ML20297A361
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| ML20297A361 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/23/2020 |
| From: | Eric Thomas NRC/NRR/DRO/IOEB |
| To: | |
| Eric Thomas, NRR/DRO/IOEB, 415-6772 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML20297A361 (4) | |
Text
Lapses in Operator Fundamentals A current area of concern
Previous Industry and NRC Actions
- INPO issued industry guidance in 2011 and 2017, along with event descriptions in 2013 and 2020.
- NRC issued Information Notices in 2011 and 2018 (IN 11-02, 18-03, 18-04)
- Focused on specific events
- Did not broadly address operator fundamentals
Examples of Recent Issues
- March 9, 2019, operators attempted to lower reactive power and incorrectly changed the automatic voltage regulator from automatic to manual
- May 3, 2019, operators attempted to increase pressurizer pressure, but mistakenly increased the controller input error instead
- May 16, 2019, operators did not block the source range high flux trip prior to reaching the trip setpoint
- August 19, 2020, operators performed a continuous rod withdraw during startup which resulted in a startup rate of 3 decades per minute
NRC Observations
- There have been 4 plant trips in 18 months caused by lapses in operator fundamentals
- Additional transients have also involved lapses in operator fundamentals
- NRC is considering what potential actions are warranted and is opening dialogue with the industry about their ongoing efforts in this area