ML16145A365

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Region I/Drp Response to P. Berry Letter Operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
ML16145A365
Person / Time
Site: Pilgrim
Issue date: 05/24/2016
From: Leonard Cline
NRC/RGN-I/DRP/PB5
To: Berry P
- No Known Affiliation
Cline L
References
Download: ML16145A365 (2)


Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD.

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 May 24, 2016 Mr. Paul Berry

Dear Mr. Berry:

I am responding to your April 25, 2016, letter requesting that the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim) be shutdown based on its recent poor operating performance and the potential impact of the impending plant closure on employee morale and performance. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) shares your concerns in these areas. Several inspection findings caused us to move the plant into Column 4 (Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column) of the NRC Action Matrix in September 2015, which results in increased NRC oversight.

Based on our inspections to date, Pilgrim continues to operate safely and the issues that moved them into Column 4 were of low to moderate safety significance. However, the increased oversight, inspection, and assessment directed by the assessment process for a plant in Column 4 directs us to closely monitor for indications of unacceptable performance in all areas including human performance and safety conscious work environment. In addition with the planned 2019 shutdown, our quarterly reviews will monitor performance during the plants transition from operation to decommissioning in several specific areas, including preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance and surveillance testing deferrals, staff attrition, and corrective action backlog. If at any time the staff determines that performance at Pilgrim has declined to an unacceptable level, 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 the Region I Public Affairs Officers at 610-337-5330 or 610-337-5331.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Leonard M. Cline, Senior Project Engineer Reactor Projects Branch 5 Division of Reactor Projects

ML16145A365 Non-Sensitive Publicly Available SUNSI Review Sensitive Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP NAME LCline/LMC DATE 5/24/16 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD.

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 May 24, 2016 Mr. Paul Berry

Dear Mr. Berry:

I am responding to your April 25, 2016, letter requesting that the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim) be shutdown based on its recent poor operating performance and the potential impact of the impending plant closure on employee morale and performance. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) shares your concerns in these areas. Several inspection findings caused us to move the plant into Column 4 (Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column) of the NRC Action Matrix in September 2015, which results in increased NRC oversight.

Based on our inspections to date, Pilgrim continues to operate safely and the issues that moved them into Column 4 were of low to moderate safety significance. However, the increased oversight, inspection, and assessment directed by the assessment process for a plant in Column 4 directs us to closely monitor for indications of unacceptable performance in all areas including human performance and safety conscious work environment. In addition with the planned 2019 shutdown, our quarterly reviews will monitor performance during the plants transition from operation to decommissioning in several specific areas, including preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance and surveillance testing deferrals, staff attrition, and corrective action backlog. If at any time the staff determines that performance at Pilgrim has declined to an unacceptable level, 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 the Region I Public Affairs Officers at 610-337-5330 or 610-337-5331.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Leonard M. Cline, Senior Project Engineer Reactor Projects Branch 5 Division of Reactor Projects

ML16145A365 Non-Sensitive Publicly Available SUNSI Review Sensitive Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/DRP NAME LCline/LMC DATE 5/24/16