MSPI Expert Certrec Helps Several Nuclear Facilities Resolve or Avoid White Performance Indicators in 2013

• 

Often MSPI issues are going unrecognized – causing plants to exceed Performance Indicator thresholds. Certrec’s experts were able to resolve numerous MSPI issues.

Fort Worth, TX (PRWEB) December 19, 2013

Certrec, a leading regulatory licensing and compliance service provider for NRC and NERC compliance, announced today that MSPI experts within its Office of Assessment and Recovery have successfully helped several nuclear facilities resolve Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI) issues related to White Performance Indicators in 2013 – returning them to Green status.

Twelve nuclear plants were in Columns 2, 3, and 4 of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Action Matrix with White Performance Indicators during Q1 through Q3 of this year. These Performance Indicators were a result of unplanned scrams, unplanned power changes, and issues with emergency AC power and high-pressure injection systems.

Often serious MSPI issues are not recognized or not acted upon. Plant personnel may fail to recognize serious low margin issues, even when indicators are Green. Errors in reporting Performance Indicator data may be caused by errors in Basis Documents, by failure to follow procedures, by incomplete information, or by lack of rigor in the review and validation of MSPI data.

These issues and oversights are causing plants to exceed Performance Indicator thresholds, resulting in NRC Supplemental Inspection follow up (95001, 95002, or 95003) as prescribed by the NRC Action Matrix.

“Prompt actions to correct problems and successfully complete supplemental inspections are crucial,” says Ted Enos, President of Certrec. “The longer a Unit remains in Columns 2 or 3, the greater the risk of moving into a higher column with the attendant additional inspection. Our MSPI experts are skilled at understanding these issues and helping engineering and compliance professionals make the changes necessary for plant safety and increasing their MSPI margin.”

“Performance Indicator issues like these may be related to a lack of understanding of MSPI requirements,” notes Enos. “Our Office of Assessment and Recovery staff includes an author of the MSPI requirements and other career experts who are able to cut through the complexity of the Mitigating Systems Performance Index.”

For instance, when one facility reported inaccurate MSPI data, Certrec’s experts identified the inaccuracies and quickly revised the documentation. However, the corrections moved the facility into the White category. Certrec assisted with understanding the underlying causes of the White Performance Indicator to ensure that remaining Performance Indicators were accurately reported.

Certrec’s experts then trained management and staff in how to recognize, monitor, resolve and mitigate areas of MSPI systems that have low margin. As a result, Certrecs’ training program and changes to the facility’s procedures have been extended across the fleet. Certrec also supported preparation for the associated NRC 95001 Supplemental Inspection.

Earlier this year, Certrec’s Office of Assessment and Recovery helped a second nuclear facility reduce Performance Indicator vulnerability by assessing the state of their MSPI program – including a review a licensee’s operator narrative logs, MSPI margin and derivation reports, corrective action and event reports, and NRC Integrated Inspection Reports. Certrec validated the accuracy of submittals, rewrote parts of their MSPI Basis Documents, updated MSPI procedures, and revised the plant’s Root Cause and Corrective Action Program. The plant has now regained Green status.

“We are pleased that Certrec’s experts were able to resolve numerous MSPI issues related to White Performance Indicators for clients this year,” notes Enos. “We look forward to assisting other units and fleets in avoiding exceeding the white threshold in 2014.”

Information about Certrec’s capability to address MSPI issues, enhance MSPI programs, and train MSPI staff may be obtained by calling Tom Houghton at 817.738.7661.

ABOUT CERTREC

Founded in 1988, Certrec is regulatory compliance service provider with more than 1,000 cumulative years of energy industry experience helping clients manage the regulatory process to their advantage.

Certrec's Office of Licensing and Compliance (OLC), Office of Assessment and Recovery (OAR), Office of NERC Compliance (ONC), and Office of New Plant (ONP) solutions are used by nuclear, fossil, and wind utilities and Registered Entities across the United States when complying with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) licensing and compliance standards.

Certrec is ISO 27001 certified, ensuring that its regulatory compliance web-tools and facilities comply with an internationally recognized standard of best practices regarding business, cyber and physical security and control.

PDF Print