ML030620693

2003 Annual Assessment Letter - Salem Nuclear Generating Station

ML030620693
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	03/03/2003
From:	Blough A Division Reactor Projects II
To:	Keiser H Public Service Enterprise Group
References
IR-03-001
Download: ML030620693 (6)

Text

March 3, 2003 Mr. Harold W. Keiser Chief Nuclear Officer and President PSEG Nuclear LLC - N09 P. O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

SUBJECT:

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (Report 50-272/2003-001, 50-311/2003-001)

Dear Mr. Keiser:

On February 6, 2003, the NRC staff completed its end-of-cycle plant performance assessment of Salem Unit 1 & 2. The end-of-cycle review for Salem Unit 1 & 2 involved the participation of all technical divisions in evaluating performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2002. 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 so that you will have an opportunity to prepare for these inspections and to inform us of any planned inspections that may conflict with your plant activities.

Overall, Salem Unit 1 & 2 operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent two quarters was within the Licensee Response Column of the NRCs 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). Therefore, we plan to conduct only baseline inspections at your facility through March 31, 2004.

While plant performance for the two most recent quarters was within the Licensee Response Column, there were safety significant performance indicators during the first two quarters of the assessment cycle. At Salem Unit 1, plant performance for the first and second quarters of 2002 was within the Regulatory Response Column of the NRCs Action Matrix based on a White PI for unplanned power changes, which indicated a level of performance requiring additional NRC oversight. A supplemental inspection was performed to review your evaluations of these unplanned power changes and we found that your corrective actions appeared appropriate.

Additionally, the staff has identified a substantive cross-cutting issue in the area of problem identification and resolution (PI&R), particularly regarding ineffective problem evaluations and untimely, ineffective corrective actions. Numerous inspection findings documented shortcomings within the problem identification and resolution area, and these shortcomings enabled problems to recur and longstanding problems to go uncorrected. The most noteworthy examples included repetitive emergency diesel generator (EDG) problems involving fuel oil leaks and the fatigue-induced failure of an EDG turbocharger, the failure of a charging pump by a known problem due to inadequate preventive maintenance, an inadvertent carbon dioxide

Mr. Harold W. Keiser 2 actuation in an EDG room due to a degraded EDG cylinder isolation valve, and the June 2002 failure of an air-operated service water valve following corrective actions for a similar January 2001 failure.

We also note that the same overall corrective action program is concurrently implemented at both Salem and Hope Creek, and that both stations have experienced an adverse PI&R trend. This appears to indicate that program improvements to address these trends will need to be broadly based and site-wide to improve PI&R performance at Salem Units 1 and 2, as well as at Hope Creek. We plan to closely monitor your performance in the PI&R area.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections scheduled through March 31, 2004. The inspection plan is provided to minimize the resource impact on your staff and to allow for scheduling conflicts and personnel availability to be resolved in advance of inspector arrival onsite. Routine resident inspections are not listed due to their ongoing and continuous nature.

The inspections in the last six months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle review meeting.

As you are aware, since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the NRC has issued several Orders and threat advisories to enhance security capabilities and improve guard force readiness.

We have conducted inspections to review your implementation of these requirements and have monitored your actions in response to changing threat conditions. For calendar year 2003, we plan to continue these inspections, conduct portions of the security baseline inspection program, as well as perform additional inspections to evaluate your compliance with new requirements that may be ordered. Based on our final determinations in this regard, we will notify you of any inspection plan changes.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be made 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).

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 Glenn Meyer at 610-337-5211 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

/RA/

A. Randolph Blough, Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-272; 50-311 License No. DPR-70; DPR-75

Enclosure:

Salem Unit 1 & 2 Inspection/Activity Plan

Mr. Harold W. Keiser 3 cc w/encl:

M. Friedlander, Director - Business Support J. Carlin, Vice President - Engineering D. Garchow, Vice President - Projects and Licensing G. Salamon, Manager - Licensing T. O'Connor, Vice President - Operations R. Kankus, Joint Owner Affairs J. J. Keenan, Esquire Consumer Advocate, Office of Consumer Advocate F. Pompper, Chief of Police and Emergency Management Coordinator M. Wetterhahn, Esquire State of New Jersey State of Delaware N. Cohen, Coordinator - Unplug Salem Campaign E. Gbur, Coordinator - Jersey Shore Nuclear Watch E. Zobian, Coordinator - Jersey Shore Anti Nuclear Alliance

Mr. Harold W. Keiser 4 Distribution w/encl:

H. Miller, RA J. Wiggins, DRA A. Blough, DRP W. Lanning, DRS J. Rogge, DRP R. Crlenjak, DRS G. Meyer, DRP S. Barber, DRP R. Lorson, DRP - NRC Resident Inspector J. Furia, DRS G. Smith, DRS N. McNamara, DRS B. Platchek, DRP T. McGinty, OEDO RidsNrrDipmlipb Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO)

J. Clifford, NRR R. Fretz, PM, NRR G. Wunder, Backup PM, NRR Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\BRANCH3\ROP3 EOC Information\Salem ROP-3 EOC Letter.wpd After declaring this document An Official Agency Record it will be released to the Public.

