IR 05000424/2007501
| ML071230439 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 05/03/2007 |
| From: | Brian Bonser NRC/RGN-II/DRS/PSB1 |
| To: | Tynan T Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| References | |
| IR-07-501 | |
| Download: ML071230439 (14) | |
Text
May 3, 2007
SUBJECT:
VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT - NRC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INSPECTION REPORT 05000424/2007501 AND 05000425/2007501
Dear Mr. Tynan:
On March 19-23, 2007, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted an inspection at your Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed inspection report documents the inspection findings, which were discussed on March 23, 2007 with Mr. R. Dedrickson and other members of your staff, and on May 1, 2007 via teleconference with you 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 inspector reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel.
Based on the results of this inspection, no findings of significance were identified. However, a licensee-identified violation which was determined to be of very low safety significance is listed in this report. NRC is treating this violation as a non-cited violation (NCV) consistent with Section VI.A.1 of the NRC Enforcement Policy because of the very low safety significance of the violation and because it is entered into your corrective action program. If you contest this non-cited violation, you should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this inspection report, with the basis for your denial, to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN.: Document Control Desk, Washington DC 20555-0001; with copies to the Regional Administrator, Region II; the Director, Office of Enforcement, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; and the NRC Resident Inspector at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant.
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).
Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact us.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Brian R. Bonser, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-424, 50-425 License Nos. NPF-68, NPF-81
Enclosure:
NRC Inspection Report 05000424/2007501 and 05000425/2007501 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information
REGION II==
Docket Nos:
50-424, 50-425 License Nos:
05000424/2007501, 05000425/2007501 Licensee:
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.
Facility:
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location:
Waynesboro, GA 30830 Dates:
March 19-23, 2007 Inspector:
James L. Kreh, Emergency Preparedness Inspector Approved by:
Brian R. Bonser, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
IR 05000424/2007-501, 05000425/2007-501; 03/19-23/2007; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant,
Units 1 and 2; Routine Inspection Report This report covers an announced inspection conducted by a Region II emergency preparedness inspector. The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, Reactor Oversight Process, Revision 4, dated December 2006.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
Licensee-Identified Violations
.
A violation of very low safety significance, which was identified by the licensee, has been reviewed by the inspector. Corrective actions taken or planned by the licensee have been entered into the licensees corrective action program. This violation and associated corrective actions are listed in Section 4OA7 of this report.
REPORT DETAILS
REACTOR SAFETY
Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness
1EP2 Alert and Notification System (ANS) Evaluation
a. Inspection Scope
The inspector evaluated the adequacy of licensee methods for testing the alert and notification system in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71114, 02, Alert and Notification System Evaluation. The applicable planning standard 10 CFR 50.47(b)(5) and related requirements contained in Section IV.D of Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50 were used as reference criteria. The evaluation criteria contained in NUREG-0654, Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 1; and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Report REP-10, Guide for the Evaluation of Alert and Notification Systems for Nuclear Power Plants were also applied. This inspection activity represents one sample on a biennial cycle.
The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
1EP3 Emergency Response Organization (ERO) Staffing and Augmentation System
a. Inspection Scope
The inspector reviewed the ERO augmentation staffing requirements and the process for notifying ERO personnel to ensure the readiness of key staff for responding to an event and the capability for timely facility activation. The results of the monthly and quarterly ERO pager system tests were reviewed. The inspector examined the provisions for a backup notification system. A sample of problems identified from augmentation drills and ERO pager system tests was reviewed to assess the effectiveness of corrective actions.
The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71114, 03, Emergency Response Organization Staffing and Augmentation System. The applicable planning standard 10 CFR 50.47(b)(2) and related requirements contained in Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50 were used as reference criteria. This inspection activity represents one sample on a biennial cycle.
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 inspector reviewed the Emergency Plan changes made in Revisions 43 and 44 (the latter was the version in effect at the time of the inspection), and selected revisions to Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures made during the previous 12 months.
The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71114, 04, Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes. The applicable planning standard 10 CFR 50.47(b)(4) and related requirements contained in 10 CFR 50.54(q) and Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50 were used as reference criteria.
