IR 05000390/2021006

Annual Assessment Letter for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 (Report No. 05000390/2021006 and 05000391/2021006)

ML22048C240
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	03/02/2022
From:	Tom Stephen NRC/RGN-II/DRP/RPB5
To:	Jim Barstow Tennessee Valley Authority
Thomas Stephen, RII/DRP
References
IR 2021006
Download: ML22048C240 (7)

Text

March 2, 2022

SUBJECT:

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 (REPORT 05000390/2021006 AND 05000391/2021006)

Dear Mr. Barstow:

The NRC has completed its end-of-cycle performance assessment of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, reviewing performance indicators (PIs), inspection results, and enforcement actions from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. This letter informs you of the NRCs assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facility. The NRC concluded that overall performance at your facility preserved public health and safety. The baseline inspection program was completed at your facility as defined in Inspection Manual Chapter 2515, Light-Water Reactor Inspection Program - Operations Phase.

The NRC determined the performance at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, during the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response Column, the highest performance category of the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix, because all inspection findings had very low safety significance (i.e., Green), and all PIs were within the expected range (i.e., Green). Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct ROP baseline inspections at your facility.

The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through December 31, 2023.

The NRC provides the inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues. Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. The inspections listed during the last twelve months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised. The NRC will contact you as soon as possible to discuss changes to the inspection plan should circumstances warrant any changes.

In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the NRC adjusted inspection plans and schedules in order to safeguard the health and safety of both NRC and licensee staff while still effectively implementing the ROP. While the PHE continues, overall conditions throughout the country support performance of our inspection and oversight activities to return to normal onsite presence by our resident and region-based inspectors and completion of nominal baseline inspection samples. We continue to monitor site-specific conditions and as discussed in our November 2, 2021 memo, Implementation of Inspection Programs Following Re-Entry from the Public Health Emergency for the Reactor Safety Program (ML21295A302), it may be necessary to alter how and when we perform our inspection and oversight activities as we balance the importance of protecting the health and safety of our staff with the need to conduct effective oversight that supports the NRCs critical safety mission. For inspections requiring extensive coordination with offsite organizations, such as evaluated emergency preparedness exercises, NRC guidance and frequently asked questions for security and emergency preparedness can be found here: https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/covid-19/security-ep/.

Similarly, the NRC has developed guidance if force-on-force inspections cannot be completed as scheduled due to an emergency, such as the COVID-19 PHE. These changes help ensure the health and safety of both NRC and licensee staff while maintaining the NRCs important safety and security mission during the COVID-19 PHE. The attached inspection plan is accurate on the date of issuance but remains subject to change based on approval of potential exemption requests or other changes needed due to changing conditions in the COVID-19 PHE. NRC staff will contact your appropriate regulatory affairs staff in order to coordinate inspection planning and scheduling.

In addition to the ROP baseline inspections, we also plan on conducting infrequently performed inspections which include an initial license examination, Watts Bar Unit 2 steam generator replacement inspections, and operation of an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI).

After careful consideration of TVAs response to the Notice of Violation (NOV) dated December 7, 2020 (ML21027A394), the staff issued a revised NOV and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty (CP) reflecting the NRCs reevaluation on July 23, 2021 (ML21200A132). The letter discussed in more detail the NRCs disposition of violations originally issued on November 6, 2020 Notice (ML20310A341). The NRC plans to conduct 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.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter 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 contact me at (404) 997-4703 with any questions you may have regarding this letter.

Sincerely, Thomas A. Digitally signed by Thomas A.

Stephen Stephen Date: 2022.03.02 09:06:27-05'00'

Thomas A. Stephen, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 5 Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos.: 50-390, 50-391 License Nos.: NPF-90, NPF-96 Enclosure:

Watts Bar Inspection/Activity Plan (03/01/2022- 12/31/2023)

cc Distribution via ListServ

ML22048C240 OFFICE RII: DRP RII: DRP RII: DRP NAME S Ninh W Deschaine T Stephen DATE 2/15/2022 2/15/2022 3/2/2022

Site Inspection Activity Plan Watts Bar 03/01/2022 - 12/31/2023 Unit Start End Activity CAC Title Staff Count UNIT 2 IN-SERVICE INSPECTION 1 2 3/7/2022 3/11/2022 IP 71111.08P 000702 Inservice Inspection Activities (PWR)

U2 SGRP INSPECTION - SG REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT + POST-INSTALLATION VERIFICATION AND TESTING 7 2 4/1/2022 6/30/2022 IP 50001 000547 Steam Generator Replacement Inspection RP OCCUPATIONAL AND TRANSPORTATION RAD SAFETY INSPECTION 4 1, 2 4/11/2022 4/15/2022 IP 50001 000547 Steam Generator Replacement Inspection 1, 2 4/11/2022 4/15/2022 IP 71124.01 000725 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls 1, 2 4/11/2022 4/15/2022 IP 71124.08 000732 Radioactive Solid Waste Processing & Radioactive Material Handling, Storage, & Transportation DESIGN BASES ASSURANCE INSPECTION (TEAMS) 6 1, 2 6/6/2022 6/10/2022 IP 71111.21M 000713 Design Bases Assurance Inspection (Teams)

1, 2 6/20/2022 6/24/2022 IP 71111.21M 000713 Design Bases Assurance Inspection (Teams)

