1. Mary Jane Ross-Lee, Chief Operating Experience Branch Tools Used to Collect, Screen, Communicate and Analyze Operating Experience (OpE) Data Improving Nuclear Safety Through Operating Experience Feedback Cologne, Germany May 30, 2006

2. 2 NRC OpE Program Objectives OpE is collected, evaluated, communicated, and applied to support the NRC’s goal of ensuring safety OpE is used to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and realism of NRC decisions Stakeholders are provided with timely, accurate, and balanced information

3. May 30, 20063 NRC Reactor OpE Program supports regulatory decision-making in our core programs Licensing Oversight Incident Response Rulemaking Physical Security Based on inter-dependent model where all organizations work toward applying OpE

4. May 30, 20064 Reactor OpE Review Process Current OpE Program launched January 2005 Centralized screening organization Various sources of OpE collected Screening of domestic and international OpE in accordance with established guidelines Evaluation of screened-in items by Clearinghouse team and technical staff Communication with stakeholders Analysis/trending of all OpE Application of OpE lessons learned

5. May 30, 20065 Reactor OpE Program Input-Output Overview Collection Screening Communication Evaluation Application Incident Reporting System (IRS) Internal Nuclear Event Scale (INES)* International OpE Daily Events Reports* Plant Status Reports* Licensee Event Reports* Part 21 Reports* Domestic OpE: Industry Inspection Findings* Morning Reports* Preliminary Notifications* Regional Project Calls Studies/Trends Domestic OpE: NRC OpE Clearinghouse Generic Communications Morning Reports OpE Briefings COMMunications Web Page Informing Stakeholders Inspection Licensing Influencing Agency programs Rulemaking Information Request Taking Regulatory Actions Storage * - available to public

6. May 30, 20066 Overview of OpE Process – 4 Phases

7. May 30, 20067 Reactor OpE Program - 2005 Over 1000 specific OpE items screened 127 OpE COMMunications to technical experts 30 OpE issues evaluated and closed 7 OpE senior management briefings All daily reports evaluated for INES rating 66 Generic Communications (e.g., IN, GL, RIS) issued 30 technical groups formed to review OpE

8. May 30, 20068 International Activities International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) All daily Event Notifications (10 CFR 50.72s) rated with INES Level 2 or higher is communicated internationally 2 events submitted in 2005 Incident Reporting System (IRS) Relevant Generic Communications submitted to IRS IRS reports are reviewed in screening process 20 US reports submitted in 2005 out of 70 total

9. May 30, 20069 Information Technology Tools OpE Information Gateway Single web access point to multiple databases Dataset assumptions and limitations explained Improved OpE search capabilities @Operating Experience Community Web-based communication forum Subscription notification to over 30 topical groups Provides links to related documents Searchable records

10. May 30, 200610

11. May 30, 200611 OpE Community Posting

12. May 30, 200612 Technical Review Group (TRG) Agency-wide initiative to supplement Clearinghouse screening Clearinghouse processes over 1000 items Technical experts have more specific knowledge Identifies issues that were overlooked 30 TRGs created covering various technical areas with members from key offices and regions Groups consisted of: Pumps & Valves, Fuel, Electrical, Piping, etc.

13. May 30, 200613 What Does the TRG Review? Each TRG reviews relevant OpE data sources specific to the technical discipline. OpE data sources include: OpE COMMs which are emailed to members and posted on the OpE Community Forum Inspection Findings Licensee Event Reports International OpE Part 21 reports INPO SEE-IN documents

14. May 30, 200614 TRG Output TRG reviews OpE in their area over the last 6 months From the initial review, several issues were identified 3 Generic Documents Initiated Information Notice (IN) on diesel generator problems including corrosion issues and wear caused by non-lubricated starts IN on emergency preparedness siren system failures caused by a single siren failure providing continuous feedback signal IN on silt, biofouling and debris causing blockage and equipment failure 2 High Priority Followups Flow induced vibration problems Reactor coolant pressure boundary degradation mechanisms 12 Open Items

15. May 30, 200615 TRG Benefits Previously unidentified issues or trends identified NRC technical experts used for review Increased the use of OpE in the technical groups and the regional offices Minimal resources required for benefit gained

