ML072070145

Summary of June 27, 2007, Public Meeting Regarding FENOCs Re-analysis of the Time Line and Root Causes for the 2002 Davis-Besse Reactor Pressure Vessel Head Degradation Event

ML072070145
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Davis Besse, Perry
Issue date:	08/07/2007
From:	Thomas Wengert NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/LPLA
To:
Wengert, Thomas J, NRR/DORL, 415-4037
Shared Package
ML072070184	List: ML072070145
References
FOIA/PA-2007-0299
Download: ML072070145 (12)

Text

August 7, 2007 LICENSEE:

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC)

FACILITIES:

Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit No. 1; and Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1

SUMMARY

OF JUNE 27, 2007, PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING FENOCS RE-ANALYSIS OF THE TIME LINE AND ROOT CAUSES FOR THE 2002 DAVIS-BESSE REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD DEGRADATION EVENT On June 27, 2007, a Category 1 public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) senior staff and representatives of FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) at NRC Headquarters, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss FENOCs June 13, 2007, response to the NRCs May 14, 2007, Demand for Information (DFI) concerning FENOCs re-analysis of the time line and root causes for the 2002 Davis-Besse reactor pressure vessel head degradation event.

The NRC staff issued the May 14, 2007, DFI to determine whether further enforcement action was necessary to provide reasonable assurance that FENOC would continue to operate its licensed facilities in accordance with the terms of its license and the Commissions regulations.

The DFI required FENOC to provide detailed information regarding the process used to evaluate the report developed by Exponent Failure Analysis Associates and Altran Solutions Corporation (Exponent Report), a detailed discussion of the differences between the operational data underpinning FENOCs earlier root cause reports and the assumptions underpinning the Exponent Report, and a position on whether FENOC endorsed the conclusions of a second contractor report prepared in connection with an associated insurance claim.

A list of principal meeting participants is provided as Enclosure 1. A list of meeting attendees is provided as Enclosure 2. The licensees presentation can be found in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML071790596. The NRCs meeting handout materials can be found in ADAMS under Accession Nos.

ML071240254, ML071340333, ML071340325, ML071640480, and ML071710346.

The NRC senior staff opened the meeting by stating the purposes of the meeting, as follows:

(1)

To discuss FENOCs response to the NRCs May 14, 2007, Demand For Information (DFI). Specifically, to understand the timing of FENOCs review of the Exponent Report, and the factors FENOC considered when determining if the conclusions of the report should be communicated to the NRC.

(2)

To understand what lessons FENOC learned when they were preparing the response to the DFI, and what actions FENOC has taken and plans to take to address these lessons learned.

(3)

To understand FENOCs position regarding a second contracted report that was prepared for FENOC entitled, Report on Reactor Pressure Vessel Wastage at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant, dated December 2006 (Mattson Report).

The NRC also provided some background on the events that led to the NRCs issuance of the DFI and the public meeting. A summary of the background is contained in the DFI document found in ADAMS under Accession No. ML071340333.

The licensees presentation to the NRC senior staff addressed the three elements of the NRCs May 14, 2007, DFI. The presentation included a description of the time line of events from when FENOC received the Exponent and Mattson Reports in December 2006, to FENOCs June 13, 2007, DFI response; FENOCs initial consideration of the Exponent Report; FENOCs consideration of the NRCs April 2, 2007, request for information, and their May 2, 2007, response; a summary of FENOCs analysis of the Exponent and Mattson Reports, and the differences noted between the Exponent Report and the root cause reports; and identification of commitments FENOC intends to make to address the issues raised during their review of the Exponent and Mattson Reports.

The licensee acknowledged that their initial review of the Exponent Report lacked sensitivity to the regulatory interest and that their commercial and nuclear processes did not sufficiently interface during their review of the report.

At various times during the presentation, the NRC staff queried the licensee about aspects of the DFI response and the content of their presentation. The NRC acknowledged the licensees commitments to develop a process to review reports prepared for commercial matters, to provide operational experience to industry, to improve their NRC correspondence procedure, to assess their Regulatory Communications policy, and to develop lessons learned from their May 2, 2007, response to the NRC. The NRC staff is considering further regulatory actions with regard to these commitments.

