ML17207A855

Responds to NRC 791219 Ltr Re Violations Noted in IE Insp Repts 50-250/79-35,50-251/79-35,50-335/79-33 & 50-389/79-22. Contends That NRC Is Citing Previously Accepted Practices Against New Interpretation of 10CFR21 W/O Notification

ML17207A855
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie, Turkey Point
Issue date:	01/18/1980
From:	UHRIG R E FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	OREILLY J P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
Shared Package
ML17207A853	List: ML17207A855
References
L-80-27, NUDOCS 8002280136
Download: ML17207A855 (9)

See also: IR 05000250/1979035

Text

P.O.BOX529100,MIAMI,FL33152US%BCB~(~I>-),.~JITIPt>Ig;"~0JP,tr25<lI:pgi~~"'~JJR4c,~FLORIDAPOWER8LIGHTCOMPANYJanuary18,1980L-80-27Mr.JamesP.O'Reilly,Director,RegionIIOfficeofInspectionandEnforcementU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission101MariettaStreet,Suite3100Atlanta,Georgia30303DearMr.O'Reilly:Re:RII:TEBDocketNos.50-335/79-33,50-389/79-32,50-25079-35,50-25179-35FloridaPower8LightCompanyhasreviewedthesubjectinspectionreportandaresponseisattached.Thereisnoproprietaryinformationinthereport.Verytrulyyours,RobertE.UhrigVicePresidentAdvancedSystems8TechnologyREU/GDW/ahAttachmentscc:HaroldF.Reis,Esquire800s28~l+&g(X~PEOPLE...SERVINGPEOPLE

~~ATTACHMENTRe:RII:TEB~~DocketNos.50-335/79-33,50-389/79-32,50-250/79-35,50-251/79-35~Findin:BasedontheNRCinspectionNovember27-30,1979,certainofyouractivitieswereapparentlynotconductedinfullcompliancewithNRCrequirementsasindicatedbelow.TheseitemshavebeencategorizedasdescribedincorrespondencetoyoudatedDecember31,1974.AsrequiredbySection21.21(a)of10CFRPart21,eachentitysubjecttotheseregulationsshalladoptappropriateproceduresforevaluationofdeviationsandassurethataDirectororresponsibleofficerisinformediftheconstructionoroperationofafacility,oractivity,orabasiccomponentsuppliedforsuchafacilityoractivityfailstocomplywiththeAtomicEnergyActof1954,asamended,oranyapplic-ablerule,regulation,orderorlicenseoftheCommissionrelatingtoasubstantialsafetyhazardorcontainsadefect.Section21.21(b)(3)delineatestheinformationtobeincludedinthewrittenreport.Section21.51delineatesthemaintenanceofrecordrequirements.FPLQAManualProcedureNo.QP16.4,Rev.0,April23,1979hasbeendevelopedtospecifythemeasuresandresponsibilitiestoensurecomplianceto10CFRPart21.ContrarytotheabovePart21requirements,FPLCorporateQAManualQAProcedure,QP16.4,Paragraph5.2andFigure16.4-1doesnotrequirethatalldeviationsbeformallyevaluatedanddocumentedasPart21evaluations.SinceformalPart21evaluationsarenotperformedanddocumentedinallcases,itfollowsthatthefollowingPart21require-mentscannotbemet:(1)informingoftheresponsibleofficer(21.21(a)(2);(2)thewrittenreportstotheCommissioncontaintherequiredinformation(21.21(b)(3);and(3)therequiredrecordsbemaintained(21.51).~Resense:FloridaPower8LightCompanyhasreviewedtheforegoingNoticeofViolationandrespectfullyrequestsreconsiderationbasedonthefollowinginformation.TheNoticeofViolationstatesthat"ContrarytotheabovePart21requirements,FPLCorporateQAManualQAProcedure,QP16.4,Paragraph5.2andFigure16.4-1doesnotrequirethatalldeviationsbeformallyevaluatedanddocumentedasPart21evaluations."Section206oftheEnergyReorganizationActof1974provides,inpertinentpart,that:

Qe(a)Anyindividualdirector,orresponsibleofficerofafirmconstructing,owning,operating,orsupplyingthecomponentsofanyfacilityoractivitywhichislicensedorotherwiseregulated,pursuanttotheAtomicEnergyActof1954asamended,orpursuanttothisAct,whoobtainsinformationreasonablyindicatingthatsuchfacilityoractivityorbasiccomponentssuppliedtosuchfacilityoractivity-(1)failstocomplywiththeAtomicEnergyActof1954,asamended,oranyapplicablerule,regulation,order,orlicenseoftheCommissionrelatingtosubstantialsafetyhazards,or(2)containsadefectwhichcouldcreateasubstan-tialsafetyhazard,asdefinedbyregulationswhichtheCommissionshallpromulgate,shallimmediatelnotiftheCommissionofsuchfailuretocomply,orofsuchdefect,unlesssuchpersonhasactualknowledgethattheCommissionhasbeenadeuatelinformedofsuchdefectorfailuretocomply.I(bkAydh111d(lyf11~idhdbyb1((fhl11h11bsubjecttoacivilpenaltyinanamountequaltotheamountprovidedbySection234oftheAtomicEnergyActof1954,asamended.(Emphasisadded.)Section206thusestablishesonlyareportingrequirement.Beyondthat,itdoesnotimposeanobligationfortheclassificationofdeviations.ConsistentwithSection206,the"Purpose"sectionofPart21provides:Theregulationsinthispartestablishproceduresandrequire-mentsforimlementationofSection206oftheEnerReoranizationActof1974.Thatsectionreuiresanyindividualdirectororresponsibleofficerofafirmconstruct-ing,owning,operatingorsupplyingthecomponentsofanyfacilityoractivitywhichislicensedorotherwiseregulatedpursuanttotheAtomicEnergyActof1954,asamended,.ortheEnergyReorganizationActof1974,whoobtainsinformation=.reasonablyindicating:(a)Thatthefacility,activityorbasiccomponentsuppliedtosuchfacilityoractivityfailstocomplywiththeAtomicEnergyActof1954,asamended,oranyapplicablerule,regulation,order,orlicenseoftheCommissionrelatingtosubstantialsafetyhazardsor(b)thatthefacility,activity,orbasiccomponentsuppliedtosuchfacilityoractivitycontainsdefects,whichcouldcreateasubstantialsafetyhazard,toimmediatelnotiftheCommissionofsuchfailuretocomplyorsuchdefect,unlesshehasactualknowledgethattheCommissionhasbeenadequatelyinformedofsuchdefectorfailuretocomply.

