ML15316A044
| ML15316A044 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 11/10/2015 |
| From: | Leonard Cline NRC/RGN-I/DRP/PB5 |
| To: | Perry C - No Known Affiliation |
| Cline L | |
| References | |
| 2015 SST - 225, LTR-15-0543 | |
| Download: ML15316A044 (2) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD., SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 November 10, 2015 Ms. Candace A Perry, MSW 10 Chequesset Neck Road Wellfleet, MA 02667
Dear Ms. Perry:
This letter responds to your letter dated October 7, 2015, that requested the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim) be shutdown based on its recent poor operating performance. The U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) shares your concern regarding the safety impact of the degrading performance at Pilgrim. On September 1, 2015, the NRC issued a White finding and Notice of Violation to Pilgrim because Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy) had not adequately addressed a significant equipment problem that caused a failure of one of the plants safety/relief valves in February 2013 and then caused in a similar failure in January 2015. This issue combined with a failure to adequately address the causes of multiple reactor shutdowns at Pilgrim in 2013 were indications of degrading performance that moved them into Column 4 (the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column) of the NRC Action Matrix.
Based on our rigorous oversight and assessment program, Pilgrim continues to operate safely.
The issues that moved them into Column 4 were of low to moderate safety significance; and the increased oversight, inspection, and assessment directed by the assessment process for a plant in Column 4 now allows us to closely monitor for indications of unacceptable performance. If at any time it is determined that performance at Pilgrim has declined to an unacceptable level with respect to public safety, the NRC will not hesitate to take additional regulatory action up to and including the issuance of a shutdown order.
We hope that this addresses your concerns regarding the NRCs actions in response to the recent degrading performance at Pilgrim. However, if you have any additional questions or concerns regarding these issues please feel free to contact us at 610-337-5030 or 610-337-5031.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Leonard M. Cline, Senior Project Engineer Reactor Projects Branch 5 Division of Reactor Projects
ML15316A044 SUNSI Review Non-Sensitive Sensitive
Publicly Available
Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP NAME LCline/LMC DATE 11/10/15
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD., SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 November 10, 2015 Ms. Candace A Perry, MSW 10 Chequesset Neck Road Wellfleet, MA 02667
Dear Ms. Perry:
This letter responds to your letter dated October 7, 2015, that requested the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim) be shutdown based on its recent poor operating performance. The U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) shares your concern regarding the safety impact of the degrading performance at Pilgrim. On September 1, 2015, the NRC issued a White finding and Notice of Violation to Pilgrim because Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy) had not adequately addressed a significant equipment problem that caused a failure of one of the plants safety/relief valves in February 2013 and then caused in a similar failure in January 2015. This issue combined with a failure to adequately address the causes of multiple reactor shutdowns at Pilgrim in 2013 were indications of degrading performance that moved them into Column 4 (the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column) of the NRC Action Matrix.
Based on our rigorous oversight and assessment program, Pilgrim continues to operate safely.
The issues that moved them into Column 4 were of low to moderate safety significance; and the increased oversight, inspection, and assessment directed by the assessment process for a plant in Column 4 now allows us to closely monitor for indications of unacceptable performance. If at any time it is determined that performance at Pilgrim has declined to an unacceptable level with respect to public safety, the NRC will not hesitate to take additional regulatory action up to and including the issuance of a shutdown order.
We hope that this addresses your concerns regarding the NRCs actions in response to the recent degrading performance at Pilgrim. However, if you have any additional questions or concerns regarding these issues please feel free to contact us at 610-337-5030 or 610-337-5031.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Leonard M. Cline, Senior Project Engineer Reactor Projects Branch 5 Division of Reactor Projects
ML15316A044 SUNSI Review Non-Sensitive Sensitive
Publicly Available
Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP NAME LCline/LMC DATE 11/10/15