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment/enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE RI/DRP RI/DRP RI/DRP RI/DRP NAME GSBarber /GSB/ DJOrr /GSB for/ GWMeyer /GWM/ ARBlough /ARB/

DATE 03/03/03 03/03/03 03/03/03 03/03/03 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Page 1 of 2 Salem 02/25/2003 10:51:01 Inspection / Activity Plan Report 22 12/29/2002 - 03/27/2004 Unit No. of Staff Planned Dates Inspection Number Inspection Activity Title on Site Start End Type 7111105T - FIRE PROTECTION 5 1, 2 IP 7111105T Fire Protection 02/10/2003 02/14/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7111105T Fire Protection 02/24/2003 02/28/2003 Baseline Inspections 7111111B - L.O.REQUALIFICATION PROGRAM 3 1, 2 IP 7111111B Licensed Operator Requalification 09/08/2003 09/12/2003 Baseline Inspections 7111117B - MODS & 50.59 3 1, 2 IP 7111102 Evaluation of Changes, Tests, or Experiments 01/13/2003 01/17/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7111117B Permanent Plant Modifications 01/13/2003 01/17/2003 Baseline Inspections 7112203 - PUB RAD SAFETY - REMP 1 1, 2 IP 7112203 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program 02/10/2003 02/14/2003 Baseline Inspections 71121 - OCC RAD SAFETY 1 1, 2 IP 7112101 Access Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 02/24/2003 02/28/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7112102 ALARA Planning and Controls 02/24/2003 02/28/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7112103 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation and Protective Equipment 02/24/2003 02/28/2003 Baseline Inspections 71152B - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION 4 1, 2 IP 71152B Identification and Resolution of Problems 03/10/2003 03/14/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 71152B Identification and Resolution of Problems 03/24/2003 03/28/2003 Baseline Inspections 5/5 WEXM - WRITTEN RETAKE SRO SALEM INITIAL EXAM 2 1 U01556 SALEM 1&2 RETAKE EXAM (5/2003) 05/05/2003 05/09/2003 Not Applicable 71121 - OCC RAD SAFETY 1 1, 2 IP 7112101 Access Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 07/07/2003 07/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7112102 ALARA Planning and Controls 07/07/2003 07/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7112103 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation and Protective Equipment 07/07/2003 07/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 7113003 - RESPONSE TO CONTINGENCIES 2 1, 2 IP 7113003 Response to Contingency Events (Protective Strategy and Implementation of Protective Strategy) 09/08/2003 09/12/2003 Baseline Inspections 71122.01 - PUB RAD SAFETY - RETS 1 1, 2 IP 7112201 Radioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment and Monitoring Systems 09/29/2003 10/03/2003 Baseline Inspections 71121 - OCC RAD SAFETY 1 2 IP 7112101 Access Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 10/06/2003 10/10/2003 Baseline Inspections 2 IP 7112102 ALARA Planning and Controls 10/06/2003 10/10/2003 Baseline Inspections 2 IP 7112103 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation and Protective Equipment 10/06/2003 10/10/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 71151 Performance Indicator Verification 10/06/2003 10/10/2003 Baseline Inspections 7111108 - INSERVICE INSPECTION - UNIT 2 1 2 IP 7111108P Inservice Inspection Activities - PWR 10/06/2003 10/10/2003 Baseline Inspections This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.

This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.

Page 2 of 2 Salem 02/25/2003 10:51:01 Inspection / Activity Plan Report 22 12/29/2002 - 03/27/2004 Unit No. of Staff Planned Dates Inspection Number Inspection Activity Title on Site Start End Type 7111108 - INSERVICE INSPECTION - UNIT 2 1 2 IP 2515/150 Reactor Pressure Vessel Head and Vessel Head Penetration Nozzles (NRC Bulletin 2002-02) 10/14/2003 10/17/2003 Safety Issues 71114 - EP PRGM REVIEW & EP PI VERIFICATION 1 1, 2 IP 7111402 Alert and Notification System Testing 12/07/2003 12/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7111403 Emergency Response Organization Augmentation Testing 12/07/2003 12/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7111404 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes 12/07/2003 12/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7111405 Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies 12/07/2003 12/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 71151 Performance Indicator Verification 12/07/2003 12/11/2003 Baseline Inspections 71122.02 - RADWASTE 1 1, 2 IP 7112202 Radioactive Material Processing and Transportation 12/08/2003 12/12/2003 Baseline Inspections 7111112B - MAINTENANCE RULE 1 1, 2 IP 7111112B Maintenance Effectiveness 01/12/2004 01/16/2004 Baseline Inspections 71121 - OCC RAD SAFETY 1 1, 2 IP 7112101 Access Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 01/12/2004 01/16/2004 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7112102 ALARA Planning and Controls 01/12/2004 01/16/2004 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7112103 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation and Protective Equipment 01/12/2004 01/16/2004 Baseline Inspections 7111121 - SSDI 6 1, 2 IP 7111121 Safety System Design and Performance Capability 03/08/2004 03/12/2004 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 7111121 Safety System Design and Performance Capability 03/22/2004 03/26/2004 Baseline Inspections 7111401 - EXERCISE EVALUATION & EP PI VERIFICATION 5 1, 2 IP 7111401 Exercise Evaluation 03/15/2004 03/19/2004 Baseline Inspections 1, 2 IP 71151 Performance Indicator Verification 03/15/2004 03/19/2004 Baseline Inspections This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.

This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.