IR 05000255/2004011

IR 05000255-04-011(DRS); 08/16/2004 - 08/20/2004; Palisades Nuclear Plant; Emergency Preparedness Specialist Report

ML042400244
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	08/27/2004
From:	Kenneth Riemer Plant Support Branch II
To:	Domonique Malone Nuclear Management Co
References
IR-04-011
Download: ML042400244 (13)

Text

ust 27, 2004

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT NRC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000255/2004011(DRS)

Dear Mr. Malone:

On August 20, 2004, the NRC completed an inspection at your Palisades Nuclear Plant. The enclosed report documents the inspection findings, which were discussed on August 20, 2004, with Mr. D. Cooper, you, and members of your staff.

The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.

The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel. Specifically, this inspection focused on emergency preparedness, including your staffs determinations of performance indicators for the Emergency Preparedness Cornerstone.

On the basis of the results of this inspection, no findings of significance were identified.

In accordance with 10 CFR Part 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Kenneth Riemer, Chief Plant Support Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-255 License No. DPR-20 Enclosure: Inspection Report 05000255/2004011(DRS)

See Attached Distribution

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

IR 05000255/2004011(DRS); 08/16/2004 - 08/20/2004; Palisades Nuclear Plant; Emergency

Preparedness Specialist Report.

The report covers a one-week baseline inspection by two regional emergency preparedness inspectors and a resident inspector. The inspection focused on the Emergency Preparedness Cornerstone in the Reactor Safety strategic performance area during the biennial emergency preparedness exercise. This inspection also included a review of records related to the three emergency preparedness performance indicators for the period April 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004. No findings of significance were identified.

The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, Reactor Oversight Process, Revision 3, dated July 2000.

A. Inspector-Identified and Self-Revealed Findings None.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

REPORT DETAILS

1EP1 Exercise Evaluation

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors reviewed the August 17, 2004 biennial emergency preparedness exercises objectives and scenario to ensure that the exercise would acceptably test major elements of the licensees radiological emergency plan and to verify that the exercises simulated problems provided an acceptable framework to support demonstration of the licensees capability to implement its plan. The inspectors also reviewed records of emergency preparedness drills, which were conducted in July and early August 2004, to determine whether the scenario used in both drills was sufficiently different from the scenario used in the August 17, 2004 exercise.

The inspectors evaluated the licensees exercise performance, focusing on the risk-significant activities of emergency classification, notification, and protective action decision making, as well as implementation of accident mitigation strategies in the following emergency response facilities:

• Control Room Simulator;

• Technical Support Center (TSC);

• Operations Support Center (OSC); and

• Emergency Operations Facility (EOF).

The inspectors also assessed the licensees recognition of abnormal plant conditions, transfer of responsibilities between facilities, internal communications, interfaces with offsite officials, readiness of emergency facilities and related equipment, and overall implementation of the licensees emergency plan.

The inspectors attended post-exercise critiques in the TSC, OSC, and EOF to evaluate the licensees initial self-assessment of its exercise performance. The inspectors later met with the licensees lead exercise evaluators to obtain the licensees refined assessments of its exercise participants performances. These self-assessments were then compared with the inspectors independent observations and assessments to determine the licensees ability to adequately critique its exercise performance.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA1 Performance Indicator (PI) Verification

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors reviewed the licensees records associated with each of the three emergency preparedness PIs to verify that the licensees program was implemented consistent with the industry guidelines in Nuclear Energy Institute publication No. 99-02, Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline, Revision 2, and related licensee procedures. Specifically, licensee records related to the performance of the Alert and Notification System (ANS), key Emergency Response Organization (ERO)members drill participation, and Drill and Exercise Performance (DEP) were reviewed to verify the accuracy and completeness of the PI data submitted to NRC for the period from April 2003 through June 2004. The following PIs were reviewed:

Common

• ANS;

• ERO Drill Participation; and

• DEP.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings

.1 Exit Meeting

An exit meeting was conducted for Emergency Preparedness with Mr. D. Cooper and other members of licensee management and staff at the conclusion of the inspection on August 20, 2004. The licensee acknowledged the information presented. No proprietary information was identified.

.2 Public and Media Briefing

On August 20, 2004, an inspector summarized the NRCs preliminary conclusions on the licensees exercise and critique performances at a public and media briefing hosted by Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region V staff in Paw Paw, Michigan.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

G. Baustian, Training Manager

T. Blake, Emergency Preparedness Supervisor

M. Carlson, Engineering Director

D. Cooper, Senior Vice President

B. Dotson, Regulatory Compliance Specialist

G. Hettel, Plant General Manager

K. Irving, Maintenance Supervisor

L. Lahti, Regulatory Affairs Manager

D. Malone, Site Vice President

R. Margol, Chemistry Supervisor

D. Rogers, Business Support Manager

M. Sweet, Emergency Planning Specialist

D. VandeWalle, Operations Manager

J. Walker, Nuclear Oversight

S. Wawro, Consumers Energy Asset Manager

LIST OF ITEMS

Opened and Closed

None.

Discussed

None.