PNO-III-78-193, on 781109,received Allegation Re Qualification of Welders Performing Safe End Repair Work at Plant.State of IA Informed

PNO-III-78-193:on 781109,received Allegation Re Qualification of Welders Performing Safe End Repair Work at Plant.State of IA Informed

ML20216J736
Person / Time
Site:	Duane Arnold
Issue date:	11/15/1978
From:	Klingler G, Nolan F NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-78-193, NUDOCS 9804210474
Download: ML20216J736 (2)

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t fD(a Cr E l % G Cff PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION N '

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November 15, 1978  !

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-78-193 This preliminary riotification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation

_and is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.

_ Facility: Iowa Electric Light and Power Company Duane Arnold, (DN 50-331), Palo IA

Subject:

ALLEGED WELDING DEFICIENCIES Region III (Chicago) received an allegation by telephone on November 9, 1978, concerning the qualification of welders performing the safe end I

repair work at Duane Arnold. Region III initiated an investigation on November 12, 1978. {

1 i i While the investigation is still in progress, a number of substantive ' '

concerns have been identified with respect to welder qualifications and the licensee's quality assurance system. Furthermore, NRC learned during l

% l the investigation that a recent QA audit by Iowa Electric had disclosed -

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.' similar concerns with respect to welder qualification.

) As a result of these preliminary findings senior NRC representatives met i

with licensee corporate management on November 14, 1978, to discuss the  :

apparent lack of management control associated with the repair activities.  !

During the meeting Iowa Electric management committed to defer further welding operations until a review of the concerns had been completed, identified problems had been resolved, and existing management and pro-cedural controls reevaluated to assure quality welding operations. An Immediate Action Letter will be issued confirming the commitments made by the licensee. '

Region III is continuing the investigation and will take whatever addi-tional steps are necessary to assure.that the repairs are ade,quate.

Members of the public and the news media were informed of the allegations by the NRC during a meeting held by NRC with Iowa Electric in Cedar Rapids,

! Iowa, on November 14, 1978. The allegations and the investigation are receiving media interest. Continued media interest is anticipated due to the public interest in the piping problems at Duane Arnold. The~ State -

of Iowa h,as been informed.

Region III received notification of the allegation by telephone on November 9,1978. This information is current as of 9:00 a.m. on November 15, 1978.

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]) ;. 0L CONTINUED 9804210474 781115 PDR I&E PNO 78-193 P DR,. . _ _ _ _ _ . . _ . _ __. _ . . . _ - - - -

1 Page 2 November 15, 1978.

O' ' Continued PNO-78-193

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Contact:

GRKlingler. IE x28019; F. Nolan, IE, x28019 Distribution: TransmittedHStJ/Of.,,

Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner Gilinsky (ForDistribution) {

8/Ad. j Transmitted: MNBB.4 25- P B1dg # !2 5' J. G. Davis, IE J L. V. Gossick, ED0 H. R. Denton, NRR S. H. Hanauer, EDO R. C. DeYoung, NRR Regiong/ .2df -

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J. J. Fouchard, PA R. J. Mattson, NRR N. M. Haller, MPA V. Stello, NRR R. G. Ryan, OSP R. S. Boyd, NRR H. K. Shapar, ELD SS Bldg p.'3 0 (MAIL) j C. V. Smith, HMSS J. J. Cummings, DIA  ;

R. Minogue, SD ,

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