IR 05000333/2025010
| ML25246B377 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | FitzPatrick  |
| Issue date: | 09/03/2025 |
| From: | Jason Schussler Division of Operating Reactors |
| To: | Rhoades D Constellation Energy Generation, Constellation Nuclear |
| References | |
| IR 2025010 | |
| Download: ML25246B377 (1) | |
Text
September 3, 2025
SUBJECT:
JAMES A. FITZPATRICK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - BIENNIAL PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION INSPECTION REPORT 05000333/2025010
Dear David Rhoades:
On July 31, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed a problem identification and resolution inspection at your James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant and discussed the results of this inspection with Alex Sterio, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. The results of this inspection are documented in the enclosed report.
The NRC inspection team reviewed the licensees problem identification and resolution program to confirm that the licensee was complying with NRC regulations and licensee standards. Based on the samples reviewed, the team determined that your program complies with NRC regulations and applicable industry standards such that the Reactor Oversight Process can continue to be implemented.
The team also evaluated the licensees effectiveness in identifying, prioritizing, evaluating, and correcting problems, reviewed licensee audits and self-assessments, and its use of industry and NRC operating experience information. The results of these evaluations are in the enclosure.
Finally, the team reviewed the licensees programs to establish and maintain a safety-conscious work environment and interviewed licensee personnel to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs. Based on the teams observations and the results of these interviews, the team found no evidence of challenges to your organizations safety-conscious work environment. Your employees appeared willing to raise nuclear safety concerns through at least one of the several means available.
No findings or violations of more than minor significance were identified during this inspection. This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Jason E. Schussler, Team Leader Technical Support and Administration Team Division of Operating Reactor Safety
Docket No. 05000333 License No. DPR-59
Enclosure:
As stated
Inspection Report
Docket Number:
05000333
License Number:
Report Number:
Enterprise Identifier: I-2025-010-0004
Licensee:
Constellation Energy Generation, LLC
Facility:
James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant
Location:
Oswego, NY
Inspection Dates:
July 14, 2025 to July 31, 2025
Inspectors:
A. Christiano, Project Engineer
T. Eck, Senior Physical Security Inspector
M. Henrion, Senior Project Engineer
G. Stock, Reactor Operations Engineer
Approved By:
Jason E. Schussler, Team Leader
Technical Support and Administration Team
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the licensees performance by conducting a biennial problem identification and resolution inspection at James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant, in accordance with the Reactor Oversight Process. The Reactor Oversight Process is the NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors. Refer to https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/oversight.html for more information.
List of Findings and Violations
No findings or violations of more than minor significance were identified.
Additional Tracking Items
Type Issue Number Title Report Section Status CAPR 05000333/2025010-01 FitzPatrick 95001 CAPR 04804023-19 (Implement a series of training activities and behavioral monitoring methods for maintenance work package development)
71152B Closed CAPR 05000333/2025010-02 FitzPatrick 95001 CAPR 04804023-94 (Implement a series of training activities and behavioral monitoring methods for technical rigor and management model processes)
71152B Closed
INSPECTION SCOPES
Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedure (IP)
===71152, Problem Identification and Resolution (PI&R), in effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with their attached revision histories are located on the public website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. Samples were declared complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2515, Light-Water Reactor Inspection Program - Operations Phase.
The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards.
OTHER ACTIVITIES - BASELINE
71152B - Problem Identification and Resolution Biennial Team Inspection (IP Section 03.04)===
- (1) The inspectors performed a biennial assessment of the effectiveness of the licensees problem identification and resolution program, use of operating experience, self-assessments and audits, and safety-conscious work environment.
- Problem Identification and Resolution Effectiveness: The inspectors assessed the effectiveness of the licensees problem identification and resolution program in identifying, prioritizing, evaluating, and correcting problems. The inspectors also conducted a five-year review of the safety-related emergency service water (ESW) system. The corrective actions for the following non-cited violations (NCVs) and findings were evaluated as part of the assessment:
NCV 05000333/2023004-01, NCV 05000333/2023401-01, NCV 05000333/2024003-02, NCV 05000333/2024003-03, NCV 05000333/2024403-01, NCV 05000333/2025001-01.
