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. 



8203110001 
.

                                    - 2 - 

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