PNO-III-88-010A, on 880310,licensee Notified Region III That Investigation Into Firewatch Record Discrepancies Completed & Concluded That 51 Watchman Failed to Perform Duties,Per Procedures.Licensee Awarded Contracts to Another Contractor

PNO-III-88-010A:on 880310,licensee Notified Region III That Investigation Into Firewatch Record Discrepancies Completed & Concluded That 51 Watchman Failed to Perform Duties,Per Procedures.Licensee Awarded Contracts to Another Contractor

ML20150A874
Person / Time
Site:	Byron
Issue date:	03/11/1988
From:	Creed J, Mallett B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-88-010A, PNO-III-88-10A, NUDOCS 8803160075
Download: ML20150A874 (1)

F. ..

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PN0-III-88-10A Date March 11, 1988 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety TCD or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III staff on this date.

Facility: Commonwealth Edison Company Licensee Emergency Classification:

Byron Units 1 and 2 Notification of an Unusual Event Byron,IL 61010 Alert Site Area Emergency Docket Nos. 50-454; 50-455 General Emergency X Not Applicable

Subject:

APPARENT FIREWATCH RECORD DISCREPANCIES----(UPDATE)

The licensee has notified . Region III (Chicago) that it has completed its month-long investigation into apparent firewatch record discrepancies and concluded that 51 watchman (fire surveillance personnel) employed by the Wackenhut Corporation failed to perform their duties in accordance with procedures.

Wackenhut has either fired or suspended the 51 employees, and the licensee has denied site access to the individuals for a minimum of one year. The total firewatch force at the plant is 55. In the interim, firewatch patrols were conducted by other trained personnel.

Wackenhut supplied both firewatch personnel and security personnel at Byron.

The investigation also showed that all NRC required security functions, some of which were performed by watchmen, were performed adequately. Based on extensive record reviews, observation of functions and interviews with those watchman involved in security, the licensee concluded there was no connection 'between failed firewatch patrols and security functions.

Coincidental to this event, the licensee has awarded both the contract for security services and the contract for firewatch support to contractors other than Wackenhut.

The State of Illinois will be notified. The NRC's Infonnation Assessment Team and NRR's Safeguards Branch have been briefed by Region III, which is monitoring the situation.

RegionIIIwasnotifiedofthisupdatedinformationabout3:30p.m.(CST), March 10, 1988.

This information is current as of 9:30 a.m. (CST), March 11, 1988.

b0 h CONTACT: Creed B. Mallett (/)f .

S 388-5643 FTS 388-5612 h

DISTRIBUTION: E$

H. St. NMBB 'hillips E/W WFN 1 ?W8 Chaiman Zech EUU .RR UIX K - -

Comm. Roberts ARM 01 i B G$ ;

Comm. Bernthal EDO AirRights Mail To: dAO Comm. Carr PA SLITP /$*D, DCS(Original) m v1 Comm. Rogers OGC DOT (Trans. Only) $ o3 SECY g8 OGC-H FAX T0: Nicholson Lane Regions w CA INP0 Q N RES Region I 8" C

GPA NSAC /A *i9 Region II ACRS Licensee /2/47 Region IV PDR Resident Inspector Region V HQS. Operations Officer /).9 7 -I Region III

' N r.w#<n ED