ML070710583

Ltr 3/9/2007 Re Duane Arnold Summary of the March 1, 2007 Public Regulatory Conference to Discuss a Preliminary White Finding and an Apparent Violation

ML070710583
Person / Time
Site:	Duane Arnold
Issue date:	03/09/2007
From:	Kenneth Riemer Plant Support Branch II
To:	Vanmiddlesworth G Nuclear Management Co
References
EA-07-017, IR-06-009
Download: ML070710583 (5)

Text

March 9, 2007 EA-07-017 Mr. Gary Van Middlesworth Vice-President Duane Arnold Energy Center 3277 DAEC Road Palo, IA 52324-9785

SUMMARY

OF THE MARCH 1, 2007, PUBLIC REGULATORY CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS A PRELIMINARY WHITE FINDING AND AN APPARENT VIOLATION INVOLVING THE POTENTIAL FAILURE OF THE DUANE ARNOLD ENERGY CENTER FULL-SCALE EXERCISE CRITIQUE TO IDENTIFY A WEAKNESS ASSOCIATED WITH A RISK SIGNIFICANT PLANNING STANDARD (RSPS)

Dear Mr. Middlesworth:

On March 1, 2007, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a public Regulatory Conference at the Region III Office, located at 2443 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a preliminary White finding and an apparent violation, at Duane Arnold Energy Center, involving the potential failure of the Duane Arnold Energy Center full-scale exercise critique to identify a weakness associated with a Risk Significant planning Standard (RSPS). This issue was characterized as potentially greater than very low safety significance as documented in Inspection Report 05000331/2006009 (DRS). The inspection report, meeting notice, NRC presentation, and licensee presentation can be found in the Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS) ML070650592. A list of principal NRC and licensee meeting participants can be found in the enclosure.

The NRC first described the full-scale exercise critique issue, the reasons why this issue is a performance deficiency and then explained the preliminary safety significance determination analysis. Following NRCs presentation, representatives from Duane Arnold Energy Center provided information gained following entry of the issue in the site Corrective Action Process.

The licensee also presented information for the NRC to consider to assess the risk significance of this issue. This information included details regarding the scenario development process, crew performance, and the stations exercise critique process. The NRC will review this information and issue a final determination letter in the near future.

G. Van Middlesworth 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).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Ken Riemer, Chief Plant Support Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-331 License No. DPR-49

Enclosure:

As Stated cc w/encl: J. Stall, Senior Vice President, Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer R. Helfrich, Senior Attorney M. Ross, Managing Attorney W. Webster, Vice President, Nuclear Operations M. Warner, Vice President, Nuclear Operations Support R. Kundalkar, Vice President, Nuclear Engineering J. Bjorseth, Site Director D. Curtland, Plant Manager S. Catron, Manager, Regulatory Affairs Chief Radiological Emergency Preparedness Section, Dept. Of Homeland Security D. McGhee, State Liaison Officer

G. Van Middlesworth 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).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Ken Riemer, Chief Plant Support Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-331 License No. DPR-49

Enclosure:

As Stated cc w/encl: J. Stall, Senior Vice President, Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer R. Helfrich, Senior Attorney M. Ross, Managing Attorney W. Webster, Vice President, Nuclear Operations M. Warner, Vice President, Nuclear Operations Support R. Kundalkar, Vice President, Nuclear Engineering J. Bjorseth, Site Director D. Curtland, Plant Manager S. Catron, Manager, Regulatory Affairs Chief Radiological Emergency Preparedness Section, Dept. Of Homeland Security D. McGhee, State Liaison Officer DOCUMENT NAME: C:\FileNet\ML070710583.wpd G Publicly Available G Non-Publicly Available G Sensitive G Non-Sensitive To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the concurrence box "C" = Copy without attach/encl "E" = Copy with attach/encl "N" = No copy OFFICE RIII N RIII N RIII N NAME KRiemer:jb KRiemer for RJickling KRiemer for ABoland DATE 3/9/07 3/9/07 3/9/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

G. Van Middlesworth DISTRIBUTION:

TEB DWS RidsNrrDirsIrib GEG KGO GLS CAA1 DRPIII DRSIII PLB1 TXN ROPreports@nrc.gov ADAMS (PARS)

SECY OCA L. Reyes, EDO W. Kane, DEDR C. Carpenter, OE D. Solorio, OE D. Starkey, OE J. Caldwell, RIII G. Grant, RIII L. Chandler, OGC B. Jones, OGC J. Dyer, NRR C. Pederson, RIII A. Boland, RIII M. Satorius, RIII S. West, RIII D. Chyu, RIII S. Richards, Chief, IIPB, NRR M. Tschiltz, Chief, SPSB, NRR D. Merzke, NRR J. Stang, NRR D. Holody, Enforcement Officer, RI C. Evans, Enforcement Officer, RII K. Fuller, Enforcement Officer, RIV R. Pascarelli, Enforcement Coordinator, NRR R. Orlikowski, SRI E. Brenner, OPA H. Bell, OIG G. Caputo, OI V. Mitlyng, RIII:PA P. Pelke, RIII R. Lickus, RIII J. Lynch, RIII DRSIII DRPIII OEWEB OEMAIL Principal Meeting Participants

NRC G. Grant, Deputy Regional Administrator A. Boland, Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety S. West, Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Projects K. Riemer, Chief, Plant Support Branch R. Jickling, Sr. Emergency Preparedness Inspector R. Kahler, Inspection Team Leader, Division of Preparedness and Response P. Pelke, Enforcement/Investigation Office FPL Energy Duane Arnold Energy Center G. Van Middlesworth, Site Vice President, B. Webster, Operations Vice President D. Mothena, Corporate Emergency Preparedness Manager B. Helfrich, Corporate Counsel M. Davis, Emergency Preparedness/Operations S. Catron, Licensing Manager Enclosure