ML081060459

Summary of Meeting with Nuclear Management Company, Regarding the Nrc'S 2007 End-of Cycle Assessment of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Safety Performance

ML081060459
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	04/14/2008
From:	Kenneth Riemer NRC/RGN-III/DRP/B2
To:
References
Download: ML081060459 (41)

Text

April 14, 2008 LICENSEE: Nuclear Management Company FACILITY: Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 1, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 MONTICELLO END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT On April 1, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a public meeting at the Monticello Training Center in Monticello, Minnesota. The meeting was between NRC Region III management and Nuclear Management Company representatives to discuss the NRCs 2007 End-of Cycle Assessment of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant safety performance. The results of that assessment were discussed in a letter to the licensee dated March 6, 2008 (ADAMS ML080600314).

The NRC began the meeting with an overview of the NRC, the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process (ROP), national ROP results, and the Action Matrix. This was followed by a summary of the NRCs assessment of Monticello performance in 2007. The NRCs meeting presentation slides are attached as Enclosure 1. A list of principal meeting attendees can be found in the attached Enclosure 2.

The licensee then provided its perspective on the assessment. At the end of the meeting, members of the public were given the opportunity to ask questions of NRC officials.

/RA/

Kenneth Riemer, Chief Branch 2 Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22

Enclosures:

As stated DISTRIBUTION:

See next page

Letter to T. OConnor from K. Riemer dated April 14, 2008

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 1, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 MONTICELLO END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT cc w/encl: D. Koehl, Chief Nuclear Officer Manager, Nuclear Safety Assessment P. Glass, Assistant General Counsel Nuclear Asset Manager, Xcel Energy, Inc.

J. Stine, State Liaison Officer, Minnesota Department of Health R. Nelson, President Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association (MECCA)

Commissioner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency R. Hiivala, Auditor/Treasurer, Wright County Government Center Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Commerce Manager - Environmental Protection Division Minnesota Attorney Generals Office Chairman, Wright County Board Mayor of Monticello Chairperson, Sherburne County Administrator, City of Monticello G. Mortensen, INPO

April 14, 2008 LICENSEE: Nuclear Management Company FACILITY: Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 1, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 MONTICELLO END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT On April 1, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a public meeting at the Monticello Training Center in Monticello, Minnesota. The meeting was between NRC Region III management and Nuclear Management Company representatives to discuss the NRCs 2007 End-of Cycle Assessment of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant safety performance. The results of that assessment were discussed in a letter to the licensee dated March 6, 2008 (ADAMS ML080600314).

The NRC began the meeting with an overview of the NRC, the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process (ROP), national ROP results, and the Action Matrix. This was followed by a summary of the NRCs assessment of Monticello performance in 2007. The NRCs meeting presentation slides are attached as Enclosure 1. A list of principal meeting attendees can be found in the attached Enclosure 2.

The licensee then provided its perspective on the assessment. At the end of the meeting, members of the public were given the opportunity to ask questions of NRC officials.

/RA/

Kenneth Riemer, Chief Branch 2 Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22

Enclosures:

As stated DISTRIBUTION:

See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\MONT\PUBLIC MEETINGS\MONT 2008 EOC MTGSUMLTR.DOC 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 RIII RIII RIII NAME KReimer:cms DATE 4/14/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Letter to T. OConnor from K. Riemer dated April 14, 2008

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 1, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 MONTICELLO END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT DISTRIBUTION:

PST TEB RidsNrrDirslpab JLC1 MAS KGO JKH3 RML2 SRI Monticello DRPIII DRSIII PLB1 TXN Monticello Annual Assessment Meeting Reactor Oversight Program - CY 2007 Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Region III Monticello, Minnesota April 1, 2008

Purpose of Todays Meeting

• A public forum for discussion of the licensees performance

• NRC will address the licensee performance issues identified in the annual assessment letter

• Licensee will be given the opportunity to respond to the information in the letter and inform the NRC of new or existing programs to maintain or improve their performance

Agenda

• Introduction

• Review of Reactor Oversight Process

• National Summary of Plant Performance

• Discussion of Plant Performance Results

• Licensee Response and Remarks

• NRC Closing Remarks

• Break

• NRC available to address public questions

Who We Are

• The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 established the independent U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to regulate commercial uses of nuclear material; other duties of the former Atomic Energy Commission were assigned to the Department of Energy.

• The NRC is headed by four Commissioners and a Chairman, all appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for staggered five-year terms. No more than three can be from the same political party.

