ML14356A561

Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2, Third-Party Assessment of Safety Culture

ML14356A561
Person / Time
Site:	Arkansas Nuclear
Issue date:	12/17/2014
From:	Browning J G Entergy Operations
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
OCAN121401
Download: ML14356A561 (4)

Text

SEntergyEntergy Operations, Inc.1448 S.R. 333Russellville, AR 72802Tel 479-858-3110 Jeremy G. BrowningSite Vice President Arkansas Nuclear OneOCAN121401 December 17, 2014U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control DeskWashington, DC 20555

SUBJECT:

Third-Party Assessment of Arkansas Nuclear One Safety CultureArkansas Nuclear One -Units 1 and 2Docket Nos. 50-313 and 50-368License Nos. DPR-51 and NPF-6

Dear Sir or Madam:

Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy) is committed to operating its nuclear generating

stations, including Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO), in a manner that protects the healthand safety of the public and plant personnel.

Despite a generally good operating record,ANO has recently experienced performance problems which have resulted in NRCviolations of more than minor safety significance.

Entergy has performed causeanalyses to determine the causes of these violations and has taken corrective actions toaddress them to prevent their recurrence.

However, in order to ensure that a strong andsafe plant performance is maintained, Entergy also intends to perform a broaderassessment of the safety culture at ANO. This assessment is planned to be conducted in two phases:1. Entergy has retained

Synergy, Inc. (Synergy) to perform a comprehensive survey of ANO personnel to gauge the safety culture at ANO and personnel perceptions of that safety culture.

Synergy has performed many similar surveysin the past and their methodology permits comparisons with other nuclear powerfacilities and with previous safety culture survey results from ANO. The ANOsurvey was just completed, and Synergy is analyzing the data.2. Additionally, the ANO safety culture is planned to be assessed by a team ofpersonnel with experience in the management and/or regulation of nuclearpower plants and who have experience in addressing safety culture issues. Theteam members are independent of ANO and meet the criteria for participation ina third-party safety culture assessment as that term is used in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0305. The memorandum chartering this assessment isenclosed.

001 0CAN121401 Page 2 of 2The on-site portion of the ANO third-party safety culture assessment is currently scheduled to occur in early March, 2015. Entergy anticipates a briefing on thepreliminary results by the end of March, 2015, with a written report approximately onemonth later.In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact Dale James at 479-858-4619 orStephenie Pyle at 479-858-4704 if any further information is needed. Entergy desires toensure that a sound and thorough assessment is conducted that is consistent with NRCguidance and is glad to answer any additional questions.

This letter contains no newregulatory commitments.

Sincerely, JGB/dej

Enclosure:

Third-Party Assessment of ANO Safety Culture Chartercc: Mr. Marc DapasRegional Administrator U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region IV1600 East Lamar Boulevard Arlington, TX 76011-4511 NRC Senior Resident Inspector Arkansas Nuclear OneP.O. Box 310London, AR 72847U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Ms. Andrea E. GeorgeMS O-8B1One White Flint North11555 Rockville PikeRockville, MD 20852 Enclosure toOCAN121401 Third-Party Assessment of Arkansas Nuclear One Safety Culture Charter S-Entergy DATE: December 16, 2014TO: Michael BellamyFROM: Joseph Kowalews

SUBJECT:

Third-Party Asselsment of Arkansas Nuclear One Safety CultureEntergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy) is engaged in a broad effort to assess the safety culture of the Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO)generating

station, to identify the causes of performance issues, and to develop plans to improve performance.

As part of this effort, athorough and independent assessment of the ANO safety culture is required.

This assessment will meet the standards for a third-party safety culture assessment specified in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0305 and NRC Inspection Procedure 95003.Entergy has retained

Synergy, Inc. (Synergy) to conduct a survey to independently assess the ANO safety culture.

