ML20151W561

Responds to Requesting Investigation of Drug & alcohol-related Matters at Plant.Nrc Expects Licensees to Have Vigorous fitness-for-duty Program & to Strive for Drug Free Work Site

ML20151W561
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	04/25/1988
From:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Markey E HOUSE OF REP.
Shared Package
ML20151W564	List: ML20151W561 ML20151W568 ML20151W628 ML20154C940
References
NUDOCS 8805030427
Download: ML20151W561 (2)

Text

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• Distribution:

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JTaylor TMartin k*****f April 25, 1988 TRehm Vstello IGillespie VNerses CHAIRMAN WRussell, RI BHayes JMurray TMurley/JSniezek DMossburg FMiraglia The Honorable Edward J. Markey SVarga United States House of Representatives BBoger Washington, D.C. 20515 RWessman

Dear Congressman Markey:

This responds to your letter of March 3, 1988, in which you requested an investigation of drug and alcohol-related matters at the Seabrook nuclear power plant. I can assure you that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is both aware of and con- . c cerned about allegations of drug and alcohol use at thelSeabrookt site. The NRC investigates allegations related to substance abuse at any nuclear pow 3r plant when they are reported to us. Our primary responsibility, however, is to ensure that the plant is I constructed in a safe manner and does not pose a threat to public health and safety. Illegal behavior of on-site personnel is of concern to the NRC to the extent it af fects construction or operation of the licensed facility.

The NRC staff has been aware of many of the allegations concerning drug and alcohol use during construction of Seabrook. In par-ticular, the staff of our Region I office has been aware of the concrete testing company allegations since September 1987, and is still investigating this matter. The staff has also carefully reviewed your recent investigation report and found no new issues that had not already been considered in the staff's overall conclusion on construction quality at Seabrook.

NRC expects its licensees to have a vigorous fitness-for-duty program and to strive for a drug-free work site, but we do not rely exclusively on such a program to ensure that a plant has been constructed safely. The NRC requires each licensee to have a comprehensive quality assurance program to find and correct construction deficiencies from any cause, including possible worker fitness-related causes. We verify the effectiveness of the licensee's quality assurance program through frequent, detailed, on-site inspections throughout the construction period. In addition, NRC sends its own team of experts to make independent measurements of the quality of welds, concrete, and other con-struction items. More than 26,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of NRC inspection have been expended at Seabrook, and it is primarily on the basis of that independent inspection effort that we have concluded that the Seabrook plant has been constructed safely.

Originated: NRR:Nerses G805030427 880425 PDR COMMS NRCC CORRESPONDENCE PDR

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You raised a concern about the licensee's compliance with the reporting requirements of 10 CFR Part 21. For plants under construction, the licensee is required to report situations where there are safety deficiencies that meet the definitions of 10 CFR Pa rt 50.55(e) or 10 CFR Part 21. In making such reports, the licensee is ~ required to identify the defects and the root cause for such defects. Should there be a connection of the defect with i drug use, the licensee would be obligated to identify such use as contributing to the cause of such defects. The staff has re-quested the licensee to provide answers to a series of questions developed in coordination with our Office of Investigations (see  ;

enclosed letter). In its reply, we expect that the licensee l will also address the specific recommendations contained in your  !

report.

We will keep you informed of the progress and results of our examination of this matter. l l

Sincerely, N- '

Lando W. Z h,J

Enclosure:

As Stated cc: The Honorable Morris K. Udall The Honorable Philip R. Sharp i

j UNITED STATES

, p-j \j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I

• 476 ALLENDALE 90AD KINO oF PRUS$1A,PENN$vlVANIA 194o4 March 18,1988 Docket No. 50-443 Public Service Company of New Hampshire ATTH: Mr. Robert J. Harrison President and Chief Executive Officer Post Office Box 330 Manchester, New Hampshire 03105 Gentlemen:

As an enclosure to a letter dated January 28, 1988 from Congressman Edward J. Markey to Chairman Zech, the NRC was provided a copy of an Investiga-tive Report, entitled "Drug and Alcohol Use at the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant." We understand that a copy of this report was provided to you by separate correspondence f rom the Congressman. Certain specific allegations, provided as part of the Investigative Report, have already been reviewed and inspected during the conduct of separate NRC activities to investigate allega-tions raised by the Employee's Legal Project (

Reference:

Region I Inspection Report Nos. 50-443/86-52 and 50-443/87-07). Nevertheless, I feel it is appro-priate for you to formally provide NRC with your coments on the six recommen-dations contained in the report.

I therefore request that you provide to me within sixty days, in accordance with the routine correspondence requirements for the Seabrook docket, the i information requested in the preceding paragraph. You should also feel free to elaborate upon any specific issues that you have determined to be particularly pertinent in your assessment of the conclusions of the Investigative Report.

Additionally, to establish a clear and concise record on the docket regarding drug and alcohol abuse issues at Seabrook, you are requested to provide answers to the specific questions listed in the enclosure to this letter.