Several members of the public were in attendance and others participated via teleconference.

Some members of the public asked questions of the NRC staff after the conclusion of the business portion of the meeting.

One member of the public asked the NRC what the next steps in the process would be. The NRC responded that FENOC needs to make the changes they have described, and that the NRC will need to determine if the corrective actions identified are necessary and sufficient.

One Public Meeting Feedback form was received following the meeting, which consisted of the following:

As indicated on the June 13th meeting notice, meeting categories are defined in a document dated May 28, 2002, in the Federal Register. Why doesnt it also refer to an ADAMS document, like the May 21, 2002, Policy Statement (Accession No. ML021350492) such that a person can stay within the NRC document system instead of having to refer to an outside document system, in order to find the information about the meeting categories?

This comment has been forwarded to the NRR Senior Communications Analyst for action.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-4037, or tjw2@nrc.gov.

/RA/

Thomas J. Wengert, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch LPLIII-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Docket Nos. 50-334, 50-412, 50-346, and 50-440

Enclosures:

1. List of Principal Meeting Participants

2. List of Attendees cc w/encls: See next page This comment has been forwarded to the NRR Senior Communications Analyst for action.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-4037, or tjw2@nrc.gov.

/RA/

Thomas J. Wengert, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch LPLIII-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Docket Nos. 50-334, 50-412, 50-346, and 50-440

Enclosure:

1. List of Principal Meeting Participants

2. List of Attendees cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC C. Carpenter,OE LPL3-2 R/F W. Kane, OEDO RidsNrrDorlLpl3-2 J. Caldwell, RIII RidsNrrPMTWengert S. Collins, RI RidsNrrLAEWhitt L. Chandler, OGC RidsOgcRp J. Dyer, NRR RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsNrrDorlLPL1-1 R. Jasinski, NRR J. Lamb, EDO Region I RidsNrrAdro T. Bloomer, EDO Region III RidsNrrDorl RidsRgn1MailCenter RidsEdoMailCenter RidsRgn3MailCenter RidsNrrDci RidsNrrAdes LPL1-1 R/F Package Accession No. ML072070184 Summary Accession No. ML072070145 Meeting Notice Accession No. ML071710346 Licensees Slides Accession No. ML071790596 NRC Assessment of Exponent Report Accession No. ML071240254 NRC DFI Accession No. ML071340333 NRC DFI Letter Accession No. ML071340325 FENOC Response to DFI Accession No. ML071640480 NRC-001 OFFICE LPL3-2/PM LPL3-2/LA DCI/CPNB OE/D LPL3-2/BC NAME TWengert EWhitt TChan CCarpenter RGibbs DATE 8/7/07 8/7/07 8 / 2 /07 8 /1 /07 8/7/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

LIST OF PRINCIPAL MEETING PARTICIPANTS PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANYS RE-ANALYSIS OF THE TIME LINE AND ROOT CAUSES FOR THE 2002 DAVIS-BESSE REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD DEGRADATION EVENT JUNE 27, 2007 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Nuclear Regulatory Commission C. Carpenter, Director, Office of Enforcement W. Kane, Deputy Executive Director, Office of the Executive Director for Operations J. Caldwell, Regional Administrator, Region III S. Collins, Regional Administrator, Region I J. Dyer, Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation L. Chandler, Associate General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company G. Leidich, FirstEnergy Senior Vice President - Operations J. Hagan, President and Chief Nuclear Officer D. Pace, Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering G. Halnon, Director, Fleet Regulatory Affairs C. Price, Director, Performance Improvement, Davis-Besse J. Powers, Director, Fleet Engineering

LIST OF ATTENDEES PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING FIRSTENERGY NUCLEAR OPERATING COMPANYS RE-ANALYSIS OF THE TIME LINE AND ROOT CAUSES FOR THE 2002 DAVIS-BESSE REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL HEAD DEGRADATION EVENT JUNE 27, 2007 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM NAME AFFILIATION

