IR 05000271/2011001

Annual Assessment Letter for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Report 05000271-11-001)

ML12061A247
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	03/05/2012
From:	Bellamy R Division Reactor Projects I
To:	Wamser C Entergy Nuclear Operations
Shared Package
ML12048A407	List: IR 05000271/2011001
References
IR-11-001
Download: ML12061A247 (5)

Text

UNITED STATES rch 5, 2012

SUBJECT:

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION (REPORT 05000271/2011001)

Dear Mr. Wamser:

On February 14, 2012, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff completed its end-of-cycle performance review of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee). The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. This letter informs you of the NRCs assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facility. This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include security information. A separate letter will include the NRCs assessment of your performance in the Security Cornerstone and its security-related inspection plan.

The NRC determined that overall, Vermont Yankee operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and met all cornerstone objectives. The NRC determined the performance at Vermont Yankee during the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response Column of the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix because all inspection findings had very low (i.e., green) safety significance, and all PIs indicated that your performance was within the nominal, expected range (i.e., green). Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct ROP baseline inspections at Vermont Yankee.

Last year, given the uncertainty regarding plant operations beyond March 2012 due to ongoing reviews and legal proceedings, the NRC staff conducted performance reviews for Vermont Yankee at the end of the first and third calendar year quarters of 2011. The purpose of these interim performance reviews was to perform an overall review and assessment of Vermont Yankee performance during the previous four calendar year quarters. Accordingly, the NRC conducted quarterly performance reviews of Vermont Yankee in May and November and determined that there were no issues associated with the plants safety performance that warranted additional attention by the NRC. As a result, the NRC concluded that ROP baseline inspections would continue at your facility. These reviews were conducted using guidance contained in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, Operating Reactor Assessment Program.

Through this quarterly assessment process, the NRC has not observed any change in focus or commitment by Entergy related to assuring safe operations of Vermont Yankee that would indicate additional NRC oversight or assessment in 2012 is currently needed. However, the NRC will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and ongoing reviews associated with Vermont Yankee and will reinstitute a similar assessment process if such an approach is warranted. The NRC will return to its normal oversight with mid- and end-of-cycle performance reviews for calendar year 2012.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection, scheduled through June 30, 2013. Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. In addition to the baseline inspections, the NRC will perform Temporary Instruction 2515/182, Review of the Implementation of the Industry Initiative to Control Degradation of Underground Piping, in July 2012. 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.

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 the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Please contact me at 610-337-5200 with any questions you have regarding this letter.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Dr. Ronald R. Bellamy, Branch Chief Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos. 50-271 License No. DPR-28 Enclosure: Vermont Yankee Inspection/Activity Plan cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

ML12061A247 Non-Sensitive Publicly Available SUNSI Review Sensitive Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP RI/DRP NAME TSetzer RBellamy DATE 02/29/12 03/01/12

Page 1 of 2 Vermont Yankee 02/28/2012 14:15:49 Inspection / Activity Plan Report 22 01/01/2012 - 06/30/2013 Unit Planned Dates No. of Staff Number Start End Inspection Activity Title on Site 71003 - LR COMMITMENTS INSP 6 1 01/09/2012 01/13/2012 IP 71003 Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal 1 01/23/2012 01/27/2012 IP 71003 Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal 71124 - RAD HAZARD ACCESS/ALARA 1 1 04/09/2012 04/12/2012 IP 71124.01 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls 1 04/09/2012 04/12/2012 IP 71124.02 Occupational ALARA Planning and Controls 9/24EXM - VY INITIAL OL EXAM 5 1 07/30/2012 08/03/2012 U01851 FY12-VERMONT YANKEE INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAM 1 08/27/2012 08/31/2012 U01851 FY12-VERMONT YANKEE INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAM 1 09/24/2012 10/05/2012 U01851 FY12-VERMONT YANKEE INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAM 7111107T - TRIENNIAL HEAT SINK 1 1 05/21/2012 05/25/2012 IP 7111107T Heat Sink Performance MODS - PERMANENT PLANT MODIFICATIONS 4 1 06/04/2012 06/08/2012 IP 7111117T Evaluations of Changes, Tests, or Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications 1 06/18/2012 06/22/2012 IP 7111117T Evaluations of Changes, Tests, or Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications 7111111B - VY ON-SITE REQUAL INSP W/ P/F RESULTS 2 1 07/23/2012 07/27/2012 IP 7111111B Licensed Operator Requalification Program 71124 - RAD AIRBORNE & DOSE ASSESSMENT & ISFSI 1 1 07/09/2012 07/13/2012 IP 60855 Operation Of An ISFSI 1 07/09/2012 07/13/2012 IP 71124.03 In-Plant Airborne Radioactivity Control and Mitigation 1 07/09/2012 07/13/2012 IP 71124.04 Occupational Dose Assessment TI 182 - DEGRADATION OF UNDERGROUND PIPING 1 1 07/16/2012 07/20/2012 IP 2515/182 Review of the Implementation of the Industry Initiative to Control Degradation of Underground Piping EP PROGR - EP PROGRAM INSPECTION 1 1 09/10/2012 09/21/2012 IP 7111402 Alert and Notification System Testing 1 09/10/2012 09/21/2012 IP 7111403 Emergency Preparedness Organization Staffing and Augmentation System 1 09/10/2012 09/21/2012 IP 7111405 Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies 71124.05 - RAD MONT INSTRUMENT 1 1 09/10/2012 09/13/2012 IP 71124.05 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation 92702 - FOLLOWUP TO CONFIRMATORY ORDER (QA/QC) 1 1 10/01/2012 12/31/2012 IP 92702 Followup On Corrective Actions For Violations And Deviations 71152 - QUARTERLY PI&R SAMPLE -TAGGING 1 1 10/15/2012 10/19/2012 IP 71152 Problem Identification and Resolution This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.

This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.

Page 2 of 2 Vermont Yankee 02/28/2012 14:15:49 Inspection / Activity Plan Report 22 01/01/2012 - 06/30/2013 Unit Planned Dates No. of Staff Number Start End Inspection Activity Title on Site 71124 - RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT MONITORTREATMENT PI 1 1 11/05/2012 11/08/2012 IP 71124.06 Radioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment 1 11/05/2012 11/08/2012 IP 71151-OR01 Occupational Exposure Control Effectiveness 1 11/05/2012 11/08/2012 IP 71151-PR01 RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent INSP - OPERATION OF AN ISFSI 1 1 03/01/2013 06/30/2013 IP 60855 Operation Of An ISFSI 7111108G - INSERVICE INSPECTION 1 1 03/11/2013 03/15/2013 IP 7111108G Inservice Inspection Activities - BWR 71124 - HP INSPECTION 01 02 03 & 04 1 1 03/11/2013 03/15/2013 IP 71124.01 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls 1 03/11/2013 03/15/2013 IP 71124.02 Occupational ALARA Planning and Controls 1 03/11/2013 03/15/2013 IP 71124.03 In-Plant Airborne Radioactivity Control and Mitigation 1 03/11/2013 03/15/2013 IP 71124.04 Occupational Dose Assessment 71124.07 - RAD ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAM 1 1 04/14/2013 04/19/2013 IP 71124.07 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program 71124.08 - RADWASTE 1 1 05/13/2013 05/17/2013 IP 71124.08 Radioactive Solid Waste Processing and Radioactive Material Handling, Storage, and Transportation EP EX - EP EXERCISE EVALUATION 5 1 06/03/2013 06/07/2013 IP 7111401 Exercise Evaluation 1 06/03/2013 06/07/2013 IP 7111404 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes PI&R - PI&R 4 1 06/03/2013 06/07/2013 IP 71152B Problem Identification and Resolution 1 06/17/2013 06/21/2013 IP 71152B Problem Identification and Resolution This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.

This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.