ML20134C246

Ack Receipt of Proposing Selection of Independent third-party Organization to Oversee Implementation of NNECO Comprehensive Plan for Reviewing & Dispositioning Safety Concerns Raised by Employees

ML20134C246
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	01/30/1997
From:	Travers W NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Kenyon B NORTHEAST NUCLEAR ENERGY CO.
References
NUDOCS 9701310299
Download: ML20134C246 (6)

Text

,

Mr. Bruce D. Kenyon . .- January 30, 1997 President and Chief Executive Officer

.o Northeast Nuclear Energy Company -

P.O. Box 128

- Waterford, CT 06385-0128

~

Dear Mr. Kenyon:

This letter is to acknowle' ged receipt' of Northeast' Nuclear Energy Company's (NNECO) December 23, 1996, letter proposing the selection of an independent, third-party organization to oversee the implementation of NNEC0's l comprehensive plan for: (a) reviewing and dispositioning safety concerns i raised by its employees, and (b) ensuring that? employees who raise safety concerns are not subject to discrimination. We have also received NNEC0's l January 14, 1997, letter that provides additional information on the proposed third party organization. We have scheduled a meeting on February 5,1997, to discuss your proposal and the selection process.

Because Little Harbor Consultants, Inc. (LHC) who is the proposed contractor, does not have corporate history for work similar to that being proposed, and the proposed team primarily includes persons outside of LHC, the emphasis of our review is and will be on the qualifications and the financial and technical independence of the individual team members. To assist in our review, we have enclosed several topic areas that you are requested to discuss at the upcoming February 5, 1997, meeting. Also, please provide written responses to the enclosed topic areas by February 14, 1997.

We intend to review the resumes of each c. the individual' team-members in detail and conduct interviews of each proposed member at a later date Once we approve an organization, whether it is the one proposed or some other, we plan to conduct additional resume reviews and, possibly, interviews concurrent with our review of the proposed oversight plan and organizational structure.

To assure that individuals are appropriately assigned to tasks within their expertise. This approach is necessary so that we can evaluate the adequacy of the team's expertise and experience, with an understanding of the specific tasks they will perform in the review. In the near future, we will be sending you another letter with a form to be signed by each team member certifying his financial independence from NNECO.

Sincerely, Original sianed by P. McKee for :

William D. Travers, Director Special Projects Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-245, 50-336, and 50-423

Enclosure:

Discussion Topics cc w/ encl: See next page

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% January 30, 1997 Mr. Bruce D. Kenyon President and Chief Executive Officer )

Northeast Nuclear Energy Company i l

P.O. Box 128 Waterford, CT 06385-0128 l l

Dear Mr. Kenyon:

This letter is to acknowledge receipt of Northeast Nuclear Energy Company's l (NNECO) December 23, 1996, letter proposing the selection of an independent, third-party organization to oversee the implementation of NNEC0's comprehensive plan for: (a) reviewing and dispositioning safety concerns raised by its employees, and (b) enturing that employees who raise safety concerns are not subject to discrimination. We have also received NNEC0's January 14, 1997, letter that provides additional information on the proposed third party organization. We have scheduled a meeting on February 5, 1997, to discusr, your proposal and the selection process.

Because Little Harbor Consultants, Inc. (LHC) who is the proposed contractor, does not have corporate history for work similar to that being proposed, and t's proposed team primarily includes persons outside of LHC, the emphasis of ogr 'r eview is and will be on the qualifications and the financial and technical independence of the individual team members. To assist in our review, we have enclosed se"aral topic areas that you are requested to discuss at the upcoming February 5, 1997, meeting. Also, please provide written responses to the enclosed topic areas by February 14, 1997.

We intend to review the resumes of each of the individual team members in detail and conduct interviews of each proposed member at a later date. Once we approve an organization, whether it is the one proposed or some other, we plan to conduct additional resume reviews and, possibly, interviews concurrent with our review of the proposed oversight plan and organizational structure to assure that individuals are appropriately assigned to tasks within their expertise. This approach is necessary so that we can evaluate the adequacy of the te&m's expertise and experience, with an understanding of the specific tasks they will perform in the review. In the near future, we will be sending you another letter with a form to be signed by each team member certifying his financial independence from NNECO.

Sincer ly, M

William D. ravers, Director Special Projects Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-245, 50-336, and 50-423

Enclosure:

Discussion Topics cc w/ encl: See next page

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t Discussion Topics j

1. Describe the organizational structure of Little Harbor Consultants, Inc. 1 (LHC). Include a description of past LHC experience in work associated with handling employee concerns.

Financial and Employment Independence:

2. How was the financial and organizational independence of LHC from NNEC0 verified? What criteria were used to establish independence and what  ;

information was reviewed?  :

3 Has LHC performed any previous work for NNEC07

4. Will future work that LHC may seek to perform for NNEC0 be restricted?

5.* Has any of the proposed team members been previously employed by NNECO or been employed by a contracter and assigned work involving any of the Millstone units? For any involvement by a team member, identify the work performed, the time frame, and controls to ensure the team member does not become involved in that same technical area as part of the third party team.