1. A. Rueangvivatanakij NEI

2. D. Johnson NEI

3. J. Rinckel FENOC

4. R. Reffner FENOC

5. T. Schneider FirstEnergy

6. E. Anderson FENOC

7. S. Sands NRC/NRR/DORL/LPL3-2

8. D. Pace FENOC

9. J. Gutierrez FENOC

10. J. Lieberman Talisman

11. G. Halnon FENOC

12. T. Matthews MLB

13. J. Schmutz ML&B

14. D. Jenkins FENOC

15. S. Eaton The Plain Dealer

16. J. Powers FENOC

17. A. Ireland NRC/RES

18. J. Kaizer NRC/ACRS

19. R. Anzalone NRC/DSS/SNPB

20. W. Jessup NRC/NRR

21. C. Carpenter NRC/RES

22. G. Caputo NRC/OI

23. J. Fitzgerald NRC/OI

24. G. Gulla NRC/NRO

25. B. Garde Clifford and Garde

26. S. Shepherd Clifford and Garde

27. T. Kellum NRC/DIRS

28. T. Houghton NEI

29. K. Klump NRC/DIRS

30. A. Zogrates NRC/NRR/DE LIST OF ATTENDEES (CONTINUED)

NAME AFFILIATION

31. T. Hedigan NRC/NRR/DIRS

32. A. Turlin NRC/NRO/DE

33. J. Davis NRC/NRR/DLR

34. A. Valentin NRC/RES

35. B. Cullen NRC/RES

36. M. Srinivasan NRC/RES

37. K. Hall FirstEnergy

38. P. Pettey Williams & Jensen

39. D. McIntyre NRC/OPA

40. J. Cai NRC/OE

41. A. Powell NRC/OCA

42. T. Steingass NRC/NRR

43. L. Regner NRC/NRR

44. M. Cash NRC/OIG

45. R. Laufer NRC/OEDO

46. H. Nieh NRC/NRR

47. D. Solorio NRC/OE

48. K. Cyr NRC/OGC

49. J. Beall NRC

50. D. Starkey NRC/OE

51. C. Gratton NRC/DORL

52. E. Duncan NRC/RIII

53. B. Burgess NRC/RIII

54. T. Wengert NRC/DORL

55. D. Horner Platts/McGraw-Hill

56. M. Fahey NRC/OI

57. S. Hackworth NRC/OI

58. R. Haemer Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman

59. D. Zaslowsky Baker & McKenzie

60. J. Grobe NRC

61. B. Bateman NRC

62. J. Collins NRC

63. D. Persinko NRC

64. M. Evans NRC/NRR/DCI

65. S. Lee NRC/OCM

66. T. Mensah NRC/NRR/PSPB

67. T. Hibschman NRC

68. P. Gunter NIRS

69. T. Henry The Blade

70. U. Shoop NRC LIST OF ATTENDEES (CONTINUED)

NAME AFFILIATION

71. D. Terao NRC

72. T. Campbell NRC

73. R. Anderson*

FENOC

74. S. Arndt*

Ottawa County Commissioner

75. B. Beach*

Consultant

76. M. Beiting*

FirstEnergy Corp.

77. D. Ferraro*

Member of the public

78. S. Focht*

ANI

79. J. Funk*

The Plain Dealer

80. J. Goebel*

Indian Point

81. J. Greer*

Ottawa County Emergency Mngt.

82. T. Griesbach*

Structural Integrity

83. T. Gurdziel*

Private Investor

84. H. Hegrat*

FENOC

85. S. Helmer*

OH Department of Health

86. R. Janati*

PA Department of Protection

87. M. Kaplan*

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur

88. S. Langan*

NRC

89. Y. Leidorf*

Executive Assistant

90. M. Leisure*

FENOC

91. J. Mangels*

The Plain Dealer

92. K. Meade*

FirstEnergy

93. R. Miller*

House of Rep.

