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SECY-98-218

September 21, 1998

PURPOSE:

To inform the Commission of the staff's plans to suspend the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) program for an interim period until a new integrated assessment process has been implemented.

BACKGROUND:

In the staff requirements memorandum (SRM) dated September 15, 1998, for COMSECY-98-024, "Response to Issues Raised Within the Senate Authorization Context and July 17, 1998 Stakeholder Meeting," the Commission approved the suspension of the SALP program. COMSECY-98-024 addressed several areas for accelerated staff initiatives to address concerns that were expressed by the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property, and Nuclear Safety to the Commission during a hearing on July 30, 1998, regarding nuclear safety regulatory issues and the programs of the NRC, as well as during the Public Meeting on Stakeholder Concerns on July 17, 1998.

DISCUSSION:

In accordance with the guidance provided in the SRM, the staff will suspend the SALP program for an interim period until a new assessment process is implemented. The staff recognizes that during this period, although NRC resources will continue being focused on those plants with poor or declining performance, the level of review that was provided by the SALP program will not be achieved for most plants, and quantitative scores for performance will not be assigned. The staff will provide final recommendations on the SALP program as part of its broader recommendations on the new assessment process in early 1999.

The staff plans to take the following actions:

Immediately after the SRM suspending SALP was issued, a press release was issued and the regions were notified of the suspension. The staff will issue an Administrative Letter to all power reactor licensees notifying them of the suspension of the SALP program. Regions will promptly notify affected licensees, state and local officials, as well as other known interested parties, and inform them of the PPR results in the future. The staff will provide detailed guidance to the regions as necessary to ensure consistent implementation. The staff plans to implement the aforementioned changes in accordance with the following schedule: