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Category:Letter
MONTHYEARML24240A1692024-09-18018 September 2024 Cy 2023 Summary of Decommissioning Trust Fund Status IR 05000263/20240052024-08-30030 August 2024 Updated Inspection Plan and Follow-Up Letter for Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit 1 (Report 05000263/2024005) L-MT-24-028, Response to RCI for RR-017 ISI Impracticality2024-08-28028 August 2024 Response to RCI for RR-017 ISI Impracticality ML24222A1822024-08-27027 August 2024 – Proposed Alternative Request VR-09 to the Inservice Testing Requirements of the ASME OM Code for Main Steam Safety Relief Valves 05000263/LER-2024-002, Low Pressure Coolant Injection Inoperable Due to Motor Valve Failure2024-08-27027 August 2024 Low Pressure Coolant Injection Inoperable Due to Motor Valve Failure IR 05000263/20244202024-08-21021 August 2024 Security Baseline Inspection Report 05000263/2024420 - Cover Letter IR 05000263/20240022024-08-14014 August 2024 Integrated Inspection Report 05000263/2024002 ML24218A2282024-08-0505 August 2024 Request for Confirmation of Information for Relief Request RR-017, Inservice Inspection Impracticality During the Fifth Ten-Year Interval BVY 24-024, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2024-07-30030 July 2024 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust ML24208A1502024-07-26026 July 2024 Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation - Submittal of Quality Assurance Topical Report (NSPM-1) ML24215A2992024-07-23023 July 2024 Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office Comments on Monticello SLR Draft EIS ML24198A2372024-07-18018 July 2024 Information Request to Support Upcoming Biennial Problem Identification and Resolution (Pi&R) Inspection at Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant L-MT-24-022, – Preparation and Scheduling of Operator Licensing Examinations2024-07-0909 July 2024 – Preparation and Scheduling of Operator Licensing Examinations BVY 24-023, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2024-07-0202 July 2024 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust IR 05000271/20240012024-06-28028 June 2024 NRC Inspection Report No. 05000271/2024001, Northstar Nuclear Decommissioning Company, LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, Vernon, Vermont ML24164A2402024-06-10010 June 2024 Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office- Comments on Draft Monticello SLR Draft EIS L-MT-24-019, Submittal of ASME Section XI, Section IWB-3720 Analytical Evaluation in Accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(b)(2)(xliii)2024-06-10010 June 2024 Submittal of ASME Section XI, Section IWB-3720 Analytical Evaluation in Accordance with 10 CFR 50.55a(b)(2)(xliii) L-MT-24-017, Response to Request for Additional Information Regarding License Amendment Request to Revise Monticello Technical Specification Surveillance Requirement 3.8.6.6 (EPID-L-2023-LLA-01602024-06-0404 June 2024 Response to Request for Additional Information Regarding License Amendment Request to Revise Monticello Technical Specification Surveillance Requirement 3.8.6.6 (EPID-L-2023-LLA-0160 ML24137A2792024-06-0303 June 2024 Audit Summary for License Amendment Request to Revise Technical Specification 3.8.6, Battery Parameters, Surveillance Requirement 3.8.6.6 ML24151A6482024-06-0303 June 2024 Changes in Reactor Decommissioning Branch Project Management Assignments for Some Decommissioning Facilities BVY 24-022, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2024-05-30030 May 2024 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust IR 05000263/20244012024-05-30030 May 2024 Public - Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant - Cyber Security Inspection Report 05000263/2024401 ML24141A1292024-05-22022 May 2024 Northern States Power Company - Use of Encryption Software for Electronic Transmission of Safeguards Information BVY 24-020, Biennial Update of Quality Assurance Program Manual2024-05-22022 May 2024 Biennial Update of Quality Assurance Program Manual ML24141A1782024-05-20020 May 2024 Information Request to Support the NRC Annual Baseline Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes Inspection L-MT-24-015, Response to Request for Additional Information - Alternative Request VR-09 for OMN-172024-05-16016 May 2024 Response to Request for Additional Information - Alternative Request VR-09 for OMN-17 ML24135A1902024-05-14014 May 2024 Submittal of 2023 Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report L-MT-24-013, 2023 Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report2024-05-14014 May 2024 2023 Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report IR 05000263/20240102024-05-13013 May 2024 Age-Related Degrading Inspection Report 05000263/2024010 ML24127A1472024-05-0909 May 2024 Letter to Mille Lacs Band- Section 106 Consultation Regarding the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Subsequent License Renew. Application ML24128A0042024-05-0909 May 2024 Letter to Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office- Section 106 Consultation Regarding the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Subsequent License Renewal Application BVY 24-019, 2023 Radiological Environmental Operating Report2024-05-0909 May 2024 2023 Radiological Environmental Operating Report L-MT-24-016, 2023 Annual Report of Individual Monitoring for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant (MNGP)2024-05-0808 May 2024 2023 Annual Report of Individual Monitoring for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant (MNGP) BVY 24-017, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2024-05-0606 May 2024 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 24-018, 2023 Radiological Effluent Release Report2024-05-0505 May 2024 2023 Radiological Effluent Release Report ML24089A2382024-04-29029 April 2024 Summary of Nuclear Property Insurance IR 05000263/20240012024-04-29029 April 2024 Plan - Integrated Inspection Report 05000263/2024001 ML24115A2942024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Johnson, John-Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians ML24115A3002024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Rhodd, Timothy-Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska ML24115A2922024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Jensvold, Kevin-Upper Sioux Community ML24115A2912024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Jacskon, Sr., Faron-Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe ML24115A3012024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Seki, Darrell-Red Lake Nation ML24115A2872024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Dupuis, Kevin-Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa ML24115A3052024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Vanzile, Jr., Robert-Sokaogon Chippewa Community ML24115A2932024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Johnson, Grant-Prairie Island Indian Community ML24115A3022024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Stiffarm, Jeffrey-Fort Belknap Indian Community ML24115A3032024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Taylor, Louis-Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians L-MT-24-012, Reactor Scram, Containment Isolation, and Cooldown Rate Outside of Limits Following Technician Adjustment of Wrong Component2024-04-25025 April 2024 Reactor Scram, Containment Isolation, and Cooldown Rate Outside of Limits Following Technician Adjustment of Wrong Component ML24115A2972024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Miller, Cole-Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community ML24115A2992024-04-25025 April 2024 Sec106 Tribal, Renville, J. Garret-Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Travers Reservation 2024-09-18
[Table view] Category:Congressional Correspondence
MONTHYEARML17068A1402017-03-0808 March 2017 03-08-17 Acknowledgement Letters to Honorable Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch from Eugene Dacus Requesting a Public Meeting on Proposed License Transfer for Vermont Yankee ML17067A2112017-03-0707 March 2017 LTR-17-0100 - Senator Patrick Leahy Et Al., Letter Request for a Public Meeting in Vermont ML15303A1212015-11-30030 November 2015 Letter to Representative Peter Welch from Chairman Burns Responds to His Letter Raising Concerns Regarding the Decommissioning of Entergy'S Vermont Yankee Plant. (Response) ML15288A4992015-10-14014 October 2015 LTR-15-0516 Representative Peter Welch, Letter Concerns Regarding the Decommissioning of Entergy'S Vermont Yankee Plant ML14066A0712014-03-0606 March 2014 03-06-14 Acknowledgement Letter to Honorable Patrick Leahy - Bernard Sanders - Peter Welch - Vermont Yankee ML12083A1282012-03-16016 March 2012 G20120192/LTR-12-0108/EDATS: SECY-2012-0131 - Ltr. Rep. Edward J. Markey Regulations and Policies to Undertake Safety and Other Improvements by NRC Licensees as Part of License Extension Proceedings ML1205408622012-02-23023 February 2012 Response to Letter from Senator Jeanne Shaheen Vermont Yankee Annual Assessment Meeting ML11298A0832011-10-21021 October 2011 G20110761/LTR-11-0574/EDATS: SECY-2011-0564 - Ltr. Rep. Edward J. Markey Nuclear Regulatory Commission'S Regulations and Expectations Related to Licensees' Statements to the Media and Other