IR 05000263/2013001

Annual Assessment Letter for Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant (Report 05000263/2013001)

ML14063A307
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	03/04/2014
From:	Pederson C Region 3 Administrator
To:	Fili K Northern States Power Co
References
IR-13-001
Download: ML14063A307 (7)

Text

UNITED STATES rch 4, 2014

SUBJECT:

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT (REPORT 05000263/2013001)

Dear Ms. Fili:

On February 12, 2014, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed its end-of-cycle performance review of Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. This letter informs you of the NRCs assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facility.

The NRC determined the performance of Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant during the most recent quarter was within the Degraded Cornerstone Column of the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix because of one Yellow finding, with substantial safety significance, in the Mitigating Systems Cornerstone. The finding involved the failure to maintain a procedure addressing all of the effects of an external flooding scenario on the plant. This failure resulted in the site not being able to support the timely implementation of flood protection activities within the 12-day timeframe credited in the design basis as stated in the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report.

In addition to ROP baseline inspections, the NRC plans to conduct a supplemental inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure (IP) 95002, Supplemental Inspection for One Degraded Cornerstone or Any Three White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area. Your staff has not yet notified the NRC of your readiness for a supplemental inspection to review the actions taken to address the performance issues.

The NRC identifies substantive cross-cutting issues (SCCIs) to communicate a concern with the licensees performance in a cross-cutting area and to encourage the licensee to take appropriate actions before more significant performance issues emerge. The NRC identified a cross-cutting theme in the Human Performance Resources component. Specifically, four or more inspection findings for the current 12-month assessment period were assigned a cross-cutting aspect of H.2(c), Complete, accurate and up-to-date design documentation, procedures, and work packages, and correct labeling of components. The NRC determined that an SCCI exists because the NRC has a concern with your staffs scope of effort and progress in addressing the cross-cutting theme associated with H.2(c). The NRC noted that your staff had recognized this potential cross-cutting theme in the second quarter of the assessment period. Your staff performed an apparent cause evaluation and developed corrective actions. However, these actions have not yet proven effective in substantially mitigating the cross-cutting theme even though a reasonable duration of time has passed.

This human performance SCCI will remain open until the number of findings with a cross-cutting aspect of H.2(c) is reduced, the corrective actions taken to mitigate the cross-cutting theme prove effective, and sustained performance improvement is observed in the H.2(c) aspect of the human performance area. The NRC will monitor your staffs effort and progress in addressing the SCCI by evaluating your corrective action program, any root cause evaluations for the SCCI, and performance improvement initiatives.

As a result of the Safety Culture Common Language Initiative, the terminology and coding of cross-cutting aspects were revised. All cross-cutting aspects identified during inspections conducted in calendar year 2014 will reflect this revision to Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 0310. The CY 2013 end-of-cycle assessments were conducted using the IMC 0310 guidance in effect in CY 2013 (dated October 28, 2011). Cross-cutting aspects identified in 2013 using the 2013 terminology will be converted to the latest revision in accordance with the cross-reference in IMC 0310 during the mid-cycle assessment review and evaluated for cross-cutting themes and potential substantive cross-cutting issues in accordance with IMC 0305.

The SCCI in the Human Performance area identified during this assessment period will be carried forward to the mid-cycle assessment period using the revised terminology.

The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through June 30, 2015. Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. The inspections listed during the last nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle performance review. The NRC provides the inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues. The NRC will contact you as soon as possible to discuss changes to the inspection plan should circumstances warrant any changes. This inspection plan does not include security related inspections, which will be sent via separate, non-publicly available correspondence.

Additionally, an NRC audit of licensee efforts towards compliance with Order EA-12-049, Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events is ongoing. This audit includes an onsite component in order for the NRC to evaluate mitigating strategies as described in licensee submittals, and to receive and review information relative to associated open items. This onsite activity will occur in the months prior to a declaration of compliance for the first unit at each site, and will ultimately aid staff in development of Safety Evaluation for the site. The date for the onsite component at your site is being coordinated with your staff. A site-specific audit plan for the visit will be provided in advance to allow sufficient time for preparations.

In accordance with 10 CFR 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 System (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Please contact Kenneth Riemer at (630) 829-9628 with any questions you have regarding this letter.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Cynthia D. Pederson Regional Administrator Docket Nos. 50-263 License Nos. DPR-22 Enclosure:

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