IR 05000271/2013503

IR 05000271-13-503 June 3-7, 2013, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, NRC Evaluated Emergency Preparedness Exercise

ML13197A016
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	07/15/2013
From:	Anthony Dimitriadis Plant Support Branch 1
To:	Wamser C Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
IR-13-503
Download: ML13197A016 (11)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION uly 15, 2013

SUBJECT:

VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION - NRC EVALUATED EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE - INSPECTION REPORT NO.

05000271/2013503

Dear Mr. Wamser:

On June 7, 2013, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an inspection of the June 5, 2013, evaluated emergency preparedness exercise at your Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. The enclosed inspection report documents the inspection results, which were discussed on June 7, 2013, with you and other members of your staff.

The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions 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 Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulation (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRCs 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 NRCs document system, 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).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Anthony Dimitriadis, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-271 License No. DPR-28

Enclosure:

NRC Inspection Report No. 05000271/2013503

REGION I==

Docket No: 50-271 License No: DPR-28 Report No: 05000271/2013503 Licensee: Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Facility: Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Location: Vernon, Vermont Dates: June 3-7, 2013 Inspectors: S. Barr, Sr. Emergency Preparedness Inspector, DRS, Region I (Lead)

E. Burket, Emergency Preparedness Inspector, DRS, Region I B. Dionne, Health Physicist, DRS, Region I J. Patel, Reactor Inspector, DRS, Region I Approved By: Anthony Dimitriadis, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety i Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

IR 05000271/2013503; 6/3/2013-6/7/2013; Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station; Exercise

Evaluation; Exercise Evaluation - Scenario Review; Performance Indicator Verification.

This was an announced inspection conducted by four Region I-based inspectors. No findings were identified during the inspection. The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, Reactor Oversight Process,

Revision 4, dated December 2006.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings were identified.

B. Licensee-Identified Findings None.

ii

REPORT DETAILS

REACTOR SAFETY

Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness (EP)

1EP7 Exercise Evaluation (71114.01 - 1 Sample)

a. Inspection Scope

Prior to the June 5, 2013, 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 Nuclear Power Station Emergency Plan as required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.47(b) (14). 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 Entergys performance in the biennial full-participation exercise regarding the implementation of the planning standards described in 10 CFR 50.47(b) (4), (5), (9), and (10), which are: emergency classification; offsite notification; radiological assessment; onsite protective actions, and public protective action recommendations, respectively.

The overall adequacy of Entergys emergency response facilities with regard to Emergency Plan commitments. The facilities assessed were the Control Room Simulator, the offsite alternative facility, the incident command post, and the Emergency Operations Facility (EOF).

A review of other performance areas, such as: the licensee EROs recognition of abnormal plant conditions; command and control, including interactions with site security staff; intra- and inter-facility communications; prioritization of mitigating activities; utilization of repair and field monitoring teams; interface with offsite agencies, including local law enforcement 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 VY exercise inspection report and Entergys EP drill reports, to determine the effectiveness of licensee corrective actions as demonstrated during the June 5, 2013, exercise and to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50.47(b)(14)

The licensees post-exercise critiques, to evaluate Entergys self-assessment of its ERO performance during the June 5, 2013, exercise and to ensure compliance with 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.g.

The inspectors reviewed the documents listed in the attachment to this report.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

1EP8 Exercise Evaluation - Scenario Review (71114.08 - 1 Sample)

a. Inspection Scope

Prior to the June 5, 2013, 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 Nuclear Power Station Emergency Plan as required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.47(b) (14). This overall exercise inspection activity represented the completion of one sample on a biennial cycle.

The inspectors reviewed the documents listed in the attachment to this report.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA1 Performance Indicator (PI) Verification (71151 - 3 Samples)

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors reviewed data for the VY EP PIs, 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 EP inspection at VY was conducted in the third calendar quarter of 2012, so the inspectors reviewed supporting documentation from EP drills and tests from the third calendar quarter of 2012 through the first calendar quarter of 2013, to verify the accuracy of the reported PI data. The review of these PIs was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71151, using the acceptance criteria documented in NEI 99-02, Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guidelines, Revision 6.

This inspection activity represented the completion of three samples.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, including Exit

On June 7, 2013, the inspectors presented the results of this inspection to Mr. C. Wamser, VY Site Vice President, and other members of the Entergy staff.

The inspectors verified that no proprietary information was retained by the inspectors or documented in this report.

ATTACHMENT

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

C. Wamser, Site Vice President

M. McKenney, Emergency Planning Manager

LIST OF ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

None.