6.* How were team members screened to determine that they had no financial interests in NNEC07 Does any proposed team member have financial interests (e.g., securities) in Northeast Utilities (NV)/NNEC0?

Technical Expertise:

7. Describe any experience /qualificaticas of LHC or the proposed team in assessing employet concerns programs from the perspective of employees.

8.* Based on our preliminary review of the resumes in your proposal, it I appears that, in general, the disciplines needed for the review are being provided. However, we request that you discuss the general qualifications of the review team atd the overall distribution of the technical, investigative, and employee relations disciplines during the February 5 meeting. )

9. Describe the team's experience in conducting root cause evaluations, developing corrective actions, and implementing corrective actions.

Oversight Process Issues:

10. Principal team members are identified in the December 23, 1996, proposal. How much time are the principal team members anticipated to devote to the third-party oversight effort?

• These topics were covered to various extents in the January 14, 1997, letter. Discussion of these topics could include amplification on the information already provided.

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11. Your submittal states that LHC indicated that it will supplement or change team members as developments warrant. Please describe how this ,

process will work. Include a description of how financial independence '

for these new individuals, if used, will be established.

12. What process is used at LHC to handle differing professional opinions 1 among their staff?  ;

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Northeast Utilities Service Company Millstone Nuclear Power Station Ur.its 1, 2, and 3 cc:

Lillian M. Cuoco, Esq. Senior Resident Inspector Senior Nuclear Counsel Millstone Nuclear Power Station Northeast Utilities Service Company c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory P.O. Box 270 Commission Hartford, CT 06141-0270 P.O. Box 513 Niantic, CT 06357 tir. Kevin T. A. McCarthy, Director Monitoring and Radiation Division Mr. F. C. Rothen Department of Environmental Vice President - Work Services Protection Northeast Utilities Service Company 79 Elm Street P.O. Box 128 Hartford, CT 06106-5127 Waterford, CT 06385 Mr. Allan Johanson, Assistant Charles Brinkman, Manager Director Washington Nuclear Operations Office of Policy and Management ABB Combustion Engineering Policy Development and Planning 12300 Twinbrook Pkwy, Suite 330 Division Rockville, MD 20852 80 Washington Street Hartford, CT 06106 Mr. D. M. Goebel  !

Vice President - Nuclear Oversight Regional Administrator Northeast Utilities Service Company Region I P. O. Bex 128 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Waterford, CT 06385 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Mr. J. P. Cowan Millstone Unit No. 3 Nuclear First Selectmen Recovery Officer Town of Waterford Northeast Utilities Service Company Hall of Records P. O. Box 128 200 Boston Post Road Waterford, CT 06385 Waterford, CT 06385 Mr. M. L. Bowling, Jr.

Mr. P. M. Richardson Millstone Unit No. 2 Nuclear Nuclear Unit Director Recovery Officer Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Northeast Utilities Service Company Unit No. 2 P. O. Box 128 Northeast Utilities Service Company Waterford, CT 06385 P. O. Box 128 Waterford, CT 06385

Northeast Utilities Service Company Millstone Nuclear Power Station Units 1, 2, and 3 cc:

Mr. M. H. Brothers Mr. P. D. Hinnenkamp Nuclear Unit Director Director, Unit Operations i Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Northeast Utilities Service Company j Unit No. 3 P. O. Box 128 .

Northeast Nuclear Energy Company Waterford, CT 06385 P. O. Box 128 Waterford. CT 06385 Mr. J. McElwain Millstone Unit No. 1 Nuclear Burlington Electric Department Recovery Officer c/o Robert E. Fletcher, Esq. Northeast Utilities Service Company 271 South Union Street P. O. Box 128 Eurlington, VT 05402 Waterford, CT 06385 Mr. M. R. Scully, Executive Director Mr. T. C. Feigenbaum Connecticut Municipal Electric Executive Vice President and Energy Cooperative Chief Nuclear Officer 30 Stott Avenue Northeast Utilities Service Company Norwich, CT 06360 P. 0. Box 128 Waterford, CT 06385 Mr. William D. Meinert .

Nuclear Engineer Deborah Katz, President i Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Citizens Awareness Network Electric Company P.O. Box 83 P.O. Bo;; 426 Shelbarne Falls, MA 03170 Ludlow, MA 01056 Mr. Wayne D. Lanning Ernest C. Hadley, Esq. Deputy Director of Inspections 1040 B Main Street 475 Allendale Road P.O. Box 549 King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 West Wareham, MA 02576 Joseph R. Egan, Esq.

Egan & Associates, P.C.

2300 N Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20037 Mr. J. K. Thayer Recovery Officer, Nuclear Engineering and Support Northeast Utilities Service Company P. O. Box 128 Waterfod, CT 06385