Use of INPO See-in Program (Generic Letter No. 82-04)
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
March 9, 1982
TO ALL LICENSEES OF OPERATING PLANTS, APPLICANTS FOR OPERATING LICENSES AND
HOLDERS OF CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
Gentlemen:
SUBJECT: USE OF INPO SEE-IN PROGRAM (GENERIC LETTER NO. 82-04)
Item I.C.5 of the TMI Action Plan, requires licensees to develop procedures
to assure that important operating experience originating both within and
outside the utility organization is continually provided to operators and
other personnel, and is incorporated into training and retraining programs.
Accomplishing this task requires that a utility assure that all events that
occur throughout the industry are screened to determine whether or not they
are applicable to the utility's plant, and that those events which could be
significant are evaluated for applicability to the utility's plant.
The initial screening process is a large undertaking involving several
thousand event reports each year from the U. S. nuclear plants alone. Such
an undertaking by any one utility is both expensive and demanding of
resources.
In an effort to provide a mechanism for central collection and screening of
all events from both U. S. and foreign nuclear plants, the Institute of
Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) has established a Significant Event
Evaluation and Information Network (SEE-IN). The latest description of the
SEE-IN program is provided in a January 1982 program description from INPO
entitled "Significant Event Evaluation and Information Network (SEE-IN)."
The NRC has now completed its review of the SEE-IN program and a recent
letter to INPO (copy enclosed) endorses utility use of the program. As
stated in the letter, use of SEE-IN will relieve individual nuclear plant
operators and constructors of the necessity of setting up large staffs to
obtain and screen the large volume of raw data pertaining to operational
experience throughout the industry. The NRC believes that full participation
in SEE-IN will enhance your ability to meet the intent of the procedures
approved under TMI Action Plan Item I.C.5.
Participation in SEE-IN does not relieve a utility from taking those actions
specific to the utility's nuclear unit which result from an evaluation of
operational experiences. Each utility is still required to have an internal
procedure for handling operational experience information, including the
procedures necessary to assure that appropriate individuals are provided the
results of evaluations and that recommendations for corrective action
identified as a result of evaluation are translated into actions. The
interface between SEE-IN and the functions and responsibilities of the
utility necessary to satisfy the requirements of Item I.C.5 are discussed in
Section 3 of the SEE-IN program description.
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The NRC believes that utilization of the SEE-IN program will result in the
elimination of duplication which will occur if each utility attempts a
separate evaluation of significant plant operation events. The
centralization of this initial screening effort at INPO should result in a
more efficient evaluation and will allow you to concentrate your efforts on
evaluating the events that occur in your plant and those that are identified
through SEE-IN as being applicable or potentially applicable to your plant.
The full potential of the SEE-IN program can be realized only if all
utilities participate actively, both in furnishing event information to INPO
and in taking corrective actions as necessary when potential problems have
been identified as a result of INPO efforts. The SEE-IN program is
acceptable to the staff with no additional review required. Your
participation in the SEE-IN program is strongly encouraged.
Sincerely,
Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director
Division of Licensing
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021