ML26014A218
| ML26014A218 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 01/15/2026 |
| From: | Eve E Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch |
| To: | Reid B Vermont Yankee |
| References | |
| EPID I-2025-003-0070 IR 2025003 | |
| Download: ML26014A218 (0) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 475 ALLENDALE ROAD, SUITE 102 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-1415 January 15, 2026 Billy Reid, Jr.
Site Vice President Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station 320 Governor Hunt Road Vernon, VT 05354
SUBJECT:
NORTHSTAR VERMONT YANKEE, LLC, VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000271/2025003
Dear Billy Reid:
On December 31, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an inspection under Inspection Manual Chapter 2561, Decommissioning Power Reactor Inspection Program, at your Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY). The results of the inspection were discussed with you and other members of your staff on January 13, 2026, and are described in the enclosed report.
No violations of more than minor significance were identified during this inspection.
This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Elise Eve, Acting Chief Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security Docket No.
05000271 License No.
DPR-28 cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ
Enclosure:
Inspection Report No.
05000271/2025003 ELISE EVE Digitally signed by ELISE EVE Date: 2026.01.15 07:30:27 -05'00'
SUBJECT:
NORTHSTAR VERMONT YANKEE, LLC, VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION, NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000271/2025003, DATED JANUARY 15, 2026 DISTRIBUTION:
MFerdas, DRSS EEve, DRSS SVeunephachan, DRSS NHarmon, DRSS KBarnes, DRSS CAllen, RDB ADAMS Accession Number: ML26014A218 x
SUNSI Review x
Non-Sensitive
¨ Sensitive x
Publicly Available
¨ Non-Publicly Available OFFICE DRSS/RI DRSS/RI NAME SVeunephachan EEve DATE 1/14/2026 1/15/2026 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INSPECTION REPORT Docket No.
05000271 License No.
DPR-28 Report No.
05000271/2025003 Enterprise Identifier:
I-2025-003-0070 Licensee:
NorthStar Vermont Yankee, LLC (NorthStar)
Facility:
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY)
Location:
Vernon, VT 05354 Inspection Dates:
July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025 Inspectors:
S. Veunephachan, Senior Health Physicist Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security K. Barnes, Health Physicist Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security N. Harmon, Health Physicist Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security Approved By:
Elise Eve, Acting Chief Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security
2
SUMMARY
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted a routine inspection of problem identification and resolution, fire protection, decommissioning performance and status reviews, occupational radiation exposure, and solid radioactive waste management and transportation.
The inspection consisted of observations by the inspectors, interviews with site personnel, a review of procedures and records, and site walk-downs. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRCs) program for overseeing the safe decommissioning of a permanently shutdown nuclear power reactor is described in Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2561, Decommissioning Power Reactor Inspection Program.
List of Violations None Additional Tracking Items None
3 SITE STATUS Vermont Yankee was inspected under Category 3, Active Decommissioning (DECON), No Fuel in the Spent Fuel Pool as described in IMC 2561.
The site continued reactor building demolition by removing the refuel floor and working downward, elevation by elevation. At the end of the inspection period the building had been demolished to grade level. The demolition was monitored by air samplers in all directions and dust mitigation efforts were implemented.
INSPECTION SCOPES The inspection was conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs).
Currently approved IPs are located on the public website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards. The inspection was declared complete when the objectives of the IP were met, consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2561, Decommissioning Power Reactor Inspection Program.
Inspection Procedure (IP) 71801 - Decommissioning Implementation and Status Status of Decommissioning (IP Section 03.01)
The inspectors performed plant walk-downs of the following locations to assess field conditions and decommissioning activities:
- 1) Reactor building
- 2) Waste loadout area On December 9 and 10, 2025, the inspectors performed walk-downs inside and outside the industrial area boundary to observe material condition and progress of decommissioning during demolition of the reactor building. The inspectors discussed current and upcoming decommissioning activities with licensee personnel.
Implementation of Regulatory and Licensing Requirements (IP Section 03.02)
The inspectors reviewed the following licensing basis documents and regulatory required document(s):
- 1) 10 CFR 50.75(g) file Problem Identification and Resolution (IP Section 03.02b)
The inspectors reviewed a sample of condition reports initiated between July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
IP 83750 - Decommissioning Occupational Radiation Control
4 Radiological Work Planning and Execution (IP Section 03.01)
The inspectors reviewed radiation work permits (RWPs) and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) work plans and observed radiation protection (RP) activities associated with the following:
- 1) Reactor building demolition Occupational Radiation Exposure Topical Areas (IP Section 03.02)
Airborne Monitoring and Respiratory Protection The inspectors observed the following activities and walk-downs for contamination control:
- 1) Workers exiting of the radiologically controlled area (RCA) on August 12, 2025, and December 10, 2025.
