ML072570319

Possible Completion of Construction Activities

ML072570319
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	10/22/2007
From:	Dyer J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Mccollum W Tennessee Valley Authority
Chernoff M, NRR/DORL, 415-4041
References
TAC MD6310
Download: ML072570319 (4)

Text

October 22, 2007 Mr. William R. McCollum, Jr.

Chief Operating Officer Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 2 - RESUMPTION OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES (TAC NO. MD6310)

Dear Mr. McCollum:

This letter is in response to your letter dated August 3, 2007, in which you informed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff of Tennessee Valley Authoritys (TVA's) intention to complete construction activities at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) Unit 2. Your letter indicated that TVA plans to resume unrestricted construction activities under the existing construction permit on December 3, 2007, and to request an operating license (OL) pursuant to Title10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, prior to April 1, 2012. You further indicated that you plan to submit by January 31, 2008, a regulatory framework document to reference key correspondence and describe open issues or commitments that need to be resolved to obtain an OL for WBN Unit 2.

In Generic Letter (GL) 87-15, Policy Statement on Deferred Plants, the NRC provided the agencys position regarding quality assurance requirements, specifically the maintenance, preservation and documentation requirements for deferred plants, and how new regulatory requirements will be applied to deferred plants upon reactivation. This policy statement was published in the Federal Register on October 14, 1987 (52 FR 38077). In your letter, you provided information regarding the reactivation of WBN Unit 2 in accordance with this policy statement. The NRC staff has determined that your letter satisfies the information requirements of GL 87-15.

Upon resumption of construction and consistent with the policy statement, the NRC will begin to determine the acceptability of structures, systems and components (SSCs) important to safety (see 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, General Design Criterion 1).

The staff will take the following actions to determine acceptability:

1. Review the preservation and maintenance program for WBN Unit 2, as implemented, and determine whether any SSCs require special attention.

2. Verify that design changes, modifications, and required corrective actions have been implemented and documented in accordance with established quality control requirements, and

W. R. McCollum 3. Review the results of any inspections and determine whether quality and performance requirements originally specified in the Final Safety Analysis Report have been implemented.

In addition, consistent with Commission direction in a staff requirements memorandum dated July 25, 2007, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML072060688) the staff will use the current licensing basis for Unit 1 as the reference basis for the review and licensing of Unit 2. Significant changes to this licensing approach would be allowed where the existing backfit rule would be met or as necessary to support dual unit operation. Consistent with the Commissions direction, we expect TVA to review any exemptions, reliefs, and other actions which were specifically granted for Unit 1, to determine whether the same allowance is appropriate for Unit 2 and submit such requests to the NRC for its review and approval as necessary. We encourage TVA to adopt updated standards for Unit 2 where it would not significantly detract from design and operational consistency between Units 1 and 2. We also expect TVA to look for opportunities to resolve issues such as generic safety issues where the unirradiated state of Unit 2 makes the issue easier to resolve before plant operation.

The NRC staff is developing plans and implementing actions for the technical review and inspection activities necessary to support licensing of WBN Unit 2. Currently, we are determining the status of licensing and inspection issues related to WBN Unit 2.

In accordance with the Commissions direction, the NRC will issue a notice of opportunity for hearing on the WBN Unit 2 OL application. The staff will issue this notice following receipt and review of your regulatory framework document. At that time, the staff also will establish a review schedule with anticipated milestones.

If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact L. Raghavan at 301-415-2429.

Sincerely,

/RA/

J. E. Dyer, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391 cc: See next page

W. R. McCollum October 22, 2007

3. Review the results of any inspections and determine whether quality and performance requirements originally specified in the Final Safety Analysis Report have been implemented.

In addition, consistent with Commission direction in a staff requirements memorandum dated July 25, 2007, (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML072060688) the staff will use the current licensing basis for Unit 1 as the reference basis for the review and licensing of Unit 2. Significant changes to this licensing approach would be allowed where the existing backfit rule would be met or as necessary to support dual unit operation. Consistent with the Commissions direction, we expect TVA to review any exemptions, reliefs, and other actions which were specifically granted for Unit 1, to determine whether the same allowance is appropriate for Unit 2 and submit such requests to the NRC for its review and approval as necessary. We encourage TVA to adopt updated standards for Unit 2 where it would not significantly detract from design and operational consistency between Units 1 and 2. We also expect TVA to look for opportunities to resolve issues such as generic safety issues where the unirradiated state of Unit 2 makes the issue easier to resolve before plant operation.

The NRC staff is developing plans and implementing actions for the technical review and inspection activities necessary to support licensing of WBN Unit 2. Currently, we are determining the status of licensing and inspection issues related to WBN Unit 2.

In accordance with the Commissions direction, the NRC will issue a notice of opportunity for hearing on the WBN Unit 2 OL application. The staff will issue this notice following receipt and review of your regulatory framework document. At that time, the staff also will establish a review schedule with anticipated milestones.

If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact L. Raghavan at 301-415-2429.

Sincerely,

/RA/

J. E. Dyer, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391 cc: See next page Distribution:

PUBLIC RidsNrrDorl RidsNrrAdro RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 RidsNrrAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsNrrPMJWilliams RidsNrrPMMChernoff RidsNrrLABClayton (Hard Copy) RidsOgcRp RidsRgn2MailCenter RidsNrrOd Accession No. ML072570319 OFFICE LPL/PM LPL/PM LPL/LA OGC/NLO Tech Editor LPL/BC DORL/D RII/RA NRR/OD NAME JWilliams MChernoff BClayton STurk HChang LRaghavan CHaney WTravers JDyer via e-mail via e-mail DATE 10 /12 /07 10 / 12 /07 10 / 6 /07 10/16 /07 10/10/07 9 /27 /07 10/ 17 /07 10 / 15 /07 10/ 22 /07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

W. R. McCollum Tennessee Valley Authority WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT cc:

Mr. William R. Campbell, Jr. Ms. Beth A. Wetzel, Manager Chief Nuclear Officer and Corporate Nuclear Licensing and Executive Vice President Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar Mr. Masoud Bajestani, Vice President Senior Vice President Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Generation Development Watts Bar Nuclear Plant and Construction Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000, EQB 1B 6A Lookout Place Spring City, TN 37381 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. James D. Smith, Acting Manager Licensing and Industry Affairs Mr. James R. Douet Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Senior Vice President Tennessee Valley Authority Nuclear Support P.O. Box 2000 Tennessee Valley Authority Spring City, TN 37381 3R Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Mr. Michael J. Lorek, Plant Manager Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Mr. H. Rick Rogers P.O. Box 2000 Vice President Spring City, TN 37381 Nuclear Engineering & Technical Services Tennessee Valley Authority Senior Resident Inspector 3R Lookout Place Watts Bar Nuclear Plant 1101 Market Street U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 1260 Nuclear Plant Road Spring City, TN 37381 Mr. Michael D. Skaggs, Site Vice President Watts Bar Nuclear Plant County Executive Tennessee Valley Authority 375 Church Street P.O. Box 2000 Suite 215 Spring City, TN 37381 Dayton, TN 37321 General Counsel County Mayor Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 156 6A West Tower Decatur, TN 37322 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902 Mr. Lawrence E. Nanney, Director Division of Radiological Health Mr. John C. Fornicola, Manager Dept. of Environment & Conservation Nuclear Assurance Third Floor, L and C Annex Tennessee Valley Authority 401 Church Street 3R Lookout Place Nashville, TN 37243-1532 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Ms. Ann P. Harris 341 Swing Loop Road Mr. Larry E. Nicholson, General Manager Rockwood, TN 37854 Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801