Who We Are

• The NRC employs about 3,000 people in its suburban Maryland headquarters and four regional offices in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois and Texas.

• NRC inspectors are assigned to 65 nuclear power plant sites and three fuel facilities.

• NRC staff are federal employees qualified to hold positions of public trust. They are bound by stringent ethics rules and restrictions.

Our Mission

• To license and regulate the nations civilian use of byproduct, source and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, promote the common defense and security, and protect the environment.

Some Nuclear Facts

• More than 100 nuclear power plants supply about 20 percent of the electricity in the U.S.

• Nuclear materials are used in medicine for cancer treatment and diagnosis.

• Nuclear materials are widely used in industry, such as in density gauges, flow measurement devices, radiography devices and irradiators.

The NRC Regulates

• Nuclear reactors - commercial power reactors, research and test reactors, new reactor designs;

• Nuclear materials - nuclear reactor fuel, radioactive materials for medical, industrial and academic use;

• Nuclear waste - transportation, storage and disposal of nuclear material and waste, decommissioning of nuclear facilities; and

• Nuclear security - physical security of nuclear facilities and materials from sabotage or attacks.

What We Dont Do

• Regulate nuclear weapons, military reactors or space vehicle reactors. (These are regulated by other federal agencies.)

• Own or operate nuclear power plants.

• Regulate some radioactive materials, such as naturally occurring radon, X-rays and material produced in particle accelerators. (These are regulated by states or other federal agencies.)

Our Primary Functions

• Establish rules and regulations

• Issue licenses

• Provide oversight through inspection, enforcement and evaluation of operational experience

• Conduct research to provide support for regulatory decisions

• Respond to emergencies

How We Regulate

• Provide oversight, including inspections

- The NRC inspects licensed facilities to ensure they meet regulations and the terms of their license.

- The NRC assesses facility performance.

- The NRC investigates allegations of wrongdoing through the Office of Investigations.

How We Regulate

• Respond to emergencies

- The NRC maintains an active program to ensure readiness and response to an event at a nuclear facility potentially affecting public health and safety.

- The NRC has incident response centers at its headquarters and regional offices to provide consultation, support and assistance to licensees and state and local public officials.

What We Do - Nuclear Reactors

• The NRC ensures nuclear plant safety by requiring a defense-in-depth design philosophy in plants that includes:

- Multiple, redundant and independent safety systems;

- Multiple physical barriers, including robust reactor containment that prevents the release of radioactivity; and

- Testing of emergency plans.

What We Do - Nuclear Reactors

• The NRC ensures nuclear plant safety by verifying compliance with regulations.

- Each nuclear power plant site has at least two NRC resident inspectors onsite to perform daily inspections.

- Special inspectors also perform periodic inspections.

- Licensees are required to report plant safety data and events to the NRC.

What We Do - Nuclear Reactors

• The NRC also ensures nuclear plant safety by:

- Requiring long-term maintenance to assure equipment is repaired or replaced in a timely manner; and

- Requiring continual training and qualification of nuclear plant operators.

What We Do - Nuclear Waste

• The NRC regulates:

- Spent fuel storage installations for the interim storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel in fuel pools or dry storage casks.

- A high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev., if proposed by the DOE.

What We Do - Nuclear Security

• NRC Requires:

- Well-armed and well-trained security forces;

- Surveillance and perimeter patrols;

- State-of-the-art site access equipment and controls;

- Physical barriers and detection zones; and

- Intrusion detection systems and alarm stations

Region III Organization James Caldwell Regional Administrator Mark Satorius Deputy Regional Administrator Cynthia Pederson Steven West Director Division of Reactor Projects Director Division of Reactor Safety Gary Shear Anne Boland Deputy Director Deputy Director Kenneth Riemer Regional Specialists Branch Chief Monticello Resident Inspectors Project Engineer Christopher Thomas Nirodh Shah Lucas Haeg

NRC Representatives

• Cynthia Pederson, Director, Division Reactor Projects

- (630) 829-9600

• Gary Shear, Deputy Division Director, DRP

- (630) 829-9601

• Peter Tam, Project Manager, NRR

- (301) 415-1451

• Christopher Thomas, Senior Resident Inspector

- (763) 295-2066

• Lucas Haeg, Resident Inspector

- (763) 295-2066

• Nirodh Shah, Project Engineer

- (630) 829-9821

• Kenneth Riemer, Branch Chief

- (630) 829-9628

NRC Performance Goals

• Safety: Ensure adequate protection of public health and safety and the environment.