- 2) Walk-down low flow air samplers location and material condition in support of reactor building demolition on August 12, 2025 The inspectors reviewed the following lapel air samples analyzed:
- 1) SP-81931
- 2) SP-81971 The inspectors reviewed the following lapel air sample records for employees working in the area of reactor building demolition:
- 1) SP-83916
- 2) SP-83917
- 3) SP-83920
- 4) SP-83914
- 5) SP-83915 Instrumentation The inspectors reviewed the following calibration records for instruments used in final status survey (FSS) activities:
- 1) Ludlum Model 3 (s/n 347944, 348079) dated September 22, 2025
- 2) Ludlum Model 3 (s/n 348242) dated May 27, 2025
- 3) Ludlum Model 2360 (s/n 347137, 340373) dated May 27, 2025
- 4) Ludlum Model 2360 (s/n 343463, 346854) dated May 28, 2025 IP 84750 - Decommissioning Radioactive Waste Treatment, and Effluent and Environmental Monitoring Annual Effluent and Environmental Reports (IP Section 03.02)
The inspectors verified the annual Radiological Effluent Release Report and Radiological Environmental Operating Report were submitted as required and reported doses are below regulatory requirements.
Implementation of the Radiological, Effluent, and Groundwater Protection Initiative Programs (IP Section 03.03)
5 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program The inspectors conducted walk-downs of the following thermoluminescent dosimeters monitoring stations to ensure they were located as stated in the ODCM and to determine adequate material condition on August 14, 2025:
- 1) DR-07
- 2) DR-08 Groundwater Protection Initiative The inspectors conducted walk-downs of the following groundwater well to determine adequate material condition of the well and a tritium sample on August 13, 2025:
- 1) GZ-22D IP 86750 - Decommissioning Solid Radioactive Waste Management, Demolition and Transportation of Radioactive Materials Radioactive Material Storage, Control, and Processing (IP 03.01)
On December 10 and 11, the inspectors observed the security of sealed source storage locations in the gatehouse 2 area and c-van storage container. The inspector verified the presence and accountability of sealed sources with the following identification numbers:
- 1) VY-20
- 2) VY-82
- 3) VY-98 The inspectors reviewed sealed source leak test results dated July 29, 2025, for all sources subject to leak testing.
The inspectors observed security controls on radioactive material subject to 10 CFR Part 37 and reviewed the licensees Part 37 Security Plan.
Transportation of Radioactive Materials (IP 03.02)
On December 10, 2025, the inspectors observed loading, surveys, placarding, and marking of two railcars containing metal debris from the reactor building.
The inspectors reviewed qualification documentation for the site radioactive shipper. The inspector reviewed 10 CFR 61 waste scaling factors and sampling results for the 2017 DAW waste stream.
The inspectors reviewed documentation, including shipping papers, emergency response information, radiation and contamination surveys, and waste manifests, for the following radioactive waste shipments:
- 1) NSVY-2025-14
- 2) NSVY-2025-230
- 3) NSVY-2025-283
- 4) NSVY-2025-285
6 Demolition and Disposition of Radiologically Impacted Structures (IP 03.03)
The inspectors observed air samplers placed around the site to monitor for release of airborne radioactivity during demolition of the reactor building and reviewed the following air sample records:
- 1) SP-83924
- 2) SP-83925
- 3) SP-83926
- 4) SP-83927
- 5) SP-83928
- 6) SP-83918
- 7) SP-83919
- 8) SP-83929
- 9) SP-83930 On December 10, 2025, the inspectors observed gamma scans and collection of soil samples at two measurement points in accordance with the licensees sample plan OADMP-01-A01 for monitoring for introduction of contamination to the site from the reactor building demolition. The inspector reviewed documentation of soil sample results from August 19, 2025, and October 15, 2025.
INSPECTION RESULTS No violations of more than minor significance were identified.
EXIT MEETING On January 13, 2026, the inspectors presented the inspection results to Billy Reid, Site Vice President, and other members of NorthStar organization. No proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.