Members of the Public - Entergy Nuclear and Vermon CY-92-223, G20110523/LTR-11-0411/EDATS: SECY-2011-0411 - Ltr. from Rep. E.J. Markey to Chairman Jaczko NRC Safety Requirements for Reactors Granted Construction Permits Prior to 19712011-07-14014 July 2011 G20110523/LTR-11-0411/EDATS: SECY-2011-0411 - Ltr. from Rep. E.J. Markey to Chairman Jaczko NRC Safety Requirements for Reactors Granted Construction Permits Prior to 1971 ML1107300222011-03-0909 March 2011 G20110169/LTR-11-0103/EDATS: SECY-2011-0139 - Ltr. Rep. J. W. Olver Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Process ML1106302162011-02-28028 February 2011 G20110141/LTR-11-0088/EDATS: SECY-2011-0099 - Ltr Congressmen Patrick Leahy, Bernard Sanders, Peter Welch Ltr. Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Process ML1017204852010-06-16016 June 2010 G20100235/LTR-10-0275 - Ltr. Rep. Paul Hodes Questions Regarding Recent Events at the Vermont Yankee Plant ML1011206632010-04-19019 April 2010 G20100235/LTR-10-0175/EDATS: SECY-2010-0235 - Ltr. Paul W. Hodes Tritium Leak - Entergy Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML1004801172010-02-11011 February 2010 G20100079/LTR-10-0048/EDATS: SECY-2010-0094 - Ltr Fm Rep. John W. Olver to Chairman Jaczko Tritium Leak - Entergy Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML1002805502010-02-0202 February 2010 G20100048/LTR-10-0025//EDATS: SECY-2010-0062/LTR-10-0026 - Ltr to Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy, Congressman Peter Welch from Chairman Jaczko Tritium Leak at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station ML1002716492010-01-22022 January 2010 G20100048/LTR-10-0025/EDATS: SECY-2010-0062 - Ltr. Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, Rep. Peter Welch Follow Up to January 15, 2010 Letter Regarding Contamination on the Grounds of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant ML1002806642010-01-15015 January 2010 LTR-10-0026 - Ltr., Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, & Rep. Welch, Contamination on the Grounds of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant ML0927208512009-09-23023 September 2009 Letter to Honorable Al Franken Regarding Recent Tritium Release at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant ML0831508612008-12-17017 December 2008 G20080745/LTR-08-0570/EDATS: SECY-2008-0617 - Ltr. Rep. Paul W. Hodes Vermont Yankee Incident ML0821004792008-07-30030 July 2008 G20080497/LTR-08-0393/EDATS: SECY-2008-0430 - Ltr. Rep. Paul Hodes Nrc'S Investigations at Vermont Yankee, Request for Additional Information for Upcoming Hearing on License Renewal ML0810906142008-05-15015 May 2008 G20080248/LTR-08-0203/EDATS: SECY-2008-0200 - Ltr. to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant - Independent Safety Assessment ML0810104382008-04-0808 April 2008 G20080248/LTR-08-0203/EDATS: SECY-2008-0200 - Ltr Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant - Independent Safety Assessment ML0733005092007-11-30030 November 2007 G20070786/LTR-07-0751/EDATS: SECY-2007-0504 - Ltr. Sheridan Brown, Sen John E. Sununu'S Staff Safety Issues at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0731202612007-11-0202 November 2007 G20070786/LTR-07-0751/EDATS: SECY-2007-0504 - Ltr. Sheridan Brown, Sen John E. Sununu'S Staff Safety Issues at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0726301442007-10-31031 October 2007 G20070624/LTR-07-0595/EDATS: SECY-2007-0319 - Ltr to Sen. E.M. Kennedy; Sen. J Kerry; and Congressman J. Olver Responds to Concerns of the August 21, 2007, Collapse of a Portion of Non Safety-Related Cooling Tower Cell at Vermont Yankee Pow ML0725702462007-09-25025 September 2007 G20070590/EDATS: SECY-2007-0295/LTR-07-0562 - Ltr to Patrick Leahy, Bernard Sanders, and Peter Welch Fm Chairman Klein Occurrence at the Vermont Yankee Power Plant on August 21, 2007 ML0725402262007-08-30030 August 2007 G20070624/LTR-07-0595/EDATS: SECY-2007-0319 - Ltr. Sens. Edward Kennedy, John Kerry & Rep. John Olver Events at Vermont Yankee Power Plant on August 21, 2007 ML0723902292007-08-23023 August 2007 G20070590/EDATS: SECY-2007-0295/LTR-07-0562 - Ltr Fm Patrick Leahy, Bernard Sanders, and Peter Welch to Chairman Klein Occurrence at the Vermont Yankee Power Plant on August 21, 2007 ML0706603132007-03-0808 March 2007 G20070150/LTR-07-0151 - Ltrs to Sen. Bernard Sanders, Sen.Patrick Leahy, Rep. Peter Welch Frm Luis Reyes Request for 30-Day Extension of Deadline for Public Comment on the Environmental Impact Statement for Vermont Yankee ML0706503062007-03-0505 March 2007 G20070150/LTR-07-0151 - Ltr. Bernard Sanders, Patrick Leahy, and Peter Welch Request for 30-Day Extension of Deadline for Public