ML12340A023
| ML12340A023 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 11/29/2012 |
| From: | Tracy R Dow Jones Newswires, Wall Street Journal |
| To: | Macfarlane A NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| LTR-12-0737 | |
| Download: ML12340A023 (8) | |
Text
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Nov 30, 2012 12:32 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
LTR-12-0737 LOGGING DATE:
11/29/2012 EO 4 EDO DEDMRT DEDR Ryan Tracy DEDCM AO Qiq/
Chairman Resource ffQfo*
Note from The Wall Street Journal re transparency in the NRC's communications Appropriate RF 11/29/2012 No ADAMS DATE DUE:
DATE SIGNED:
-ýOv L M17 UpAk)s. Sd-+W
Wright, Darlene From:
Tracy, Ryan [Ryan.Tracy@dowjones.com]
Sent:
Thursday, November 29, 2012 12:32 PM To:
CHAIRMAN Resource
Subject:
Hi From Wall St Journal Hi Chairman, Hope you're well. No need to respond on your end to this e-mail, I just wanted to pass something interesting along:
You've spoken to us reporters about transparency in the NRC's communications - a great example of where that could be improved came as part of today's Region IV press release on Wolf Creek. It linked to this letter, which is full of references to other documents and borderline indecipherable to a novice. Again, not writing a story just food for thought.
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/wc 2012q2.pdf All the best, Ryan Ryan Tracy I Reporter Dow Jones Newswires I The Wall Street Journal.
office 202.862.9245 I cell 202.309.8060 I ryan.tracv@dowiones.com I
UNITED STATES
- {NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION IV 1600 EAST LAMAR BLVD ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011-4511 September 4, 2012 Matthew W. Sunseri, President and Chief Executive Officer Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P. O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839
SUBJECT:
MID-CYCLE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND INSPECTION PLAN -WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION (05000482/2012006)
Dear Mr. Sunseri:
On August 14, 2012, the NRC completed its mid-cycle performance review of Wolf Creek Generating Station. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (Pis) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012. This letter informs you of the NRC's assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facility. This assessment reflects the integration of the Security Cornerstone into the ROP performance assessment program governed by IMC 0305, "Operating Reactor Assessment Program."
The NRC determined the performance at Wolf Creek Generating Station during the most recent quarter was within the Regulatory Response Column of the NRC's Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix because the Performance Indicator for Mitigating Systems Performance Index - Emergency AC System was reported as White in the second quarter of 2012 for the first two quarters of 2012. Therefore, in addition to ROP baseline inspections, the NRC plans to conduct a supplemental inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure 95001, "Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area," once you have informed us of your readiness for this inspection.
Although plant performance was within the Regulatory Response Column, the NRC has not yet finalized the significance of Apparent Violation 05000482/2012009-01, "Failure to Follow Procedures for Contractor Control During Maintenance on the Startup Transformer." The final safety significance determination is expected to affect the NRC's assessment of plant performance and the enclosed inspection plan because you accepted the preliminary significance of a yellow finding and declined to provide additional information to be considered in assessing the final significance of the finding in a letter dated August 15, 2012, (ML12222A007). You will be notified by separate correspondence of the final significance for this finding, as well as any changes to our performance assessment and inspection plan.
In its assessment letter dated March 5, 2012 (ML120650857), the NRC outlined substantive cross-cutting issues (SCCIs) in the areas of problem identification and resolution and human performance associated with themes in the aspects of: (1) use of a low threshold for identifying issues in the corrective action program [P. 1(a)]; (2) thoroughness of evaluating problems such that resolutions address causes and extent of condition [P. 1(c)]; (3) appropriateness and
M. Sunseri timeliness of corrective actions [P. 1 (d)]; (4) use of conservative assumptions in decision-making
[H. 1(b)]; and (5) completeness and accuracy of design documentation, procedures, and work packages H.2(c). We also stated that we would conduct additional inspection above the ROP baseline inspection program as described in Section 13.03 of Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, "Operating Reactor Assessment Program," to evaluate the effectiveness of your performance improvement efforts related to these substantive cross-cutting issues. We requested that you provide us a letter informing us of your readiness for inspection of your corrective actions in addressing each of the five identified safety culture themes. Through our baseline inspection efforts, a public meeting with NRC management on June 25, 2012, and through communications with station management, we have kept abreast of your most recent efforts to improve performance in these areas.
By letter dated May 7, 2012 (ML12235A358), you notified us that you were ready for an inspection of your actions to address the SCCIs related to problem identification and resolution.