To supplement Synergy's effort, and to ensure that the views of other individuals with substantial experience in managing nuclear power facilities and/or responding to nuclear safety culture industry are brought to bear, I have asked you to assemble a team of experienced individuals to perform any additional evaluation activities the team deems necessary to ensure a complete and thorough safety cultureevaluation.

The team should consider NRC and INPO guidance and standards on safety culture in developing its evaluation plan andperforming evaluation activities, and should coordinate its activities with Synergy to ensure that the evaluation is performed in acomplete,

thorough, and efficient fashion that complies with applicable NRC guidance.

The team should also review the results of theassessment performed by Synergy and integrate them into a final set of conclusions.

The individuals selected for the evaluation team should be independent of Entergy.

In particular,

• None of these individuals shall be employees of Entergy, its parent company, or any co-owner of ANO.* None of these individuals shall have been responsible, within the past ten years, for any of the activities or programs at ANOwhich they are assigned to assess.Former Entergy employees may participate on the assessment team, so long as they meet the above criteria;

however, no more thantwo team members shall previously have been employees of Entergy.I have directed ANO and other Entergy management and personnel to provide this team with free access to any ANO or Entergypersonnel, documents, facilities, and any other items or information needed for the performance of a complete assessment.

During its activities and in the preparation of any documents, the assessment team should ensure that the identities of individuals whoprovide opinions or concerns to the assessment team are kept confidential.

The team should also provide any individual who wishes todo so the opportunity to meet with the team and discuss any safety or safety culture issues of concern.

In addition, should the teamidentify any issue that may affect safety plant operation or is otherwise of immediate

concern, the team must report that issue promptlyto Dale E. James, Director of Regulatory and Performance Improvement so it can be addressed.

The evaluation team shall periodically apprise Entergy of its progress, and report its results in a briefing to Entergy and ANOmanagement on or about March 31, 2015, with a written report to follow according to a mutually agreed-upon schedule.

These resultsshall include information on strengths and weaknesses in the ANO safety culture, including, where appropriate, information on thereasons for those strengths and weaknesses.

It is our goal to have a complete and thorough assessment.

Please let me know if you need any additional support.JAK/mbcc: Jeremy Browning SEntergyEntergy Operations, Inc.1448 S.R. 333Russellville, AR 72802Tel 479-858-3110 Jeremy G. BrowningSite Vice President Arkansas Nuclear OneOCAN121401 December 17, 2014U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control DeskWashington, DC 20555

SUBJECT:

Third-Party Assessment of Arkansas Nuclear One Safety CultureArkansas Nuclear One -Units 1 and 2Docket Nos. 50-313 and 50-368License Nos. DPR-51 and NPF-6

Dear Sir or Madam:

Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy) is committed to operating its nuclear generating

stations, including Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO), in a manner that protects the healthand safety of the public and plant personnel.

Despite a generally good operating record,ANO has recently experienced performance problems which have resulted in NRCviolations of more than minor safety significance.

Entergy has performed causeanalyses to determine the causes of these violations and has taken corrective actions toaddress them to prevent their recurrence.

However, in order to ensure that a strong andsafe plant performance is maintained, Entergy also intends to perform a broaderassessment of the safety culture at ANO. This assessment is planned to be conducted in two phases:1. Entergy has retained

Synergy, Inc. (Synergy) to perform a comprehensive survey of ANO personnel to gauge the safety culture at ANO and personnel perceptions of that safety culture.

Synergy has performed many similar surveysin the past and their methodology permits comparisons with other nuclear powerfacilities and with previous safety culture survey results from ANO. The ANOsurvey was just completed, and Synergy is analyzing the data.2. Additionally, the ANO safety culture is planned to be assessed by a team ofpersonnel with experience in the management and/or regulation of nuclearpower plants and who have experience in addressing safety culture issues. Theteam members are independent of ANO and meet the criteria for participation ina third-party safety culture assessment as that term is used in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0305. The memorandum chartering this assessment isenclosed.