Comment on the Environmental Impact Statement for Vermont Yankee ML0708602972007-03-0505 March 2007 Email: (PA-LR) Information Regarding SAMA Screening2 ML0706605012007-02-27027 February 2007 G20070155 - Sen. John Kerry Ltr. Re Request for the NRC to Address the Issues in Karen M Scott'S Letter Concerning the Vermont Nuclear Reactor ML0704000852007-02-13013 February 2007 G20070068/LTR-07-0060/SECY-2007-0019 - Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Vermont Yankee - Letters to Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders, Representative Welch from Luis Reyes ML0703900442007-02-0101 February 2007 G20070094/LTR-0097 - Ltr. John Kline Monticello and Prairie Island Facilities ML0703102832007-01-26026 January 2007 G20070068/LTR-07-0060/SECY-2007-0019 - Ltr. Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Rep. Peter Welch Regarding Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Dseis) for License Renewal of Vermont Yankee ML0620206892006-08-0808 August 2006 G20060650/LTR-06-0349 - Judd Gregg Ltr Conditions at the Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0620103492006-06-22022 June 2006 G20060650/LTR-06-0349 - Ltr. Sen. Judd Gregg Regarding Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0607300852006-04-0505 April 2006 G20060230/LTR-06-0130 - James M. Jeffords Ltr Information Pertaining to the Implementation of the Extended Power Uprate at the Vermont Nuclear Power Station ML0609405942006-03-24024 March 2006 Letter from Annette L. Vietti-Cook to Senator Jeffords, Senator Leahy, and Congressman Sanders Responding to Their 03/08/06 Letter Regarding the Power Uprate Activity at Vermont Yankee ML0606900872006-03-0808 March 2006 G20060230/LTR-06-0130 - Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Jim Jeffords and Rep. Bernard Sanders Ltr. Re Vermont Yankee ML0535403842005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Senator James M. Jeffords, as Well as the Letter from Senator James M. Jeffords Dated November 10, 2005 ML0535403902005-12-16016 December 2005 Letters from Annette L. Vietti-Cook and Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy, as Well as the Letter from Senator Patrick Leahy Dated November 10, 2005 ML0535403732005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Annette L. Vietti-Cook to Senator James M. Jeffords Dated December 16, 2005 ML0535403652005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Annette L. Vietti-Cook to Representative John W. Olver Dated December 16, 2005 ML0532200402005-12-16016 December 2005 G20050785/LTR-05-0560 - Hon. John Olver Ltr Re. Request for Independent Safety Assessment of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0535404092005-12-16016 December 2005 Letters from Annette L. Vietti-Cook and Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Congressman John W. Olver, as Well as the Letter from Congressman John W. Olver Dated November 10, 2005 ML0535404142005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Congressman John W. Olver, as Well as the Letter from Congressman John W. Olver Dated November 9, 2005 ML0532104012005-12-16016 December 2005 G20050776/LTR-05-0554 - Senator Jeffords, Senator Leahy, Representative Olver, and Representative Sanders Ltr Concerns Over Discovery of More than 40 Additional Cracks in the Steam Dryer at Vermont Yankee ML0535403992005-12-16016 December 2005 Letters from Annette L. Vietti-Cook and Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Congressman Bernard Sanders, as Well as the Letter from Congressman Bernard Sanders Dated November 10, 2005 ML0532700752005-11-15015 November 2005 G20050801/LTR-05-0569 - Ltr. Fm Sen. John Kerry Re Concerns About Nrc'S Decision to Allow Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant to Increase Its Energy Output 2017-03-08
[Table view] |
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EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 04/17/12 EDO CONTROL: G20120192 DOC DT: 03/16/12 FINAL REPLY:
Representative Edward J. Markey TO:
Chairman Jaczko FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** PRI ** CRC NO: 12-0108 Chairman DESC: ROUTING:
Regulations and Policies to Undertake Safety and Borchardt Other Improvements by NRC Licensees as Part of Weber License Extension Proceedings (EDATS: SECY-2012- Virgilio 0131) Ash Mamish OGC/GC DATE: 03/22/12 Leeds, NRR Dean, RI ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT: Pedersen, RIII Zimmerman, OE EDO Rihm McCrary, 01 Bell, OIG SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS: Burns, OGC Schmidt, OCA Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 2009-0441-02 (ML093290179). Offices to provide input to Roger Rihm, OEDO, if required.
