ML20132C846

Responds to 850215 Request for Comments on BNL Rept Re Independent Safety Organization.New Organization Could Minimize Perception of Conflict of Interest.Nrr Prepared to Work W/New Group

ML20132C846
Person / Time
Issue date:	03/26/1985
From:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Heltemes C NRC OFFICE FOR ANALYSIS & EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL DATA (AEOD)
Shared Package
ML20132C621	List: ML20132C617 ML20132C624 ML20132C802 ML20132C808 ML20132C840 ML20132C846 ML20132C849 ML20132C854 ML20132C870 ML20132C874 ML20132C878 ML20132C883 ML20132C886 ML20132C893 ML20132C898 ML20132C903 ML20134D717 ML20134D837 ML20134D920 ML20134D941 ML20134D948
References
FOIA-85-427, FOIA-850427 NUDOCS 8504080362
Download: ML20132C846 (2)

Text

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i- s, 4 m o mecro % o.c.zosss

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MEMORANDtM FOR:

C. J. Heltemes, Jr. . Director Office for Analysis and Evaluation i

Operational Data FRON: ',

' Harold R. Denton Director '

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation I

SUBJECT:

STUDY OF THE NEED FOR AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY TO -

, INVESTIGATE INCIDENTS AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS This memorandum is in response to your February 15, 1985 request for coments on the Brookhaven National Laboratory Report on an Independent Safety Organization.

"We find that this report presents an improved description of NRR activities relating to the follow-up of unanticipated events at reactnes, and that our i

canehts on an earlier draft report have been adequately included. '

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> With respect to the need for an independent nrganization to investigate incidents,'the report concludes that, ". . .the potential for a conflict of interest. . . and the potential for concentrating on regulatory compliance I rather than determination of cause. . . is sufficient, in our ,iudgment, to i* justify a greater independ,ence of the investigating body from the licensing, i

regulatory, and enforcecent arms of MRC." We believe that the current system 1

in Wich NRR. IE. the Regional Offices and AE00 participate in coordinated i

l'nvestigations of unanticipated events, has been effective in identifying

' ' safety concerns without being unduly burdensome to licensees. However, we do not disagree with the report conclusion that increased independence cou.ld minimize the perception of possible conflict of interest.

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i j The decision on the degree of independence needed in such investigations is I fundamentally a decision to be made by the Crmission and/or the Congress.

WRR would be prepared to work with any new investigative group such as an

" Office of Suelear Safety" as we now work with AF00. Our principal concern is that any new organization or new procedures not dilute NRR's abilities to make timely and informed safety decisions on plant restart and on t;hort tem generic actions needed at other plants. Therefore. NRR would need to be .,

kept fully informd cn a continuing basis of the findings of any investigattors carried out; by an independent office.

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C. J. Hditenes Jr. .

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Harold R. Denton; Of rector j Office of Muclear Reactor Regulatfor.

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