IR 05000391/2016611

Mid-Cycle Assessment Letter - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 (NRC Inspection Report 05000391/2016611)

ML16245A243
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	08/31/2016
From:	Rich D Division Reactor Projects II
To:	Skaggs M Tennessee Valley Authority
References
IR 2016611
Download: ML16245A243 (5)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ust 31, 2016

SUBJECT:

MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENT LETTER - WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 2 (NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000391/2016611)

Dear Mr. Skaggs:

On August 10, 2016, 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, 2015, through June 30, 2016. 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 assessment period, WBN Unit 2 construction and testing activities were generally conducted in a manner that complied with the Commissions rules and regulations, the conditions of your construction permit, operating license, 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. In conclusion, project performance for the most recent quarter, as well as for the previous three quarters of the assessment cycle, was acceptable. We plan to continue with our inspection activities of Unit 2 testing in accordance with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2517.

The NRC identified a cross-cutting theme in the Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE)

cross-cutting area. Specifically, on March 23, 2016, the NRC issued a Chilling Effect Letter for Watts Bar. Since this is the first assessment cycle with this cross-cutting theme, the NRC will inspect SCWE using baseline inspection samples during inspections conducted under the Reactor Oversight Process.

On April 23, 2015, the NRC issued the Reactor Oversight Process Transition Plan for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)

Accession No. ML15096A204). In accordance with this plan, upon completion of our inspection activities of your preoperational and startup testing programs, the NRC will assess current plant performance, provide the results of the assessment and our plans for inspection to you, and begin full implementation of the Reactor Oversight Process at Watts Bar Unit 2. 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) 997-4606 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or our planned inspections.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Daniel W. Rich, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 8 Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-391 License No. NPF-96 cc: See next page

_________________________ SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE FORM 665 ATTACHED OFFICE RII:DRP RII: DCP SIGNATURE JBB5 DWR1 NAME J. Baptist D. Rich DATE 8/4/2016 8/31/2016 9/ /2016 9/ /2016 9/ /2016 9/ /2016 9/ /2016 E-MAIL COPY? YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO cc:

Mr. Gordon P. Arent Mr. E. D. Schrull Director, Licensing Manager, Fleet Licensing Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority 1101 Market Street, LP 5A-C P.O. Box 2000 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Spring City, TN 37381 Debra G. Shults, Director Mr. Paul Simmons, Vice President Tennessee Department of Environment and WBN Unit Two Project Conservation (TDEC)

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Division of Radiological Health Tennessee Valley Authority William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower P.O. Box 2000 15th Floor Spring City, TN 37381 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue Nashville, TN 37243 Mr. Sean Connors Plant Manager, WBN Nuclear Plant Meigs County Mayor Tennessee Valley Authority 17214 State Hwy 58 N.

P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, TN 37322 Spring City, TN 37381 Rhea County Executive Mr. Joseph Shea, Vice President 375 Church Street Nuclear Licensing Suite 215 Tennessee Valley Authority Dayton, TN 37321 1101 Market Street 3R Lookout Place Ms. Ann P. Harris Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Public 341 Swing Loop Mr. S. A. Vance Rockwood, TN 37854 Assistant General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive cc email distribution:

6A West Tower Knoxville, TN 37902 Watts Bar 2 Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority Mr. Kevin Walsh Electronic Mail Distribution Site Vice President Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Mr. G. E. Pry Director, Plant Support Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Letter to Michael from Daniel W. Rich dated August 31, 2016.

SUBJECT: MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENT LETTER - WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 2 (NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000391/2016611)

DISTRIBUTION:

Region II Regional Coordinator, OEDO B. Beasley, NRR R. Schaaf, NRR C. Haney, RII L. Gibson, RII EICS A. Blamey, RII DRP J. Nadel, RII WBN Unit 1 SRI OE Mail ConE_Resource@nrc.gov PUBLIC