IR 05000255/2009001

Annual Assessment Letter - Palisades Nuclear Plant (5000255/2009001)

ML090630130
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	03/04/2009
From:	Pederson C Division Reactor Projects III
To:	Schwarz C Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
IR-09-001
Download: ML090630130 (7)

Text

UNITED STATES rch 4, 2009

SUBJECT:

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT (5000255/2009001)

Dear Mr. Schwarz:

On February 10, 2009, the NRC staff completed its performance review of Palisades Nuclear Plant. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2008. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our assessment of your safety performance during this period and our plans for future inspections at your facility.

This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include security information. A separate letter designated and marked as "Official Use Only - Security Information" will include the security cornerstone review and resultant inspection plan.

Overall, Palisades Nuclear Plant operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter at Palisades was within the Regulatory Response column of the NRCs Action Matrix based on one inspection finding in the Occupational Radiation Safety cornerstone being classified as having low to moderate safety significance (White). This White finding, from the fourth quarter of 2008, involved failure to recognize and assess the impact of radiological hazards in the work place. Therefore, we plan to conduct a supplemental inspection (95001) in addition to reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility. Please notify us of your readiness to conduct the supplemental inspection.

In our end-of-cycle assessment letter dated March 3, 2008, and mid-cycle assessment letter dated September 2, 2008, we advised you of a substantive cross-cutting issue in the area of Human Performance (HP) with a cross-cutting theme in the aspect of error prevention techniques (H.4(a)). You have instituted actions to improve performance in this area. Based on your performance, we have gained confidence in your use of error prevention techniques during this assessment period. The theme of error prevention techniques is considered closed. However, the NRC has identified a new substantive cross-cutting theme of documentation/procedures (H.2(c)) in the area of HP. During this assessment period, there were 17 findings documented with cross-cutting aspects in the HP area. Six of the findings shared a common cross-cutting aspect of H.2(c). In addition, these findings were from four different cornerstones. Therefore, a new substantive cross-cutting theme in the aspect of H.2(c) will be opened and the substantive cross-cutting issue will be open until the NRC gains confidence in your efforts and progress in addressing this aspect of human performance.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to security, scheduled through June 30, 2010. The inspection plan is provided to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues well in advance of inspector arrival onsite.

Routine resident inspections are not listed due to their ongoing and continuous nature. The inspections in the last 9 months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle review.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC=s ARules of Practice,@ a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be made 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).

If circumstances arise which cause us to change this inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact John (Jack) Giessner at 630-829-9619 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Cynthia D. Pederson, Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-255;72-007 License No. DPR-20 DISTRIBUTION:

See next page

Letter to from C. Pederson dated March 4, 2009 SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT (5000255/2009001)

cc w/encl: Senior Vice President Vice President Oversight Senior Manager, Nuclear Safety & Licensing Senior Vice President and COO Assistant General Counsel Manager, Licensing W. DiProfio W. Russell G. Randolph Supervisor, Covert Township Office of the Governor T. Strong, Chief, State Liaison Officer Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Michigan Office of the Attorney General Mayor of Bangor City Manager of Bangor Mayor of Hartford City Manager of Hartford Mayor of South Haven City Manager of South Haven Administrator, Allegan County Allegan County Sheriff Allegan County Emergency Management Coordinator County Coordinator Berrien County Sheriff Director, Berrien County Emergency Management Agency Chairman, Van Buren County Board Van Buren County Sheriff Director, Van Buren County Emergency Management Agency Mayor of Watervliet Mayor of Coloma G. Mortensen, INPO