16. May 30, 200616 Accident Sequencer Precursor Established 1979, in Office of Research Staff reviews LERs to identify potential precursors Three agency programs assess risk – ASP, SDP, M.D 8.3 Challenges of ASP - timeliness for analysis, looking at graded approach

17. May 30, 200617 ASP Search Results

18. May 30, 200618 Upcoming OpE Activities Developing international ties in the areas of new reactor construction Improving OpE search capabilities

19. May 30, 200619 Publicly Available OpE Reports Associated with Events (http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event- status/)http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event- status/ Power Reactor Status Event Notification Report Morning Report Part 21 Reports Preliminary Notifications Generic Communications (http://www.nrc.gov/reading- rm/doc-collections/gen-comm/index.html)http://www.nrc.gov/reading- rm/doc-collections/gen-comm/index.html Bulletins Generic Letters Information Notices Regulatory Issue Summaries

20. May 30, 200620 References (in ADAMS) http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html Management Directive 8.7 (ML043570013) MD 8.7 Handbook (ML043570032) NRR Office Instruction LIC-401 (ML050130014) Reactor Operating Experience Task Force Report (ML033350063) Plan for Implementing Reactor Operating Experience Task Force Report (ML041180024)

21. Recent OpE Examples Quad Cities ERV Vibration Issues Palo Verde Shutdown Cooling Isolation Valve Vibration

22. May 30, 200622 Recent OpE Example 1 Vibration-Induced Failure of Electromatic Relief Valves (ERVs) at Quad Cities Quad Cities 1 and 2 Generic Electric Boiling Water Reactors Mark I containment Commercial operation started in 1973 Extended power uprate (EPU) of 17.8% (446 Mwt) approved in 2001

23. May 30, 200623 Event Summary – Unit 2 December 30, 2005: Internal damage of the ERV actuator found; plant shutdown initiated Significant wear and loose parts identified on remaining 3 actuators January 14, 2006: Unit 2 shutdown for inspection of the actuator pivot plate bolts (due to Unit 1 issue)

24. May 30, 200624 Event Summary – Unit 1 December 31, 2005: Unit 1 decreased to pre-EPU power due to Unit 2 issue January 6, 2006: plant shutdown initiated Three ERVs had unsuccessful stroke tests or inspection results January 15, 2006; Unit 1 shutdown for inspection of the turnbuckle (Unit 2 had weld cracking)

25. May 30, 200625 Electromatic Relief Valve

26. May 30, 200626 As-found Conditions of ERV Parts Plunger Actuator PostPlunger Roller

27. May 30, 200627 Safety Significance Degraded capability for overpressure protection/depressurization Preliminary risk assessment: Conditional Core Damage Probability = 2.7E-6 Three Green Findings

28. May 30, 200628 NRC Response Close monitoring by resident inspectors Preliminary Notification - January 17, 2006 Special Inspection - January 9 through February 7, 2006 Internal communications of the event Issue For Resolution: Screened-in for operating experience follow-up

29. May 30, 200629 Recent OpE Example 2 Shutdown Cooling Isolation Valve Vibration at Palo Verde 1 Palo Verde 1 Combustion Engineering Pressurized Water Reactor Commercial operation started in 1986

30. May 30, 200630 Event Summary Vibration problem since 2001 Worsened following steam generator replacement December 2005: Vibration of Train A shutdown cooling suction line reached administrative limit Plant reduced power to less then 35%

31. May 30, 200631 Event Summary cont. The licensee has attempted several modifications to reduce the vibration, but none have been fully successful added masses added supports added heating blankets installed a flow distribution plate Since March 17, 2006: Plant maintenance outage ongoing

32. May 30, 200632 Affected valve

33. May 30, 200633 Safety Significance Degraded shutdown cooling train Shutdown cooling system used for low pressure heat removal Significant operational constraint

34. May 30, 200634 NRC Response Close monitoring by resident inspectors Internal communications of the event Issue For Resolution: Screened-in for operating experience follow-up

35. May 30, 200635 Questions & Comments