Watts Bar Operating License Condition 2.F requires that the licensee shall implement and maintain in effect all provisions of the approved
fire protection program, as described in the Fire Protection Report for Watts Bar Unit 1, as approved in Supplements 18 and 19 of the
SER (
NUREG-0847). License Condition 2.F further states that the licensee may make changes to the approved
fire protection program without prior NRC approval, only if those changes would not adversely affect the ability to achieve and maintain
safe shutdown in the event of a fire. Contrary to the above, on July 18, 2012, the licensee identified that the site failed to meet the requirements of Watts Bar OLC 2.F, and the approved
FPP, in that, an evaluation performed for a change made to the approved
FPP was not adequate to ensure that the change would not adversely affect the ability to achieve and maintain
safe shutdown in the event of a fire. Specifically, new
OMAs that were added by DCN 52033 did not include all necessary heat loads on the component cooling system. The licensee initiated PER 787426 to address this issue. The finding was screened in accordance with NRC
IMC 0609,
Significance Determination Process, dated June 2, 2011, Attachment 4, Initial Characterization of Findings, dated June 19, 2012, which determined that, an
IMC 0609, Appendix F, Fire Protection
Significance Determination Process, dated September 20, 2013, review was required. The issue was determined to be of very low safety significance (Green) because, despite the performance deficiency, the reactor would be able to reach and maintain
safe shutdown conditions (Step 1.3.A of
IMC 0609, App. F, Attachment 1).