We recognize that the. answers to certain of those questions may have been provided already to Congressmen Markey and Sharp in response to formal Congressional requests. If you determine that such duplication exists, you may copy and provide reference to such records, as appropriate.

The information requested in this letter should aid the staff in its continuing review of activities conducted at the Seabrook Station. Your cooperation with us in this effort is appreciated. i Sincerely, h T.

William T. Russell Regional Administrator i

e n d n e il fl Q L A l Z,) V fG/ " T Y & I l

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Public Service Company of New 2 Hampshire

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl:

E. A. Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, New Hampshire Yankee T. C. Feigenbaum, Vice President, Engineering and Quality Programs W. J. Hall, Regulatory Services Manager D. E. Moody, Station Manager P. W. Agnes, Assistant Secretary of Public Safety, Commonwealth of Massachusetts E ployee's legal Project PubbicDocumentRoom(POR)

Local Public Document Room (LPOR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

HRC Resident Inspector State of New Hampshire Commonwealth of Massachusetts Seabrook Hearing Service List l

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ENCLOSURE The following questions are asked for the purpose of . developing a complete record n each specific subject being addressed. The responses should be structured not only to apprise the NRC of the specific answer to each question, but also to provide a discussion of any pertinent licensee policies and  ;

positions on these matters.

1. With regard to all drug and alcohol incidents which have been identified at Seabrook Station since the commencement of construction, what evalua-tive processes were used to analyze the potential impact of each incident on plant construction quality? In particular, describe any differences which exist between the evaluation processes for incidents identified af ter 1982, for which records are available, and those applied to inci-dents identified prior to 1982 for which records are unavailable. Describe whether documented programs exist for the technical dispositioning of those incidents identified and provide a. detailed bases, either specific or general, for your determination that construction quality was not adversely affected.

2. How were specific incidents of drug and alcohol problems evaluated to determine if _ a basis existed for reporting these mattcr: pursuant to 10 l CFR 50.55(e) and 10 CFR 21? How were such incidents also evaluated for reportability as an ASLB Board Notification during the current and pre-vious licensing processes?

3. What was the reason for the termination of the Pittsburgh Testing Labora-tory contract at Seabrook Station in March 1986? Explain the chronology and relation of this termination to subsequent PTL employee grievances and arbitrator rulings. Discuss any other specific problems that have been encountered in attempting to enforce project rules on drug and alcohol use at Seabrook Station and subsequent actions taken.

4. What objective evidence is available to provide assurance of site concrete l quality, given the allegations raised in regard to suspected drug usage at the PTL laboratory? Explain in detail the scope of PTL activities at i Seabrook and to what extent the PTL testing functions with regard to 1 construction quality were checked or duplicated by other independent means or personnel.

5. On November 24, 1986, in response to a series of questions from '

Representative Markey, the NRC reported that it had been apprised by PSNH and others of nine cases of drug or alcohol related allegations at Seabrook.

a. Was PSNH aware of the details of the November 24, 1986 NRC response?

If so, when did PSNH become aware? If PSNH was aware, what actions were taken to inform NRC that many other specific cases of drug /

alcohol abuse at Seabrook had been investigated by PSNH?

b. Describe the efforts that were undertaken to assure NRC was provided complete and accurate information regarding drug / alcohol abuse at Seabrook. Include in this anwer, a chronology of the relevant notifications / communications made and indicate to whom the notifications / communications were provided.

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.g *p Luoq#o,, UNITED STATES "i a NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

1. - W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 T.) i EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL 4

FROM: DUE: 03/16/88 EDO CONTROL: 003546 W

DOC DT: 03/03/88 REP. EDWARD J.'MARKEY FINAL REPLY

'TO s CHAI9 MAN ZECH FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** PRIORITY ** SECY NO: 88-174 CHAIRMAN >

DESC: ROUTING:

ALLEGATIONS OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE DURING THE STELLO CONSTRUCTION OF SEABROOK TAYLOR REHM DATE: 03/05/88 RUSSELL ASSIGNED TO: NRR-CONTACT: MURLEY HAYES MURRAY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

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REF. EDO 3458 l

NRR RECEIVED: M'RCH 7, 1988 l

l ACTION: DRPR:VARGA2 l

, NRR ROUTING: MURLEY/SNIEZEK l MIRAGLIA ~

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MARTIN --

I GILLESPIE -

ACTION DUE TO NRR DIRECTOR'S OFFIC 0

BY ?mucL jy, j97g.

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER: CRC-88-0174 LOGGING DATE: Mar 3 88

! ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: E.J. Markey AFFILIATION: U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1

LETTER DATE: Mar 3 88 FILE CODZ: ID&R-5 Seabrook

SUBJECT:

Allegations of drug and alcohol abuse during the

( construction of the Seabrook nuc power plant ACTION: Signature of Chairman OCA to Ack, RF l DISTRIBUTION:

f SPECIAL HANDLING: None i 1

NOTES:

DATE DUE: Mar 18 88 SIGNATURE: . . DATE SIGNED:

._ AFFILIATION:

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