Hartford Steam Boiler

We audited $10.4 million in costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company of Connecticut for nuclear Authorized Inspection Agency service under several contracts. The $10.4 million billed included (1) $4.8 million billed between October 1, 2001 and December 31, 2008 under one contract; (2) $4.1 million billed between December 1, 2007 and August 19, 2011, under second contract; and (3) $1.5 million billed between January 1, 2009, and July 22, 2011, under a third contract. Our objective was to determine if the costs billed were in compliance with the terms of the contracts. In summary, we determined Hartford had overbilled TVA an estimated $679,370, including:$524,623 of ineligible labor costs, including $517,358 in excessive labor costs because Hartford did not bill actual employee wages, associated labor burden, and fees as specified by the contracts and $7,265 of ineligible labor costs billed for corporate personnel.$147,358 in temporary living allowance costs for which Hartford could not provide the contracts' required eligibility certifications and other related documentation.An estimated $7,389 in unsupported or ineligible travel and miscellaneous costs.September 21, 2012 - Review of Lessons Learned During Construction of the Lagoon Creek Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbine - 2011-13781 Because of the potential usefulness of a sound lessons-learned process in completing generation construction projects effectively and efficiently, we reviewed the lessons learned process used during the construction of the Lagoon Creek Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbine. We determined Generation Construction (GC) has a process in place for lessons learned management, but we identified some potential areas of improvement in the GC process. Specifically, we determined (1) there are no documented criteria or review processes for determining what is or is not a lesson learned, (2) the process for documenting lessons learned could be improved, and (3) there were no mechanisms to reasonably assure project teams were reviewing lessons learned from previous projects or relevant lessons learned were incorporated into the project's scope. We also determined improvements can be made in sharing lessons learned across TVA organizations. TVA management generally agreed with our recommendations; however, further action is not planned for two of our six recommendations.