Text

Mid-Cycle Assessment Letter - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 (NRC Inspection Report 05000391/2015606)
	ML15244B443
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	09/01/2015
From:	Haag R; NRC/RGN-II/DCI/CIB3
To:	Skaggs M; Tennessee Valley Authority
References
	IR 2015606
	Download: ML15244B443 (8)
	v • d • e

September 1, 2015

SUBJECT:

MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENT LETTER - WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 2 (NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000391/2015606)

Dear Mr. Skaggs:

On August 10, 2015, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff completed its performance review of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) Unit 2 construction project. Our technical staff reviewed inspection results for the period from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our assessment of your safety performance during this period and our plans for future inspections at your facility.

During the most recent quarter the NRC identified a Severity Level III violation associated with concrete anchor bolt instillation. This violation is described in Inspection Report 05000391/2015614, dated April 7, 2015 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15097A307). The NRC performed follow-up inspection activities associated this this violation and determined that the completed corrective actions were adequate to resolve the issue. These inspection activities will be described in a later inspection report.

During the first three quarters of the assessment period, and in the 4th quarter with the exception noted above, WBN Unit 2 construction activities were generally conducted in a manner that complied with the Commissions rules and regulations, the conditions of your construction permit, and the Unit 2 regulatory framework commitments. Our inspections indicated that your construction and testing programs were sufficiently implemented to support ongoing construction and testing activities. Management and Quality Assurance oversight effectively monitored and assessed these activities. The corrective action program implementation activities, including initiation, classification, disposition, and trending were deemed satisfactory.

In conclusion, project performance for the most recent quarter, as well as for the previous three quarters of the assessment cycle, was acceptable. No substantive cross-cutting issues were identified during this assessment period. Based on verification that adequate corrective actions have been implemented for the Severity Level III violation, no further actions are required for this matter. We plan to continue with our inspection activities specified by Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2517.

The NRC staff spent over 23,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> during the 12-month Mid-Cycle Assessment period performing inspections, assessments, public meetings, allegation follow-up, and inspection program support for WBN Unit 2. The NRC staff anticipates the level of effort will remain

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION II

245 PEACHTREE CENTER AVENUE NE, SUITE 1200 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-1257 constant as inspections of WBN Unit 2 construction, pre-operational testing, and operational preparedness activities are completed in preparation of a licensing decision for Unit 2.

The enclosed inspection plan contains inspection activities that we have currently scheduled.

The inspections listed in the enclosed inspection plan were scheduled based on information your staff provided to the NRC. For other inspections specified in IMC 2517 that were unable to be scheduled, we will continue to communicate with your staff on a routine basis to develop an agreed upon time frame to completion of the inspection. Your staff will be given ample notification of any changes to upcoming inspection activities or newly identified inspections as they become finalized in order to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability. Routine inspections performed by the resident staff are not listed on the inspection plan due to their ongoing and continuous nature.

The NRC will continue with implementation of IMC 2513, Light Water Reactor Inspection Program - Preoperational Testing and Operational Preparedness Phase. We have not listed preoperational testing inspections in the enclosed inspection plan due to likelihood that the inspection dates will change as adjustments to your preoperational testing schedule occur.

Additionally, if an Operating License is issued, the NRC will initiate implementation of IMC 2514, Light Water Reactor Inspection Program - Startup Testing Phase.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs 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 NRCs 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). Please contact me at (404) 997-4446 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or our planned inspections.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Robert C. Haag, Chief

Construction Projects Branch 3

Division of Construction Projects

Docket No. 50-391 Construction Permit No: CPPR-92

Enclosure: Watts Bar Unit 2 Inspection Plan

cc w/encl: See next page

ML15244B443

SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE OFFICE RII:DCP RII: DCP

SIGNATURE

/RA/

NAME D. Seat R. Haag

DATE 08/31/2015 08/31/2015

E-MAIL COPY?

YES NO YES NO cc w/encl:

Mr. Gordon P. Arent Director, Licensing Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, Tennessee 37381

Mr. O. J. Zeringue, General Manager Engineering and Construction WBN Unit Two Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, Tennessee 37381

Paul Simmons, Vice President WBN Unit Two Project Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City Tennessee 37381

Mr. James ODell, Manager Licensing and Industry Affairs WBN Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, Tennessee 37381

Mr. Joseph P. Grimes Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Place 3R Lookout Place Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402-2801

Mr. Sean Connors Plant Manager, WBN Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, Tennessee 37381

Mr. R. R. Baron, Senior Manager Nuclear Construction Quality Assurance WBN Unit Two Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, Tennessee 37381

Mr. Joseph Shea, Vice President Nuclear Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street 3R Lookout Place Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

Mr. E. J. Vigluicci Assistant General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive 6A West Tower Knoxville, Tennessee 37402

Mr. Kevin Walsh Site Vice President Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, Tennessee 37381

Mr. Lawrence E. Nanney, Director Tennessee Department of Environmental Health & Conservation Division of Radiological Health 3rd Floor, L&C Annex 401 Church Street Nashville, TN 37243-1532

County Executive 375 Church Street Suite 215 Dayton, Tennessee 37321

County Mayor P.O. Box 156 Decatur, Tennessee 37322

Ms. Ann P. Harris Public 341 Swing Loop Rockwood, TN 37854 cc email distribution w/encl:

Greg Scott Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution

Watts Bar Unit 2 Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution

Letter to Michael from Robert C. Haag dated September 01, 2015.

SUBJECT:

MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENT LETTER - WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 2 (NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000391/2015606)

Distribution w/encl:

Region II Regional Coordinator, OEDO (Cindy Rosales-Cooper)

J. Quichocho, NRR J. Poole, NRR J. Dion, NRR A. Blamey, RII DRP E. Patterson, RII, WBN Unit 2, SRI J. Nadel, RII Watts Bar Unit 1 SRI S. Price, RII ConE_Resource@nrc.gov PUBLIC

Enclosure

WATTS BAR UNIT 2 INSPECTION PLAN

Planned Dates Start End Inspection Activity Title

09/07/2015 - 09/11/2015

TI 2512/038

Inspection of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Mechanical Equipment Qualification Special Program

09/07/2015 - 09/11/2015

GL 04-02

TI 2515/166, R1

Potential Impact of Debris Blockage on Emergency Recirculation during Design Basis Accidents at PWRs

Pressurized Water Reactor Containment Sump Blockage (NRC Generic Letter 2004-02)

09/07/2015 - 09/25/2015