Roger Rihm will coordinate response with OGC and OCA.
EDATS Number: SECY-2012-0131 Source: SECY 6enerlInfomaio Assigned To: OEDO OEDO Due Date: 4/17/2012 11:00 PM Other Assignees: SECY Due Date: 4/19/2012 11:00 PM
Subject:
Regulations and Policies to Undertake Safety and Other Improvements by NRC Licensees as Part of License Extension Proceedings
Description:
CC Routing: EDO ADAMS Accession Numbers - Incoming: Response/Package: ML12108A307 ML12083A128 16hrIfomto.
Cross Reference Number: G20120192, LTR- 12-01 08 Staff Initiated: NO Related Task: Recurring Item: NO File Routing: EDATS Agency Lesson Learned: NO OEDO Monthly Report Item: NO IAction rcs Inomtn Type: Letter Priority: Medium Sensitivity: None Signature Level: Chairman Jaczko Urgency: N'0 Approval Level: No Approval Required OEDO Concurrence: YES OCM Concurrence: NO OCA Concurrence: NO Special Instructions: Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 2009-0441-02 (ML093290179). NRR to provide input to Roger Rihm, OEDO, if required. Roger Rihm will coordinate response with OGC and OCA.
.Ie Originator Name: Representative Edward J. Markey Date of Incoming: 3/16/2012 Originating Organization: Congress Document Received by SECY Date: 3/22/2012 Addressee: Chairman Jaczko Date Response Requested by Originator: NONE Incoming Task Received: Letter Page 1 of I
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Mar 22, 2012 11:06 PAPER NUMBER: LTR-12-0108 LOGGING DATE: 03/16/2012 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: REP Edward Markey AFFILIATION: CONG ADDRESSEE: Gregory Jaczko
SUBJECT:
Request information about NRC regulations and policies surrounding commitments to undertake safety and other improvements made by NRC licensees as part of their license extenstion proceedings ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: RF, OCA to Ack LETTER DATE: 03/16/2012 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING: Commission Correspondence NOTES: Response requested by Friday, April 6, 2012 FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 03/30/2012 DATE SIGNED:
EDO -- G20120192
COMMITTEES EDWARD J. MARKEY 2108 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE RUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-2107 NATURAL RESOURCES .* 7TH DISTRICT, MASSACHUS S (202) 225-2836 RANKING DEMOCRAT ....................... DISTRICT OFFICES:
ENERGY AND COMMERCE ~~DS~C FCS b HIGHSTREET. SUITE 101 Ciu At M ' q MEDFORD, MA 02155 If. wouge oft(781) 5 ................
396.-2900 1 188 CONCORD STREET, SUITE 102 140,5rdington, DC 20515-2107 FRAM!NGHAM, MA 01702 (508) 875--2500 M arch 16, 2012 ................
httpý/lmarkey~house~gov The Honorable Greg Jaczko, Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852
Dear Chairman Jaczko:
I am writing to request information about Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations and policies surrounding commitments to undertake safety and other improvements made by NRC licensees as part of their license extension proceedings. I am concerned that recent inspections at Entergy's Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vermont and Xcel's
.Monticello Nuclear Generating Station in Monticello, Minnesota have underscored broader weaknesses in the NRC'S general commitments policy - weaknesses that have also been identified by a recent report by the NRC Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
As you know, commitments are docketed, written statements describing a specific action that a licensee has agreed or volunteered to take.' The NRC considers commitments as appropriate for matters that are of significant interest to NRC staff but do not warrant a more formal regulatory control mechanism. Commitments are neither legally binding nor obligations of a license, but failing to meet a commitment can result in the issuance of a Notice of Deviation, which is less severe than a Notice of Violation but allows NRC staff to request information if the implementation of an action was not consistent with the agreed-upon commitment.
On December 22, 2011, the NRC released a report on its October 20, 2011 inspection at Vermont Yankee during a re-fueling outage.2 The inspection was an examination of commitments made during the renewal license application process. When the NRC approved Vermont Yankee's relicensing application March 21, 2011 , Entergy agreed to comply with more than 50 license renewal commitments in preparing for the extended period of operation, which begins March 22, 2012. Although there were no findings identified during this inspection, the NRC inspectors did challenge the completion of several commitments:
Commitment 6: The aging of some nuclear plant components is tracked by monitoring the heatup and cooldown cycles they experience. The resulting metal expansion and contraction causes -thermal stresses that can 'reduce safety margins.
Workers at Vermont Yankee had been tracking the thermal cycle information by 1Nuclear Energy Institute Guidelines For Managing NRC Commitment Changes (NEI 99-04) 2 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station - NRC Integrated Inspection Report 0500027 11201 1011 3 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station License Renewal Application (http://www~nrc gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/vermont-yankee~htmi)
manually recording the number of times the reactor started up and shut down.
When the NRC questioned this practice during its review of the Vermont Yankee license renewal application, the company pledged to use a computerized monitoring system called FatiguePro. This is a more sophisticated tool that is commonly used in the nuclear industry to monitor thermal stresses caused by heatups and cooldowns. The NRC inspectors found that Entergy is not using a computerized monitoring but is still using manual monitoring. The NRC inspection report notes that Entergy has therefore effectively "rescinded the commitment".
o Commitment 12: Many safety systems at nuclear plants feature, heat exchangers.
For example, heat exchangers provide cooling for the engines of the emergency diesel generators, provide cooling for the oil used to cool and lubricate the motors in the high pressure coolant injection and reactor recirculation systems, and heat exchangers also cool the water in spent fuel pools. The performance of heat exchangers degrades with time, and the agreed-upon monitoring program will inspect heat exchangers for degradation, evaluate any degradation for its effects on the heat exchanger's design functions including its ability to withstand a seismic event. The inspectors determined that additional .NRC review was appropriate prior to the period of extended operations to determine that Entergy meets this commitment.
- Commitment 25: Entergy agreed to implement the Thermal Aging and Neutron Irradiation Embrittlement of Cast Austenitic Stainless Steel (CASS) Program, which is a program to detect the effects of loss of fracture toughness due to thermal aging in the CASS steel reactor coolant-system piping. The aging mechanism of concern is degradation caused by neutron bombardment, which tends to make metals more brittle and failure-prone. The industry-developed detection program uses three criteria for determining when CASS components must be monitored for aging degradation: (1) cumulative neutron bombardment, (2) material toughness, and (3) stress applied to the component. The NRC inspectors found that Entergy had adopted the industry methods, but had used a value. 1,000 times higher for the cumulative neutron bombardment criterion and thus there was "a contradiction between the current program and what Entergy had submitted in the [license renewal] application". By using the different criterion, workers might exclude components from aging degradation monitoring that the industry standard would deem to warrant monitoring.
On December 29, 2011 the NRC released a report4 on its December 15, 2011 Special Inspection at Monticello to evaluate the September 2, 2011 identification of substantial blockage in the intake building fire protection piping. As part of Monticello's License Renewal Application (LRA) 5, which was approved on November 8, 2006, the licensee committed to manage the effects of aging on the structure, systems and components of the plant by implementing aging management programs (AMPs), including a program for its fire protection 4 Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant NRC Special Inspection Team (SIT) Report 05000263/201 1010 5 http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/monticello.html
water distribution system. The licensee made a commitment to incorporate into the AMP any operating experience reports - either externally from other nuclear power plants or internally from Monticello itself- that might affect the Fire Water System. The NRC inspectors found seven such operating experience reports that were not reviewed at Monticello, all of which involve blockage of fire sprinkler piping,7 demonstrating that they did not satisfy their license renewal commitment. Had the licensee fulfilled that commitment, it may have avoided the cause of the Special Inspection: fire sprinkler piping at the plant becoming clogged with rust particles.
The NRC has publiclystated that "...public confidence and trust in the license renewal process hinges on the NRC's confirmation that the licensee's commitments have been completed.
The fulfillment of these commitments is important because it forms the basis for the agency's determination of reasonable assurance that the effects of aging will be managed throughout'the period of extended operation...,,6 However, in a September 19, 2011 report, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) identified significant problems in the NRC's management of licensee commitments. 7 Specifically, the NRC OIG found:
" The NRC inconsistently implements the audits of licensee commitment management programs because agency guidance is incomplete and imprecise, which can result in ineffective audits.
- NRC training does not effectively address the definition and use of commitments and is not provided to all agency staff involved in reviewing licensee commitments, potentially resulting in the misapplication of commitments by NRC staff.
" The NRC does not systematically track commitments and thus cannot ensure oversight of commitments.
The OIG report authors also made five specific recommendations for actions the NRC should take to address these problems:
0 Revise NRC policy8 on conducting commitment management audits to include detailed direction on how to sample commitment for audit. For example, a checklist of sources to be used in identifying the complete collection of commitments from which to sample.
- Revise NRC policy8 on conducting commitment management audits to include well-defined expectations and guidelines regarding the conduct of those audits. The guidelines should include an expectation that audited commitments are reviewed to ensure that they have been appropriately implemented in the plant facility, procedures, program, or other plant documentations.
- Develop training that addresses the definition and use of commitments and provide the training to all agency staff involved in reviewing reactor licensee commitments.
- Identify ways to determine how many commitments exist that are considered safety significant and/or necessary for approval of proposed licensing actions. This could be accomplished by either: (1) Project managers identifying such commitments as part of the triennial commitment management audits, or (2) conducting a review of all existing commitments and identifying any inappropriately applied commitments.
6 http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/introduction/inspections/faq-ip71003.htmi#2 7 Audit of NRC's Management of Licensee Commitments (O[G-1 I-A-17)
LIC-105, Managing Regulatory Commitments Made by Licensees to NRC
- Depending on the outcome of the efforts to meet recommendation 4, develop and utilize a tool for systematically tracking the status of commitments that are deemed safety significant and/or necessary for approval of proposed licensing actions.
The cases at Vermont Yankee and Monticello and the OIG report clearly indicate that reforms in the renewal license commitment system are necessary. In order to evaluate what steps the Commission and its staff are taking to respond to these safety issues, I hereby request that you provide me with the following information:
- 1. How and when will the NRC re-evaluate Entergy's actions toward meeting commitments 6, 12, and 25 for the Vermont Yankee power plant?
- 2. How and when will the NRC re-evaluate Xcel's actions toward meeting its commitment regarding the Aging Management Plan for the Fire Water System at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Station?
- 3. Please provide a list of all commitments for relicensing that each licensee that has received a license extension from the NRC has made since January 1, 2001. Please also provide details of how and when the NRC has validated each of these commitments. For any commitments that the NRC has not verified, how and when does the NRC plan to do so? If no such plans are contemplated, why not?
- 4. Please~provide copies of all Notices of Deviation that have been issued to licensees for failing to meet or inadequately meeting commitments. For each of these Notices of Deviation, what further action was taken by the licensee and by the NRC, and how were licensee actions validated?
- 5. What actions is the NRC taking to implement the recommendations identified in the OIG's audit report? How were these actions decided upon? What is the timeline for implementing those actions? The OIG report laid out five specific recommendations.
Does the NRC plan to implement each of those recommendations? If so, how and when?
If not, why not?
Thank you very much for your consideration of this serious matter. Please provide your response no later than close of business Friday; April 6, 2012. If you have any questions or concerns, please have your staff contact Dr. Makenzie Lystrup or Dr. Michal Freedhoff of my staff at 202-225-2836.
Sincerely, Edward J. Markey4