BVY 04-135, Response to NRC Inspection Report 2004-09, Preliminary White Finding

Response to NRC Inspection Report 2004-09, Preliminary White Finding

ML043550177
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	12/15/2004
From:	Thayer J Entergy Nuclear Northeast, Entergy Nuclear Operations
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
BVY 04-135, IR-04-009
Download: ML043550177 (2)

Text

Entergy Nuclear Northeast

-lk Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Vermont Yankee 185 Old Ferry Rd.

E t gy RO. Box 500 Brattleboro, VT 05302 Tel 802-257-5271 December 15, 2004 Docket No. 50-271 BVY 04-135 ATTN: Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001

References:

(1) Letter, Wayne D. Lanning to Jay K Thayer, "NRC Emergency Preparedness Program - Vermont Yankee Inspection Report 05000271/2004009; Preliminary White Finding," dated November 12, 2004

Subject:

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Response to NRC Inspection Report 2004-09, Preliminary White Finding We have reviewed your letter dated November 12, 2004 regarding a preliminary white finding related to the Vermont Yankee (VY) emergency preparedness prompt alert notification system. This system as described in the Alert and Notification System Design Report dated February 1984 consists of two primary means for providing the public living within the 10-mile radius emergency planning zone (EPZ) with notifications of an emergency condition at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Station. Those means are sirens and tone alert radios (TARs).

We concur with your assessment that Vermont Yankee did not provide adequate active measures to positively assure distribution of TARs as described in the 1984 Design Report. We believe that the safety significance of this condition is substantially mitigated by the fact that other means of public notification, not described in the 1984 Design Report are available. These other means include, but are not limited to, radio and television broadcasting, use of automatic telephone dialing/notification systems, pagers and cell phones.

Subsequent to the determination that the existing prompt alert notification system was not in conformance with the 1984 Design Report, VY in cooperation with the EPZ towns in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts implemented the emergency plan established compensatory measure, use of Route Alerting, in the EPZ as an additional primary method of notification. VY's siren reliability has been very good as evidenced by our current NRC Reactor Oversight Process Performance Indicator value of 99.3%

(test success rate average for the last four quarters).

BVY 04-135 Docket No. 50-271 Page 2 of 2 We acknowledge that our methods of communication, distribution and maintenance of TARs to designated households did not provide for a verifiable accounting method that people in the EPZ had radios or had refused radios. VY is fully investigating the issues surrounding this topic, to identify underlying causes and to determine appropriate corrective actions.

There are no new commitments being made in this submittal.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Mr. James M. Devincentis at (802) 258-4236.

Sincerely, KayaK. hayer Me Vice President cc: Mr. Richard B. Ennis, Project Manager Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Mail Stop 0 8 B1 Washington, DC 20555 Mr. Samuel J. Collins Regional Administrator, Region 1 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 USNRC Resident Inspector Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC P.O. Box 157 Vernon, Vermont 05354 Mr. David O'Brien, Commissioner VT Department of Public Service 112 State Street - Drawer 20 Montpelier, Vermont 05620-2601