ML20072L915
| ML20072L915 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Westinghouse |
| Issue date: | 03/12/2020 |
| From: | Ladonna Suggs NRC/RGN-II/DFFI |
| To: | Annacone M Westinghouse |
| References | |
| IR 2020005 | |
| Download: ML20072L915 (4) | |
Text
March 12, 2020 Mr. Mike Annacone Vice President, Columbia Fuel Operations and Manager, Columbia Plant Westinghouse Electric Company 5801 Bluff Road Hopkins, SC 29061
SUBJECT:
WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, LICENSEE PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF LICENSED ACTIVITIES (NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INSPECTION REPORT 70-1151/2020-005)
Dear Mr. Annacone:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff in our Region II office, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), and the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) completed a review of Westinghouse Electric Company, Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facilitys (CFFFs) performance in conducting NRC-licensed activities. The performance of CFFF was evaluated in the following areas: Safety Operations, Radiological Controls, Facility Support, Safeguards, and Other Areas. The enclosure to this letter provides the results of our review for areas that were being considered as an Area Needing Improvement (ANI) and constitutes the basis for establishing the NRC oversight program for your facility.
A program adjustment review was completed on November 5, 2019, in response to a number of reportable and non-reportable events that occurred at your facility from June to October 2019.
The staff conducted event follow-up inspections, which were documented in inspection reports 70-1151/2019-003 (ML19212A687), 70-1151/2019-004 (ML19326C453), 70-1151/2019-005 (ML20028D930), and 70-1151/2019-401 (ML20013F322). The staffs review determined that an inspection program adjustment was not warranted, because there were no safety or security-significant events, or significant cross-cutting issues that indicated a need for additional focus by NRC. Although the regulatory significance of the events was not high enough to warrant an adjustment to your core inspection program, the NRC will continue to review the facilitys performance for significant recurring or cross-cutting issues that may cause an adjustment. The NRC also recognizes that many of the environmental issues identified at your facility are being resolved as part of the Consent Agreement with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) or other federal agencies.
Overall, the staff determined that CFFF has continued to conduct activities safely and securely, and in a manner that protects public health and the environment. Based on our review of activities, no additional ANIs were identified for the areas of Safety Operations, Radiological Controls, Facility Support, Safeguards, and Other Areas. Since there was no area needing improvement identified in Safeguards, no separate letter will be issued.
The nominal 24-month performance assessment period was adjusted on March 2, 2017, (ML18064A119) to a 12-month period as a result of one ANI. The ANI was identified in Safety Operations due to a safety significant issue involving the S1030 scrubber. A Confirmatory Order (CO) (ML17221A103) was issued on August 9, 2017, as a result of an agreement reached during Alternative Dispute Resolution.
M. Annacone 2
The supplemental actions identified as part of this ANI were completed in 2018.
Inspection Report 70-1151/2020-006 (ML20071H554) confirmed Westinghouses implementation of the CO, therefore the ANI associated with the S1030 is considered closed.
The NRC plans to conduct the core inspection program for a Category III Fuel Facility as described in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 2600 Appendix B, NRC Core Inspection Requirements Table 1, for the period of January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021, and CFFF will return to the nominal 24-month performance assessment period. However, the NRC will continually review the facilitys performance to determine if a program adjustment review will be necessary to adjust the core inspection program in response to performance at your facility.
The results of our review will be discussed with you at a public meeting on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC. Although your site had no additional areas needing improvement for this current review cycle, you will still be granted the opportunity to discuss your facilitys performance, in the same areas as those evaluated by the NRC, if you so choose.
Beginning in April 2019, the NRC and its stakeholders participated in public meetings aimed at building a smarter inspection program seeking to improve effectiveness and efficiency, while further integrating risk-informed insights to ensure the appropriate focus is applied on the areas most important to safety. The staffs assessment of the inspection program resulted in recommended modifications to inspection frequencies and resource estimates as well as changes to reduce overlaps and improve inspection guidance. If the Agency decides to endorse the staffs recommended program changes, the new core program would take effect starting on January 1, 2021, which will be in the middle of your next licensee performance review cycle. A final decision on the program recommendations is expected by the end of March 2020.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice and Procedure," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Please refer questions and comments regarding your licensee performance review to Mr. Eric C. Michel, Chief, Projects Branch 2, via telephone at 404-997-4555.
Sincerely,
/RA/
LaDonna Suggs, Director Division of Fuel Facility Inspection Docket No. 70-1151 License No. SNM-1107
Enclosure:
Licensee Performance Review Cc w/ encl: Distribution via LISTSERV
ML20072L915 SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE FORM 665 ATTACHED OFFICE RII:DFFI/SPI RII:DDFI/PI NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM RII:BC NAME T. Vukovinsky K. McCurry A. Pearson A. Kock E. Michel DATE 3/10/2020 3/10/2020 3/10/2020 3/9/2020 3/5/2020 E-MAIL COPY?
YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO
LICENSEE PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR WESTINGHOUSE COLUMBIA FUEL FABRICATION FACILITY ASSESSMENT PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2019 TO DECEMBER 31, 2019 Enclosure The following is a summary notable performance issues at the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in the conduct of NRC-licensed activities.
PERFORMANCE AREA: SAFEGUARDS This area is comprised of material control and accounting (MC&A), physical protection of special nuclear material, and information security.
Program Areas Needing Improvement Two Severity Level IV violations of NRC requirements occurred. No recurring or cross cutting aspects were identified with these two violations. No specific area needing improvement was identified in Safeguards (ML20013F322)
Recommended NRC Inspection Effort Maintain the core inspection effort in Safeguards.
PERFORMANCE AREA: RADIOLOGICAL CONTROLS This area is comprised of radiation protection, environmental protection, waste management, and transportation.
Program Areas Needing Improvement One Severity Level IV violation for Failure to Perform Adequate Surveys on Outgoing Shipments of 30B Cylinders. No specific area needing improvement was identified in Radiological Controls (ML19326C453).
Recommended NRC Inspection Effort Maintain the core inspection effort in Radiological Controls.