SECURITY BASELINE INSPECTION 3 1, 2 6/20/2022 6/24/2022 IP 71130.02 000734 Access Control 1, 2 6/20/2022 6/24/2022 IP 71130.04 000736 Equipment Performance, Testing, and Maintenance 1, 2 6/20/2022 6/24/2022 IP 71130.07 000739 Security Training 1, 2 6/20/2022 6/24/2022 IP 71130.09 001656 Security Plan Changes 1, 2 6/20/2022 6/24/2022 IP 71151 001338 Performance Indicator Verification WATTS BAR INITIAL LICENSE EXAM 4 1, 2 7/4/2022 7/15/2022 OV 000956 FB-OR-ONSITE VALIDATION OF INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION (OV)

1, 2 8/8/2022 8/19/2022 EXAD 000500 FB-OR-INITIAL LICENSE EXAM ADMINISTRATION (EXAD)

FORCE-ON-FORCE PLANNING AND EXERCISE WEEKS - WB 6 1, 2 9/12/2022 9/16/2022 IP 71130.03 000735 Contingency Response - Force-On-Force Testing 1, 2 10/3/2022 10/7/2022 IP 71130.03 000735 Contingency Response - Force-On-Force Testing WATTS BAR REQUAL INSPECTION 2 1, 2 9/26/2022 9/30/2022 IP 71111.11B 000704 Licensed Operator Requalification Program and Licensed Operator Performance EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM INSPECTION 2 1, 2 11/14/2022 11/18/2022 IP 71114.02 000717 Alert and Notification System Testing 1, 2 11/14/2022 11/18/2022 IP 71114.03 000718 Emergency Response Organization Staffing and Augmentation System 1, 2 11/14/2022 11/18/2022 IP 71114.04 000719 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes 1, 2 11/14/2022 11/18/2022 IP 71114.05 000720 Maintenance of Emergency Preparedness 1, 2 11/14/2022 11/18/2022 IP 71151 001397 Performance Indicator Verification TVA CORPORATE AA/FFD INSPECTION 2 Prepared on 2/10/2022 6:37:11 AM 1 of 4

Site Inspection Activity Plan 1, 2 1/9/2023 1/13/2023 IP 71130.01 000733 Access Authorization 1, 2 1/9/2023 1/13/2023 IP 71130.08 000740 Fitness For Duty Program SECURITY BASELINE INSPECTION 2 1, 2 2/27/2023 3/3/2023 IP 71130.01 000733 Access Authorization 1, 2 2/27/2023 3/3/2023 IP 71130.02 000734 Access Control 1, 2 2/27/2023 3/3/2023 IP 71130.08 000740 Fitness For Duty Program 1, 2 2/27/2023 3/3/2023 IP 71130.09 001656 Security Plan Changes 1, 2 2/27/2023 3/3/2023 IP 71151 001338 Performance Indicator Verification CYBER SECURITY INSPECTION 2 1, 2 2/27/2023 3/3/2023 IP 71130.10 000741 Cybersecurity UNIT 1 IN-SERVICE INSPECTION +SG 2 1 4/17/2023 4/21/2023 IP 71111.08P 000702 Inservice Inspection Activities (PWR)

RP PUBLIC RADIATION SAFETY BASELINE 2 1, 2 5/22/2023 5/26/2023 IP 71124.06 000730 Radioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment 1, 2 5/22/2023 5/26/2023 IP 71124.07 000731 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION 4 1, 2 6/12/2023 6/16/2023 IP 71152B 000747 Problem Identification and Resolution 1, 2 6/26/2023 6/30/2023 IP 71152B 000747 Problem Identification and Resolution TARGET SET INSPECTION 2 1, 2 7/3/2023 7/7/2023 IP 71130.14 000743 Review of Power Reactor Target Sets UNIT 2 IN-SERVICE INSPECTION +SG 2 2 10/2/2023 10/6/2023 IP 71111.08P 000702 Inservice Inspection Activities (PWR)

RP OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION SAFETY BASELINE 3 1, 2 10/2/2023 10/6/2023 IP 71124.01 000725 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls 1, 2 10/2/2023 10/6/2023 IP 71124.03 000727 In-Plant Airborne Radioactivity Control and Mitigation 1, 2 10/2/2023 10/6/2023 IP 71124.04 000728 Occupational Dose Assessment 1, 2 10/2/2023 10/6/2023 IP 71124.05 000729 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation 1, 2 10/16/2023 10/20/2023 IP 71124.01 000725 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls 1, 2 10/16/2023 10/20/2023 IP 71124.03 000727 In-Plant Airborne Radioactivity Control and Mitigation 1, 2 10/16/2023 10/20/2023 IP 71124.04 000728 Occupational Dose Assessment 1, 2 10/16/2023 10/20/2023 IP 71124.05 000729 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation SECURITY BASELINE INSPECTION 2 1, 2 10/30/2023 11/3/2023 IP 71130.04 000736 Equipment Performance, Testing, and Maintenance 1, 2 10/30/2023 11/3/2023 IP 71130.07 000739 Security Training EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE INSPECTION 5 1, 2 11/13/2023 11/17/2023 IP 71114.01 000716 Exercise Evaluation Prepared on 2/10/2022 6:37:11 AM 2 of 4

Site Inspection Activity Plan 1, 2 11/13/2023 11/17/2023 IP 71114.04 000719 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes 1, 2 11/13/2023 11/17/2023 IP 71151 001397 Performance Indicator Verification Prepared on 2/10/2022 6:37:11 AM 3 of 4

Site Inspection Activity Plan WATTS BAR ISFSI 03/01/2022 - 12/31/2023 Unit Start End Activity CAC Title Staff Count OPERATION OF AN ISFSI 2 1 8/29/2022 9/2/2022 IP 60855 001001 Operation Of An ISFSI Prepared on 2/10/2022 6:37:11 AM 4 of 4