IR 05000259/2007001
| ML070600610 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 03/01/2007 |
| From: | Widmann M Reactor Projects Region 2 Branch 6 |
| To: | Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Shared Package | |
| ML070600607 | List: |
| References | |
| IR-07-001 IR-07-001 | |
| Download: ML070600610 (6) | |
Text
March 1, 2007
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000259/2007001, 05000260/2007001 AND 05000296/2007001
Dear Mr. Singer:
On February 6, 2007, the NRC technical staff completed its performance review of the operating Units 2 and 3 at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2006. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results over the previous twelve months. 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 the enclosed inspection plan do not include physical protection information. A separate letter designated and marked as Exempt from Public Disclosure in Accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 will include the physical protection review and a resultant inspection plan.
Overall, Browns Ferry Units 2 and 3 operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter, as well as for the first three quarters of the assessment cycle, was within the Licensee Response Column of the NRCs Action Matrix, based on all inspection findings being classified as having very low safety significance (Green) and all PIs indicating performance at a level requiring no additional NRC oversight (Green). Therefore, we plan to conduct reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility. We also plan on conducting non-ROP inspections of the independent spent fuel storage facility and extended power uprate modifications. Additionally, initial reactor operator licensing examinations are scheduled.
Pursuant to NRC Inspection Manual Chapter (MC) 2509, "Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Project Inspection Program," the Unit 1 Restart Oversight Panel has the responsibility to provide periodic licensee performance assessments of Unit 1 prior to restart, and to determine when Unit 1 ROP cornerstones are monitorable under the ROP. At present, the Restart Oversight Panel has determined that Unit 1 is under Limited ROP Oversight and as such the guidance contained in sections of MC 0305 "Operating Reactor Assessment Program," referring to performance assessments are not fully applicable to Unit 1. Effective January 1, 2005, the following four (4) ROP cornerstones for Unit 1 were determined to be monitorable under the
ROP and were transitioned to the ROP: Occupational Radiation Safety, Public Radiation, Emergency Preparedness, and Physical Protection. The performance assessment and future inspection plans for these cornerstones are the same as described above for Units 2 and 3.
However, for the remaining three unmonitorable Unit 1 ROP cornerstones (i.e., Initiating Events, Mitigating Systems, and Barrier Integrity) the Restart Oversight Panel monitored the licensee's performance only using inspection findings. Until a full transition into the ROP has been completed, the performance assessment of the unmonitorable cornerstones during Unit 1 recovery will only be based upon information from inspections, and will not include PIs.
On August 15, 2006, the NRC issued a performance assessment of Unit 1 recovery activities that determined TVA had performed work in a manner that preserved and maintained public health and safety during the previous six months. Since then, the Restart Oversight Panel has continued to assess the inspection findings for 2006. During the 2006 assessment period, the NRC has identified several weakness, deficiencies and non-cited violations that were captured and addressed in the licensee's corrective action program and dispositioned using traditional enforcement. The Panel has determined that all of the inspection findings for 2006 would be classified as having very low safety significance and would require no additional NRC oversight.
Consequently, the Panel has concluded that the Unit 1 recovery effort to date by TVA continues to provide adequate protection of public health and safety. In accordance with MC 2509, the NRC will continue to conduct non-ROP inspections of Unit 1 which include specialized inspections of Special Programs, open items, and significant Unit 1 modification work; system readiness and turnover; restart testing; operational readiness assessment; and power ascension testing. Furthermore, the NRC plans to conduct additional ROP-related baseline inspections of the Unit 1 unmonitorable cornerstones to compensate for the lack of PI data.
The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection, scheduled through September 30, 2008. The inspection plan is provided to minimize the resource impact on your staff and 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 twelve months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle review meeting.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules 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 the inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact me at (404) 562-4550 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 6 Division of Reactor Projects Docket No.: 50-259, 50-260, 50-296, 72-52 Licensee No.: DPR-33, DPR-52, DPR-68 Enclosure: Browns Ferry Inspection/Activity Plan cc w/encl: (See page 4)
_Package ML070600607 Letter ML070600610 _
OFFICE RII:DRP RII:DRP SIGNATURE LXG /RA/
TXN /RA/
NAME LGarner TNazario DATE 02/27/2007 02/27/2007 E-MAIL COPY?
YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO
cc w/encl:
Ashok S. Bhatnagar Senior Vice President Nuclear Operations Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Larry S. Bryant, Vice President Nuclear Engineering &
Technical Services Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Brian O'Grady Site Vice President Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Preston D. Swafford Senior Vice President Nuclear Support Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution John C. Fornicola, General Manager Nuclear Assurance Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Robert G. Jones, Acting Plant Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Robert H. Bryan, Jr., General Manager Licensing & Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution William D. Crouch, Manager Licensing and Industry Affairs Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Beth A. Wetzel, Manager Corporate Nuclear Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 State Health Officer Alabama Dept. of Public Health RSA Tower - Administration Suite 1552 P. O. Box 303017 Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Chairman Limestone County Commission 310 West Washington Street Athens, AL 35611 Masoud Bajestani, Vice President Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Robert G. Jones, General Manager Browns Ferry Site Operations Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Distribution w/encl: (See page 5)
Letter to K. from Malcolm T. Widmann dated March 1, 2007.
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT, NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000259/2007001, 05000260/2007001 AND 05000296/2007001 J. Boska, NRR E. Brown, NRR L. Raghavan, NRR C. Evans, RII EICS L. Slack, RII EICS L. Mellen, RII OE Mail RIDSNRRDIRS PUBLIC