IR 05000390/2007501

IR 05000390-07-501; on 11/5-9/2007; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Emergency Preparedness Inspection Report

ML073400468
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	12/06/2007
From:	Brian Bonser NRC/RGN-II/DRS/PSB1
To:	Campbell W Tennessee Valley Authority
References
IR-07-501
Download: ML073400468 (10)

Text

ber 6, 2007

SUBJECT:

WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INSPECTION REPORT 05000390/2007501

Dear Mr. Campbell:

On November 9, 2007, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an Emergency Preparedness inspection at your Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. The enclosed inspection report documents the inspection results, which were discussed on November 8, 2007, with Mr.

Mike Lorek 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 of significance were identified.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document 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 Heather Gepford for/

Brian R. Bonser, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-390 License Nos. NPF-90

Enclosure:

NRC Inspection Report No. 05000390/2007501 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information

REGION II==

Docket Nos: 50-390 License Nos: NPF-90 Report Nos: 05000390/2007501 Licensee: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Facility: Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Location: Spring City, TN Dates: November 5 - 9, 2007 Inspector: L. Miller, Senior Emergency Preparedness Inspector J. Johnson, Emergency Preparedness Specialist R. Monk, Senior Resident Inspector M. Pribish, Resident Inspector Approved by: Brian R. Bonser, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

IR 05000390/2007501;11/5-9/07;Watts Bar Nuclear Plant;Baseline Inspection.

The report covered an announced inspection by one Senior Emergency Preparedness Inspector, one Senior Resident Inspector, one Resident Inspector, and one Emergency Preparedness Specialist. The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, Reactor Oversight Process.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None

REPORT DETAILS

REACTOR SAFETY

Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness

1EP1 Exercise Evaluation

a. Inspection Scope

Prior to the inspection activity, the inspector conducted an in-office review of the exercise objectives and scenario submitted to the NRC to determine if the exercise would test major elements of the emergency plan as required by 10 CFR 50.47(b)(14).

This inspection activity represents one sample on a biennial cycle.

The onsite inspection consisted of the following review and assessment:

• The adequacy of the licensees performance in the biennial exercise conducted on November 7, 2007, was reviewed and assessed regarding the implementation of the Risk Significant Planning Standards (RSPSs) in 10 CFR 50.47 (b)(4), (5), (9), and (10), which address emergency classification, offsite notification, radiological assessment, and protective action recommendations, respectively.

• The overall adequacy of the licensees emergency response facilities with regard to NUREG-0696, Functional Criteria for Emergency Response Facilities and Emergency Plan commitments. The facilities assessed were the Control Room simulator, Technical Support Center (TSC), Operations Support Center (OSC) and Emergency Operations Facility (EOF).

• Other performance areas besides the RSPS, such as the emergency response organizations (ERO) recognition of abnormal plant conditions, command and control, intra- and inter-facility communications, prioritization of mitigation activities, utilization of repair and field monitoring teams, interface with offsite agencies, and the overall implementation of the emergency plan and its implementing procedures.

• Past performance issues from NRC inspection reports and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Department of Homeland Security (DHS) exercise reports to determine effectiveness of corrective actions as demonstrated during this exercise to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50.47(b)(14).

• The post-exercise critique process and the presentation to the licensee's senior management conducted on November 8, 2007, to evaluate the licensees self-assessment of its ERO performance during the exercise and to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50 Appendix E.IV.F.2.g.

The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

1EP4 Emergency Action Level (EAL) and Emergency Plan Changes

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors review of revisions to the emergency plan, implementing procedures and EAL changes was performed to determine that changes had not decreased the effectiveness of the plan. The inspector evaluated the associated 10 CFR 50.54(q)reviews associated with non-administrative emergency plan, implementing procedures and EAL changes. The inspector reviewed Watts Bar Emergency Plan revisions 82, 83, 84, and 86 and changes to the implementing procedures from April 01, 2006 to September 30, 2007.

The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71114, 04, Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes. The applicable planning standard (PS), 10 CFR 50.47(b)(4) and its related 10 CFR 50, Appendix E requirements were used as reference criteria. The criteria contained in NUMARC/NESP-007, Methodology for Development of Emergency Action Levels, Revision 2 and Regulatory Guide 1.101 were also used as references.

The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report. This inspection activity satisfied one inspection sample for the EAL and emergency plan changes on an annual basis.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA1 Performance Indicator Verification

a. Inspection Scope

The inspector sampled licensee submittals for the three Performance Indicators (PIs)listed below for unit one. For each of the submittals reviewed, the inspector looked at the period from April 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007. To verify the accuracy of the PI data reported during that period, PI definitions and guidance contained in Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 99-02, Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline, Revision 5 were used to verify the basis in reporting for each data element.

• Emergency Response Organization Drill/Exercise Performance (DEP)

• Emergency Response Organization Readiness (ERO)

• Alert and Notification System Reliability (ANS)

The inspectors reviewed portions of the raw PI data developed from monthly performance indicator reports and discussed the methods for compiling and reporting the PIs with cognizant emergency preparedness personnel. The inspector also independently screened drill and exercise opportunity evaluations, drill participation reports, and drill evaluations. Selected reported values were calculated to verify their accuracy. The inspectors compared graphical representations from the most recent PI report to the raw data to verify that the data was correctly reflected in the report.

The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71151, Performance Indicator Verification.

The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report. This inspection satisfied three inspection samples for PI verification on an annual basis.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, including Exit

On November 9, 2007, the lead inspector presented the inspection results to Mr. Mike Lorek, and other members of your staff. The inspector confirmed that proprietary information was not provided during the inspection.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee personnel

M. Skaggs, Site Vice President

M. Lorek, Plant Manager

A. Scales, Operations Manager

B. Marks, Emergency Preparedness Manager (Corporate)

T. Detchemendy, Emergency Preparedness Manager (Watts Bar)

G. Vickery, Operations

J. Bushnell, Licensing