IR 05000271/2011502
| ML111580007 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 06/06/2011 |
| From: | James Trapp Plant Support Branch 1 |
| To: | Michael Colomb Entergy Nuclear Operations |
| References | |
| IR-11-502 | |
| Download: ML111580007 (10) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION - NRC EVALUATED EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE _ INSPECTION REPORT NO.
0500027 1 t201 1502
Dear Mr. Colomb:
On May 5,2011, the U.S, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an inspection of the May 3,2011, evaluated emergency preparedness exercise at your Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. The enclosed inspection report documents the inspection results, which were discussed on May 5,2011, with Mr. C. Wamser, the General Manager of Plant Operations, and other members of your staff.
The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commission's rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.
The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel.
Based on the results of this inspection, no findings were identified.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of the NRC's document system, Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).
ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.qov/readinq-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Sincerely,
)r"1,*$-
James M. Trapp, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-271 License No. DPR-28
Enclosure:
NRC lnspection Report0500027112011502
REGION I==
Docket No.:
05000271 License No.:
DPR-28 Report No.:
0500027112011502 Licensee:
Entergy Nuclear Northeast (Entergy)
Facility:
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Location:
320 Governor Hunt Road Vernon, Vermont 05354-9766 May 2-5,2011 Inspectors:
S. Barr, Sr. Emergency Preparedness Inspector, Division of Reactor Safety (DRS),
Region I (Lead)
D. Silk, Senior Operations Engineer, DRS, Region I R. Rolph, Health Physicist, DRS, Region I C. Crisden, Emergency Preparedness Inspector, DRS, Region I M. Jennerich, Reactor Engineer, Division of Reactor Projects (DRP), Region I Approved By:
James M. Trapp, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
lR 0500027112011502:0510212011 - 0510512011; Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station;
Exercise Evaluation; Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes; Emergency Preparedness Performance lndicators.
This was an announced inspection conducted by five region-based inspectors. No findings of significance were identified. The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, "Reactor Oversight Processj'
Revision 4, dated December 2006.
Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness
A.
NRC-ldentifiedandSelf-RevealinqFindinqs No findings were identified.
B.
Licensee-ldentified Findinqs None.
1.
a.
REPORT DETAILS
REACTOR SAFETY
Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness (EP)
1EP1 Exercise Evaluation (71114.01-1 Sample)
Inspection Scope Prior to the May 3, 2011, emergency preparedness exercise, the NRC inspectors conducted an in-office review of the exercise objectives and scenario, which Entergy had submitted to the NRC, to determine if the exercise would test major elements of the Vermont Yankee Emergency Plan as required by 10 CFR 50.47(bX14). This overall exercise inspection activity represented the completion of one sample on a biennial cycle.
The exercise evaluation consisted of the following review and assessment:
The adequacy of Entergy's performance in the biennial full-participation exercise regarding the implementation of the risk-significant planning standards (RSPS)described in 10 CFR 50.47(bX4), (5), (9), and (10), which are: emergency classification; offsite notification; radiological assessment; and protective action recom mendations, respectively.
The overall adequacy of Entergy's Vermont Yankee emergency response facilities with regard to NUREG-0696, "Functional Criteria for Emergency Response Facilitiesj'and Emergency Plan commitments. The facilities assessed were the Control Room Simulator, Technical Support Center (TSC), Emergency Operations Facility (EOF), and the Joint Information'Center (JlC).
A review of other performance areas, such as: the Vermont Yankee emergency response organizations (ERO) recognition of abnormal plant conditions; command and control; intra-and inter-facility communications; prioritization of mitigating activities; utilization of repair and field monitoring teams; interface with offsite agencies; staffing and procedure adequacy; and the overall implementation of the emergency plan and its implementing procedures.
A review of past performance issues from the last NRC Vermont Yankee exercise inspection report and Entergy's Vermont Yankee EP drill reports, to determine the effectiveness of licensee corrective actions as demonstrated during the May 3, 2011, exercise and to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50.47(bX14).
The licensees post-exercise critiques, to evaluate Entergy's self-assessment of its ERO performance during the May 3, 2011, exercise and to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50, Appendix E, Section lV.F.2.g.
The inspectors reviewed the documents listed in the attachment to this report.
b.
Findinss No findings were identified.
1EP4 Emerqencv Action Level (EAL) and Emerqencv Plan Chanoes (71114.04-1 Sample)
a. Inspection Scope
Since the last NRC inspection of this program area, in August 2010, Entergy implemented various revisions of the different sections of the Entergy Vermont Yankee Emergency Plan. Entergy had determined that, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.54(q),any change made to the Plan, and its lower-tier implementing procedures, had not resulted in any decrease in effectiveness of the Plan, and that the revised Plan continued to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and Appendix E to 10 CFR 50.
The inspectors reviewed all EAL changes that Entergy had made since August 2010,
.
and conducted a sampling review of other Emergency Plan changes, including the changes to lower-tier emergency plan implementing procedures, to evaluate for any potential decreases in effectiveness of the Emergency Plan. However, this review was not documented in an NRC Safety Evaluation Report and does not constitute formal NRC approval of the changes. Therefore, these changes remain subject to future NRC inspection in their entirety.
b.
Findinos No findings were identified.
4. OTHER ACTIVITlES (OA)
4OA1 Performance Indicator (Pl) Verification (71151-3 Samples)
a. Inspection Scope
The inspectors reviewed data for the Vermont Yankee EP Pls, which are:
- (1) Drill and Exercise Performance (DEP);
- (2) Emergency Response Organization (ERO) Drill Participation; and,
- (3) Alert and Notification System (ANS) Reliability. The last NRC EP inspection at Vermont Yankee was conducted in the third quarter of 2010, so the inspectors reviewed supporting documentation from EP drills, training records, and equipment tests from the third calendar quarter of 2010 through the first quarter of 2011, to verify the accuracy of the reported Pl data. The review of these Pls was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71151, using the acceptance criteria documented in NEl 99-02,"Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guidelinesl' Revision 6.
This inspection activity represented the completion of three samples on an annual cycle.
Findinqs No findings were identified.
Meetinqs. Includinq Exit On May 5,2011, the inspectors presented the results of this inspection to Mr. C.
Wamser, the General Manager of Plant Operations, and other members of the Entergy staff. No proprietary information was provided to the inspectors during this inspection.
ATTACHMENT
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- C. Wamser, General Manager of Plant Operations
- M. McKenney, Emergency Planning Manager
LIST OF ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
None