IR 05000424/2020040

Assessment Follow-up Letter for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 & 2 - Report 05000424/2020040 and 05000425/2020040

ML20129K050
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	05/08/2020
From:	Alan Blamey NRC/RGN-II/DRP/RPB2
To:	Gayheart C Southern Nuclear Operating Co
References
IR 2020040
Download: ML20129K050 (3)

Text

May 8, 2020

SUBJECT:

ASSESSMENT FOLLOWUP LETTER FOR VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 & 2 - REPORT 05000424/2020040 AND 05000425/2020040

Dear Ms. Gayheart:

On March 31, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued the final significance determination of a white finding and notice of violation and assessment follow-up letter for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant - NRC inspection report (IR) 05000424/2020090 and 05000425/2020090 (ADAMS Accession Number ML20091L428). The finding involved a failure to adequately calibrate containment high range area radiation monitors so that they responded within the required range and accuracy to known inputs. This resulted in main control room (MCR) indications that were biased high and would have resulted in overly conservative Emergency Action Level (EAL) declarations during the course of certain accident scenarios.

The NRC reviewed the guidance in IMC 0305, Operating Reactor Assessment Program, and based on that guidance, is revising the start date of the violation from 4th Quarter 2019 to 3rd Quarter 2019. The NRC has determined that the performance at Vogtle Units 1 and 2 would be in the Regulatory Response Column of the Reactor Oversight Process Action Matrix beginning 3rd Quarter of 2019.

The NRC plans to conduct a supplemental inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure (IP) 95001, Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area. This IP is conducted to provide assurance that the root and contributing causes for the performance issues are understood, and to provide assurance that the corrective actions are sufficient to address the root and contributing causes and prevent recurrence. This inspection will be scheduled after you notify the NRC of your readiness. This letter supplements, but does not supersede the annual assessment letter issued on March 3, 2020 (ML20063L629).

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter 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). Please contact me at (404) 997-4415 with any questions you have regarding this letter.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Alan J. Blamey, Chief Reactor Project Branch 2 Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos. 05000424 and 05000425 License Nos. NPF-68 and NPF-81 Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl: Distribution via LISTSERV SUBJECT: ASSESSMENT FOLLOWUP LETTER FOR VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 & 2 - REPORT 05000424/2020040 AND 05000425/2020040 DISTRIBUTION:

RidsNrrPMVogtle Resource RidsNRRDRO Resource PUBLIC ADAMS ACCESSION NUMBER:ML20129K050 X Non-Sensitive X Publicly Available Sensitive Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RII:DRP RII/DRP NAME N Staples A Blame DATE 05/07/2020 05/08/2020