This inspection activity represents one sample on an annual cycle.
The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
1EP5 Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses
a. Inspection Scope
The inspector reviewed the corrective actions identified through the emergency preparedness (EP) program to ascertain the significance of the issues and to determine whether repetitive problems were occurring. The facilitys self-assessments and audits were reviewed to evaluate the licensees ability to be self-critical, thus avoiding complacency and degradation of its EP program, and to assess the completeness and effectiveness of a sample of EP-related corrective actions. One emergency declaration (a Notification of Unusual Event [NOUE]) was made since the last inspection of this program area in September 2005. The inspector reviewed the corrective action reports associated with the NOUE declaration.
The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71114, 05, Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses. The applicable planning standard 10 CFR 50.47(b)(14) and related requirements contained in Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50 were used as reference criteria. This inspection activity represents one sample on a biennial cycle.
The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report.
b. Findings
A licensee-identified violation is discussed in Section 4OA7.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4OA1 Performance Indicator (PI) Verification
a. Inspection Scope
The inspector reviewed the licensees process for developing the data for the three EP PIs, and examined data reported to the NRC for the four-quarter period January 1 -
December 31, 2006. To verify the accuracy of the PI data reported during that period, PI definitions and guidance contained in NEI 99-02, Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline, Revisions 3 and 4, were used to verify the basis in reporting for each data element.
- Drill and Exercise Performance (DEP)
- ERO Drill Participation
- ANS Reliability The inspector verified the accuracy of the PI for ERO DEP through review of a sample of drill and training records. The inspector reviewed selected training records to verify the accuracy of the PI for ERO drill participation for personnel assigned to key positions in the ERO. The inspector verified the accuracy of the PI for ANS reliability through review of a sample of the licensees records of periodic system tests.
The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71151, Performance Indicator Verification. This inspection activity represents three samples on an annual cycle.
The inspector reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
4OA6 Meetings, including Exit
On March 23, 2007, the inspector presented the inspection results to Mr. R. Dedrickson, Plant Manager, and other members of his staff. The inspector confirmed that proprietary information was not provided during the inspection.
On May 1, 2007, a re-exit meeting by teleconference was held with Mr. T. Tynan, Site Vice President, and other members of his staff to present the NRCs conclusion that the incorrect NOUE declaration on March 9, 2007 was being dispositioned as an NRC-identified non-cited violation (NCV). Additional NRC review determined that the categorization of the finding should be modified to a licensee-identified NCV, and this decision was communicated telephonically to Mr. W. Copeland on May 3, 2007.
4OA7 Licensee-Identified Violations
The following violation of very low safety significance (Green) was identified by the licensee, and is a violation of NRC requirements which meets the criteria of Section VI of the NRC Enforcement Policy, NUREG-1600, for being dispositioned as an NCV.
- 10 CFR 50.54(q) requires the licensee to follow and maintain its Emergency Plan. Contrary to this, on March 9, 2007, the licensee declared a Notification of Unusual Event (NOUE) in response to a letdown-charging mismatch in the Reactor Coolant System (RCS) that was incorrectly determined to have been caused by unidentified RCS leakage greater than 10 gallons per minute. An emergency classification was not warranted for this condition because no EAL in the Emergency Plan was exceeded. This event is documented in the licensees corrective action program as Condition Reports 2007102804 and 2007103869.
This finding is of very low safety significance because it involved an actual event implementation problem related to the declaration of a NOUE, which is the lowest emergency classification level in the licensees EAL scheme.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- R. Brown, Training and Emergency Preparedness Manager
- J. Churchwell, Senior Engineer
- P. Conley, Programs Supervisor
- W. Copeland, Performance Analysis Supervisor
- R. Dedrickson, Plant Manager
- L. Mansfield, Nuclear Operations Training Supervisor
- L. Mayo, Site Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
- M. Sharma, Nuclear Specialist
- T. Tynan, Site Vice President
- J. Williams, Assistant General Manager, Plant Support
NRC Personnel
- G. McCoy, Senior Resident Inspector
- B. Anderson, Resident Inspector
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened
None
Closed
None
Discussed
None