ML20197J369

Partially Deleted, Interview Rept of M Tessier, on 970122 Re Allegations That Former Plant Employee J Massey Was Discriminated Against Because He Raised Concerns About Design Change for Plant Advanced Off Gas Sys

ML20197J369
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	01/22/1997
From:	Teator J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20197H509	List: ML20197H506 ML20197J270 ML20197J276 ML20197J295 ML20197J310 ML20197J351 ML20197J361 ML20197J369 ML20197J376
References
FOIA-97-365 1-96-005, 1-96-005-05, 1-96-5, 1-96-5-5, NUDOCS 9801020158
Download: ML20197J369 (3)

Text

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4 INTERVIEW REPORT OF MICHAEL TF3 DER t;)ng agent. The On Jan,.ary 22, 1997, TESSIER was -intemrwed by the rep'Wuclear Power Plant interview was conducted under oath at the Vermord fanhe (VY), Training Center, Brattleboro VT. 7ESSRh pnwhWJ the following information regarding an allegation that fonner V1 embyee James MASSEY was discriminated against because he had raised concerm with a design. change for the VY Advanced Off Gas System (A0GS). ,

o on '1 s at .

license His home te ep cation number is His o ce telep His-rvers}.h r is (802) 258 5656. He graduated from Northea' stern University 1 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He was hired b as a Co Op student in December 1984 and became a permanent, fuH rime emp oyee in 1988 after graduating from Northeastern. He 15 currently a Project Engineer / Electrical . Pat CORBETT has been his superviscir since January 1996.

From December 1984 until 1991 MASSEY was his supervisor. From 1991 until 1993 Dave PHILLIPS was his supervisor. He stated that he considers MASSEY to be a good personal friend, and that their friendship grew out of their professional relationship.

Although TESSIER stated that he had no specific res' nsibility for the A0GS design change, he worked in the same department as SEY. He recalls seeing e

i marked up A0GS drawings in MASSEY's handwriting in the traler that MASSEY was l

using during the A0GS design change project. He recalls that there were a significant amount of errors in the different sets of A0GS drawings. TESSIER

(- commented that one of MASSEY's greate:t strengths was his knowledge of plant electrical drawings. He recalls seeing MASSEY's list of approximately 80 discreaancies between the different sets of drawings. 17.SSIER stated that the list slowed him that NASSEY must have been involved in the review of the drawings and the resolution of the discrepancies.

TESSIER stated that MASSEY told him that he had significant concerns that the drawings did not indicate what was actually installed in the plant, and that MASSEY felt that in order to implement any design into VY, the existing wiring conditions needed to be verified before proceeding with the design. He a!so said that MASSEY had problems with the way in which VY wanted to implement the design change. He said that MASSEY was concerned because of grounding issuc; on the A0GS, specifically that the instrument alternating current was crossed with the vital (safety related) alternating current. TESSIER said that MASSEY's concerns,with the A0GS project were not addressed by VY, byt_he t does y c not know enggh details about the concerns to state whether MASSEY's concerns were true sETbty concerns.

TESSIER felt that MASSEY basically felt that Yankee Atomic Energy Company (YAEC) Engineer Lou CASEY was incompetent and that as a result of the problems that were encountered during the project, MASSEY and CASEY developed a personality conflict.

TESSIER stated that MASSEY told him about the poor performance review he received from CORBETT and gave him a copy of it. He thinks tr .t MASSEY C believed that the poor review was caused by his disagreement with the work on the A0GS design change and his involvement in the VY gate house modific ion EXHIBIT CEN0. 1-962005~

9801020158 971223 PAGE_ / OFN PAGE(S) hKEYY363 PDR ,

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4ASSEY believed that a proximately ems $200;00b with VY .startea wuh the gate house project and that it was ,a very regative _pivatil pnint .ir 1is career at VY, and that VY used the A0GS design change yoject 'tv set 'hiocap for failure. He said that MASSEY believed that tm was given an uverwhe'imng project without C- being given the resources needed to successfuhy TompW /t.

TESSIER believes that MASSEY's invohement in the gate ' house project set up the personality conflicts that MASSEY had w'ith CORBETT, Vf Engineering Director Bernie BUTEAU, and VY Plant . Manager Jhr PELIETIER.

AGERT'S NOTE: The gate house pmject prt<teted MASSEY's work on the A0GS design change.

TESSIER o)ines that MASSEY had legitimate concerns with the design change, but that CORB UT, BUTEAU, and PELLETIER were more interested in their personal feelings towards MASSEY than in his concerns. TESSIER thinks that they used the failure of the A0GS project as a tool for giving KASSEY a poor job performance review. TESSIER stated that he fee!s that MASSEY should take a fairly small part of the blame for the failure of the A0GS project to be completed in time to be implemented during the 1995 refuel outage.

TESSIER also believes that they moved MASSEY to a craft worker trailer during the engineering department building renovation to humiliate MASSEY, and that when the renovation was completed, MASSEY was not returned to the renovated building.

Regarding Rick ROUTHIER, TESSIER said that, based on his work with ROUTHIER, he feels that ROUTHIER is a competent electrical engineer, and he feels that

(, if ROUTHIER had a safety concern he would push it until it was resolved.

AGENT'S NOTE: ROUTHIER felt that the problems with the drawings were not significant, and that the project should continue to comaletion, whereas MASSEY felt that the project should be sto> ped and t1e drawing problems resolved first before moving ahead with tie project.

Regarding Pat McKENNEY, who, along with George HENGERLE performed an independent assessment of whether the project should continue despite problems with the drawings. TESSIER does not consider him to be technically sound, based on his working experiences with him. TESSIER stated that he has a good working relationship with HENGERLE and co iders him to be technically sound.

Repor d: '

/ /

f d 4 Jeffrey A. Teator, Special Agent I

Office of Investigations Field Office, Region I

$2$

Case No. 1 96 005 2 EXHIBIT I

PAGE $ OF M PAGE(S)

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c EXHIBIT 23 D\\

Case No. 1-96 005 Exhibit 23

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