(10CFR21.1)Consistentwithitsstatedpurpose,nowheredoesPart21requiretheevaluationofalldeviations.TheregulationsprescribenoproceduresforevaluationbeyondthoseneededtosupportthenotificationrequirementsofSection206which,inturn,areembodiedinPart21.Insum,bothSection206andPart21dealwithnotification.Neitherrequirestheevaluationofalldeviations.Thepropersubmissionofreportsisallthatisnecessary.Infact,theNRCStaffhasstated:ItistheStaff'spositionthatthelicenseeisnotrequiredtoreportunderPart21anoccurrencethatfalls=withinthescopeofeitherPart21or50.55(e)orReg.Guide1.16ifthatoccurrenceisreportedinaccordancewith50.55(e)orReg.Guide1.16requirements.(LettertoJohnW.Gore(AIF),fromErnstVolgenau(NRC),datedApril21,1978,Attachment,p.1.)Implicitinthatstatementisthepositionthat,solongasproperreportsaremade-suchaspursuanttotherequirementsof50.55(e)orReg.Guide1.16--aseparateevaluation(whichwouldresultonlyinadeterminationastotheapplicabilityofPart21)isnotrequired.TheNoticeofViolationfurtherstates,"SinceformalPart21evaluationsarenotperformedanddocumentedinallcases,itfollowsthatthefollowingPart21requirementscannotbemet:(1)informingoftheresponsibleofficer(21.21(a)(2);(2)thewrittenreportstotheCommissioncontaintherequiredinformation(21.21(b)(3);and(3)therequiredrecordsbemaintained(21.51)."gualityProcedure16.4inpartrequiresthattheVicePresidentofAdvancedSystems8Technologybenotifiedofanyitemwhichisevaluatedtomeetthereportingrequirementsof10CFR21andwhichhasnotbeenreportedtotheNRCbyanothermeans...gualityProcedure16.6statesthattheVicePresidentofAdvancedSystems8TechnologyisresponsiblethroughtheManagerofNuclearLicensingforreviewingandissuingallreportsof10CFR50.55(e)deficienciestoNRCforplantsu'nderconstruction.PowerResourcesProcedure3421.1requiresthatallLicenseeEventReportsbesignedbytheVicePresident,PowerResourcesorhisdesignee.LicenseeEventReports(orreportableoccurrences)arereportedinaccordancewithFacilityTechnicalSpecificationswhichimplementRegulatoryGuide1.16.Thustherespon-sibleofficerisrequiredtobenotifiedofallitemsdeter'minedtobereportabletotheNRCunder10CFR21,10CFR50.55(e)andTechnicalSpecifications.OnApril28,1978,Mr.ErnstVolgenauasDirectoroftheNRCOfficeofInspectionandEnforcementwrotea.lettertoMr.JohnW.GoreoftheAtomicIndustrialForum,Inc.,citedabove.'.inresponsetocertainquestionsraisedbyMr.Gorerelativeto10CFR21.InthatletterMr.Volgenaustated:"ItistheStaff'sositionthatthelicenseeisnotreuiredtoreortunderPart21anoccurrencethatfallswithinthescoeofeitherPart21or50.55eorRe.Guide1.16ifthatoccurrenceisreortedinaccordancewith50.55eorRe.Guide1.16reuirements.

Insuchcases,itisalsotheStaff'sthetimerequirements(oral,24hoursandReg.Guide1.16;written,30daysand14daysunderReg.Guide1.16)ofmethodusedwouldbecontrollingand,thePart21reportingtimeswouldnotpositionthatunder50.55(e)under50.55(e)thereportingforthelicensee,applicable."(Emphasisadded.)Basedontheforegoing,theinformationrequirementsofitemsreportedinaccordancewith10CFR50.55(e)orTechnicalSpecificationsaregovernedby10CFR50.55(e)andtheFacilityTechnicalSpecificationsandnot10CFR21.Recordsaremaintainedofallitemsdeterminedtobereportableunder10CFR50.55(e)andFacilityTechnicalSpecifications.Itisquestionablewhether10CFR21.51appliestoitemsreportedinaccordancewith10CFR50.55(e)andFacilityTechnicalSpecifications.Nevertheless,FPLpracticesandproceduresmeetthe10CFR21.51requirementsforrecordkeeping.Followingthepublicationof10CFR21,manymeetingswereheldbetweenNRCandutilityrepresentativestodeterminethemeaningofthenewregulation.UtilityrepresentativeswereassuredatthesemeetingsandlaterinwritingthatPart21wasaimedatsuppliersandthattheutilitieshadonlytocontinuetheirpastpracticesofreportinginaccordancewith10CFR50.55(e)andFacilityTechnicalSpecificationstobeincompliancewith10CFR21.FPLproceduresforimplementing10CFR21werereviewedbyNRCinspectorsfollowingtheissuanceof10CFR21.Ourproceduresweredeterminedatthattimetosatisfactorilyimplement10CFR21requirements.ItisdisturbingtohaveNRCinspectorsciteourpreviouslyacceptedpracticesagainstanapparentlynewinterpretationof10CFR21withoutbenefitofrulemakingorevenpriornotification.Insummary,basedontheforegoing,FPLrequeststhattheNoticeofViolationbereconsidered.Wewillbepleasedtodiscussthismatterfurtherwithyouoryourrepresentatives.