- Operating Experience: The inspectors assessed the effectiveness of the licensees processes for use of operating experience.
- Self-Assessments and Audits: The inspectors assessed the effectiveness of the licensees identification and correction of problems identified through audits and self-assessments.
- Safety-Conscious Work Environment: The inspectors assessed the effectiveness of the licensees programs to establish and maintain a safety-conscious work environment.
- The inspectors reviewed the completed corrective actions to preclude repetition, CAPR 04804023-19 and CAPR 04804023-94, that were opened during IP 95001 Supplemental Inspection (ML25065A041), dated March 6, 2025, associated with a White Finding in the Mitigating Systems cornerstone. The inspectors verified these corrective actions had been completed as scheduled.
INSPECTION RESULTS
Observation: Assessment 71152B Problem Identification and Resolution Program Effectiveness:
The inspectors determined that Constellation's problem identification and resolution program for FitzPatrick was generally effective and adequately supported nuclear safety and security.
Identification: The team reviewed a sample of issues that have been processed through Constellation's problem identification and resolution program since the last biennial team inspection, including conditions adverse to quality, NCVs of regulatory requirements, and other documented findings. The team determined that, in general, the licensee identified issues and entered them into the corrective action program at a low threshold.
Prioritization and Evaluation: Based on the samples reviewed, the team determined Constellation was generally effective at prioritizing and evaluating issues commensurate with the safety significance of the identified problem. Inspectors observed that at licensee corrective action program meetings, issues were generally screened and prioritized at the appropriate level and that corrective actions were assigned to address the issues. The team identified a trend in ESW material condition issues. The observation is documented below.
Corrective Action: The team concluded that Constellation was generally effective in developing corrective actions that were appropriately focused to correct the identified problem. The inspectors also reviewed the corrective actions to preclude repetition CAPR 04804023-19 and CAPR 04804023-94 opened at the time of completion of the documented IP 95001 Supplemental Inspection (ML25065A041), dated March 6, 2025. The corrective actions to preclude repetition were to address a documented White Finding in the Mitigating Systems cornerstone (ML24299A214) associated with the B emergency diesel generator failure of the gallery lube oil supply check valve and the resultant 2.3 gallons per minute lube oil leak that developed. The inspectors verified these corrective actions had been completed as scheduled.
Observation: Assessment 71152B Operating Experience:
The inspectors reviewed operating experience captured in the corrective action program and sampled operating experience from NRC, industry, vendors, and third-party groups. Overall, for the samples selected, the licensee was generally performing the appropriate assessments for station applicability.
Observation: Assessment 71152B Self-Assessment and Audits:
The inspectors determined that the licensee was adequately performing self-assessments and audits in accordance with licensee procedures and implementing corrective actions as needed.
Observation: Assessment 71152B Safety-Conscious Work Environment:
The team interviewed a total of 26 individuals using both focus groups and one-on-one interviews. The purpose of these interviews was
- (1) to evaluate the willingness of the licensee staff to raise nuclear safety issues,
- (2) to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of the corrective action program at resolving identified problems, and
- (3) to evaluate the licensee's safety-conscious work environment. The personnel interviewed were randomly selected by the inspectors from the Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, Radiation Protection, Emergency Preparedness, and Security work groups. To supplement these discussions, the team interviewed the employee concerns program (ECP) coordinator to assess their perception of the site employees' willingness to raise nuclear safety concerns. The team also reviewed the ECP case log and select case files.
All individuals interviewed indicated that they would raise safety concerns. Most individuals felt that their management was receptive to receiving safety concerns and generally addressed them promptly, commensurate with the significance of the concern. Most interviewees indicated that they were adequately trained and proficient on initiating condition reports. Most interviewees were aware of the licensee's ECP, and all stated they would use the program if necessary and expressed confidence that their confidentiality would be maintained if they brought issues to the ECP. When asked whether there have been any instances where individuals experienced retaliation or other negative reaction for raising safety concerns, all individuals interviewed stated that they had neither experienced nor heard of an instance of retaliation at the site. The team determined that the processes in place to mitigate potential safety culture issues were adequately implemented.
