ML15233A101

Staff Review of Interim Evaluation Associated with Reevaluated Seismic Hazard Implementing Near-Term Task Force Recommendation 2.1

ML15233A101
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	08/25/2015
From:	Nicholas Difrancesco Japan Lessons-Learned Division
To:	Vitale A Entergy Nuclear Operations
Wyman S, NRR/JLD, 415-3041
References
TAC MF5258
Download: ML15233A101 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 August 25, 2015 Vice President, Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, Ml 49043-9530

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT - STAFF REVIEW OF INTERIM EVALUATION ASSOCIATED WITH REEVALUATED SEISMIC HAZARD IMPLEMENTING NEAR-TERM TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION 2.1 (TAC NO. MF5258)

Dear Sir or Madam:

By letter dated March 12, 2012 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML12053A340), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a request for information pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Section 50.54(f) (hereafter referred to as the 50.54(f) letter). The request was issued as part of implementing lessons-learned from the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

Enclosure 1 to the 50.54(f) letter requested that licensees reevaluate seismic hazards at their sites using present-day methodologies and guidance. Enclosure 1, Item 6, of the 50.54(f) letter requested that licensees identify "interim evaluation and actions taken or planned to address the higher seismic hazard relative to the design basis as appropriate, prior to completion of the

[seismic] risk evaluation." In addition to the interim evaluation provided in the March 2014 Seismic Screening and Hazard report, the licensees for the Central and Eastern United States committed to providing the Expedited Seismic Evaluation Process (ESEP) report, an interim evaluation, by December 31, 2014.

By letters dated December 18, 20141, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy, the licensee),

provided its ESEP report in a response to Enclosure 1, Item (6) of the 50.54(f) letter, for Palisades Nuclear Plant (Palisades). The NRC staff assessed the licensee's implementation of the ESEP guidance through the completion of a reviewer checklist 2 . In support of NRC staff questions, Entergy provided a response dated July 2, 2015 3 , clarifying submittal information.

Based on the NRC staff review of the ESEP report and responses to the staff's questions, the NRC staff concludes that the licensee's implementation of the interim evaluation meets the intent of the guidance.

The NRC staff concludes that, through the implementation of the ESEP guidance, the licensee identified and evaluated the seismic capacity of certain key installed mitigating strategies equipment that is used for core cooling and containment functions to cope with scenarios that 1 The December 18, 2014, letter can be found under ADAMS Accession No. ML14357A165.

2 The Palisades ESEP NRC review checklist can be found under ADAMS Accession No. ML15231A393.

3 The Entergy response to NRC staff questions can be found ADAMS Accession No. ML15183A317.

involve a loss of all alternating current power and loss of access to the ultimate heat sink to withstand a seismic event two times the safe shutdown earthquake for Palisades. The licensee's ESEP assessment provides additional assurance which supports continued plant safety while the longer-term seismic evaluation is completed to support regulatory decision making. The NRC staff concludes that the licensee responded appropriately to Enclosure 1, Item (6) of the 50.54(f) letter. Application of this review is limited to the interim evaluation as part of the Recommendation 2.1 Seismic review.

The NRC staff notes that the attachment of the December 18, 2014, letter contains regulatory commitments to complete walkdowns and evaluations of inaccessible items, modifications related to ESEP, and submit a results letter to NRC within 60 days following completion of all ESEP activities.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1115 or via e-mail at Nicholas.DiFrancesco@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Nicholas J. DiF cesco, Senior Project Manager Hazards Management Branch Japan Lessons-Learned Division Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255 cc: Distribution via Listserv

involve a loss of all alternating current power and loss of access to the ultimate heat sink to withstand a seismic event two times the safe shutdown earthquake for Palisades. The licensee's ESEP assessment provides additional assurance which supports continued plant safety while the longer-term seismic evaluation is completed to support regulatory decision making. The NRC staff concludes that the licensee responded appropriately to Enclosure 1, Item (6) of the 50.54(f) letter. Application of this review is limited to the interim evaluation as part of the Recommendation 2.1 Seismic review.

The NRC staff notes that the attachment of the December 18, 2014, letter contains regulatory commitments to complete walkdowns and evaluations of inaccessible items, modifications related to ESEP, and submit a results letter to NRC within 60 days following completion of all ESEP activities.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1115 or via e-mail at Nicholas.DiFrancesco@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, IRA/

Nicholas J. DiFrancesco, Senior Project Manager Hazards Management Branch Japan Lessons-Learned Division Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-255 cc: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC JLD R/F RidsOeMailCenter RidsNrrPMPalisades RidsNrrDorllpl3-1 RidsNrrLASLent RidsRgn3MailCenter RidsNrrOd DJackson, NRO MShams, NRR NDiFrancesco, NRR ADAMS Accession Number: ML15233A101 *via e-mail OFFICE NRR/JLD/JHMB/PM NRR/JLD/LA NRO/DSEA/RGS2/BC*

NAME SWyman Slent DJackson DATE 08/20/15 08/21/15 08/12/15 OFFICE NRR/JLD/JHMB/BC NRR/JLD/JHMB/PM NAME MShams NDiFrancesco DATE 08/25/15 08/25/15 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY