so that the public can better understand what we are trying to convey. The CCC highlighted that the staff commonly uses terms in which there is not universal agreement, even within the agency, as to what each means. A recommendation by the CCC was for the agency's technical staff to conduct a review of the glossary of nuclear expressions that recently was posted on the NRC Website and both expand and enhance it to include often used expressions with clear, agreed-upon definitions in plain English. This is a complex task for many of the terms and phrases because they are rooted in statutory language or judicial interpretations developed over some 40 years of nuclear regulation. The EC recommendation was that the qualitative objectives of the CCC should be pursued within the context of annual updates to the glossary of nuclear expressions.

3. FINDING: The OlG concluded that those not involved with the nuclear industry may have been confused with the ISAT's assessment of MYAPS using language normally found in SALP reports.

RESPONSE: While the choice to use language normally found in SALP reports was made to facilitate communications with the licensee, those not directly involved with the nuclear industry may have been confused. In response to DSI -14, the staff has

. developed recommendations on public communications initiatives. The recommendations in the CCC report include the development and adoption of a

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format for both technical reports and public meetings that includes a clear { '

Executive Summary. This summary would state the problems and issues identified and NRC's findings in language the layman can comprehend.

4. FINDING: OlG learned that the ISAT resulted in MYAPS performing additional reviews of the plant and enhancing its tolf-assessment processes. The Suroweic 115 kV offsite power line, the thermal relief valves to protect the heat exchangers, and the cable separation issues were uncovered by the licensee as a result of MYAPS expanded self-assessment. .

RESPONSE: No response required.

5. FINDING: OlG found that although the ISAT report contained language to suggest the ISAT made operability determinations, OlG determined that all operability determinations were conducted by MYAPS.

RESPONSE: We acknowledge that statements about MYAPS' operability in the ISAT report -

could confuse a reader. Clearly, at no time did anyone on the ISAT team conduct .

an operability determination. This finding again highlights the need for clear communications. The initiatives in the CCC Report should address these concerns.

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