Text

Annual Assessments
	ML21096A100
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry, Watts Bar, Sequoyah
Issue date:	04/06/2021
From:	; NRC/RGN-II
To:	;
References
	Download: ML21096A100 (21)
	v • d • e

Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar Annual Assessments 2020 Reactor Oversight Process Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Region II

NRC Mission Statement

The NRC licenses and regulates the Nation's civilian use of radioactive materials to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety and to promote the common defense and security and to protect the environment STRATEGIC GOALS SAFETY STRATEGIC GOAL: Ensure the Safe Use of Radioactive Materials SECURITY STRATEGIC GOAL: Ensure the Secure Use of Radioactive Materials

NRC Reactor Oversight Process (ROP)

Process is implemented in each of the four NRC regions

Process involves inspection and assessment activities controlled by each NRC regions senior management

Process is implemented by regional inspectors and onsite resident NRC inspectors

Resident Inspector Program

NRC Resident Inspectors live in the local communities and perform inspection activities at Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar Nuclear Plants

Provide daily oversight of plant activity

Resident Inspector Program

Daily visits to Control Room

Periodic meetings with plant senior managers

Prioritize inspections based on important plant activity

Resident Inspector Program

Observe emergency drills and provide support to NRC decision makers for any real emergencies or urgent issues

Resident Inspector Program Process concerns raised by plant employees and the public Routinely discuss safety concerns with plant personnel and senior management

NRC Annual Assessment Summary Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar Nuclear Plants

Based on investigations completed in late 2019 and early 2020 involving two allegations of discrimination, the NRC issued TVA a Notice of Violation (NOV) on August 24, 2020 to Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar Nuclear Plants. The NOV cited three Severity Level (SL) II and one SL I violation, and proposed imposition of a $606,942 (ML20218A483). TVA responded to the NOV in a letter dated September 23, 2020 and denied all four violations (ML20274A014).

NRC Annual Assessment Summary Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar Nuclear Plants

Subsequently, the NRC issued an order imposing the Civil Penalty (CP) to TVA on October 29, 2020 (ML20297A525). On November 30, 2020, TVA requested a hearing on the substantiated cases of discrimination; that hearing will occur later in calendar year 2021. Therefore, the NRC will defer scheduling inspection procedure 92722, Follow up Inspection for Any Severity Level I or II Traditional Enforcement Violation or for Two or More Severity Level III Traditional Enforcement Violations in a 12 Month Period, until the matter is settled.

NRC Annual Assessment Summary Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar Nuclear Plants

Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, Operating Reactor Assessment Program, states that a cross-cutting theme in the area of SCWE exists if the licensee has received correspondence from the NRC that transmitted (1) a SL I, II, or III enforcement action that involved discrimination or (2) a confirmatory order that involved discrimination. Although the NRCs process suggests that a SCWE theme exists due to the enforcement actions issued on August 24, 2020, we note that the incidents leading to the proposed enforcement actions are not indicative of current performance at TVA Nuclear Plants in this area. The NRC has conducted multiple safety culture inspections at each TVA site since 2018 and has determined that TVA has made sufficient progress in addressing SCWE concerns and has demonstrated an improving safety culture since 2018

NRC Annual Assessment Summary Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant

TVA operated the plant safely and in a manner that preserved the public health and safety and protected the environment.

One Security greater than Green finding and two Green non-cited violations (NCVs) were identified in Calendar Year (CY) 2020.

All Performance Indicators were Green (no performance thresholds exceeded).

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Findings and Performance Indicators

Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3 were returned to the Licensee Response Column of the NRCs ROP Action Matrix for the fourth quarter of CY 2020.

Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3 were in Regulatory Response Column of the NRCs ROP Action Matrix for the first three quarters of CY 2020.

Final Significance Determination of Greater than Green Finding associated with Security was issued on March 16, 2020 (ML20076D978).

The 95001 Supplemental Inspection was completed on September 4, 2020.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Findings and Performance Indicators

The NRC recently issued a NOV with SL III and Exercise of Enforcement Discretion (No CP) on January 21, 2021, related to a security finding at Browns Ferry (ML21021A369). Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct a follow-up inspection procedure 92702, Follow-up on Traditional Enforcement Actions Including Violations, Deviations, Confirmatory Action Letters, and Orders, of this NOV in August 2021.

NRC Annual Assessment Summary Sequoyah Nuclear Plant

TVA operated the plant safely and in a manner that preserved the public health and safety and protected the environment.

Sequoyah Units 1 and 2 were in the Licensee Response Column (Column

1) for CY 2020.

9 Green NCVs and one Green Finding were identified in CY 2020.

All Performance Indicators were Green (no performance thresholds exceeded).

NRC Annual Assessment Summary Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

TVA operated the plant safely and in a manner that preserved the public health and safety and protected the environment.

Watts Bar Units 1 and 2 were in the Licensee Response Column (Column

1) for CY 2020.

One Green NCV was identified in CY 2020.

All Performance Indicators were Green (no performance thresholds exceeded).

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Findings and Performance Indicators

On November 6, 2020, the NRC issued a Severity Level II Violation, and four Severity Level III Violations, with a CP of $903,471.00 in response to a November 2015 startup, in which TVA employees violated plant procedures and then provided to the NRC or maintained incomplete and inaccurate information (NRC Inspection Report No. 05000390/20200013, ADAMS Accession Number ML20310A353).

On December 7, 2020, TVA denied these violations. Therefore, the NRC will defer scheduling Inspection Procedure 92722, Follow Up Inspection For Any Severity Level I or II Traditional Enforcement Violation or for Two or More Severity Level III Traditional Enforcement Violations in a 12 Month Period until this matter is settled.

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Findings and Performance Indicators

The NRC closed the Watts Bar CEL on February 17, 2021 (ADAMS Accession Number ML21048A200). As the closure criteria were identical for the Chilling Effect Letter (CEL) and the Cross-Cutting Issue (CCI), the NRC now considers the CCI closed. The NRC will continue to monitor TVAs activities to maintain a safety conscious work environment at WBN through the Reactor Oversight Process.

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