Observation: Trend in Emergency Service Water (ESW) Material Condition Issues 71152B The ESW system is a safety-related system providing cooling water during emergency operations. Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection reports from recent years document recurring ESW degradation including through-wall leaks, a stem-disc separation event, and degraded 'B' ESW pump fasteners. In some cases, these issues resulted in unplanned limiting conditions for operation required action statement entries, significant emergent licensee response, and Green NCVs. These recent issues indicate persistent gaps in preventive maintenance. In the case of the stem-disc separation, no preventive maintenance was in place, and for the degraded 'B' ESW pump fasteners, it was found that the preventive maintenance was inadequate to identify degraded fasteners.
Recently, degraded hold-down bolts were identified on the 'B' ESW strainer. Again, this resulted in an unplanned limiting conditions for operation required action statement entry and emergent response from licensee personnel to correct. During the performance of this inspection, the issue was being dispositioned in the corrective action program, however these recurring issues indicate persistent gaps in preventive maintenance. The recent strainer bolt event was discussed at a management review committee the inspectors were observing. The inspectors found there was significant discussion and fortunately, scrutiny of the issue resulted in the site to revisit the issue report for additional learnings.
As stated above, some of these issues were dispositioned in previous reports. The inspectors screened the remaining issues and the overall trend, identified by the inspectors, in accordance with IMC 0612 and determined these issues to be minor.
EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS
The inspectors verified no proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.
- On July 31, 2025, the inspectors presented the biennial problem identification and resolution inspection results to Alex Sterio, Site Vice President, and other members of the licensee staff.
DOCUMENTS REVIEWED
Inspection
Procedure
Type
Designation
Description or Title
Revision or
Date
Corrective Action
Documents
04118848
04314313
04389543
04397491
04497169
04500553
04500554
04500555
04500635
04526166
04526342
04537960
04672499
04691648
04698790
04699435
04699460
04702273
04703673
04703873
04704769
04704987
04705816
04707125
04707373
04708554
04708565
04708615
04708878
04709988
04710263
Inspection
Procedure
Type
Designation
Description or Title
Revision or
Date
04710830
04714041
04718802
04718879
04721526
04721880
04727497
04731427
04739409
04751616
04753340
04756433
04756434
04761909
04764117
04766518
04768448
04769538
04771794
04780282
04788050
04788207
04788506
04789294
04792661
04792666
04793706
04796005
04799989
04800066
04800103
04800103
04800753
Inspection
Procedure
Type
Designation
Description or Title
Revision or
Date
04800945
04801284
04804023
04806845
04811504
04811513
04812095
04813493
04818293
04818736
04819325
04822866
04822877
04823124
04823637
04824352
04827254
04828145
04830431
04831203
04834975
04835145
04839981
04842199
04844008
04844395
04848726
04855488
04865806
04865815
04867197
04868062
04872273
Inspection
Procedure
Type
Designation
Description or Title
Revision or
Date
04878361
04879421
04881580
Corrective Action
Documents
Resulting from
Inspection
04882686
04882690
Engineering
Changes
641492
Procedures
Safety-Conscious Work Environment
Employee Concerns Program Process
EP Performance Indicator Guidance
EP-MA-121-1002 Alert and Notification System (ANS) Program
EP-MA-121-1004 Alert and Notification System (ANS) Maintenance Program
Maintenance Rule Functions Safety Significance
Classification
Issue Identification and Screening Process
Corrective Action Program (CAP) Procedure
Self-Assessments
Benchmark Activities
Nuclear Security
Safety-Security Interface
Self-Assessments NOSA-JAF-24-02 Emergency Preparedness Audit Report
04/04/2024
NOSA-JAF-25-01 Security Programs Audit Report
03/05/2025
NOSA-JAF-25-02
Fitness for Duty and Access Authorization Program Audit
Report
2/05/2025
Work Orders
05005133
05105475
05115474
05133219
05134947
05156777
Inspection
Procedure
Type
Designation
Description or Title
Revision or
Date
05183746
298982
05308953
05329171
05394912
05395735
05399718
05450527
05514224
05532418
05533998
05534003
05534004
05568033
05581552
05600165
05605976
05614996
05621423
05628011
05669254
05671643