ML061030558

Response to Request from April 5, 2006, Assessment Meeting

ML061030558
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	04/13/2006
From:	Troy Pruett NRC/RGN-IV/DRP/RPB-D
To:	Santos Norma Garcia - No Known Affiliation
References
Download: ML061030558 (3)

Text

April 13, 2006Silverio Garcia, Jr.12558 W. Woodland Avenue Avondale, Arizona 85323

SUBJECT:

RESPONSE TO REQUEST FROM APRIL 5, 2006, ASSESSMENT MEETING Thank you for attending the April 5, 2006, Annual Assessment Meeting for the Palo VerdeNuclear Generating Station. The NRC appreciates the input from employees at the facility andmembers of the public. During the meeting, you provided copies of a letter from the NRC to you regarding distrust inPalo Verde management and a lack of confidence in the Integrated Issues Resolution Process (IIRP). You requested that the NRC provide a written response to you regarding howwe plan to assess licensee activities involving trust and the IIRP.As stated during the meeting, the NRC conducted a public meeting with the licensee onAugust 18, 2005, to discuss the results of the Palo Verde safety culture survey and corrective action program. As part of the NRC's baseline inspection program, we continually assessinspection findings for issues which may affect the safety conscious work environment. Our assessments have determined that the vast majority of personnel at Palo Verde are willing tobring forward safety concerns to licensee management for resolution.The NRC completed a problem identification and resolution inspection in February 2006. Theinspection included interviews with personnel in a number of different departments including Instrumentation and Controls. The interviews determined that personnel were willing to raisesafety concerns; however, there were indications that some personnel did not believe that licensee management would react to issues of minor significance. Lastly, in 2004, the NRC identified that substantive crosscutting issues existed in the areas ofhuman performance and problem identification and resolution. NRC inspectors have assessedthe licensee's evaluation of the crosscutting issues and have monitored the initialimplementation of corrective actions to improve performance. The NRC also conducted apublic meeting with the licensee on March 30, 2006, to discuss their improvement initiatives.

The NRC plans to continue to assess the licensee's corrective actions and performanceimprovement initiatives as they implement aspects of their integrated improvement plan.

Silverio Garcia, Jr.-2-Once again, thank you for raising your concerns at the April 5 meeting. Please contactMr. Greg Warnick at (623) 386-3638 or Mr. Greg Werner at (817) 860-8156 should you have additional questions or concerns.Sincerely,/RA/

Troy Pruett, ChiefDivision of Reactor Projects Branch D Silverio Garcia, Jr. cc:G. Werner G. WarnickSUNSI Review Completed: _TWP_______ ADAMS: Yes G No Initials: __TWP____ Publicly Available G Non-Publicly Available G Sensitive Non-SensitiveR:\_REACTORS\PV\2006\PV Lt to Silverio Garcia.wpdRIV:C:DRPTWPruett/RA/

4/13/06OFFICIAL RECORD COPY T=Telephone E=E-mail F=Fax