IR 05000482/2012001

Annual Assessment Letter for Wolf Creek Generating Station (Report 05000482-12-001)

ML120650857
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	03/05/2012
From:	Kennedy K NRC/RGN-IV/DRP
To:	Matthew Sunseri Wolf Creek
References
IR-12-001
Download: ML120650857 (6)

Text

March 5, 2012 Matthew W. Sunseri, President and Chief Executive Officer Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation

P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839 SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION (REPORT 05000482/2012 001) Dear Mr. Sunseri

On February 14, 2012, the NRC completed its end-of-cycle performance review of Wolf Creek Generating Statio The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs)

in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 20 1 This letter informs you of the NRC's assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facilit This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include security informatio A separate letter will include the NRC's assessment of your performance in the Security Cornerstone and its security-related inspection pla The NRC determined that overall, Wolf Creek Generating Station operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and met all cornerstone objective The NRC determined the performance at Wolf Creek Generating Station during the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response Column of the NRC

=s Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix because all inspection findings had very low (i.e., green) safety significance, and all PIs indicated that your performance was within the nominal, expected range (i.e., green). Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct ROP baseline inspections at your facilit In its assessment letter dated September 1, 2011, (ML112440318) the NRC outlined substantive cross-cutting issues in the areas of problem identification and resolution and human performance associated with themes in the aspects of: (1) use of a low threshold for identifying issues in the corrective action program P.1(a); (2) thoroughness of evaluating problems such that resolutions address causes and extent of condition P.1(c); (3)

appropriateness and timeliness of corrective actions P.1(d); (4) use of conservative assumptions in decision-making H.1(b); and (5)completeness and accuracy of design documentation, procedures, and work packages H.2(c). We also stated that we would conduct additional inspection above the ROP baseline inspection program as described in Section 13.03 of Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, "Operating Reactor Assessment Program," to evaluate the effectiveness of your performance improvement efforts related to these substantive cross-cutting issue We requested that you provide us a letter informing us of your readiness for inspection of your corrective actions in addressing each of the five identified safety culture theme Through our baseline inspection U N I T E D S T A T E S N U C L E A R R E G U L A T O R Y C O M M I S S I O N R E G I O N I V1600 EAST LAMAR BLVD A R L I N G T O N , T E X A S 7 6 0 1 1-4511 M. Sunseri

- 2 - efforts, a public meeting with NRC management on November 9, 2011, and through communications with station management, we have kept abreast of your most recent efforts to improve performance in these area We recognize that you have not yet determined that you are ready for this inspectio Therefore, the five substantive cross-cutting issues described above will remain ope As stated in previous assessment letters, the NRC will close each identified issue when we determine through our inspection that your corrective actions have been effective and the station has demonstrated sustained and measurable improvemen In addition, the NRC identified a new cross-cutting theme with four findings in the work control component of the human performance area associated coordinating work activities H.3(b). In addressing the scope of efforts and progress in addressing this theme, we noted your staff appropriately recognized the declining trend and entered the trend into the corrective action program; however, a reasonable duration of time has not passed to determine the effectiveness of your corrective actions since one of the findings comprising this theme w as identified during the last quarter of the assessment perio Therefore, the NRC has determined that a substantive cross-cutting issue does not exist at this tim The NRC will continue to monitor your staff's effort and progress in addressing the theme through the baseline inspection progra We request that you schedule a public meeting before the end of June 2012 to discuss your progress and the status of your plans for addressing the substantive cross-cutting issues described abov Also, we request you provide a written response within 30 days of the date of this letter that provides details of your planned corrective actions and a schedule outlining when you expect to be ready for inspection of your corrective actions for each of the safety culture theme The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through June 30, 201 Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection pla The inspections listed during the last nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at mid-cycle performance revie The NRC provides the inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issue The NRC will contact you as soon as possible to discuss changes to the inspection plan should circumstances warrant any change In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC

=s ARules 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). ADAM S is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). [Note: Verify the Web site works, and update it, if necessary.]

M. Sunseri

- 3 - Please contact Neil O'Keefe at 817-200-1141 with any questions you have regarding this lette

Sincerely,

/RA/ Kriss M. Kennedy Director, Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-482 License No. NPF-42 Enclosure:

Wolf Creek Inspection/Activity Plan

cc: w/enclosure via Electronic Distribution