• Security: Ensure adequate protection in the secure use and management of radioactive materials.

Reactor Oversight Process Strategic Performance Areas Safety Cornerstones Baseline Inspection Performance Indicator Results Results Significance Significance Threshold Threshold Action Matrix Regulatory Response

Examples of Baseline Inspections

• Equipment Alignment ~80 hrs/yr

• Triennial Fire Protection ~250 hrs every 3 yrs

• Operator Response ~125 hrs/yr

• Emergency Preparedness ~80 hrs/yr

• Rad Release Controls ~110 hrs every 2 yrs

• Worker Radiation Protection ~95 hrs/yr

• Corrective Action Program ~250 hrs every 2 yrs

• Corrective Action Case Reviews ~60 hrs/yr

Significance Threshold Performance Indicators Green: Only Baseline Inspection White: May increase NRC oversight Yellow: Requires more NRC oversight Red: Requires more NRC oversight Inspection Findings Green: Very Low safety issue White: Low to moderate safety issue Yellow: Substantial safety issue Red: High safety issue

Action Matrix Concept Licensee Regulatory Degraded Multiple/R ep. Unacceptable Response Response Cornerstone Degraded Perform ance Cornerstone Increasing Safety Significance Increasing NRC Inspection Efforts Increasing NRC/Licensee Management Involvement Increasing Regulatory Actions

National Summary of Plant Performance Status at End of CY 2007 Licensee Response 87 Regulatory Response 8 Degraded Cornerstone 8 Multiple/Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone 1 Unacceptable 0 Total 104

National Summary

• Performance Indicator Results (at end of CY 2007)

- Green 1942

- White 8

- Yellow 1

- Red 0

• Total Inspection Findings (CY 2007)

- Green 759

- White 9

- Yellow 2

- Red 0

Monticello Assessment Results (Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2007)

• Licensee Response Column of the Action Matrix with all Green Performance Indicators (PIs) and inspection findings.

Safety Significant Findings or PIs

• No greater than green findings or PIs

Monticello Inspection Activities (Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2007)

• The inspections at Monticello were performed by the Resident Inspectors and Regional Inspectors. The Regional Inspectors included specialists in Security, Emergency Preparedness, and Radiation Protection.

• There were 9 Green or SL-IV Inspection Findings identified during 2007.

• There was a Refueling Outage during 2007.

Monticello Inspection Activities (Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2007)

• The major team inspection during this assessment period was the biennial Evaluation of Changes, Tests, or Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications inspection.

Monticello Annual Assessment Summary January 1 - December 31, 2007

• NMC operated Monticello in a manner that preserved public health and safety

• All cornerstone objectives were met with no Greater than Green findings identified

• NRC plans baseline inspections at Monticello for the remainder of the assessment period

Licensee Response and Remarks Timothy OConnor Site Vice President Nuclear Management Company

Open to the Public

• The NRC places a high priority on keeping the public and stakeholders informed of its activities.

• At www.nrc.gov, you can:

- Find public meeting dates and transcripts;

- Read NRC testimony, speeches, press releases and policy decisions; and

- Access the agencys Electronic Reading Room to find NRC publications and documents.

Contacting the NRC

• Report an emergency

- (301) 816-5100 (call collect)

• Report a safety concern:

- (800) 695-7403

- Allegation@nrc.gov

• General information or questions

- www.nrc.gov

- Select What We Do for Public Affairs

Reference Sources

• Reactor Oversight Process

- http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/index.h tml

• Public Electronic Reading Room

- http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html

• Public Document Room 800-397-4209 (Toll Free)

PUBLIC MEETING PRINCIPAL ATTENDEES April 1, 2008 Nuclear Management Company T. Blake, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Monticello R. Baumer, Compliance Engineer, Monticello J. Grubb, Site Engineering Director, Monticello T. O'Connor, Site Vice President, Monticello B. Sawatzke, Plant Manager, Monticello P. Thompson, Senior Communications Consultant, Monticello E. Weinkam, Regulatory Services Director, NMC Nuclear Regulatory Commission L. Benton, NRC, General Engineer L. Haeg, NRC, Resident Inspector, Monticello K. Riemer, NRC, Chief, Reactor Projects Branch 2 Other Attendees C. Detloff, Monticello Times reporter D. Lem, Member of the Public Enclosure 2