ML16348A291
| ML16348A291 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 12/13/2016 |
| From: | Dan Dorman Region 1 Administrator |
| To: | Tavares K Town of Plymouth, MA, Board of Selectmen |
| Draxton M | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML16348A272 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML16348A291 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 2100 RENAISSANCE BLVD.
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-2713 December 13, 2016 The Honorable Kenneth Tavares Chairman, Board of Selectmen 11 Lincoln Street Plymouth, MA 02360
Dear Mr. Chairman:
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff regrets not being able to support your request for our attendance at the latest Plymouth Board of Selectmen meeting. As you are aware, we have just completed the second week of a three-week inspection, called a 95003 Phase C inspection, which focuses on the performance of the plant personnel and equipment at Pilgrim, and the underlying causes for the degraded performance that resulted in the plants move to Column 4 of the NRCs Action Matrix. I am declining your offer to speak in person because the inspection is ongoing, and it is critical to focus on the results of the two weeks on site in support of the preparation for the final inspection week in January. Additionally, specific information on the progress of our review is considered pre-decisional and would be inappropriate to be publicly discussed at this time in the process.
As you know, a member of the NRC staff inadvertently forwarded an email to a member of the public that contained preliminary observations from the team inspection. I understand this inadvertent release of less-than-fully developed information has caused considerable consternation in the community. I truly apologize for any distress this may have caused. Let me assure you that Pilgrim is operating safely. Our inspectors continuously evaluate plant safety as issues are identified and Pilgrim remains safe. However, should any information surface which causes the Agency to lose confidence in Entergys ability to safely operate the plant, we would not hesitate to take appropriate regulatory action, up to and including ordering the plant shutdown.
To foster a better understanding of the information contained in the email, let me describe how an inspection team works. For this inspection, the team members gather at the site each morning and disperse into the plant. They observe operations and maintenance activities, interview workers and review documents to identify possible weaknesses. At the end of the day, the team gathers to share what they inspected and what they have seen during the day.
As they interact, they adjust their inspection plans and line of inquiry for the following day to more fully clarify the picture they are developing. The team leader then briefs NRC management on the teams progress. It is important to note that the information in the email update was a running list of raw observations and data points, and does not represent a fully developed perspective on Entergys performance. Additionally, many statements in the email reflect specific inspector observations regarding open questions requiring further elaboration during the remainder of the inspection. They are not intended to be generalizations of overall performance or plant conditions.
The Honorable Kenneth Tavares 2
We are still in the early stages of our Phase C inspection at Pilgrim. Until the inspection has been completed and the results fully assessed, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to predict to what extent these observations factor into our final determinations on Entergys progress in improving the plants performance. The type of information included in this email is not unusual for the early stages of an inspection and clearly demonstrates that this inspection team is rigorously examining Entergys performance. It is, however, understandable that someone not familiar with the process and specifics of the inspection could easily read this email and take the information out of context and inappropriately extrapolate it.
After the team leaves the site in January, they will return to the office to finalize and document their findings. Once that is done, we will hold a meeting in Plymouth to discuss the final results of the inspection with our various stakeholders, including the public. We recognize that the deliberate nature of the process requires a period of time. In the interim, I will be closely following the inspection and will keep you apprised if our assessment of Entergys ability to safely operate Pilgrim changes.
Sincerely,
/RA/ Original Signed by:
Daniel H. Dorman Regional Administrator cc:
Melissa Arrighi, Town Manager John Kotek, Acting Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy State of Massachusetts
ML16348A272 SUNSI Review Non-Sensitive Sensitive
Publicly Available
Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RI/SLO RI/RA NAME MDraxton DDorman DATE 12/13/16 12/13/16