IR 05000271/2007001
| ML070610598 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/02/2007 |
| From: | David Lew Division Reactor Projects I |
| To: | Ted Sullivan Entergy Nuclear Operations |
| References | |
| IR-07-001 | |
| Download: ML070610598 (6) | |
Text
March 2, 2007
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION (REPORT 05000271/2007001)
Dear Mr. Sullivan:
On February 13, 2007, the NRC staff completed its performance review of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee). Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2006. 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 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 resultant inspection plan.
Overall, Vermont Yankee operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter was within the Regulatory Response column of the NRCs Action Matrix, based on one finding of low to moderate safety significance (White) in the Public Radiation Safety cornerstone. This finding involved a shipment of a package of contaminated equipment from Vermont Yankee that was not properly prepared and shipped in conformance with the Department of Transportation radiation level limitations. Although the surface of the package was not accessible to members of the public, the condition had the potential to adversely affect personnel receiving the package or responding to an incident involving the package. Therefore, in addition to the reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections, we plan to conduct a supplemental inspection in accordance with inspection procedure 95001, within 180 days of notification by your staff of your readiness for this inspection. The objective of the supplemental inspection is to provide assurance that Entergy understands the root causes and contributing causes of the finding, identifies the extent of condition, and establishes corrective actions that are sufficient to prevent recurrence.
2 The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection, scheduled through June 30, 2008. In addition to the 95001 supplemental inspection and the ROP baseline inspections, we also plan to conduct independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) inspections. 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 nine 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 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 this inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact Mr. Raymond J. Powell of my staff at 610-337-6967 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.
Sincerely,
/RA/
David C. Lew, Director Division of Reactor Projects, Region I Docket Nos. 50-271 License Nos. DPR-28 Enclosure: Vermont Yankee Inspection/ Activity Plan cc w/encl:
M. R. Kansler, President, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
G. J. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Entergy Operations J. T. Herron, Senior Vice President C. Schwarz, Vice-President, Operations Support O. Limpias, Vice President, Engineering D. Mannai, Manager, Licensing, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Operating Experience Coordinator, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station W. Maguire, General Manager, Plant Operations, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
N. Rademacher, Director NSA, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station J. F. McCann, Director, Licensing C. D. Faison, Manager, Licensing
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