001 0CAN121401 Page 2 of 2The on-site portion of the ANO third-party safety culture assessment is currently scheduled to occur in early March, 2015. Entergy anticipates a briefing on thepreliminary results by the end of March, 2015, with a written report approximately onemonth later.In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact Dale James at 479-858-4619 orStephenie Pyle at 479-858-4704 if any further information is needed. Entergy desires toensure that a sound and thorough assessment is conducted that is consistent with NRCguidance and is glad to answer any additional questions.

This letter contains no newregulatory commitments.

Sincerely, JGB/dej

Enclosure:

Third-Party Assessment of ANO Safety Culture Chartercc: Mr. Marc DapasRegional Administrator U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region IV1600 East Lamar Boulevard Arlington, TX 76011-4511 NRC Senior Resident Inspector Arkansas Nuclear OneP.O. Box 310London, AR 72847U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Ms. Andrea E. GeorgeMS O-8B1One White Flint North11555 Rockville PikeRockville, MD 20852 Enclosure toOCAN121401 Third-Party Assessment of Arkansas Nuclear One Safety Culture Charter S-Entergy DATE: December 16, 2014TO: Michael BellamyFROM: Joseph Kowalews

SUBJECT:

Third-Party Asselsment of Arkansas Nuclear One Safety CultureEntergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy) is engaged in a broad effort to assess the safety culture of the Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO)generating

station, to identify the causes of performance issues, and to develop plans to improve performance.

As part of this effort, athorough and independent assessment of the ANO safety culture is required.

This assessment will meet the standards for a third-party safety culture assessment specified in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0305 and NRC Inspection Procedure 95003.Entergy has retained

Synergy, Inc. (Synergy) to conduct a survey to independently assess the ANO safety culture.

To supplement Synergy's effort, and to ensure that the views of other individuals with substantial experience in managing nuclear power facilities and/or responding to nuclear safety culture industry are brought to bear, I have asked you to assemble a team of experienced individuals to perform any additional evaluation activities the team deems necessary to ensure a complete and thorough safety cultureevaluation.

The team should consider NRC and INPO guidance and standards on safety culture in developing its evaluation plan andperforming evaluation activities, and should coordinate its activities with Synergy to ensure that the evaluation is performed in acomplete,

thorough, and efficient fashion that complies with applicable NRC guidance.

The team should also review the results of theassessment performed by Synergy and integrate them into a final set of conclusions.

The individuals selected for the evaluation team should be independent of Entergy.

In particular,

• None of these individuals shall be employees of Entergy, its parent company, or any co-owner of ANO.* None of these individuals shall have been responsible, within the past ten years, for any of the activities or programs at ANOwhich they are assigned to assess.Former Entergy employees may participate on the assessment team, so long as they meet the above criteria;

however, no more thantwo team members shall previously have been employees of Entergy.I have directed ANO and other Entergy management and personnel to provide this team with free access to any ANO or Entergypersonnel, documents, facilities, and any other items or information needed for the performance of a complete assessment.

During its activities and in the preparation of any documents, the assessment team should ensure that the identities of individuals whoprovide opinions or concerns to the assessment team are kept confidential.

The team should also provide any individual who wishes todo so the opportunity to meet with the team and discuss any safety or safety culture issues of concern.

In addition, should the teamidentify any issue that may affect safety plant operation or is otherwise of immediate

concern, the team must report that issue promptlyto Dale E. James, Director of Regulatory and Performance Improvement so it can be addressed.

The evaluation team shall periodically apprise Entergy of its progress, and report its results in a briefing to Entergy and ANOmanagement on or about March 31, 2015, with a written report to follow according to a mutually agreed-upon schedule.

These resultsshall include information on strengths and weaknesses in the ANO safety culture, including, where appropriate, information on thereasons for those strengths and weaknesses.

It is our goal to have a complete and thorough assessment.

Please let me know if you need any additional support.JAK/mbcc: Jeremy Browning