ML081080010

Summary of Public Meeting with NRC and Exelon Generation Company LaSalle Performance Assessment, with Presentation Slides

ML081080010
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle
Issue date:	04/16/2008
From:	Kenneth Riemer NRC/RGN-III/DRP/B2
To:
References
Download: ML081080010 (39)

Text

April 16, 2008 LICENSEE: Exelon Generation Company FACILITY: LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 8, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 LASALLE END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT On April 8, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a public meeting at the Brookfield Township Hall in Seneca, Illinois. The meeting was between NRC Region III management and Exelon representatives to discuss the NRCs 2007 End-of Cycle Assessment of the LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2 safety performance. The results of that assessment were discussed in a letter to the licensee dated March 6, 2008 (ADAMS ML080670084).

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 LaSalles performance in 2007. The NRCs meeting presentation slides are attached as Enclosure 1. A list of principal meeting attendees is attached as .

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. 50-373; 50-374 License No. NPF-11; NPF-18

Enclosures:

1. Presentation Slides

2. List of Principal Meeting Attendees DISTRIBUTION See next page

Letter to C. Pardee from K. Riemer dated April 16, 2008

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 8, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 LASALLE END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT cc w/encl: Site Vice President - LaSalle County Station Plant Manager - LaSalle County Station Regulatory Assurance Manager - LaSalle County Station Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President Senior Vice President - Midwest Operations Senior Vice President - Operations Support Vice President - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Director - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Manager Licensing - Braidwood, Byron and LaSalle Associate General Counsel Document Control Desk - Licensing Assistant Attorney General Illinois Emergency Management Agency J. Klinger, State Liaison Officer Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission Grundy County Board Chairman Mayor of Ottawa Mayor of Streator City Manager of Streator Director, Grundy County Emergency Management Agency Mayor of Seneca Mayor of Grand Ridge Mayor of Ransom Sheriff, LaSalle County LaSalle County Board Chairman Director, LaSalle County Emergency Management Agency Mayor of Marseilles Mayor of Verona Mayor of Kinsman G. Mortensen, INPO

Letter to C. Pardee from K. Riemer dated April 16, 2008

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 8, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 LASALLE END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT DISTRIBUTION:

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LICENSEE: Exelon Generation Company FACILITY: LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2

SUMMARY

OF THE APRIL 8, 2008, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE 2007 LASALLE END-OF-CYCLE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT On April 8, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a public meeting at the Brookfield Township Hall in Seneca, Illinois. The meeting was between NRC Region III management and Exelon representatives to discuss the NRCs 2007 End-of Cycle Assessment of the LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2 safety performance. The results of that assessment were discussed in a letter to the licensee dated March 6, 2008 (ADAMS ML080670084).

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 LaSalles performance in 2007. The NRCs meeting presentation slides are attached as Enclosure 1. A list of principal meeting attendees is attached as .

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. 50-373; 50-374 License No. NPF-11; NPF-18

Enclosures:

1. Presentation Slides

2. List of Principal Meeting Attendees DISTRIBUTION See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\LASALLE\PUBLIC MEETINGS\LASALLE 2007 EOC

SUMMARY

OF MTG LETTER.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 4/16/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

LaSalle Annual Assessment Meeting Reactor Oversight Program - CY 2007 Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Region III Seneca, Illinois April 8, 2008 Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.)

Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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 LaSalle Resident Inspectors Project Engineer Daniel Kimble Nirodh Shah Frances Ramirez Enclosure 1

NRC Representatives

• Cynthia Pederson, Director, Division Reactor Projects

- (630) 829-9600

• Gary Shear, Deputy Division Director, DRP

- (630) 829-9601

• Stephen Sands, Project Manager, NRR

- (301) 415-3154

• Daniel Kimble, Senior Resident Inspector

- (815) 357-8611

• Frances Ramirez, Resident Inspector

- (815) 357-8611

• Nirodh Shah, Project Engineer

- (630) 829-9821

• Kenneth Riemer, Branch Chief

- (630) 829-9628 Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

Reactor Oversight Process Strategic Performance Areas and Safety Cornerstones Enclosure 1

Reactor Oversight Process Strategic Performance Areas Safety Cornerstones Baseline Inspection Performance Indicator Results Results Significance Significance Threshold Threshold Action Matrix Regulatory Response Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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

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

Enclosure 1

Safety Significant Findings or PIs

• No greater than green findings or PIs Enclosure 1

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

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

• There were 18 Green or SL-IV Inspection Findings during 2007.

• There was a Refueling Outage on Unit 2 during 2007.

Enclosure 1

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

• Major team inspections during this assessment period included the biennial Problem Identification and Resolution inspection, biennial Evaluation of Changes, Tests, or Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications inspection, and biennial Component Design Basis Inspection Enclosure 1

LaSalle Annual Assessment Summary January 1 - December 31, 2007

• Exelon operated LaSalle Units 1 & 2 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 LaSalle for the remainder of the assessment period Enclosure 1

Licensee Response and Remarks Daniel Enright Site Vice President Exelon - LaSalle Station Enclosure 1

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.

Enclosure 1

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 Enclosure 1

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)

Enclosure 1

PUBLIC MEETING PRINCIPAL ATTENDEES April 8, 2008 Exelon Generation Company R. Chzanowski, Chemistry Manager D. Enright, Site Vice President K. Ihnen, Nuclear Oversight Manager R. Leasure, Radiation Protection Manager S. Marik, Operations Director B. Rash, Maintenance Director D. Rhoades, Plant Manager T. Simpkin, Regulatory Assurance Manager A. Slaher, Site Communicator D. Spencer, Business Operations Manager B. Stoermer, Public Affairs Manager K. Taber, Work Management Director J. Vergara, Regulatory Compliance J. White, Training Director C. Wilson, Site Security Manager Nuclear Regulatory Commission A. Cron, Office of Congressional Affairs (attended via telecon)

F. Ramirez, Resident Inspector K. Reimer, Chief, Reactor Projects Branch 2 Other Attendees F. Barber, Member of the public A. Gerstung, Member of the public C. Settles, Illinois Emergency Management Agency M. Thurwanger, Seneca Township High School #160 Enclosure 2