Based on our inspections in the area of problem identification and resolution, including a specific inspection during the week of June 18, 2012, we have concluded that you have demonstrated sustained improvement in the area of identifying issues in the corrective action program P.1(a). Therefore, this substantive cross-cutting issue is closed. However, our inspections have shown that you continue to have a significant backlog of corrective actions, including actions to address NRC violations and longstanding plant equipment issues, indicating continued untimely corrective actions. We have also observed that your staff continued to have challenges with evaluating issues that potentially impact nuclear safety thoroughly such that the resolutions address causes and extent of conditions. In particular, we continue to observe operability evaluations that have to be revised multiple times to address the full situation, and cause evaluations that significantly exceeded station timeliness goals. We recognize that your efforts to address P.1(c) and P.1(d) have produced an improving trend, but you have not yet demonstrated sustained improvement in these areas. Therefore, the SCCIs in P. 1 (c) and P. 1(d) will remain open.
In addition, we recognize that you have not yet determined that you are ready for inspection in the area of human performance. Therefore, the two SCCIs in the area of human performance
[H. 1(b) and H.2(c) will remain open. We plan to re-inspect your progress in addressing P. 1(c) and P.1(d) when we inspect the human performance SCCIs.
As stated in previous assessment letters, the NRC will close each identified issue when we determine through inspection that your corrective actions have been effective and the station has demonstrated sustained and measurable improvement.
We request that you schedule a public meeting before the end of December 2012 to discuss your progress and the status of your plans for addressing the substantive cross-cutting issues described above. Also, we request you provide a written response within 30 days of the date of this letter that provides details of your planned corrective actions and a schedule outlining when you expect to be ready for inspection of your corrective actions for each of the safety culture themes.
The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through December 31, 2013.
Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. In addition to the baseline inspections, consistent with the Agency's actions related to Fukushima, the NRC will perform TI-1 87, "Inspection of Near-Term Task Force Recommendation 2.3 Flooding Walkdowns," and TI-188, "Inspection of Near-Term Task Force Recommendation 2.3
M. Sunseri Seismic Walkdowns." The inspections listed during the last nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the end-of-cycle performance review. The NRC provides the inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues. The NRC will contact you as soon as possible to discuss changes to the inspection plan should circumstances warrant any changes.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter 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). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.qov/readingq-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Please contact Neil O'Keefe at 817-200-1141 with any questions you may have regarding this letter.
Sincerely, rir2 ennedy Director, Division of Reactor Projects Docket No.: 50-482 License No: NPF-42
Enclosure:
Wolf Creek Generating Station Inspection / Activity Plan
M. Sunseri Electronic Distribution by RIV:
Regional Administrator (Elmo.Collins@nrc.gov)
Deputy Regional Administrator (Art.Howell@nrc.gov)
DRP Director (Kriss.Kennedy@nrc.gov)
Acting DRP Deputy Director (Allen. Howe@nrc.gov)
Acting DRS Director (Thomas. Blount@nrc.gov)
Acting DRS Deputy Director (Patrick.Louden@nrc.gov)
Senior Resident Inspector (Chris. Long@nrc.gov)
Resident Inspector (Charles. Peabody@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief/ B (Neil.OKeefe@nrc.gov)
Senior Project Engineer (Leonard.Willoughby@nrc.gov)
Project Engineer (Nestor. Makris@nrc.gov)
Public Affairs Officer (Victor. Dricks@nrc.gov)
Public Affairs Officer (Lara.Uselding@nrc.gov)
Regional State Liaison Officer (Bill. Maier@nrc.gov)
Congressional Affairs Officer (Jenny.Weil@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/EB1 (Thomas.Farnholtz@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/EB2 (Geoffrey.Miller@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/PSB1 (Michael.Hay@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/OB (Mark.Haire@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/TSB (Ray.Kellar@nrc.gov)
Director, DIRS, NRR (Ho.Nieh@nrc.gov)
Deputy Director, DIRS NRR (John.Lubinski@nrc.gov)
Director, DORL, NRR (Michele.Evans@nrc.gov)
Deputy Director, DORL, NRR (Louise. Lund@nrc.gov)
Chief, PLB IV, DORL, NRR (Michael.Markley@nrc.gov)
NRR Project Manager (Brian.Benney@nrc.gov)
RA Administrative Assistant (Lisa.Quayle@nrc.gov)
DRA Administrative Assistant (Anita.Tannenbaum@nrc.gov)
RITS Coordinator (Marisa.Herrera@nrc.gov)
TSB Technical Assistant (Loretta.Williams@nrc.gov)
RidsNrrDirslpabResource@nrc.gov ROPreports@nrc.gov ROPassessment. Resource@nrc.gov Congressional Affairs Officer (Silas. Kennedy@nrc.gov)
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Page 2 of 2 08/29/2012 10:40:17 Report 22 Wolf Creek Inspection I Activity Plan 09101/2012 -
12/31/2013 FU-n-it t
Planned Dates Number Start End Inspection Activi EBI-07T
- TRIENNIAL HEAT SINK INSPECTION 1
06/17/2013 0512112013 IP 7111107T Heat Sink Performance EPI
- BIENNIAL EXERCISE INSPECTION 1
11/04/2013 11/08/2013 IP 7111401 Exercise Evaluation Title No. of Staff on Site I
1 This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.
This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.