ML22067A132
| ML22067A132 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/17/2022 |
| From: | Kerri Kavanagh NRC/NRR/DRO/IQVB |
| To: | Chris Miller NRC/NRR/DRO |
| Armstrong A | |
| References | |
| Download: ML22067A132 (3) | |
Text
March 17, 2022 MEMORANDUM TO:
Christopher G. Miller, Director Division of Reactor Oversight Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM Kerri A. Kavanagh, Branch Chief Quality Assurance Vendor Inspection Branch Division of Reactor Oversight Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
TRIP REPORT BY THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF OF THE ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE JOINT UTILITY TASK GROUP PROCUREMENT FORUM On February 22-24, 2022, Paul Prescott and Aaron Armstrong of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Division of Reactor Oversight, attended the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Joint Utility Task Group Procurement Forum. The procurement forum provides open communication for EPRI members and their suppliers to discuss issues related to procurement engineering. The purpose of the staffs participation was to inform industry stakeholders on current regulatory guidance and trends in inspection findings with potential impact on procurement issues. The trip report of the staffs participation and observations is enclosed.
CONTACT:
Paul Prescott Aaron Armstrong NRR/DIRS (301) 415-3026 NRR/DIRS (301) 415-8396 Signed by Kavanagh, Kerri on 03/17/22
ML22067A132 NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DRO/IQVB NRR/DRO/IQVB NAME AArmstrong KKavanagh DATE 03/16/2022 03/17/2022
Enclosure TRIP REPORT BY THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF OF THE ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE JOINT UTILITY TASK GROUP PROCUREMENT FORUM Subject This trip report documents the participation and observations made by members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRCs) Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR),
Division of Reactor Oversight (DRO), during the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Joint Utility Task Group (JUTG) Procurement Forum held on February 22-24, 2022 at Clearwater, Florida.
Background/Purpose The JUTG, sponsored by EPRI, was formed in 1989. The purpose of the JUTG is to provide open communication amongst utilities and suppliers to discuss issues related to procurement engineering. The JUTG is comprised of procurement engineering, quality assurance, and management personnel from various utilities and equivalent positions from suppliers.
The purpose of the NRC staffs participation at this forum was to inform industry stakeholders on current regulatory guidance and trends in inspection findings with potential impact on procurement issues. Additionally, the NRC staff identifies and addresses issues of concern that need clarification regarding regulatory compliance for implementation of procurement processes.
Discussion Topics of regulatory interest discussed during the forum included multiple presentations on responding to the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPOs) Industry Event Report (IER) 21-4 on improving plant reliability. There were also industry presentations on implementing a parts quality program (PQP) to address IER 21-4, an update on EPRIs study to use artificial intelligence (AI) to address improving purchasing decisions on parts, use of inter-utility transfer of parts, development of templates for items that are frequently commercial grade dedicated, and a utilitys implementation of 10 CFR 50.69 risk informed procurement activities. These presentations were provided by licensees, EPRI representatives and major suppliers to the nuclear industry. All the questions and clarifications that were raised during the presentations were not new to the NRC staff.
The NRC staff provided presentations on the following topics: 1) an update which included trends in inspection findings, with a focus on commercial grade dedication; 2) the status of the draft 10 CFR Part 53 Rulemaking related to quality assurance for advanced reactors; 3) overview of the meetings with the Nuclear Energy Institute regarding the proposal to use the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard, Quality Management Systems, for operating and advanced reactors; 4) the status of preparations for planned inspections of commercial grade dedication at licensee facilities; and 5) the findings identified in the Office of Inspector Generals (OIGs) Audit of the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions Oversight of Counterfeit, Fraudulent, and Suspect Items at Nuclear Power Reactors, (OIG-22-A-06). The NRC staffs presentation was given on the day all three organizations at the venue met.
Attendees from the EPRI JUTG, Nuclear Oversight Committee (NOC), and Nuclear Procurement Issues Corporation (NUPIC) were present. The slides from the staffs presentation are publically available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) via accession number ML22038A960.