94. J. Nelson*

DTE

95. K. Nesser*

FirstEnergy

96. C. OClaire*

OH Emergency Management

97. J. Penny*

Law Firm Killiam & Gephart

98. H. Robinson*

Gordon & Ermer

99. J. Rogers*

FENOC 100. J. Rutkowski*

NRC 101. K. Schaefer*

WKSU 102. J. Schultz*

FENOC 103. L. Strauss*

FENOC 104. R. Strauss*

FirstEnergy 105. J. Sturdavant*

FirstEnergy 106. K. Turosky*

FirstEnergy Corp.

107. S. West*

NRC Region 3 108. M. Wilk*

NRC 109. J. Young*

FirstEnergy

• participated via teleconference

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 cc:

Manager, Site Regulatory Compliance FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Mail Stop A-DB-3065 5501 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Director, Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance Bureau of Operations & Maintenance 6606 Tussing Road P.O. Box 4009 Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009 Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Suite 210 2443 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4352 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5503 North State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 Stephen Helmer Supervisor, Technical Support Section Bureau of Radiation Protection Ohio Department of Health 35 East Chestnut Street, 7th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Carol OClaire, Chief, Radiological Branch Ohio Emergency Management Agency 2855 West Dublin Granville Road Columbus, OH 43235-2206 Zack A. Clayton DERR Ohio Environmental Protection Agency P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43266-0149 State of Ohio Public Utilities Commission 180 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43266-0573 Attorney General Office of Attorney General 30 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43216 President, Board of County Commissioners of Ottawa County Port Clinton, OH 43252 President, Board of County Commissioners of Lucas County One Government Center, Suite 800 Toledo, OH 43604-6506 The Honorable Dennis J. Kucinich United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Dennis J. Kucinich United States House of Representatives 14400 Detroit Avenue Lakewood, OH 44107 Joseph J. Hagan President and Chief Nuclear Officer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 David W. Jenkins, Attorney FirstEnergy Corporation Mail Stop A-GO-15 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Danny L. Pace Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Manager, Fleet Licensing FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-2 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 cc:

Director, Fleet Regulatory Affairs FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-2 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Jeannie M. Rinckel Vice President, Fleet Oversight FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Richard Anderson Vice President, Nuclear Support FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Mark B. Bezilla Site Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Mail Stop A-DB-3080 5501 North State, Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449-9760 James H. Lash Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Akron, OH 44308 Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 cc:

Resident Inspector's Office U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 331 Perry, OH 44081-0331 Sue Hiatt OCRE Interim Representative 8275 Munson Mentor, OH 44060 Manager, Site Regulatory Compliance FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Perry Nuclear Power Plant Mail Stop A-PY-A200 P.O. Box 97, 10 Center Road Perry, OH 44081-0097 Mayor, Village of North Perry North Perry Village Hall 4449 Lockwood Road North Perry Village, OH 44081 Donna Owens, Director Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance Bureau of Operations & Maintenance 6606 Tussing Road P.O. Box 4009 Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009 Mayor, Village of Perry P.O. Box 100 Perry, OH 44081-0100 Chairman Perry Township Board of Trustees 3750 Center Road, Box 65 Perry, OH 44081

Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1 cc:

Daniel Z. Fisher Transportation Department Public Utilities Commission 180 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43215-3793 Barry S. Allen Site Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Perry Nuclear Power Plant Mail Stop A-PY-A290 P.O. Box 97, 10 Center Road Perry, OH 44081-0097 Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 cc:

Manager, Site Regulatory Compliance FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station Mail Stop A-BV-A P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Shippingport, PA 15077 Commissioner James R. Lewis West Virginia Division of Labor 749-B, Building No. 6 Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305 Director, Utilities Department Public Utilities Commission 180 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43266-0573 Director, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency 2605 Interstate Dr.

Harrisburg, PA 17110-9364 Dr. Judith Johnsrud Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue State College, PA 16803 Director Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Mayor of the Borough of Shippingport P.O. Box 3 Shippingport, PA 15077 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406

Beaver Valley Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 cc:

Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 298 Shippingport, PA 15077 James H. Lash Site Vice President FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station Mail Stop A-BV-SEB1 P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Shippingport, PA 15077