IR 05000266/2015005
| ML15239B425 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Point Beach  |
| Issue date: | 09/01/2015 |
| From: | Pederson C NRC/RGN-III |
| To: | Mccartney E Point Beach |
| References | |
| IR 2015005 | |
| Download: ML15239B425 (6) | |
Text
September 1, 2015
SUBJECT:
MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (REPORT 05000266/2015005; 05000301/2015005)
Dear Mr. McCartney:
On August 13, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed its mid-cycle performance review of Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. 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 that overall, Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and met all cornerstone objectives. The NRC determined the performance at Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, 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 your facility.
At the beginning of the assessment period Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Unit 1, was in the Degraded Cornerstone Column (Column 3) of the ROP Action Matrix because of two inspection findings involving a failure of the Unit 1 turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump and an external wave run-up flooding issue. These findings were classified as having low to moderate safety significance (i.e., White) in the Mitigating Systems Cornerstone. Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, was within the Regulatory Response Column (Column 2) of the ROP Action Matrix because of the common flooding-related inspection finding.
In the Mid-Cycle Assessment Letter for Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, dated September 2, 2014 (ML14245A166), the NRC advised you that based on the results of a supplemental inspection (ML14087A366) conducted in February 2014, the performance issues associated with the identified flooding finding would remain open beyond the normal four quarters and would not be removed from consideration in the NRCs assessment program until the identified weaknesses were corrected and the NRC reviewed your actions during a subsequent supplemental inspection. Your staff notified the NRC of your readiness to resume the supplemental inspection by letter dated December 16, 2014 (ML14351A028). The NRC re-performed the inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure 95002, Supplemental Inspection for One Degraded Cornerstone or Any Three White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area, during the first quarter of 2015. On March 17, 2015, the NRC completed a supplemental inspection, 05000266/2015009 and 05000301/2015009 (ML15077A007) and closed the White flooding finding. Therefore, as of April 1, 2015, with the White inputs no longer open, both Point Beach units transferred to the Licensee Response Column of the ROP.
The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through December 31, 2017.
Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan.
The inspections listed during the second half of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the end-of-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.
In response to the accident at Fukushima, the Commission issued Order EA-12-049, Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events, which requires licensees to develop, implement, and maintain guidance and strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, containment, and spent fuel pool cooling capabilities following a beyond-design-basis external event. Additionally, the Commission issued Order EA-12-051, Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation, which requires licensees to have a reliable means of remotely monitoring wide-range Spent Fuel Pool levels to support effective prioritization of event mitigation and recovery actions in the event of a beyond-design-basis external event. The NRC is conducting audits of licensee efforts towards compliance with these Orders. The audit has been completed at Point Beach Nuclear Plant, and the information gathered will aid staff in development of the ultimate Safety Evaluation for the site. After the NRC staff receives the Final Compliance letter for the site, the Final Safety Evaluation will be issued. Then, the NRC staff will confirm through inspections the full implementation of the orders mentioned above performing Temporary Instruction 191, Inspection of the Implementation of Mitigation Strategies and Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation Orders and Emergency Preparedness Communication/Staffing/Multi-Unit Dose Assessment Plans.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of 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 Mr. Jamnes Cameron, DRP, Chief, Branch 4, at 630-829-9833 with any questions you have regarding this letter.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Cynthia D. Pederson Regional Administrator Docket Nos. 50-266; 50-301 License Nos. DPR-24; DPR-27 Enclosure:
Point Beach Nuclear Plant Inspection Plan cc w/encl: Distribution via LISTSERV