ML072430727

Mid-Cycle Performance Review and Inspection Plan - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

ML072430727
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	08/31/2007
From:	Tilda Liu Reactor Projects Region 2 Branch 6
To:	Campbell W Tennessee Valley Authority
References
Download: ML072430727 (5)

Text

August 31, 2007 Tennessee Valley Authority ATTN: Mr. William R. Campbell Chief Nuclear Officer and Senior Vice President 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

MID-CYCLE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND INSPECTION PLAN - WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT

Dear Mr. Campbell:

On August 16, 2007, the NRC staff completed its performance review of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant for the first half of the calendar year 2007 assessment cycle. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results over the previous twelve 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 the enclosed inspection plan do not include physical protection information. A separate letter designated and marked as Exempt from Public Disclosure in Accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 will include the physical protection review and a resultant inspection plan.

Overall, Watts Bar Unit 1 operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for Watts Bar Unit 1 for the most recent quarter was in 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 reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility. In addition to the ROP baseline inspections, we plan to conduct a non-baseline inspection involving the reactor vessel head penetration nozzles.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection, scheduled through March 31, 2009. 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 nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the end-of-cycle review.

TVA 2 In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 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).

The NRC is currently evaluating the scope and frequency of all baseline inspection procedures.

If the results of the evaluation, or any other circumstances, cause us to change the inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact me at (404) 562-4550 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Tilda Y. Liu, Acting Chief Reactor Projects Branch 6 Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos.: 50-390, 50-391 License Nos.: NPF-90 and Construction Permit No. CPPR-92

Enclosure:

Watts Bar Inspection/Activity Plan cc w/encl: (See page 3)

OFFICE RII:DRP RII:DRP SIGNATURE /RA/ /RA/

NAME SNinh TLiu DATE 8/29/07 8/31/07 E-MAIL COPY? YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO TVA 3 cc w/encl:

Ashok S. Bhatnagar James D. Smith, Acting Manager Senior Vice President Licensing and Industry Affairs Nuclear Generation Development Watts Bar Nuclear Plant and Construction Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Electronic Mail Distribution Michael J. Lorek, Plant Manager Preston D. Swafford Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Senior Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority Nuclear Support Electronic Mail Distribution Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Masoud Bajestani Vice President Walter M. Justice, II, Interim Vice President Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Engineering & Technical Services Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Michael D. Skaggs Site Vice President County Executive Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Rhea County Courthouse Tennessee Valley Authority 375 Church Street, Suite 215 Electronic Mail Distribution Dayton, TN 37321-1300 General Counsel County Mayor Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 156 Electronic Mail Distribution Decatur, TN 37322 John C. Fornicola, General Manager Lawrence E. Nanney, Director Nuclear Assurance TN Dept. of Environment & Conservation Tennessee Valley Authority Division of Radiological Health Electronic Mail Distribution Electronic Mail Distribution Robert H. Bryan, Jr., General Manager Ann Harris Licensing & Industry Affairs 341 Swing Loop Tennessee Valley Authority Rockwood, TN 37854 Electronic Mail Distribution James H. Bassham, Director Beth A. Wetzel, Manager Tennessee Emergency Management Corporate Nuclear Licensing and Agency Industry Affairs Electronic Mail Distribution Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

TVA 4 Distribution w/encl:

B. Moroney, NRR C. Evans (Part 72 Only)

L. Slack, RII EICS RIDSNRRDIRS OE Mail (email address if applicable)

PUBLIC