ML19164A179
| ML19164A179 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/29/2019 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML19164A179 (2) | |
Text
Making an Emergency Notification to the Operations-Based Events How to Have a Successful Call with the NRC NRC Decisionmakers After making an emergency notification to the The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC, the HOO will make an initial The licensee communicators knowledge of the (NRC) headquarters operations officers assessment to determine whether the plant and basic understanding of the event will (HOOs) receive emergency notification calls situation warrants consideration for activating enable the communicator to readily answer from the licensee, as required in Title 10 of the NRCs response organization. Any event questions from the NRC decisionmakers.
the Code of Federal Regulations resulting in an Emergency Action Level (10 CFR) 50.72, Immediate Notification declaration automatically warrants If the licensees communicator is not Requirements for Operating Nuclear Power consideration for activating the NRCs knowledgeable of the event or the plants Reactors. The licensees caller response organization. response to the event, the call may not go (communicator) provides information about smoothly. If the communicator is not well the event to the HOO. If needed, the HOO If the HOO determines the situation warrants informed, he or she will likely need to seek will ask for additional information to consideration for an NRC response, the out the additional information and relay the understand the event more fully and make an HOO will place the licensees communicator answer(s) back to the NRC decisionmakers.
initial determination on the significance of the on hold and will call the appropriate NRC This will delay the NRCs independent situation. Any questions during the initial Regional Administrator (or designee) and assessment of the emergency and decision communications should not distract a the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor regarding the NRCs response posture.
licensee from implementing timely safety or Regulation (or designee) to inform them of security measures. the event. These senior managers, known Compliance with applicable guidance to have as the NRCs decisionmakers, are someone knowledgeable of the event responsible for determining the NRCs communicate with the NRCs decisionmakers Hostile/Threat Situations response to the event. is critical to timely and effective decisionmaking.
If an event is hostile in nature, the caller After the briefing from the HOO, the NRC should tell the HOO the name of the decisionmakers will likely want to speak facility, the type of event (physical, cyber, directly with the licensees communicator to Conditions That Will Likely Cause the NRC etc.), the status of the event (anticipated, clarify the information or to request additional To Respond to an Event occurred, ongoing, etc.), and any other information.
information he or she can safely provide. event classification of Site Area Emergency, If conditions warrant, the HOO will instruct The HOO will connect the licensees General Emergency, or Alert with degrading the caller to hang up, get to a safe place, communicator to the NRCs decisionmakers conditions and call back as soon as possiblebut to enable direct communication between the only when it is safe to do so. facility and the NRC. This communication will hostile situation anticipated or in progress assist in determining the NRCs response The NRC will likely activate its response posture. anticipated transient without scram event or organization and staff in the regional reactor scram with rods not fully inserted Incident Response Center and The NRC has 30 minutes from the time of the Headquarters Operations Center to monitor ongoing event with degrading conditions official notification to determine whether it will the situation and make notifications to other activate its incident response program.
licensees and agencies, as appropriate. natural phenomena significantly affecting the site or multiple sites Background Regulatory Documents 10 CFR 50.72 and associated Statements of Consideration, NUREG-1022, Information Notice 85-80, and RIS 2009-10
Sample Questions Is anything currently challenging or preventing mitigation of the event or Power Reactor situation?
The questions asked on a decisionmaker call will vary depending on the event. The o If so, what and how?
Emergency Notification decisionmakers will likely want to know the How long do you expect it to take to fully Communication Guidance answers to some, or all, of the following questions: mitigate the event or situation? (10 CFR 50.72)
What is the current status of the What needs to occur for the emergency reactor? situation to be terminated?
If an automatic or manual scram was Has there been an increase in radiation experienced, did all rods insert and levels inside the plant or on site? NRC headquarters operations systems respond as designed? o If so, what are the levels and where officer, how may I help you?
are they detected?
Did safety system(s) actuate? o What protective measures have been o If so, which systems and are the implemented or planned on site?
systems still operating? o Is the control room habitable?
Is the event or situation fully Has site security been affected or understood? compromised?
o If not, what information is unknown or not yet understood? (For Has anyone been injured during the example, the reactor coolant system event or situation?
(RCS) leakage rate exceeds the technical specifications limit and the Has onsite or offsite first responder source of the leak remains support been requested (emergency unidentified.) medical services, fire brigade, law enforcement, etc.)?
So, you are making an Is the event or situation ongoing? emergency notification call o If so, is it fully controlled? (For What is the licensees response posture? to the NRCwhat happens next?
example, RCS leakage is present, o Is the site emergency response but the level is being maintained organization being staffed?
through makeup water to the RCS.)
Is a site accountability or evacuation If the event or situation is ongoing, is it order planned or underway?
improving or degrading?
Are there any communications or staffing Is reactor cooling being maintained and issues?
are pressures and water levels controlled? Has access to and from the site been compromised (because of physical or ADAMS Accession No. ML19164A179 Are mitigating measures being radiological conditions)?
implemented? Issued: August 22, 2019 o If so, what measures are being taken?