ML052800017
| ML052800017 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 05/03/2004 |
| From: | Rebecca Junod NRC Region 1 |
| To: | Anderson C, Bellamy R, Blough A, Costello F, Crlenjak R, Richard Ennis, Florek D, Greeves J, Holden C, Brian Holian, Howe A, Todd Jackson, Kinneman J, Lanning W, Lohaus P, Madden T, Pangburn G, Amar Patel, Schmidt W, Diane Screnci, Skay D, Virgilio R, Westreich B, Jason White, Wiggins J, Mike Williams NRC Region 1 |
| References | |
| FOIA/PA-2004-0369 | |
| Download: ML052800017 (8) | |
Text
- I - .I... ... I . , 11 I Donald Florek - VERMONT YANKEE Page 1 1 From: Rebecca Junod To: A. Randolph Blough; Allen Howe; Amar Patel; Barry Westreich; Brian Holian; Cliff Anderson; Cornelius Holden; Diane Screnci; Donald Florek; Donna Skay, Frank Costello; George Pangburn; James Wiggins; John Greeves; John Kinneman; John White; Malion Bartley, Martha Williams; Paul Lohaus; Richard CrIenjak; Rick Ennis; Ronald Bellamy; Rosetta Virgilio; Thomas Madden; Todd Jackson; Wayne Lanning; Wayne Schmidt Date: 5/3/04 4:27PM
Subject:
VERMONT YANKEE Attached please find the 04/30/2004 Memorandum Regarding the Special Inspection Charter - Two Spent Fuel Rod Segments Unaccounted for in the Vermont Yankee Spent Fuel Pool.
Rebecca L. Junod rij @nrc.gov 610-337-5133
- Donald Florek - Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev2wd I by ~Puge Pagei1 Donald Florek Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpd 1
April 30, 2004 MEMORANDUM TO: Cliff Anderson, Manager Special Inspection Todd Jackson, Leader Special Inspection FROM: A. Randolph Blough, Director IRAI Division of Reactor Projects
SUBJECT:
SPECIAL INSPECTION CHARTER - TWO SPENT FUEL ROD SEGMENTS UNACCOUNTED FOR IN THE VERMONT YANKEE SPENT FUEL POOL A NRC special inspection has been established in response to information received from Entergy that two spent fuel rod segments are unaccounted for in the Vermont Yankee spent fuel pool. On April 20, 2004, Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee (Entergy) informed the NRC resident inspector that two spent fuel rod segments were not found in the documented location within Vermont Yankee's spent fuel pool. Entergy followed up with a report to the NRC on April 21, 2004, issued a press release, and subsequently mobilized an investigation team to locate the missing fuel rod segments or determine what happened to them.
The NRC decided, based on a number of factors, that it is appropriate to charter a special inspection to assess the key elements of Entergy's investigation effort. Key factors in this NRC decision included the large scope and complexity of the licensee's investigation, the need for focused specialist oversight by NRC, and the need to evaluate potential generic implications.
The NRC decision recognizes that it is highly unlikely that the material is in the public domain.
Given the extensive array of radiation detectors at the site, it is very probable that the potentially missing fuel fragments are in a controlled located designed to deal with radioactive material.
The inspection will review the results of Entergy's investigation, assess Entergy's determination of the root cause, determine whether Entergy and its predecessor were in compliance with applicable regulations, and identify which findings or observations may have generic implications.
The special inspection commenced on April 22, 2004. The inspection will primarily consist of on-site activities but may include some in-office activities. The length of the inspection will depend on Entergy's schedule to complete its investigation. For planning purposes, it is expected that the on-site portion of the special inspection will be completed 30 days after the issuance of Entergy's report documenting its investigation. An exit meeting, that is open for public observation, will be held after the on-site and in-office inspection activities are completed.
An inspection report will be issued within 30 days following the exit meeting for the inspection.
lDonald Florek - Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpd Paae 21l Page 21 Donald Florek Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wDd 2
The members of the special inspection are:
Manager: Clifford Anderson, Chief, Projects Branch 5 Leader: Todd Jackson, Region 1 Members: Amar Patel, Region 1 Other members will be assigned as needed. The resident inspectors will assist with in-plant verifications as coordinated through the Team Manager.
The charter for the special inspection and details of the inspection scope are attached. The special inspection shall be conducted in accordance with Inspection Procedure 93812, OSpecial Inspection" and this memorandum.
Attachments: Special Inspection Charter
I Donald Florek - Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpcl Paqe 3I Pane 33 rDonald Florek Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpd 3
Distribution w/attachment:
J. Wiggins, ORA A. Blough, DRP B. Holian, DRP W. Lanning, DRS R. Crlenjak, DRS G. Pangburn, DNMS F. Costello, DNMS A. Howe, NRR C. Holden, NRR C. Anderson, DRP J. White, DRS R. Bellamy, DNMS J. Kinneman,DNMS D. Screnci, ORA A. Patel, DRP D. Florek, DRP T. Jackson, DNMS M. Williams, NSIR B. Westreich, NSIR W. Schmidt, DRS J. Greeves, NMSS/DWM/OD R. Ennis, NRR D. Skay, NRR P. Lohaus, STP R. Virgilio, STP T. Madden, OCA M. Bartley, IG DOCUMENT NAME: G:\BRANCH5\Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpd After declaring this document "An Official Agency Record" it wIll/ivll not be released to the Public.
To receive a copy of this document, Indicate In the box: 'C Copy without attachment/enclosure 'El = Copy with attachment/end OFFICE RI/DRP I RI/DRP I I RI/DRP I RI/DRP 17 -
I NAME IDFlorek/CJA for ITJackson/CJA for ICAnderson/CJA IABlough/AB DATE 04/30/04 104/30/04 04/30/04 104/30/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
i ILI _ - I i I. Md I - _ - - -_f i9X. , - - 4 W-41 Donald Florek - Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wDd Page Paae 41 Donald Florek Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wDd l
Attachment CHARTER FOR VERMONT YANKEE SPECIAL INSPECTION In March 2004, the resident inspectors performed inspections in accordance with TI 2515/154, wSpent Fuel Material Control and Accounting at Nuclear Power Plants.' The inspectors determined that Entergy performed an annual inventory of items stored in the spent fuel pool.
The inspectors identified that although Entergy and its predecessor had been performing an annual inventory of the spent fuel pool, the annual inventory did not verify that two fuel rod segments contained in a special container stored on the bottom of the pool were still present in the container.
Entergy's records indicate that the two fuel rod segments were inserted into the container for storage in 1980 after they had broken off from spent fuel rods during a fuel reconstitution effort.
The fuel rod segments were approximately 17 inches and 7 inches in length. Instead of performing a 'piece count' inventory to verify the fuel rod segments were in the container, Entergy personnel ensured the container remained upright and in place at the bottom of the spent fuel pool.
In response to questions from the NRC, Entergy performed an initial, cursory visual check in March 2004 and concluded that the fuel rod segments appeared to be in the container. On April 20, 2004, Entergy performed a more detailed, inspection, using better equipment, i.e., a boroscope, and determined that the initial inspection had been in error and neither of the fuel rod segments were in the container.
Entergy established a Special Nuclear Material Investigation Team. The mission statement for the Entergy investigation team is to: establish a high degree of confidence that the fuel rod segments are/are not likely to be in the spent fuel pool, identify other possible disposal locations and develop a working impact analysis for these potential offsite storage/disposal paths, complete a root cause analysis for this issue, support internal and external stakeholder needs, and document the findings of the team in a final report. Entergy expects to complete its investigation by the end of May 2004.
A special inspection will evaluate Entergy's Investigation and conclusions regarding the possible disposition of the fuel rod segments. The special inspection should:
- 1. Conduct a thorough and systematic review of Entergy's investigation into the circumstances that led to the unaccountability of the two fuel rod segments in the Vermont Yankee spent fuel pool. Determine the adequacy of Entergy's investigation and conclusion regarding the location of the two fuel rod segments, based upon its completeness and thoroughness of fuel pool inspections, records reviews, and interviews.
- 2. Assess the determination of root cause assigned by Entergy. Identify altemative causes if appropriate. Develop independent conclusions regarding the cause(s) of the loss of accountability of the spent fuel rods.
- 3. Assess the adequacy of Entergy's investigation regarding its conclusion on the accuracy of the accountability for the remainder of the spent fuel material in the spent fuel pool.
4
Donald Florek - Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpd ! ......................... Page 5
- 4. Independently verify selected sets of records and interviews.
- 5. Determine whether Entergy was in compliance with applicable regulations.
- 6. Assess the adequacy of Entergy's radiological characterization of each fuel rod segment.
- 7. Conduct regular briefings for NRC internal stakeholders to allow the appropriate NRC internal stakeholders to brief external stakeholders.
- 8. Identify those findings or observations that may have generic implications.
- 9. Document the inspection findings, observations and conclusions in a special inspection report in accordance with IP 93812 within 30 days of the exit meeting.
- 10. Conduct an inspection exit that is open for public observation.
5
c:\temP\GW}O00001.TMP -Page 1 1 c.epGIOO .TM Pae Mail Envelope Properties (4096AB19.940: 3: 35572)
Subject:
VERMONT YANKEE Creation Date: 5/3/04 4:27PM From: Rebecca Junod Created By: RLJ@nrc.gov Recipients nrc.gov kpl-po.KPDO ACP (Amar Patel)
ARB (A. Randolph Blough)
BEH (Brian Holian)
CJA (Cliff Anderson)
DJF1 (Donald Florek)
FMC (Frank Costello)
GCP (George Pangburn)
JDK (John Kinneman)
JRW1 (John White)
JTW1 (James Wiggins)
RRB 1 (Ronald Bellamy)
RVC (Richard CrIenjak)
TJJ (Todd Jackson)
WDL (Wayne Lanning)
WLS (Wayne Schmidt) nrc.gov owfl_po.OWFN_DO ROV (Rosetta Virgilio) nrc.gov owf2_po.OWFN_DO DMS6 (Donna Skay) nrc.gov owf4_po.OWFN_DO AGH1 (Allen Howe)
CFH (Cornelius Holden)
RXE (Rick Ennis) nrc.gov twfl_po.TWFN_DO PHL (Paul Lohaus)
c:\tem \GWJ00001 .TMP Page e2 nrc.gov twf2_po.TWFN_DO MAB5 (Malion Bartley)
MSW2 (Martha Williams) nrc.gov twf4_po.TWFN_DO BCW (Barry Westreich)
JTG1 (John Greeves) nrc.gov twf5_po.TWFN_DO TJM (Thomas Madden)
Post Office Route kpl-po.KP_DO nrc.gov owflpo.OWFNDO nrc.gov owf2_po.OWFNDO nrc.gov owf4_po.OWFNDO nrc.gov twflpo.TWFNDO nrc.gov twf2_po.TWFNDO nrc.gov twf4_po.TWFNDO nrc.gov twf5_po.TWFNDO nrc.gov Files Size Date & Time Charter VY Fuel Pin Rev 2.wpd 29745 05/03/04 04:20PM MESSAGE 851 05/03/04 04:27PM Options Expiration Date: None Priority: Standard Reply Requested: No Return Notification: None Concealed
Subject:
No Security: Standard