Palisades Inspection / Activity Plan 03/01/2009 - 06/30/2010 Planned Dates No. of Staff Start End Inspection Activity Title on Site BI ENG - INSERVICE INSPECTION & TI-172 REVISION 1 1 3/23/2009 04/17/2009 IP 2515/172 Reactor Coolant System Dissimiliar Metal Butt Welds 3/23/2009 04/17/2009 IP 7111108P Inservice Inspection Activities - PWR BI RP - RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 2 3/30/2009 04/03/2009 IP 7112101 Access Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 3/30/2009 04/03/2009 IP 7112102 ALARA Planning and Controls FY 09 - PALISADES INIT PREP 05/09 3 5/04/2009 05/08/2009 W90208 OL - INITIAL EXAM - MAY/JUNE 2009 - PALI FY 09 - PALISADES INIT EXAM 05/09 3 5/25/2009 06/05/2009 W90208 OL - INITIAL EXAM - MAY/JUNE 2009 - PALI BI RP - RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 6/15/2009 06/19/2009 IP 7112101 Access Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 6/15/2009 06/19/2009 IP 7112102 ALARA Planning and Controls BI RP - RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 8/24/2009 08/28/2009 IP 7112103 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation and Protective Equipment 8/24/2009 08/28/2009 IP 71151-BI01 Reactor Coolant System Activity 8/24/2009 08/28/2009 IP 71151-OR01 Occupational Exposure Control Effectiveness 8/24/2009 08/28/2009 IP 71151-PR01 RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent BI EP - EP ROUTINE INSPECTION / PI VERIFICATION 1 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 2515/175 Emergency Response Organization, Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator, Program Review 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 7111402 Alert and Notification System Testing 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 7111403 Emergency Response Organization Augmentation Testing 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 7111405 Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 71151-EP01 Drill/Exercise Performance 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 71151-EP02 ERO Drill Participation 0/19/2009 10/23/2009 IP 71151-EP03 Alert & Notification System BI ENG - ENGINEERING MODIFICATIONS / 50.59 INSP. 3 1/02/2009 11/20/2009 IP 7111117T Evaluations of Changes, Tests, or Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications BI RP - RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 2/14/2009 12/18/2009 IP 2515/173 Review of the Implementation of the Industry Ground Water Protection Voluntary Initiative 2/14/2009 12/18/2009 IP 7112201 Radioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment and Monitoring Systems PI&R - BIENNIAL PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESO 4 1/11/2010 01/29/2010 IP 71152B Identification and Resolution of Problems BI OL - LIC. OPERATOR REQUAL. PROGRAM EVALUATION 2 2/08/2010 02/12/2010 IP 7111111B Licensed Operator Requalification Program

Palisades Inspection / Activity Plan 03/01/2009 - 06/30/2010 Planned Dates No. of Staff Start End Inspection Activity Title on Site BI EP - EP EXERCISE INSPECTION/PI VERIFICATION 4 03/01/2010 03/05/2010 IP 7111401 Exercise Evaluation 03/01/2010 03/05/2010 IP 71151-EP01 Drill/Exercise Performance 03/01/2010 03/05/2010 IP 71151-EP02 ERO Drill Participation 03/01/2010 03/05/2010 IP 71151-EP03 Alert & Notification System BI RP - RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 03/08/2010 03/12/2010 IP 7112202 Radioactive Material Processing and Transportation BI ENG - TRIENNIAL FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTION 3 03/29/2010 04/16/2010 IP 7111105T Fire Protection [Triennial]

RI ENG - TRIENNIAL FIRE INS INFOR GATHERING TRIP 3 03/15/2010 03/19/2010 IP 7111105T Fire Protection [Triennial]

BI ENG - TRIENNIAL HEAT SINK INSPECTION 1 05/24/2010 05/28/2010 IP 7111107T Heat Sink Performance BI RP - RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 05/24/2010 05/28/2010 IP 7112203 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (REMP) And Radioactive Material Control Program However, the NRC has identified a new substantive cross-cutting theme of documentation/procedures (H.2(c)) in the area of HP. During this assessment period, there were 17 findings documented with cross-cutting aspects in the HP area. Six of the findings shared a common cross-cutting aspect of H.2(c). In addition, these findings were from four different cornerstones. Therefore, a new substantive cross-cutting theme in the aspect of H.2(c) will be opened and the substantive cross-cutting issue will be open until the NRC gains confidence in your efforts and progress in addressing this aspect of human performance.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to security, scheduled through June 30, 2010. The inspection plan is provided to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues well in advance of inspector arrival onsite.

Routine resident inspections are not listed due to their ongoing and continuous nature. The inspections in the last 9 months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle review.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC=s ARules of Practice,@ a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be made 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).

If circumstances arise which cause us to change this inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact John (Jack) Giessner at 630-829-9619 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely, Cynthia D. Pederson, Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-255;72-007 License No. DPR-20 DISTRIBUTION:

See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\BRANCH TSS\ALL EOC\EOC CY 2008\EOC LETTERS\PALISADES 2008 EOC LETTER.DOC G Publicly Available G Non-Publicly Available G Sensitive G Non-Sensitive To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the concurrence box "C" = Copy without attach/encl "E" = Copy with attach/encl "N" = No copy OFFICE RIII RIII RIII NAME RLerch:mb:dtp JGiessner CPederson

• RML for DATE 02/27/09 02/27/09 02/26/09 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Letter to from C. Pederson dated March 4, 2009 SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT (5000255/2009001)

DISTRIBUTION:

RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 RidsNrrPMPalisades Resource Tamara Bloomer RidsNrrDirslpab Resource Mark Satorius Kenneth OBrien Jared Heck Allan Barker DRPIII DRSIII Patricia Buckley Tammy Tomczak ROPreports@nrc.gov