IR 05000440/2009001

Annual Assessment Letter - Perry Nuclear Plant (050000440/2009001)

ML090630801
Person / Time
Site:	Perry
Issue date:	03/04/2009
From:	Pederson C Division Reactor Projects III
To:	Bezilla M FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co
References
IR-09-001
Download: ML090630801 (7)

Text

UNITED STATES rch 4, 2009

SUBJECT:

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - PERRY NUCLEAR PLANT (05000440/2009001)

Dear Mr. Bezilla:

On February 11, 2009, the NRC staff completed its performance review of the Perry Nuclear Plant. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results over the previous 12 months. 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.

This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include security information. A separate letter designated and marked as "Official Use Only--Security Related Information" will include the security cornerstone review and resultant inspection plan.

Overall, Perry Nuclear Plant operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response column of the NRC=s Action Matrix, based on all inspection findings being classified as having very low safety significance (Green) and all PIs indicating performance at a level requiring no additional NRC oversight (Green).

Performance at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant during the assessment period continued to exhibit weaknesses in the area of human performance. While the number of findings identified with a cross-cutting aspect of work control (H.3.(a)) declined, with only two identified in the last half of 2008, a second cross-cutting theme in the area of procedures/documentation (H.2(c)) was identified with five findings. In addition, there are indications of a new cross-cutting theme in the aspect of human error prevention techniques (H.4(a)), with three findings identified during the assessment period and a potential fourth finding identified shortly after the end of the assessment period. Because of the continuing weakness in the human performance area, the substantive cross-cutting issue in human performance with themes of work control and procedures/documentation will remain open. This issue is a continuation of the substantive cross-cutting issue first opened in our March 3, 2008, End-of-Cycle Assessment letter [ADAMS Ref. ML080600303].

We recognize that you performed a root cause analysis addressing human performance issues in early 2008 and have been implementing corrective actions stemming from that analysis.

Furthermore, you had an independent safety culture assessment performed in mid-2008. With these actions, you have demonstrated that you share our concern in this area and are taking actions to improve your staffs performance. However, the effectiveness and sustainability of your corrective actions continues to be of concern. Specifically, we continue to see vestiges of the original cross-cutting theme while additional cross-cutting themes continue to come to the forefront. Therefore, we request that you address your actions regarding human performance during the End-of-Cycle public meeting, yet to be scheduled.

In addition, we request that you provide a written response describing your actions to address human performance. The response should include the actions you have taken to address human performance in general and specifically the cross-cutting aspects of work control, (H.3(a)), procedures/documentation (H.2(c)), and human error prevention techniques (H.4(a)).

The response should also include examples of any progress that you have made in these areas to date and the improvements in human performance that you expect from those actions.

Please submit your response by June 2, 2009. The human performance cross-cutting issue with themes of work control and procedure/documentation will remain open until the NRC gains confidence in the effectiveness and sustainability of your corrective actions.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, including baseline and other infrequently conducted inspections, less those related to security, scheduled through June 30, 2010. The inspection plan is provided to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues well in advance of inspector arrival onsite. Routine resident inspections are not listed due to their ongoing and continuous nature. The inspections in the last 9 months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the end-of-cycle review.

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), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

If circumstances arise which cause us to change this inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact Jamnes Cameron at 630-829-9833 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Cynthia D. Pederson, Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-440 License No. DPR-58 Enclosure: Perry Inspection/Activity Plan DISTRIBUTION:

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